Business Metrics
CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)
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The total cost of acquiring a new customer, including marketing, sales, and related expenses divided by the number of customers acquired. The business equivalent of foraging cost in optimal foraging theory.
Biological Context
CAC directly parallels foraging costs in optimal foraging theory. Predators must balance energy expended (search time, chase energy, risk of injury) against energy gained (caloric content of prey). When foraging costs exceed returns, animals either switch prey types or abandon the patch entirely. This cost-benefit optimization is universal across predators—and across businesses.