What is AOS?
Average Order Size
Average Order Size (AOS) is the number of items per order. Different from AOV which measures dollar value.
AOS = Total items sold ÷ Total ordersFashion: 1.8-2.5 · Beauty: 2.0-3.0 · Food/grocery: 5-15 · Supplements: 1.2-2.0
- AOS
- Average Order Size (AOS) is the number of items per order. Different from AOV which measures dollar value.
Why AOSmatters
AOS improvements lower shipping costs per item and improve cart economics. Bundles, BOGO, and volume discounts all raise AOS.
Worked example
Plug a real number into the formula to see AOSin action:
Numbers are illustrative.Try our Shopify Pricing Calculatorfor your real numbers.
Common mistakes with AOS
- 1
Treating gross revenue as success. Contribution margin per order is what determines viability.
- 2
Counting first-purchase ROAS as the KPI. 90-day LTV ROAS is the operational target.
- 3
Building Shopify theme on platform defaults. Custom blocks and progressive enhancement deliver 15-30% CVR lift typical.
How to improve AOS
Push toward 30%+ contribution margin on every SKU. Anything below subsidizes operations from elsewhere.
Build subscription or replenishment SKUs into 20%+ of revenue. Predictable revenue compounds.
Optimize for repeat-purchase rate as the operating metric. New-acquisition spend should follow LTV, not vanity revenue.
Common questions about AOS
What is AOS?▾
How is AOS calculated?▾
What is a good AOS benchmark?▾
Why does AOS matter for marketing teams?▾
Related terms
Need help applying AOSto your business?
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