Average monthly sales volume is a metric that reflects the value of transactions you process in a typical month. It’s usually calculated by totalling all sales for a specific time period (such as a year) and dividing by the number of months in that period (such as 12). While averages are helpful, actual monthly volume can be influenced by seasonality, product launches, or customer behavior.

This figure helps payment providers and their underwriting teams determine merchant account variables like:

• Processing minimums and maximums
• Potential risks
• Pricing
• Reserve account requirements

Businesses with higher volumes may require different account structures or risk controls than lower-volume operations.

When applying for a merchant account, reporting an accurate average sales volume is important. AltoPay uses this figure to ensure you’re matched with the right processing configuration and to monitor your account for signs of growth or irregular activity. It’s a baseline metric we use to help forecast capacity and optimize performance as you scale.