31 Mixed Cart Ecommerce Statistics

Data-backed analysis revealing why combining subscriptions and one-time purchases in a single checkout transforms conversion rates, order values, and customer retention

The ability to combine subscription products with one-time purchases in a single transaction represents one of the most significant shifts in modern commerce architecture. With 70.22% of shopping carts abandoned before checkout completion, merchants need every advantage to capture revenue. Platforms offering native subscription ecommerce capabilities with mixed cart support eliminate the friction that forces customers to complete multiple transactions—a limitation that costs retailers billions annually.

Key Takeaways

• Cart abandonment remains the industry's costliest problem - The average 70.22% abandonment rate means over two-thirds of potential revenue never converts, with $260 billion recoverable through better checkout design
• Mixed cart functionality directly addresses checkout friction - 18% of consumers abandon because checkout is too time-consuming; unified carts eliminate redundant transactions
• Subscription flexibility is now expected - 71% of merchants offer both monthly and annual plans to meet growing demand for purchasing options
• Average order values surge with bundling - The global AOV of $144 increases substantially when customers can combine purchase types in single transactions
• Mobile commerce demands streamlined checkouts - With mobile commerce accounting for 59% of online retail sales, complex multi-transaction processes devastate conversions
• B2B mixed carts unlock massive market potential - The B2B ecommerce market is projected to reach $36 trillion by 2026, with buyers expecting subscription and one-time purchase flexibility

Understanding the Mixed Cart Phenomenon: Key Definitions and Trends

1. Global ecommerce reaches $6.86 trillion in 2025

The global ecommerce market has reached $6.86 trillion by the end of 2025, creating unprecedented opportunity for merchants who can optimize their checkout experiences. This massive market continues to grow at rates outpacing traditional retail, with ecommerce share of total retail sales forecasted at 21.1% in 2026 and climbing to 22.5% by 2028.

2. 2.8 billion people now shop online globally

Approximately 2.8 billion consumers worldwide made at least one online purchase in 2025. This massive buyer base expects seamless purchasing experiences that accommodate their varied shopping patterns—whether they're buying a single item or establishing an ongoing subscription relationship with a brand.

3. Ecommerce sales outpace in-store growth by nearly 3x

Global ecommerce sales are projected to grow 8.3% by end of 2025, while in-store sales are forecast to grow only 3%. This acceleration toward digital commerce makes mixed cart functionality increasingly critical for merchants who need to capture both one-time buyers and subscription customers in a single optimized flow.

4. 71% of merchants now offer flexible subscription plans

Meeting customer demand for flexibility, 71% of merchants now offer both monthly and annual subscription plans. This shift reflects the reality that modern customers expect to customize their purchasing relationships with brands—sometimes wanting recurring delivery, other times preferring single purchases.

Platforms with native subscription management built into the core architecture enable this flexibility without requiring third-party apps that add cost and complexity.

Revenue Impact of Mixed Carts: Performance Metrics and Growth

5. Average global order value hits $144

The average ecommerce order value worldwide reached approximately $144 in 2024, marking the fourth consecutive year of growth. Mixed cart functionality directly influences this metric by enabling customers to add subscription products alongside one-time purchases—increasing basket size without requiring separate transactions.

6. Desktop AOV reaches $146-151, outperforming mobile by 78%

Desktop purchases generate 78% higher order values than mobile, with desktop AOV at $146-151 compared to mobile's $85-98. This gap highlights the importance of streamlined mobile checkout experiences—every additional step or transaction required on mobile devices costs conversions and revenue.

7. 8 in 10 consumers influenced by personalized offers and bundles

Research shows 8 in 10 consumers say personalized offers like discounts or bundles strongly influence their buying decisions. Mixed carts enable merchants to present compelling bundle offers combining subscription sign-ups with one-time purchases—a strategy that drives both immediate revenue and recurring revenue.

8. Luxury and jewelry AOV reaches $380-436

The luxury and jewelry segment achieves the highest average order values at $380-436. Brands in this category benefit significantly from platforms offering unlimited product options and variants—capabilities that let them model complex personalized products without the restrictions imposed by legacy platforms.

9. Food and beverage AOV sits at $114-147

The food and beverage category maintains strong order values between $114-147. This vertical exemplifies mixed cart potential: a customer might want a one-time gift purchase alongside their regular subscription delivery, and the ability to handle both in a single checkout determines whether that additional revenue is captured.

10. 35.26% conversion rate increase possible through better checkout design

Large ecommerce sites can achieve a 35.26% conversion increase through better checkout flow and design. Mixed cart support represents a fundamental checkout improvement—eliminating the friction of multiple transactions while meeting customer expectations for purchasing flexibility.

