How To Increase Shopify Average Order Value
A Shopify store can generate more revenue without relying on more traffic. One practical approach is to encourage shoppers to add relevant products to the same order.
This strategy can increase Shopify average order value because each completed order generates more revenue. Shopify defines AOV as the average order value, while basket size measures the number of items purchased in a single transaction.
Shoppers don't want to add random products, they prefer recommendations that complement what they already want to buy.
Cross-selling, upselling, bundles, and personalized recommendations can create those opportunities without making the shopping experience feel overly sales-focused.
Why More Items Per Order Can Increase Shopify Average Order Value
A simple formula of AOV: total revenue divided by the number of orders. Shopify’s reporting also tracks AOV over time, allowing merchants to compare changes following merchandising or promotional adjustments.
For example, you have a store with a $50 AOV. If shoppers start adding one relevant $15 accessory to some of their existing purchases, the store can generate more revenue from those orders without requiring another customer acquisition.
The number of items per order matters for a related reason. A shopper who buys a camera and a memory card creates a larger basket than a shopper who buys only the camera.
Shopify describes cross-selling as suggesting complementary products, while upselling typically involves encouraging a customer to choose a more expensive version of the original product.
This distinction helps merchants build a more structured AOV strategy:
- Cross-selling adds complementary products to the original purchase.
- Upselling encourages a higher-value version of the product.
- Bundling groups several relevant products into one offer.
- Volume incentives encourage shoppers to purchase more units.
The most suitable approach depends on the products, margins, customer behavior, and buying context.
Explore AOV strategies with Fether
5 Ways to Encourage Shoppers to Add More Items
Once shoppers find a product they want, the next opportunity is to help them discover what else fits naturally with that purchase. The following five strategies can encourage customers to add relevant products or quantities to their carts without making the shopping experience feel pushy.
Show frequently bought together products
Frequently bought together recommendations connect a primary product with things that shoppers commonly purchase alongside it. For example, a laptop can be naturally paired with a mouse, laptop sleeve, or keyboard.
The logic works because the recommendation answers a practical question: “What else might I need with this product?”
Shopify identifies frequently bought together carousels as a common eCommerce cross-selling placement because they expose complementary products directly on the shopping journey.
The recommendation quality is more valuable than the number of products displayed. Five unrelated products can create more friction than three highly relevant ones, because shoppers must spend more time evaluating unnecessary options.
Create product bundles around a clear use case
Product bundles can increase the perceived usefulness of purchasing multiple items together. Instead of presenting individual products separately, a store can group products that solve the same customer need.
A skincare store might create a routine containing a cleanser, serum, and moisturizer. A fitness store could combine resistance bands, a workout mat, and a water bottle. A coffee retailer could pair a coffee maker with filters and a grinder.
The bundle is more compelling if each component has a clear relationship with the main product. Shopify also lists bundle packages and volume discounts among common upselling techniques.
Discounts can strengthen the proposition, but the bundle does not always need a large price reduction. Convenience, product compatibility, and a complete solution can also create value.
>> Don't miss:
6 Product Bundles Types Every Store Should Know
Add related product recommendations
A shopper may arrive on a product page with one specific item, but still have room for additional purchases. Related product sections can show complementary or similar products without interrupting the primary shopping journey.
Labels such as “you may also like,” “customers also bought,” or “complete the look” give shoppers different ways to discover products.
For example, a fashion store selling a dress could show matching shoes, handbags, or jewelry. A home decor store selling a sofa could highlight cushions, side tables, or throws.
The recommendation becomes more useful when it reflects the shopper's current context rather than simply displaying best-selling products across the entire catalog.
Introduce volume discounts for multiple items
Some shoppers already intend to purchase several units, particularly when products involve replenishment or group use. Volume discounts can give those shoppers a financial reason to increase their quantity.
A store could structure an offer around different quantities:
- One item at the regular price
- Two items with a small discount
- Three or more items with a larger discount
The structure creates a clear relationship between quantity and value. Shopify also identifies bulk offers and volume discounts as established upselling techniques.
The economics still matter. A larger order does not automatically generate more profit if the discount, shipping costs, or fulfillment expenses eliminate the additional margin.
Connect recommendations with the shopping journey
A product recommendation on a product page can help discovery, while a cart recommendation can encourage shoppers to complete their purchase with an additional item.
Shopify notes that cross-selling can appear on product pages, carts, and checkout-related experiences. Its recent checkout guidance also describes cart recommendations as a way to suggest products while shoppers still expect to edit their orders.
A practical structure might look like this:
- Product page: related products or Frequently Bought Together
- Cart: complementary add-ons
- Bundle section: discounted combinations
- Checkout stage: carefully selected additional offers
Each placement serves a slightly different purpose, so repeating the same recommendation everywhere can create unnecessary friction.
How Fether Supports AOV-Focused Merchandising
For merchants who want several of these strategies within one Shopify app, Fether brings together frequently bought together, product bundles, AI cross-sells, related products, and product add-ons.
Its AI analyzes order history to generate product recommendations based on sales data. That approach can reduce the amount of manual product pairing required, particularly for stores with larger catalogs.
Fether also supports custom bundle creation. Merchants can build mix & match offers, buy X get Y deals, and other combinations that encourage shoppers to purchase multiple products together.
Its recommendation features provide additional merchandising options. A store can display customers also bought, or you may also like sections to surface relevant products across the storefront.
The app also supports volume discounts, which provide merchants with another mechanism to encourage larger quantities when the product category suits that strategy.
The broader benefit comes from having different AOV tactics available for different products. A skincare merchant might rely heavily on routines and bundles, while an apparel store might focus more on related products and complete-the-look recommendations.
Fether's combination of these functions allows the merchandising approach to vary according to the store's catalog.
Final Thoughts
The goal to increase Shopify average order value does not require convincing every shopper to spend dramatically more. A stronger approach focuses on making relevant additional products easier to discover.
Frequently bought together recommendations can connect complementary products. Product bundles can package complete solutions. Related products can introduce useful discoveries, while volume discounts can encourage larger quantities when the economics make sense.
Fether brings these AOV strategies together through AI recommendations, frequently bought together, product bundles, related products, Buy Together offers, and volume discounts. For merchants managing a growing Shopify catalog, these tools can create more opportunities for shoppers to build larger, more relevant orders.
The most meaningful results still come from measuring what shoppers actually purchase. AOV, items per order, conversion rate, and recommendation performance can reveal which merchandising strategies contribute to healthier order growth.
FAQ
What is the easiest way to increase Shopify AOV?
Relevant cross-selling can provide a straightforward starting point because complementary products give shoppers a natural reason to add another item. Frequently bought together and related-product sections can support this approach.
>> Read more:
The Psychology Behind Cross-Selling: Why Customers Say “Yes”
Do product bundles increase average order value?
Product bundles can increase AOV when the included products have a clear relationship and the combined offer provides meaningful value. Their impact depends on product demand, pricing, margins, and customer behavior.
How can Fether help increase AOV?
Fether combines frequently bought together, AI cross-sells, related products, product bundles, buy together offers, and volume discounts. Its AI can analyze order history to generate product recommendations based on purchasing patterns.
