Let's get straight to the point. If you're not actively working on how to increase average order value (AOV), you're leaving money on the table. From our experience with over 500 Shopify stores, we see a common mistake: a relentless focus on acquiring new customers while ignoring the low-hanging fruit—getting each customer to spend just a little bit more.
In this playbook, you'll learn exactly how to increase average order value with proven, step-by-step strategies we use with our clients every day.
Why AOV Is Your Most Underrated Growth Metric
Think about it. You’ve already done the hard work and spent the ad dollars to get a shopper to your site. Now, it's time to make that visit count. AOV is the difference between a break-even sale and a profitable one. It directly boosts your Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) and supercharges your Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).
A 10% jump in AOV often delivers a bigger impact to your bottom line than a 10% increase in traffic. It’s about working smarter to grow your revenue, not just harder.
The potential here is huge. For a real-world look at how powerful this can be, check out how a home goods brand increased profits by 23% through strategic optimization. According to Statista, the average eCommerce order value in the U.S. is around $153. If your store is tracking below that, you have a massive opportunity waiting for you.
Here's a quick look at the core strategies we'll unpack in this guide. These are the tried-and-true methods we use to help brands stop leaving money on the table.
Core Strategies to Boost Your AOV
In this playbook, we'll give you an actionable roadmap to implement these tactics. You'll learn exactly how to increase average order value with proven, step-by-step guidance.
Mastering Upsells and Cross-Sells on WhatsApp
Everyone wants to increase average order value, and upselling and cross-selling are the quickest paths there. But after working with hundreds of Shopify stores, we've seen most brands get this completely wrong. Their offers come across as pushy and irrelevant, interrupting the customer’s flow—a surefire way to alienate a new buyer.
The strategy that consistently delivers the best results for our clients is to be genuinely helpful. It all comes down to timing and relevance. Stop just throwing random products at people. Instead, think like a personal shopper. What would actually make their original purchase even better?
The Post-Purchase Goldmine
The absolute best time to make an offer is right after someone clicks "buy." Their trust in your brand is at an all-time high, and they're fully engaged. That simple "thank you" message you send to WhatsApp, which has a staggering 98% open rate, can become your most powerful revenue driver.
As an official Meta Business Partner, we built the Kanal platform to automate this exact strategy. You can set up a flow that triggers the instant an order is confirmed, sending a perfectly timed, personal offer straight to your customer's phone. If you want to dive deeper into the tactics, you can explore more about what upselling and cross-selling can do and see some powerful examples in action.
Here’s a look at how you can weave a smart upsell right into the post-checkout experience without being intrusive.
As you can see, the most effective suggestions feel less like a sales pitch and more like a helpful tip, presented right when the customer is already in a buying mood.
Crafting Offers That Actually Convert
To get a "yes," your upsell and cross-sell messages must feel personal and provide real value. The trick is to use the customer’s purchase data to make a smart, logical recommendation. A common mistake we see is blasting a generic offer to every single customer. It just doesn't work.
Instead, you must tailor your offers based on what they just bought. Think about it:
- Bought a camera? They’ll probably need a memory card or a protective case. That's a perfect cross-sell.
- Bought a 30-day supply of coffee? Offer a 90-day supply at a nice little discount. An easy upsell.
- Bought a dress? Suggest the matching pair of earrings to complete the outfit. Another great cross-sell.
Pro Tip from the Trenches: Keep the offer simple and low-friction. The best post-purchase offers are for lower-priced items that don't require a lot of thought. You're aiming for an impulse "yes," not a long, drawn-out decision.
Here are a couple of message templates you can adapt for your own Kanal flows today.
Example 1: The Complementary Cross-Sell"Hey [Customer Name], thanks for your order! Great choice on the [Product Name]. We noticed other customers who bought this also loved our [Complementary Product]. It’s the perfect match. Want to add it to your order with one click? No extra shipping cost!"
Example 2: The Subscription Upsell"Hi [Customer Name]! Thanks for grabbing our [Consumable Product]. Love it already? We can upgrade your order to a monthly subscription so you never run out—and you'll save 15% on every delivery. Sound good?"
Simple, automated flows like these are exactly what our clients use to add an extra 10-15% to their AOV. It’s not about being a pushy salesperson; it's about being genuinely helpful at the perfect moment.
Using Product Bundles and Volume Discounts to Drive Sales
One of the biggest mistakes we see brands make is not making it easy for customers to buy more. You can't just hope shoppers will magically add multiple items to their cart. You have to guide them. This is where product bundles and volume discounts become your most valuable tools.
Instead of just waiting for it to happen, you proactively show customers a higher-value purchase that also feels like a fantastic deal. It’s a classic win-win. They get more of what they love for a better price, and you successfully increase your average order value. This isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a vital growth strategy, especially when you consider that a higher AOV directly improves your ROAS.
The Psychology Behind a Great Bundle
A well-crafted bundle does more than just jam a few products together; it simplifies the customer's decision. It cuts through the noise and presents a clear, attractive solution. A "Starter Kit," for example, can be the perfect, low-friction entry point for a new customer. For your loyal fans, a "Stock Up and Save" bundle is often too good to pass up.
