Increase basket value without losing sight of profit
To increase average order value on Shopify, help customers choose a useful larger basket and test whether the extra revenue covers its costs. Start with one specific opportunity: a missing accessory, a convenient product set, a sensible shipping threshold or a benefit the customer actually qualifies for.
AOV measures revenue per order, not profit. A higher number can come from larger baskets, a different product mix or fewer small orders. None of those alone proves the store is better off.
Set a consistent baseline
Shopify’s AOV report divides gross sales minus discounts by orders, excluding post-order adjustments. It is based on product revenue when the order is placed. Find sales reporting under Analytics → Reports and compare like-for-like periods. See Shopify’s AOV report definition.
For example, $12,000 in product sales after discounts across 200 orders gives an AOV of $60. Keep the same currency, order population and revenue definition when comparing results. Review later returns separately rather than assuming the initial AOV includes their effect.
Use our average order value calculator for the arithmetic. This guide focuses on what to test next. All basket values and calculations below are fictional planning examples, not customer results or expected improvements.
Choose a tactic that solves a real shopping problem
On small screens, scroll the table horizontally.
| What you observe | What to test | What could go wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Customers buy an item but miss a useful accessory | A clearly compatible add-on | Irrelevant suggestions make the page harder to use |
| Several items solve one customer need | A convenient product set or bundle | The discount exceeds the additional contribution |
| Common baskets sit just below an affordable delivery threshold | A reachable free shipping minimum | Existing orders gain free shipping without any extra spend |
| Some customers need a more capable option | A clear comparison with a premium option | The expensive choice does not suit their needs |
| Buyers regularly need several units | A quantity offer with sensible limits | Stockpiling delays the next purchase or raises shipping costs |
| Members do not understand an existing perk | A clear eligibility and benefit explanation | Benefits are promised to customers who cannot use them |
Review actual order combinations, common basket sizes and support questions. Separate retail from wholesale orders and membership fees from merchandise when evaluating shopping behavior. One unusually large order should not set the target for everyone.
Seven ways to increase average order value
1. Suggest one compatible add-on
A customer buying a $48 water bottle may also need its $12 carry sleeve. Show why it fits and let the shopper decide. If both are included in the same order, the product total becomes $60 before any discounts.
Before you roll it out: Verify model compatibility, stock and a clear optional choice. Compare add-on purchases with returns and contribution. A later email order is a separate transaction; see the cross-sell email guide for that journey.
2. Build a useful product set
A brush, storage case and cleaning cloth can form a practical care kit. Explain what each component does and make sizes and quantities visible. Convenience can be a reason to choose the set even without a discount.
Before you roll it out: Check component inventory, fulfilment and returns. Calculate the cost of the whole set before choosing its price. Use suitable bundle tooling; membership benefits alone do not create bundles.
3. Test a reachable free shipping threshold
If many baskets are around $54 and a useful refill costs $12, a $65 eligible-spend threshold could be worth testing. The customer can reach $66 with something they need. This is a hypothesis, not a universal threshold formula.
Before you roll it out: Account for shipping regions, parcel weight and products that do not count toward eligibility. Include orders already above $65 in the subsidy cost. Work through the free shipping threshold calculator before testing.
4. Explain the value of a premium option
Offer a comparison between a basic storage pouch and a larger version when capacity is a real customer need. Show dimensions and included features so the shopper can choose confidently.
Before you roll it out: Do not hide the lower-priced option or make unsupported quality claims. A higher price is only useful if the product fits the buyer and its additional contribution justifies the change.
5. Offer sensible quantities
For a consumable with a realistic use window, let shoppers compare one unit with a multipack. Show total price, unit price and storage or expiry considerations where relevant.
Before you roll it out: Calculate the added product, packaging and delivery costs. More units now can mean fewer orders later, so track repeat purchasing as well as AOV. Do not treat a quantity purchase as proof of higher lifetime value.
6. Make an existing member benefit understandable
An eligible member may value a clear explanation of their free shipping minimum or member discount while building a basket. State the real conditions and provide access to the member account.
Before you roll it out: Keep the promise consistent with checkout. Do not claim a credit balance without verified data or push every shopper into a paid membership. Compare merchandise behavior separately from membership-fee revenue. See the free shipping membership guide.
7. Answer the questions that prevent a complete purchase
Add clear compatibility, quantity, size and delivery information near the buying decision. A shopper planning a two-item kit may buy only one item if they cannot tell whether the pieces work together.
Before you roll it out: Use recurring customer questions as research, then test clearer information. This may help conversion more than AOV; measure both instead of claiming that every content change increases spending.
Worked examples: a bigger basket can earn less
Use contribution as a planning check: product revenue after discounts, plus shipping collected, minus product cost, fulfilment, carrier cost and payment fees. These simplified examples exclude taxes, fixed overhead, advertising and later returns. Add the relevant costs for your business before making a decision.
Example 1: a relevant add-on improves contribution
On small screens, scroll the table horizontally.
| Per order | Bottle only | Bottle plus sleeve |
|---|---|---|
| Product revenue after discounts | $48.00 | $60.00 |
| Product cost | $20.00 | $24.00 |
| Fulfilment and carrier cost, no shipping collected | $7.00 | $8.00 |
| Payment fee assumption: 3% + $0.30 | $1.74 | $2.10 |
| Contribution before other costs | $19.26 | $25.90 |
The order value rises by $12 and contribution by $6.64, assuming the extra item does not change conversion or returns. The fee rate is illustrative, not a statement about Shopify pricing.
