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How to Increase Average Order Value: Best Proven Strategies
How to Increase Average Order Value: Best Proven Strategies
7min read·Krista Plociennik·Feb 25, 2026
For any ecommerce business, improving total revenue doesn’t necessarily mean finding more buyers. One of the best ways to do so is by increasing average order value (AOV). When shoppers spend more per transaction, your cash flow, profit margins, and long-term growth improve without raising customer acquisition costs. For those wondering how to increase average order value, there are a few proven methods worth exploring.
Keep reading to find out more about the AOV formula, why this ecommerce metric matters for small businesses, and the best strategies sellers can use in 2026.
Table of Contents
- What is average order value?
- Add-ons and product bundling
- How to increase average order value with free shipping
- Volume discounts, special offers, and gifts
- Customer retention systems and loyalty programs
- Optimize product pages, shopping experience, and reviews
- Email marketing, social media, and apps
- Measuring your results for continuous improvement
- Final thoughts: Increasing your AOV over time
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How to Increase Average Order Value: Best Proven Strategies
What is average order value?
Average order value measures the average amount of money a customer spends per transaction in your online store during a certain time period. The basic average order value formula is:
AOV = total revenue ÷ total orders
Keeping track of this key performance indicator will help online retailers to understand customer behavior, plan good marketing strategies, and identify high-spending segments.
Raising AOV can often be cheaper than focusing on customer acquisition. This is because converting current customers is less time consuming and easier than finding new customers. Having a higher average order value also increases customer lifetime value and improves conversion rates when paired with a better shopping experience.
Add-ons and product bundling
An easy way to generate higher AOV is by using smart product bundles. Bundling encourages shoppers to buy similar products at the same time, instead of single items. Some examples include:
- A high-end clothing store pairs t-shirts with jeans
- A skincare brand bundles cleansers with toner and cream
- Electronics sellers include cables with purchases over a certain price
These bundles increase additional purchases and reduce buyer hesitation. Sellers can use methods such as showing relevant products at checkout, using automated product recommendations, and suggested “extra items” or “frequently bought together” terms to attract attention. This approach works well on optimized product pages.
How to increase average order value with free shipping
A big proven growth lever is offering free shipping over a certain threshold. Instead of universal shipping, sellers can set a minimum purchase amount slightly above their current average amount customers spend. This will often make shoppers add more to the cart to avoid paying extra costs.
For example:
- Current AOV = $45
- Set threshold at $50
This technique is proven to work as shoppers see free shipping as a stronger incentive to buy than equal discounts. Use messaging such as “Only $5 more for free shipping” or add a progress bar inside the cart for better visualization and stronger results.
Volume discounts, special offers, and gifts
Another way of increasing your AOV is by motivating shoppers to add a higher-priced or extra product to their basket. This can be done by offering:
- Checkout free gift
- Bonus gift card
- Limited-time special offers
- Volume discounts
For example:
- Spend $100 -> get a free gift
- Buy 2 -> 15% discount
- Buy a bundle -> earn a gift card
Using a countdown timer to show limited-time promotions can also increase urgency and generate faster purchase decisions. This tactic is a best practice used by many ecommerce leaders as well as large ecommerce brands.
Customer retention systems and loyalty programs
Strong loyalty programs, including points-based ones, and VIP perks help convert one-time buyers into returning and loyal customers. Retention matters because returning shoppers:
- Generate better revenue
- Spend more on each order
- Trust the brand
It’s good practice to offer:
- Exclusive offers to members
- Birthday special offers
- Points rewards
- Early access to popular products or new releases
Using loyalty initiatives will improve customer experience and customer satisfaction, making it more likely that customers will increase their basket size over the long term.
Optimize product pages, shopping experience, and reviews
Product pages should actively encourage higher spending from customers. When individual customers trust the product, they’re more comfortable adding other items to their cart. Sellers should include:
- Verified customer reviews
- AI-driven product recommendations
- Clear photos and upsell suggestions
- Highlighted positive reviews
Conversion rates also increase when there’s a smooth shopping experience, which also reduces the likelihood of an abandoned cart session. For support, add:
- Automated FAQs
- Real-time live chat
- Guided selling tools
These will help reduce friction and improve overall customer satisfaction.
Email marketing, social media, and apps
Targeting buyers through social media ads, email marketing campaigns, and mobile app push notifications can greatly increase repeat spending. Smart marketing campaigns include:
- Abandoned cart nudges
- Personalized stock reminders
- Cross-sell emails after post-purchase
- Segmented promotions for first-time buyers
To segment your audience effectively, try the following:
- Seasonal buyers
- Discount shoppers
- High spenders
Focusing on the personalization of campaigns provides valuable insights into customer behavior and it will help you to tailor offers on an individual basis.
Measuring your results for continuous improvement
Analysing key metrics over each time period will help any business owner discover the different strategies that deliver the best ROI. To maintain growth, track:
- Total orders
- Revenue
- AOV
- Repeat buyer percentage
- Upsell success rate
Ecommerce stores that are successful constantly test shipping thresholds, bundle layouts, recommendation placement, and checkout offers. It’s important that sellers see what works best for them, because where one brand has success doesn’t necessarily translate to another store.
Final thoughts: Increasing your AOV over time
Knowing how to increase average order value is one of the most powerful growth levers for an online store, marketplace seller, or scaling ecommerce business. Rather than focusing on finding new customers, try to improve how much customers spend each visit. By using the right combination of free shipping, product bundles, discounts, loyalty programs, and optimized customer experiences, achieving a sustainable higher AOV is very possible.
To increase your AOV, business owners need to have attractive products that appeal to buyers, on top of what’s been mentioned above. Using AI-driven research tools like Accio.com can help small business owners and individual sellers find trending products and consolidate demand trends across different marketplaces. In just a single search, Accio can also find the best deals on various platforms while pulling together product info and pricing to help you shop quicker and smarter. It’s the perfect tool to use if you’re focusing on improving your AOV.