After working with over 500 Shopify stores, we can tell you that the bundles that consistently crush it are the ones that solve a specific problem or fulfill a complete need.
- "Complete the Look" Bundles: If you're in fashion or home decor, this is a must. Don't just sell the top; sell the top, pants, and necklace together as an outfit.
- "Build Your Own Box": Give customers some control by letting them pick 3-5 items from a curated list for a flat price. They feel empowered, and you still guide them toward a larger purchase.
- "Routine" or "Regimen" Bundles: These are gold for skincare or wellness brands. Package a morning and night routine together for a complete solution.
A common mistake we see is brands just tossing a bunch of slow-moving products together and slapping a discount on it. This comes across as cheap and inauthentic. Your bundles need to feel logical and offer real, undeniable value. For a much deeper look, check out our complete guide on product bundling strategies that actually work.
Implementing Volume Discounts Without Cheapening Your Brand
Volume discounts—think "Buy 2, Get 1 50% Off" or "Save 20% when you buy 3 or more"—are incredibly powerful. The trick is to avoid training your customers to only shop when there's a sale. You must frame these as smart, exclusive offers, not as sitewide, desperate discounts.
This is a perfect opportunity to use WhatsApp marketing, powered by a tool like Kanal. You can segment your audience and send these offers only to specific groups, like your VIP customers or people who have previously bought just one item from a collection.
Here’s a real-world WhatsApp campaign example:
"Hey [Customer Name]! We know you love our [Product Name]. For the next 48 hours, you can stock up and save. Buy 2 and get a 3rd for 50% off! Tap here to claim your exclusive offer."
This targeted message makes the customer feel seen and creates genuine urgency—all without devaluing your products for every single person who visits your site. It’s a focused, profitable way to encourage a bigger spend from the people who already love what you do.
Unlock Higher Spending with a Free Shipping Threshold
Let’s be honest, free shipping isn’t a perk anymore; it’s an expectation. Most brands we see treat it as a pure cost center, a necessary evil just to keep up. But after helping countless Shopify stores optimize their checkout, we can tell you that this mindset is a massive missed opportunity. You can turn this customer expectation into a powerful profit generator.
A free shipping threshold is one of the most effective psychological nudges you have in your toolkit to increase average order value. The idea is simple: offer free shipping once a customer’s cart hits a specific dollar amount. The real magic is in finding that perfect number.
How to Calculate Your Ideal Shipping Threshold
The biggest mistake we see brands make is just guessing. They either set the threshold too low and bleed money on shipping costs, or they aim too high, scaring customers away and driving up cart abandonment rates.
The strategy that consistently gets the best results is setting the threshold just slightly above your current AOV. This makes the goal feel within reach for the customer. Here’s a simple, data-driven way to figure it out:
- First, pull up your store's data and calculate your current Average Order Value (AOV) over the last 30-60 days.
- Next, add about 15-20% to that AOV figure.
- Finally, round that result to a clean, attractive number. Think $75 instead of something awkward like $73.80.
For example, if your current AOV is $65, a great free shipping threshold would be around $75. Why? Because a customer ready to spend $65 will very likely add one more small item to their cart to save on shipping. This is a much smarter approach than static pricing that doesn't adapt to customer behavior. If you're interested in how pricing models can adjust on the fly, you can dig deeper into what dynamic pricing is and the principles behind it.
Use WhatsApp to Nudge Customers Over the Finish Line
Once you have your threshold, don't just stick it on a banner and hope for the best. You need to be proactive. This is where automating a message through an app like Kanal becomes a true game-changer. You can set up a flow that triggers automatically when a shopper abandons a cart that’s just shy of the free shipping minimum.
Picture this: A customer has a $63 cart but gets distracted and leaves your site. A few minutes later, their phone buzzes with a helpful message.
WhatsApp Cart Recovery & Upsell Template:"Hey [Name], you left some great items in your cart! Just a heads up, you're only $12 away from unlocking FREE shipping. Add one more thing to save! Tap here to complete your order: [Cart Link]"
This single, automated message does two things beautifully: it recovers a sale you were about to lose and, at the same time, nudges that customer to spend more. We've seen clients use this exact flow to turn abandoned carts into higher-value orders, directly boosting their AOV and overall profit.
Building Loyalty Programs That Drive Repeat High-Value Purchases
Your most loyal customers are, without a doubt, the backbone of a healthy e-commerce brand. It's not just that they come back more often; they consistently spend more. We've seen it time and time again: a repeat buyer's cart is almost always bigger than a first-timer's. Understanding this is your first step if you're serious about figuring out how to increase average order value.
The real goal isn't just about chasing that next sale. It's about turning a one-time buyer into a genuine fan of your brand. So, how do you build that deep-seated loyalty without getting bogged down in complicated point systems? The strategy that consistently delivers the best results for our clients is creating an exclusive community right where your customers already are: WhatsApp.
