How to Increase AOV on Shopify: Tactics That Work

Average order value (AOV) is one of the few growth levers that doesn't need more traffic. Every visitor you've already paid to attract becomes worth more when the typical order grows.

The best AOV tactics give shoppers a genuine reason to add more: a product that goes with what they're buying, a better price for buying two, or free shipping within reach. This guide covers eight that work on Shopify, how to set each one up, and what to avoid.

What AOV is and how to measure it

AOV is your total sales divided by your number of orders. If your store takes $12,000 from 200 orders in a month, your AOV is $60. Shopify shows it on the Analytics dashboard in your admin.

Before you change anything, write down three numbers for the last few months:

• AOV, overall and on mobile and desktop.
• Conversion rate, because an offer that raises AOV but puts shoppers off can lower total sales.
• Gross margin, because a bigger order bought with a deep discount can earn you less.

1. Set a free-shipping threshold above your AOV

A free-shipping threshold gives shoppers a clear reason to add one more item. Set the threshold a little above your current AOV, so a typical shopper is close to it but not already over it.

1. In your Shopify admin, go to Settings → Shipping and delivery.
2. Add a free shipping rate with a condition based on the order price.
3. Show shoppers how close they are, for example "You're $12 away from free shipping", in the cart.

Check your margin first: on every order above the threshold, you pay the shipping.

2. Bundle products that belong together

Bundles work when the products are naturally bought together: a shampoo and conditioner, a camera and a memory card, a set of three mugs. They save the shopper decisions, and they raise the order value in one click.

Shopify's free Bundles app creates fixed bundles and multipacks. For mix-and-match bundles or bundles built into the product page, a custom theme section or an app gives you more control.

3. Offer volume discounts

"Buy 2, save 10%. Buy 3, save 15%." Volume discounts suit products people use up or buy in multiples, such as consumables, basics and gifts.

Shopify's built-in discounts can require a minimum quantity. For several tiers on the same products, use an app. Checkout Engine, our checkout app, adds volume discounts built on Shopify Functions, so they're applied natively in Shopify's checkout.

4. Recommend complementary products

The easiest add-on is one the shopper was going to need anyway. Shopify's free Search & Discovery app lets you choose complementary products for each product, and many themes show them on the product page. Add a few recommendations to the cart page too.

Keep recommendations relevant and lower in price than the main product. A $15 case next to a $300 phone is an easy yes. A second $300 phone isn't.

5. Add upsells at checkout

Checkout is the last chance to add something to the order. Keep it to one relevant, low-priced offer that doesn't distract from paying.

On Shopify Plus, upsell blocks can sit inside the checkout steps. On other plans, place the offer in the cart, where every shopper sees it before checkout. Our guide on how to customize Shopify checkout explains what each plan allows.

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6. Use wishlists to bring shoppers back for more

Shoppers who save products are telling you what they plan to buy. When they come back, a wishlist page with add-to-cart buttons makes it easy to buy several saved items in one order instead of one.

• Price-drop alerts bring shoppers back when saved items go on sale.
• Back-in-stock alerts recover orders for saved sizes and colors that sold out.
• Shared wishlists turn gift lists into orders from friends and family.

SE Wishlist Engine is our Built for Shopify wishlist app, with a free plan. Our guide on how to add a wishlist to Shopify covers the setup step by step.

7. Reward bigger orders instead of discounting everything

A reward for reaching a spend level can work better than a sitewide discount, because smaller orders keep their full price.

• Gift with purchase: a free sample or accessory above a set order value, with a Buy X Get Y or automatic discount.
• Tiered order discounts: "Spend $100, save $10", using an order discount with a minimum purchase amount.
• Paid add-ons: gift wrapping, a gift message or an extended warranty.
• Loyalty points: points that reward larger orders and bring customers back.

8. Make it easy to buy more

Some stores have a low AOV simply because buying more is awkward. Check the basics:

• Quantity selectors on product pages and in the cart.
• Clear variant pickers, so shoppers can add two colors without confusion.
• Shipping costs shown early, so the threshold offer is believable.
• Fast pages on mobile. Our Shopify speed optimization service helps if your store has slowed down.

If your theme gets in the way, our Shopify store design and development team builds product pages, bundles and cart experiences around how your customers buy.

Which tactic to start with

You don't need all eight at once. Start with the ones that fit your products and take the least effort to set up:

What to avoid

• Too many offers at once. A popup, three upsells and a countdown timer make the store feel pushy.
• Fake urgency. Low-stock messages and timers should be true.
• Unrelated upsells. An offer that doesn't fit the order adds friction and nothing else.
• Discounts deeper than your margin allows. A bigger order at a loss isn't growth.
• Watching AOV alone. Always check conversion rate and margin alongside it.

Change one thing at a time, run it for a few weeks and compare the results with the numbers you wrote down at the start. That way you know which tactic actually worked.

Frequently asked questions