Understanding Acquisition Costs
Acquisition cost refers to the expenses incurred in acquiring another business or acquiring new customers.
It encompasses the amount spent to take over a company and includes the costs associated with acquiring and onboarding new customers.
Fixed Assets Acquisition Costs
In addition to purchasing fixed assets, acquisition costs include other expenses related to the acquisition process.
Customer Acquisition Costs
Customer acquisition costs are incurred to introduce customers to a company’s products or services and encourage them to purchase.
This metric is calculated by dividing the total costs by the number of new customers acquired during a specific period.
Customer acquisition cost is crucial in planning future capital allocations and marketing budgets.
It includes expenses such as marketing and advertising costs, discounts, incentives, salaries of staff involved in acquisition efforts, and fees paid to external advertising firms.
Incentives may involve free deals, complimentary products, gift cards, bill credits, free upgrades, and more.
One industry where customer acquisition is significant is the wireless cellphone sector.
Wireless companies often offer new customers extended free deals, increased data packages, and discounts on new phones to entice them to choose their services over the competition.