Abstract: Examples provide a system for real-time virtual cart optimization. A selected target is received for a cart match operation directed at a current cart associated with a host provider via an online selection. One or more items associated with the virtual cart are identified. A targeted query for the selected target is generated using the one or more identified items. The query results are parsed to identify at least two tags, which are used to determine item origination data and item value data. The identified tags are used to calculate per-item differentials, which are used to generate an updated cart.