Ditch Complex Points, Embrace Exclusive Access
Let's be honest, the old-school loyalty playbook is tired. Today’s shoppers crave connection and a sense of being special, not another digital punch card. The strategy we’ve seen deliver the best results for our clients is creating a simple, tiered "VIP Club" that runs entirely through WhatsApp.
Here's how we approach it:
- Pinpoint Your Best Customers: Inside a tool like Kanal, you can easily create an automatic customer segment for anyone who has spent over a specific amount—say, $200—or has made a certain number of purchases. This becomes your exclusive VIP list.
- Craft Exclusive Offers: This isn't about tossing out generic 10% off coupons. Think bigger. Reward this group with things money can't buy, like early access to new product drops, members-only bundles, or a surprise free gift with their next order.
- Automate the Experience: Set up simple automated flows that trigger the moment a customer qualifies for the VIP segment. This flow can send a welcome message, congratulate them on joining the club, and clearly outline their new perks.
You're not just building another marketing channel; you're building a real community. You’re selling status and belonging alongside your products, which are powerful drivers for repeat, high-value purchases.
A Real-World VIP Club in Action
Here's a real-world example from a brand we work with. A skincare brand was having trouble getting their existing customers to spend more. Their AOV was flat, and they needed a boost. We helped them launch a "Glow-Getters VIP Club" on WhatsApp.
The mechanics were simple. Once a customer's total spending hit $150, they were automatically added to the VIP segment and got a welcome message. Every month, this group receives exclusive perks, like a "first look" at new serums or a special "VIP-only" bundle of their best-sellers.
The result? They increased the AOV of their repeat customers by 25% in just three months. This isn't just a quick AOV win; it’s a cornerstone strategy for improving your customer LTV. If you're looking to dive deeper into that metric, check out our complete guide on how to increase customer lifetime value. This approach makes your best customers feel seen and valued, which keeps them coming back and spending more every single time.
Your Top AOV Questions, Answered
After working with hundreds of Shopify brands, we've pretty much seen it all. You're trying to figure out how to increase average order value, but real-world questions always pop up. Here are the straight-up, no-fluff answers to the most common ones we hear from merchants in the trenches.
Will Offering Discounts Hurt My Brand Perception?
This is a big one, and it's a valid concern. Nobody wants to be the "always on sale" brand. The trick is to be strategic, not desperate. Slapping 20% off banners all over your homepage is a race to the bottom.
The smarter move? Use targeted, private offers through a channel like WhatsApp. A message sent directly to a specific customer group feels exclusive and personal, not cheap.
- Treat your VIPs: Reward your best customers with early access to a new product or a unique bundle created just for them. This doesn't devalue your brand; it reinforces their special status.
- Recover abandoned carts: Sending a small, private offer to someone who left items in their cart is just smart business. You're recovering revenue that would have been lost otherwise.
It’s all about making the customer feel seen and special, not training them to hold out for a public sale. This approach protects your brand equity while nudging the behavior you want to see.
How Do I Know Which Upsell or Cross-Sell to Offer?
Whatever you do, don't guess. A random, irrelevant recommendation is worse than making no recommendation at all—it signals that you don't really know your customer. The most successful offers are built on one core principle: be genuinely helpful.
A classic mistake we see is trying to push high-margin items as upsells, even when they make zero sense with the original purchase. A great upsell isn't about what’s best for your bottom line; it's about what genuinely enhances the customer's initial choice.
Start by digging into your own order data. What products are people already buying together? That’s your goldmine for cross-sell ideas. For upsells, think logically. If a customer adds a basic version of a product to their cart, offer the premium version with more features, better materials, or an extended warranty.
Won't All These WhatsApp Messages Annoy My Customers?
This is exactly where conversational commerce proves its worth. Email can feel like a one-way broadcast, but WhatsApp is a real conversation. The key is making sure every single message delivers real value and feels like it's coming from a helpful person, not a marketing bot.
With a tool like Kanal, you can set frequency caps and build intelligent flows that only trigger based on what a customer actually does. A post-purchase upsell message is incredibly relevant in the moments after a transaction. A cart recovery reminder is genuinely helpful when someone is just shy of the free shipping threshold.
According to Salesforce, a whopping 80% of customers believe the experience a company provides is just as important as its products. Sending timely, relevant messages on WhatsApp isn't annoying—it's just great customer service. It shows you're paying attention and looking out for them, which is precisely how you build real, lasting loyalty.
To recap, here are the key takeaways for how to increase average order value:
- Upsell & Cross-sell Post-Purchase: Use the high-engagement window after a sale to offer relevant, complementary items via WhatsApp.
- Create Smart Bundles: Group products logically to solve a customer's need and increase perceived value.
- Set a Strategic Shipping Threshold: Calculate your AOV and set your free shipping threshold 15-20% higher to encourage bigger carts.
- Build a VIP Loyalty Club: Reward your best customers with exclusive access and perks to foster repeat, high-value purchases.
Ready to build your own high-converting flows? Install Kanal on your Shopify store today and start turning conversations into conversions.