Example 2: a discounted bundle raises AOV but lowers contribution
On small screens, scroll the table horizontally.
| Per order | Original basket | Promoted bundle |
|---|---|---|
| Product revenue after discounts | $60.00 | $68.00 |
| Product cost | $24.00 | $34.00 |
| Fulfilment and carrier cost, no shipping collected | $8.00 | $9.00 |
| Payment fee assumption: 3% + $0.30 | $2.10 | $2.34 |
| Contribution before other costs | $25.90 | $22.66 |
Assume the promoted bundle has an $80 list price and a $12 discount. The shopper spends $8 more than on the original basket, but contribution falls by $3.24 per order. A larger order total does not make this offer a winner.
Example 3: account for shoppers who already qualify
Suppose 100 orders would already exceed a proposed shipping threshold, and each now costs you an additional $6 in shipping subsidy. That is $600 to recover before the test improves contribution. If each genuinely incremental basket expansion contributes $9 after its extra shipping and other variable costs, you would need at least 67 such expansions to cover $600, assuming nothing else changes.
Do not apply the $9 only to customers who click the offer, or assume every qualifying order was caused by it. Use the discount profit calculator for discount scenarios and assess shipping separately.
Use this worksheet before launching an AOV test
On small screens, scroll the table horizontally.
| Record | Example or decision |
|---|---|
| Audience and scope | One retail product family; separate membership-only orders |
| Baseline | Comparable product revenue, orders, conversion and contribution |
| Hypothesis | A compatible sleeve helps bottle buyers complete their kit |
| One change | Show the sleeve with verified compatibility and price |
| Primary outcome | Contribution per eligible visitor or comparable audience |
| Supporting measures | AOV, conversion, units per order, returns and repeat purchases |
| Stop conditions | Incorrect eligibility, broken checkout or unacceptable cost |
| Review window | Cover a representative buying period and allow for returns |
Where practical, compare randomly assigned eligible visitors or another credible control. If you use a before-and-after comparison, account for traffic sources, promotions, seasonality and product mix. Choose the sample and duration to suit traffic and the effect you need to detect; there is no universal seven-day answer.
Conversion guardrail: 100 orders at $60 produce $6,000 in product revenue. If a change produces 80 orders at $70 from the same amount of comparable traffic, revenue becomes $5,600 despite higher AOV. Contribution could fall further once offer costs are included.
For longer-term effects such as delayed reorders after a multipack purchase, use the customer lifetime value calculator to explore assumptions and check actual customer cohorts. Do not interpret a calculation as causal evidence.
Where Memberply fits in an AOV strategy
Memberply supports membership tiers and benefits. Its free shipping benefit can use minimum purchase amount or item quantity requirements, country rules, a maximum shipping-cost setting and product or collection exclusions. Excluded products do not count toward the benefit’s minimum requirements.
- Choose a benefit that fits the tier. Start with real customer value and affordable terms, rather than adding a reward solely to move AOV.
- Configure and describe the same rules. Keep eligibility, minimums and exclusions consistent across the benefit, storefront explanation and guide links.
- Test the actual cart. Check an eligible member, a non-member, a mixed basket with excluded products and relevant delivery countries. Include the membership-in-cart route if your store uses it.
- Measure merchandise and membership separately. A membership fee appearing in an order is not proof the customer bought more products. Include benefit costs when reviewing results.
Follow the free shipping setup documentation for current settings. Memberply is not a general bundle builder, recommendation engine or guarantee of increased order value.
Average order value questions
How do I increase average order value on Shopify?
Start with a specific basket problem, then test one relevant change such as a compatible add-on, useful bundle, sensible shipping threshold or eligible member benefit. Compare contribution and conversion alongside AOV before expanding the offer.
How is average order value calculated?
Average order value divides the revenue measure you are using by the corresponding number of orders. Shopify’s AOV report uses gross sales minus discounts, excluding post-order adjustments, divided by orders. Keep the definition, currency and reporting period consistent.
Does a higher AOV mean more profit?
No. Discounts, product costs, shipping subsidies, payment fees and returns can consume the extra revenue. AOV can also rise while fewer customers buy. Check contribution per order, total contribution and conversion together.
What is a good average order value?
There is no universal target. Product prices, order mix, customer groups and purchase cycles change what is realistic. Start with your own comparable orders and check whether the proposed basket is useful and profitable.
How do I choose a free shipping threshold?
Review common basket sizes, the price of a useful add-on, product margins and delivery costs. Test a threshold customers can reasonably reach, and account for existing orders that would qualify without changing their basket.
Can I increase AOV without discounting?
Yes, you can test compatible accessories, convenient product sets, a useful premium option and clearer product information without reducing item prices. Their effect still needs to be measured; none guarantees a larger or more profitable order.
Does a later cross-sell email increase the original order’s AOV?
No. A later separate purchase creates a new order. It can affect the average across a reporting period and customer lifetime value, but it does not change the value of the original order.
Does Memberply create bundles or product recommendations?
Memberply provides membership tiers and benefits such as member discounts, reward points and configurable free shipping. Use appropriate Shopify or other tools for bundles and product recommendations; Memberply is not a general bundling or recommendation engine.