Average order value (AOV) is how much a customer spends per order — and it’s the cheapest growth lever you have, because raising it makes every existing visitor worth more. No extra traffic required.
The tactics that actually work
- Quantity breaks & bundles — “buy 2, get 1 free”, 3-for-2, or volume pricing on the product page. Fastest win for most stores.
- Free gift over a threshold — set it just above your current AOV to nudge one more item.
- Free-shipping threshold — pair it with a progress bar in the cart.
- Smart upsells & cross-sells — recommend the natural next item, not random products.
The trap: offers that break at checkout
Many cheap apps apply discounts in storefront JavaScript. It looks right on the product page, but if the cart changes, an unqualified free gift can stay free — that’s lost margin. The fix is checkout-safe offers enforced by a Shopify Function at checkout, so what the shopper sees is exactly what they’re charged.
Measure it
Track AOV monthly alongside conversion rate and units per order. Change one offer at a time so you can read the real impact. To size the upside before you build anything, run the numbers through our free AOV-lift calculator.
Want these set up properly — and checkout-safe? Our CRO & AOV service does it for you. Get a quote.