Enhancing Customer Experience with Mixed Carts: Engagement and Satisfaction

11. 70.22% average cart abandonment rate persists industry-wide

The average cart abandonment rate based on 50 documented studies stands at 70.22%. This staggering figure represents the central challenge of ecommerce: most customers who express purchase intent never complete transactions. Every checkout complication—including forcing separate transactions for subscriptions and one-time purchases—contributes to this loss.

12. 18% abandon because checkout takes too long

Statista research reveals 18% of consumers abandon the checkout process specifically because it was too time-consuming. Mixed cart functionality directly addresses this pain point by consolidating what would otherwise be multiple checkout flows into a single streamlined transaction.

13. 18% abandon due to complicated checkout processes

Complicated checkout flows cause 18% of cart abandonments. When platforms require customers to complete separate transactions for subscription and one-time products, they multiply this friction unnecessarily. Unified checkouts through platforms with built-in mixed cart support eliminate this complexity entirely.

14. 39% abandon because of extra costs revealed at checkout

The leading cause of cart abandonment at 39% of cases involves extra costs like shipping, tax, and fees being revealed too late. Mixed carts enable transparent pricing across all purchase types in a single view, preventing the sticker shock that drives customers away.

15. 19% abandon when forced to create an account

Requiring account creation causes 19% of shoppers to abandon their carts. Platforms supporting guest checkout alongside mixed cart functionality maximize conversion by removing unnecessary barriers—customers can complete combined subscription and one-time purchases without mandatory registration.

16. 40-50% of cart additions never reach checkout

Perhaps the most overlooked abandonment metric: 40-50% of shoppers who add items to cart never begin checkout at all. This "invisible abandonment" can't be recovered through email campaigns—it requires fundamentally better checkout experiences that accommodate how customers actually want to buy.

Operational Efficiency and Mixed Carts: Inventory and Fulfillment

17. $260 billion recoverable through better checkout optimization

Baymard Institute research indicates $260 billion worth of lost orders are recoverable in the US and EU solely through better checkout flow and design. Mixed cart functionality represents a significant portion of this opportunity—eliminating transaction friction while enabling flexible purchasing patterns.

Platforms with flexible fulfillment capabilities can handle the operational complexity of mixed carts, shipping subscription and one-time items separately when needed while maintaining a single customer transaction.

18. Product view to add-to-cart conversion runs 6-8%

Only 6-8% of product page viewers add items to their carts. When those hard-won additions include both subscription and one-time products, forcing multiple checkouts squanders the conversion momentum built through product discovery.

19. Add-to-cart to checkout initiation converts at 40-50%

The conversion rate from cart to checkout sits at 40-50%. This already significant drop-off worsens dramatically when customers must complete multiple checkout processes for different product types in their carts.

20. Checkout to purchase completion converts at 55-60%

Even after beginning checkout, only 55-60% complete their purchase. Every additional form field, page load, or transaction requirement reduces this conversion rate further—making unified mixed cart checkout essential for revenue capture.

Mixed Carts in Subscription Commerce: Trends and Management

21. Mobile cart abandonment reaches 73-75%

Mobile shoppers abandon carts at rates between 73-75%, compared to 65-68% on desktop. The constrained mobile interface makes checkout complexity even more damaging—every additional transaction required on mobile devices dramatically increases abandonment likelihood.

22. 59% of online retail sales now happen on mobile

Mobile commerce accounts for approximately 59% of online retail sales in 2025, reaching roughly $4 trillion globally. This mobile dominance means checkout experiences must work flawlessly on smaller screens—making single-transaction mixed carts essential rather than optional.

23. 60-65% of ecommerce traffic comes from mobile devices

Mobile shoppers generate 60-65% of ecommerce traffic. Merchants who can't offer streamlined mixed cart checkout on mobile devices forfeit the majority of their potential customer interactions.

24. 76% of US adults purchase via smartphone

Roughly 76% of adults in the United States make online purchases through their smartphones. This near-universal mobile commerce behavior demands checkout experiences that minimize taps, reduce form fields, and eliminate redundant transactions.

25. US mobile commerce reaches $900 billion in 2025

In the US alone, mobile commerce is expected to reach $900 billion in 2025, accounting for nearly half of total ecommerce sales. This scale means even small improvements in mobile checkout conversion translate to substantial revenue gains.

Global Perspective on Mixed Carts: International and Currency Trends

26. B2B ecommerce hits $36 trillion by 2026 at 14.5% CAGR

The B2B ecommerce market is expected to reach $36 trillion by 2026, growing at a 14.5% compound annual growth rate. B2B buyers increasingly expect consumer-grade checkout experiences—including the ability to mix subscription orders with one-time purchases in single transactions.

