Offers & AOV
How to Increase Average Order Value on Shopify
Growing order value is often easier than finding new buyers. The mechanisms that help, and how to use them without annoying the customer.
Average order value (AOV) is total revenue divided by the number of orders. Raising it means each buyer leaves with more, which can make every visitor, and every ad, work harder. It is often more achievable than finding new customers, because the buyer is already there.
The aim is not to pressure people into spending more. It is to make it easy for a customer to get everything they would reasonably want in one order.
Start with what customers already buy together
Before adding any mechanism, look at your own orders. Which products appear together? What do people come back for a week later? That pattern is the most reliable guide to what you should offer next to what. Generic cross-sells ("you may also like" filled at random) tend to be ignored.
The main mechanisms
Related products on the product page
Showing relevant items on the product page lets shoppers build an order while they are still deciding. It works best when the suggestions genuinely complement the product: the refill, the case, the matching item.
Upsells and cross-sells in the purchase flow
An offer in the cart or at add-to-cart ("add the travel size for X") reaches shoppers who have already decided to buy. Keep it to one relevant suggestion. Several competing offers at the moment of purchase add friction.
Bundles and quantity breaks
Bundles package products that belong together. Quantity breaks reward buying more of the same, which suits consumables. Both raise order value and give a reason to buy now. They are covered in detail in Shopify bundles and offers.
Free shipping thresholds
A clearly communicated threshold ("free shipping over X") gives shoppers a concrete reason to add one more item. Set it with your margins in mind, a little above your current typical order, and make sure it is visible before checkout, not only in the cart.
Subscriptions and repeat purchase
For products people use up, a subscribe option turns one order into several. It is usually a larger project than the others, needing an app, a clear offer and a process for managing subscribers, so it is rarely the first thing to do.
Variants
Offering more than one size or configuration lets customers choose the larger option. It is a product decision as much as a merchandising one.
Order matters
These are not equally urgent. Related products and a visible free shipping threshold are usually quick to add. A subscription programme is a substantial project. Using the method in how to prioritize growth opportunities, quick, certain changes normally come first.
Also check that the basics are in place. AOV work helps most once the product page and checkout already convert well; adding a cross-sell to a page nobody buys from achieves little.
Measure it properly
Track AOV alongside conversion rate. An aggressive offer can raise order value while lowering the number of people who buy at all. Compare periods of similar length and seasonality, and give changes enough time before judging them.
Check your store
NOVA checks four AOV mechanisms on your store (upsell or cross-sell, related products, a repeat-purchase option and multiple variants) plus four offer mechanisms, and ranks what is missing. Scan your store free. If you would like help designing the offer structure, see services.