How to Increase Shopify Average Order Value

Average order value (AOV) measures how much customers spend per order. A relevant add-on can make the traffic you already receive more valuable, but a larger basket is only useful if customers still complete checkout and the order earns enough after costs. These seven tactics give you practical options, rather than a promise that every store should use them all.

1. Recommend something that belongs with the basket

Start with the customer's purchase: an accessory that fits, a product used in the same routine, or another item for the same gifting occasion. A popular product is not necessarily a useful companion. Keep suggested variants available and the price proportionate to the original purchase. Our frequently bought together guide explains the approach.

If order history is thin, manual recommendations let you choose the suggested products yourself. Use a short list that fits the baskets where it appears. An algorithm needs enough relevant examples to learn; installing one does not create buying demand.

2. Choose an achievable shipping goal

A shipping threshold can encourage an extra item when the gap matches something the customer might want. For an illustrative basket of 42, a threshold of 50 might work if a relevant 8-12 add-on is available. It is a candidate to evaluate, not a universal rule. Include shipping cost, discounts and existing qualifying orders in the calculation. See our threshold guide.

3. Bundle products for a reason

A bundle should explain why the items belong together. Test one clear pairing before a large set. A discount is optional: useful selection can have value on its own. When offering a saving, show eligibility and confirm that the same price applies at checkout.

4. Give a gift a specific job

A gift unlocked by one normal purchase may help a first-time customer decide to buy. A higher threshold may encourage a larger basket. Both are legitimate aims, but only the second asks for extra spend. Include the gift's cost and fulfilment in your margin check, and keep accepted gifts separate from paid add-on revenue. Read our gift guide.

5. Make the cart offer easy to reach

A drawer can keep shoppers in context while they review items and accept a suggestion. A cart page can be useful for more detailed orders. Whichever surface you use, check homepage quick-add, product-page Add to cart and the header cart. Offers cannot earn sales on a route that never displays them.

6. Explain real savings

Show a saving only when its conditions are met. If three items qualify, a two-item basket should not imply the discount is already active. Check how other codes, free gifts and shipping rules affect the payable total. Keep the message consistent with checkout.

7. Measure acceptance, completion and profit

Record actual offer impressions, recommendation adds and completed purchases. View AOV alongside conversion and contribution profit after product costs, discounts, fees and fulfilment. Attributed revenue tells you which purchases were tracked; it does not alone prove the offer caused additional sales.

For low-traffic stores, review raw counts and change one offer at a time. A few impressions without sales are not enough to declare failure. If very few visitors add a product at all, adding more cart incentives may not address the current bottleneck.

Start with one useful offer

Cart Uplift brings recommendations, bundle discounts, shipping progress and gifts into the cart journey. Choose the features that fit your catalogue, verify the published setup and evaluate the results before adding another incentive.