27. 61% of B2B buyers avoid sales representatives

61% of B2B buyers now choose buying journeys that don't involve sales representatives. This self-service preference means B2B checkout must be sophisticated enough to handle complex purchase scenarios—including mixed carts with varied billing arrangements.

28. 75% of B2B buyers will switch for better online experience

75% of B2B buyers are ready to change suppliers for a more seamless and user-friendly online buying experience. Mixed cart functionality represents a competitive advantage for B2B wholesale ecommerce platforms targeting these experience-driven buyers.

29. 67% of B2B buyers comfortable placing $50K+ orders online

67% of B2B buyers are comfortable placing orders exceeding $50,000 online without any sales involvement. These high-value transactions often combine recurring supply orders with one-time capital purchases—exactly the scenario mixed carts address.

Technology Solutions for Mixed Cart Management: Platforms and APIs

30. 51% of ecommerce businesses now use AI for personalization

51% of ecommerce businesses are already using AI to deliver smoother, more personalized shopping experiences. AI-driven product recommendations work best when customers can act on suggestions immediately—including adding subscription products to carts containing one-time purchases without checkout disruption.

31. AI-driven recommendations boost sales by 59%

AI-powered product recommendations are expected to boost ecommerce sales by 59%. This lift depends on frictionless checkout—when AI recommends a subscription product to a customer with one-time items in cart, mixed cart functionality determines whether that recommendation converts.

API-first platforms with unified backend access enable merchants to build sophisticated recommendation systems that span all product types while maintaining single-checkout simplicity.

Challenges and Opportunities of Mixed Carts for Modern Retailers

The statistics paint a clear picture: mixed cart functionality addresses fundamental ecommerce challenges around cart abandonment, mobile conversion, and customer experience. Merchants operating on platforms without native mixed cart support face structural disadvantages in conversion rates, order values, and customer lifetime value.

Key implementation considerations include:

• Native vs. third-party solutions - Built-in mixed cart support eliminates the app dependencies, additional fees, and integration complexity of third-party subscription tools
• Checkout customization - Full API access to checkout enables merchants to design mixed cart experiences matching their specific product mix and customer expectations
• Fulfillment flexibility - Mixed carts require backend systems capable of split fulfillment, separate billing cycles, and varied delivery schedules
• International readiness - Multi-currency pricing must work seamlessly across both subscription and one-time products within single transactions
• Inventory management - Product bundling with individual inventory tracking ensures accurate stock levels regardless of how items are purchased

Platforms offering these capabilities natively—rather than through app ecosystems—provide the foundation for sustainable ecommerce growth in an increasingly subscription-oriented market.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a mixed cart in ecommerce and why does it matter?

A mixed cart allows customers to combine subscription products and one-time purchases in a single checkout transaction. This matters because 18% of consumers abandon checkout when it takes too long, and 18% abandon due to complicated processes. Forcing separate transactions for different purchase types multiplies this friction unnecessarily. Mixed carts eliminate this barrier while enabling customers to shop how they want.

How do mixed carts impact average order value?

Mixed carts increase average order value by enabling customers to add both subscription sign-ups and one-time purchases without checkout disruption. With global AOV at $144 and 8 in 10 consumers influenced by bundle offers, mixed cart functionality directly enables the upselling and cross-selling that drive larger orders. Customers can seamlessly combine purchase types, increasing basket size naturally.

What are the main challenges retailers face with mixed cart orders?

The primary challenges include fulfillment complexity (shipping subscription and one-time items on different schedules), billing management (handling recurring charges alongside one-time payments), and inventory tracking (maintaining accurate stock across purchase types). Platforms with native subscription management address these challenges without third-party dependencies. Unified systems can manage split fulfillment while maintaining single customer transactions.

Can existing ecommerce platforms handle mixed carts effectively?

Most legacy platforms require third-party subscription apps that don't integrate seamlessly with one-time checkout flows. This creates disconnected experiences where customers must complete separate transactions. API-first platforms with built-in subscription capabilities offer mixed cart functionality natively, eliminating app fees and integration complexity. Native support ensures all purchase types flow through unified checkout experiences.

How does mobile commerce affect mixed cart importance?

With mobile commerce accounting for 59% of online retail sales and mobile abandonment rates reaching 73-75%, streamlined checkout is critical. Every additional transaction required on mobile dramatically increases abandonment likelihood—making single-transaction mixed carts essential for capturing mobile revenue. The constrained mobile interface demands simplified purchasing flows.

What statistics show mixed carts are becoming standard?

71% of merchants now offer both monthly and annual subscription plans to meet flexibility demands. Combined with the $260 billion recoverable through better checkout design and 35.26% conversion improvements possible through checkout optimization, mixed cart capability is becoming a competitive requirement rather than a differentiator. Market adoption reflects growing customer expectations for purchasing flexibility.