Shopify questionAnswer4 min read
How Do I Increase Average Order Value?
Average order value rises when shoppers have a clear reason to add one more item. These are the four tactics I start with on Shopify, and how to set each one up.
Key takeaways
- Average order value is revenue divided by number of orders. Raising it means getting each buyer to add a little more, not finding more buyers.
- The four tactics that work on most Shopify stores: a free shipping threshold, bundles, complementary product suggestions and quantity discounts.
- All four can be set up with Shopify's built-in tools and free apps: automatic discounts, Shopify Bundles and Search & Discovery.
- Check margin before every offer. A higher order value that comes from a deep discount can leave you with less profit per order.
- Who it is for
- Store owners growing revenue per order
- Time needed
- 5 minutes to read
- What you need
- Shopify admin access
You increase average order value by giving shoppers a clear, useful reason to add one more item: free shipping above a set amount, a bundle that costs less than buying separately, a product that completes the one in their cart, or a better price for buying more. On Shopify, each of these can be built with free, native tools. Start with one, measure it for a few weeks, then add the next.
As a CRO specialist, I treat AOV as one of the two levers on revenue per visitor, alongside conversion rate. Shopify features below were checked on help.shopify.com on 7 November 2026.
How to calculate average order value
AOV is total revenue divided by the number of orders in the same period. A store with $24,000 from 500 orders has an AOV of $48. Look at it by traffic source and by device too: mobile shoppers and first-time buyers often spend less, and that is where the easiest gains usually sit.
Why a small AOV change matters
- Current AOV$48500 orders, $24,000 a month.
- AOV +10%$52.80Same 500 orders.
- Extra revenue$2,400A month, with no extra traffic.
1. Set a free shipping threshold
This is the first change I test on most stores. Shoppers already near the line add an item to cross it.
- Find your current AOV in Shopify analytics.
- Set the threshold above it. My starting rule is 15% to 30% above current AOV, then adjust based on results.
- Create the offer. Go to
Discounts > Create discount > Free shipping, choose Automatic discount, and set a Minimum purchase amount. - Show progress in the cart. A line such as "You're $12 away from free shipping" does most of the work.
2. Offer bundles
Shopify Bundles is Shopify's own free bundles app, available on all plans. It creates fixed bundles of up to 30 components and multipacks, such as a 3-pack of socks. Bundles work best for products bought together anyway: a skincare routine, a coffee starter kit, a camera with its case. My guide to creating product bundles on Shopify covers pricing and setup.
3. Suggest complementary products
Shopify's Search & Discovery app lets you pick up to 10 complementary products for each item under Apps > Search & Discovery > Product recommendations. They show in a complementary products block on the product page, if your theme supports it. Hand-picked add-ons beat automatic ones for small catalogs: a lens cloth with glasses, a refill with a starter kit.
For cart and post-purchase offers, see my guide to upsells and cross-sells on Shopify.
4. Reward larger orders
Shopify's discount types include amount off products or orders and Buy X get Y. Use them for "buy 2, get 10% off" on consumables or "spend $100, get $15 off" on the whole order. Set these up as automatic discounts so shoppers don't need a code. My guide to discount codes and automatic discounts walks through each type.
What doesn't work
- Pop-ups that block checkout. They raise AOV on a few orders and cost you others.
- Upsells that cost more than the original item. Add-ons should be a fraction of the main product's price.
- Five offers at once. You can't tell which one worked, and the page gets noisy.
- Thresholds too far away. A free shipping line at double your AOV is ignored.
By country
If you sell abroad with Shopify Markets, set the free shipping minimum in each market's currency and round it to a local number, such as £50 for the UK or $100 in Australia, rather than a converted figure. Buy now, pay later options (Afterpay in the US and Australia, Clearpay in the UK, Klarna in the Netherlands) can also make larger baskets easier to say yes to. See Afterpay vs Klarna if you're choosing one.
What to do next
- Write down your current AOV by device and by new versus returning customers.
- Launch a free shipping threshold first, and leave it for 4 weeks.
- Add complementary products to your top 10 sellers.
- Test one bundle built from items customers already buy together.
- Want a plan for your store? My Shopify CRO service starts from $500, with a fixed quote after a free review.
Free tools
Check your own store
Free, no sign-up. Each one runs a part of this guide for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good average order value?
There is no universal number: it depends on your prices, category and shipping model. Track your own AOV over time and by channel, and judge each change against your previous figure rather than a benchmark.
What is the fastest way to increase average order value?
A free shipping threshold set a little above your current AOV, shown with a progress message in the cart. It takes minutes to set up as an automatic free shipping discount with a minimum purchase amount.
Does Shopify have a free bundles app?
Yes. Shopify Bundles is a free first-party app available on all plans. It creates fixed bundles with up to 30 components and multipacks.
How do I show related products on Shopify?
Use Shopify's Search & Discovery app. Under Product recommendations you can choose up to 10 complementary products for each item, which appear in a block on the product page if your theme supports it.
Do discounts lower profit even if AOV goes up?
They can. If the discount is larger than the extra margin from the added items, profit per order falls. Calculate margin on each offer before launching it.
How long should I test an AOV change?
At least 3 to 4 weeks, so you cover full weekly cycles and enough orders to see a real difference. Change one thing at a time so you know what caused the result.
Sources
- Free shipping discounts, Shopify Help Center
- Shopify Bundles, Shopify Help Center
- Product recommendations, Shopify Help Center
- Discount types, Shopify Help Center
Related services and work
I'm a Shopify developer and CRO specialist. I have built and improved Shopify stores since 2018, completed more than 1,000 projects, and hold a 4.96 average rating across 719 client reviews.
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