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: August 2023–July 2024
|
Month |
Average units per transaction |
|
Aug 2023 |
3.95 |
|
Sep 2023 |
4.64 |
|
Oct 2023 |
4.63 |
|
Nov 2023 |
4.15 |
|
Dec 2023 |
3.96 |
|
Jan 2024 |
5.02 |
|
Feb 2024 |
5.08 |
|
Mar 2024 |
4.85 |
|
Apr 2024 |
5.11 |
|
May 2024 |
5.01 |
|
Jun 2024 |
4.98 |
|
Jul 2024 |
5.25 |
|
Global average |
4.64 |
According to recent market data, the metric of average units per transaction in ecommerce has been fluctuating between 3.95 and 5.25 over the past 12 months. In other words, the number of items consumers purchase online per sale currently falls between these two figures.
In August 2023, the average UPT in ecommerce registered at 3.95, the lowest figure over the past year, before rising by 0.69 units the following month, to 4.64. In October 2023, consumers bought marginally fewer items per purchase, as the average units per transaction decreased to 4.63.
Another month of decrease followed, which took the average to 4.15 in November. In December, the average units per transaction in ecommerce fell even further, to 3.96 (the lowest in four months), before surging to 5.02 in January 2024 and further to 5.08 in February.
Since then, the average units per transaction in ecommerce has performed relatively well, with an average of 5.04 UPT from March to July.
Average units per transaction by device
|
Device |
Average units per transaction (as of July 2024) |
|
Desktop |
7.41 |
|
Mobile |
4.13 |
|
Tablet |
3.49 |
The average UPT in online retail differs by device used. The data shows that as of July 2024, consumers shopping on desktops bought the highest number of products per checkout, at 7.41. This is the highest in at least 12 months.
In comparison, the average units per transaction on mobiles and tablets are 4.13 and 3.49, respectively.