Why it matters more than traffic
Raising average order value improves every channel simultaneously. It makes advertising more affordable, delivery cheaper as a proportion, and fulfilment more efficient per pound of revenue.
It is also usually cheaper to improve than traffic is, and the effect is immediate rather than accumulating over months.
Three that reliably work
- A free delivery threshold set just above your current average
- Genuine bundles — things that are actually bought together, at a small discount
- Relevant add-ons at the point of purchase — the consumable, the accessory, the spare
The threshold is the single most effective and the easiest. Set it a little above your average order and shoppers add something to reach it, willingly.
Bundles have to be genuine
A bundle of things that go together, at a price that is clearly better than buying separately, sells well. A bundle assembled to shift slow stock does not, and shoppers recognise the difference.
Look at what actually appears together in your order data. That is where the real bundles are.
Add-ons at the right moment
- On the product page, as a genuinely related item
- In the cart, as something obviously complementary
- Never as an interstitial that blocks the checkout
- Never more than one or two suggestions
What costs more than it gains
Aggressive post-add popups, multi-step upsell flows and countdown pressure all raise order value marginally and reduce completion measurably.
Measure both when testing any of them. Order value in isolation is a misleading number if conversion fell to achieve it.