How to Increase Shopify Average Order Value Without Increasing Traffic?

1. Create Product Bundles

Product bundles are a way to get customers to buy multiple related products at the same time.  Instead of selling products one by one, think about putting together products that make sense for the customer to buy together.  For example, a skincare store could sell a cleanser, moisturiser and serum as a skincare routine.  The important thing is that the products in the bundle are relevant to each other.  This makes it easier for the customer to decide what to buy.  You can also give customers a discount when they buy a bundle instead of buying each product separately.

2. Use Relevant Product Add-Ons

Add-ons can increase the value of a customer's order by suggesting products that go well with what they're already buying.  Think about what someone might need to buy with the product they are looking at.  For example: 

• A laptop → laptop sleeve 
• A dress → matching accessories 
• A camera → memory card 
• Flowers → greeting card or vase 

3. Introduce Cross-Selling

Cross-selling is when you suggest products that go well with what the customer's already buying.  A Shopify store can use product recommendations to help customers find products they might not have thought of.  For example, someone buying a bouquet of flowers might also like to buy chocolates, a vase, or a gift message.  Cross-selling works best when the suggested products have a connection to what the customer is already buying.  The goal is not to show the customer everything you sell but to show them what is most relevant to what they're already buying. 

4. Use Upselling

Upselling is when you suggest a more expensive version of the product the customer is looking at.  For example, a customer looking at a product could be offered a larger, premium, or upgraded version.  However, upselling should always give the customer a reason to pay more.  This could be because the expensive product has more features, is higher quality or is made with better materials.  If the customer can easily understand the difference between the products, they are more likely to plan. 

5. Offer Variant-Based Incentives

Another way to increase the value of a customer's order is to give them a reason to buy more variations of the product.  For example: 

• Standard: £20 
• Premium: £36 
• Deluxe: £48 

6. Set Free Delivery Thresholds

Free delivery can also be used to encourage customers to buy more.  If your average order is £35, you could set a free delivery threshold at £45.  A customer who is already close to that threshold may decide to add another product to their order than pay for delivery.  This approach can work because the customer is not being encouraged to spend more for the sake of it but is being given a clear benefit for reaching a certain order value.  Before introducing a threshold however, you need to calculate your delivery costs and profit margins 

7. Make Recommendations

Not every customer is the same.  Showing recommendations to every customer can make your store feel less relevant.  Shopify merchants can use customer and product data to create personalised shopping experiences.  Recommendations can be based on factors such as: 

• Products viewed 
• purchases 
• Product category 
• Customer preferences 
• products 
• Shopping behaviour 

8. Improve Your Product Page Recommendations

Increasing the value of a customer's order is not about adding new features but also about improving how existing products are presented.  Your product pages can highlight: 

• Frequently bought together 
• You may also like 
• Complete the look 
• Customers also purchased 

At Hackney Digital our Shopify work goes beyond building websites. 

A successful e-commerce store needs to support the goals behind the website, including improving the customer journey, presenting products effectively and creating opportunities for sustainable revenue growth.  That is why features such as product recommendations, bundles, integrations and tailored Shopify functionality should be considered as part of the e-commerce strategy rather than just as individual website features.  The objective is not to make every customer spend as much time as possible.  It is to create a shopping experience where customers can easily discover products and useful options that genuinely add value to their purchase. 

You Do Not Always Need More Traffic:

Increasing traffic can be valuable. It is not always the first place to look for growth.  If your Shopify store already has customers visiting and purchasing increasing the value of each order can create another opportunity for revenue growth.  Bundles, add-ons, cross-selling thoughtful upselling, free delivery thresholds and personalised recommendations can all contribute to a stronger average order value when implemented correctly.  The key is to avoid adding these features just because they're available.  Start with your customer behaviour and business data.  Understand what people are already buying to identify products that naturally complement those purchases and test ways to make those options easier to discover.  More traffic can bring potential customers, but a better shopping experience can help you get more value from the customers you already have.  If you are looking for ways to improve your Shopify stores performance and turn more of your existing customer activity into revenue reviewing your average order value, alongside conversion rate and customer behaviour can be a useful place to start.  Hackney Digital. Shopify, e-commerce and digital solutions built around your business goals.