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The Complete Guide to Data Analysis for CPG Brands

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Consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands live and die by their ability to make smart, timely decisions. Whether you’re running a fast-growing beverage company or a heritage food brand, your data is one of the most powerful assets you have. Many CPG operators struggle with scattered information across Shopify, Klaviyo, and ad platforms, which makes it difficult to see the full picture.

Our brief guide walks through why data analysis matters for CPG brands, what kinds of data you should be paying attention to, and how to turn your fragmented, unstructured data into insights that drive revenue.

Why Data Analysis Matters for CPG Brands

CPG businesses often operate on thin margins and high volume. A small improvement in conversion rate, repeat purchases, or marketing efficiency can translate into major profit growth. Data analysis gives you the visibility to:

  • Spot revenue opportunities quickly
  • Catch cost leaks before they spiral
  • Optimize marketing spend across channels
  • Understand how customers interact with your products

Without consistent analysis, many brands rely on gut instinct or siloed, stale reports. That might just about work in the early days, but as order volume grows, the cost of not knowing increases sharply.

The Key Data Sources Every CPG Brand Should Use

You don’t need to track everything under the sun. Focus on the data that directly connects to revenue, customer retention, and efficiency.

1. Shopify

Shopify is your source of truth for sales data. From order volume and average order value to refund rates and fulfillment status, this is the backbone of your financial analysis. Use Shopify to measure trends in product performance and seasonality.

2. Klaviyo

Email and SMS often drive the highest ROI for CPG brands. Klaviyo provides insight into customer behavior, retention, and lifetime value. With the right analysis, you can pinpoint which flows and campaigns actually drive repeat purchases.

3. Ads Platforms (Meta, Google, TikTok)

Paid media can burn cash quickly if you don’t measure effectiveness. Data from ads platforms shows you cost per acquisition, return on ad spend, and which audiences convert best. Tying this back to Shopify data helps you move budget where it matters.

4. Finance and Operations Tools

For brands at scale, connecting your financial systems (like Xero or QuickBooks) with workforce management tools (like Deputy) can show how wages and costs compare against sales. This is especially important for multi-site operators.

The Metrics That Matter Most

With so much data available, it’s easy to get lost and overwhelm yourself. Focus on metrics that impact decision-making such as:

  • Revenue per channel: How much each sales channel contributes to overall revenue.
  • Gross margin: Ensures you’re not just selling more but actually making money.
  • Customer lifetime value (CLV): How valuable each customer is over time.
  • Repeat purchase rate: A strong indicator of product-market fit and retention.
  • Marketing efficiency ratio (MER): Total revenue divided by total ad spend, which gives a broad view of paid efficiency.

These metrics create the foundation for smarter decisions.

Turning Data Into Action

Collecting data isn’t the goal. Acting on it is. Here’s how to make it practical:

  1. Automate collection: Manual exports eat up time and create errors. Connect Shopify, Klaviyo, and ad platforms into a single view.
  2. Build proactive alerts: Get notified when something spikes or drops, rather than waiting for end-of-month reports.
  3. Run cohort analysis: Group customers by acquisition month or channel to see retention trends.
  4. Test and iterate: Use the insights to run campaigns, then measure results and adjust.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

These are common mistakes that brands make when looking at their data. Here are some things to avoid:

  • Chasing vanity metrics: Likes and impressions don’t matter if they don’t tie back to sales.
  • Data silos: If marketing, finance, and ops teams all use different dashboards, alignment becomes impossible.
  • Overcomplication: More metrics aren’t better. A simple dashboard that everyone understands beats a complex one no one uses.

In Conclusion

Strong data analysis helps CPG brands run leaner and grow faster. By focusing on the right sources, tracking the metrics that matter, and building a culture of acting on insights, you give your business a clear competitive advantage.

For many brands, the biggest hurdle isn’t the lack of data. It’s making that data usable, reliable, and actionable. That’s where tools like Menza can help. We centralize data from Shopify, Klaviyo, ads platforms, and over 600+ other integrations so you can turn information into smarter decisions without wasting hours on spreadsheets.