Getting more visitors costs more every year. Getting each customer to spend a little more when they’re already buying is often cheaper. That’s what average order value (AOV) measures: revenue divided by orders.
Here are nine tactics, roughly in the order we’d try them.
1. Set a free shipping threshold above your AOV
If your AOV is $48, free shipping at $55–$60 asks for one more small item. Show the gap with a progress bar — “$9 away from free shipping” — instead of a static banner. Full guide: free shipping progress bar on Shopify.
2. Add a free gift at a higher goal
Once free shipping is reached, a second goal keeps shoppers going: “Spend $75, get a free tote.” Add the gift automatically or let shoppers pick. Full guide: free gift with purchase on Shopify.
3. Use tiered discounts
“10% off at $50, 15% at $100, 20% at $150” rewards every step up. Apply the highest tier reached and show the next one. Full guide: tiered discounts on Shopify.
4. Run Buy X Get Y offers
BOGO and “buy 3, get the cheapest free” work well when products are similar in price. Full guide: BOGO and Buy X Get Y on Shopify.
5. Put upsells in the cart drawer
Show two to four products that pair with the cart, ideally priced to close the gap to the next reward. Full guide: cart drawer upsells.
6. Offer one-tap add-ons
Gift wrap, shipping protection and warranties are small, easy yeses at the end of the order.
7. Bundle and multi-pack
“Buy 3, save 15%” on consumables raises units per order. A quantity-based goal in a progress bar does this without building separate bundle products.
8. Target the right shoppers
A first-order welcome gift, a VIP tier for returning customers, or a different goal per country. Kai’s Pro plan targets campaigns by customer — guests, logged-in customers by tags or order history, and private links — and every plan supports per-market goals.
9. Make rewards automatic
Every code a shopper has to remember is a chance for them to give up. Apply rewards as automatic discounts so what the bar promises is exactly what checkout gives.
How to measure it
For each change, compare a few weeks before and after:
| Metric | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Average order value | Are carts bigger? |
| Conversion rate | Are fewer people buying because of it? |
| Revenue per visitor | The combined effect of the two above |
| Orders reaching each goal | Is the goal too high or too low? |
Change one thing at a time so you know what worked.
Doing it all in one app
Most of these tactics share one engine: a cart goal, a reward and a message that shows progress. Kai Progress bar & Free Gift runs free shipping, free gifts, tiered discounts and BOGO from one campaign builder, with unlimited campaigns on every plan. Pro adds an upsell carousel, AI product recommendations, customer targeting and per-campaign analytics, and Plus adds the Kai cart drawer. See pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is average order value?
Average order value (AOV) is your total revenue divided by the number of orders in a period. Shopify shows it in Analytics.
What's the fastest way to raise AOV on Shopify?
A free shipping threshold set slightly above your current AOV, shown with a progress bar in the cart, is usually the quickest to set up and the easiest for shoppers to understand.
Can raising AOV hurt conversion rate?
It can, if goals are too high or the cart gets cluttered. Track conversion rate alongside AOV, and look at revenue per visitor to see the combined effect.
Do I need several apps for these tactics?
Not necessarily. Kai Progress bar & Free Gift covers free shipping, free gifts, tiered discounts, BOGO, upsells and a cart drawer in one app, starting at $5.99 a month.