Average Units per Transaction in Ecommerce
It’s important for businesses to set and track metrics to understand how well they are performing in comparison with their competitors and the market average. This allows them to set realistic business benchmarks and goals and identify areas with room for improvement.
For online businesses, indicators like the average add-to-cart rate and average page views per visit in ecommerce are some of the most important metrics to keep an eye on. But those aren’t the only insightful ones. The average units per transaction metric can also provide an overview of the shopping habits and preferences of buyers.
Average units per transaction: 2023–2024
According to recent market data, the metric of average units per transaction in ecommerce has been fluctuating between 3.88 and 4.95 over the past 12 months. In other words, the number of items consumers purchase online per sale currently falls between these two figures.
In February 2023, the average units per transaction registered at 4.14, before rising by 0.37 units the following month, to 4.51. In April 2023, consumers bought slightly more items per purchase, as the average units per transaction rose to 4.58.
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Another month of increase followed, which took the average to 4.78 in May—the highest in at least four months. In June, the average units per transaction in ecommerce fell to 4.42, before falling further to 3.93 in July and 3.92 in August. September 2023’s average units per transaction in ecommerce saw a surge of 0.66 units, to 4.58, at which it stayed in October. But the metric fell for two consecutive months after, eventually reaching 3.88 in December 2023, before surging by 1.07 units to 4.95 in January 2024, the highest over the past 12 months.
Average units per transaction by device
The average units per transaction differs from device to device. The data shows that as of January 2024, consumers shopping on desktops bought the highest number of products per checkout, at 5.73. It is the highest since May 2023, when the average units per transaction on desktops hit 6.19.
In comparison, the average units per transaction on mobiles and tablets are 4.57 and 4.22, respectively.