1. What is AOV and Why It Matters

Average Order Value (AOV) = Total revenue ÷ total orders

AOV affects overall profitability more quickly than most growth levers because:

• Higher revenue per acquisition
• Improved gross margins per order
• Faster CAC payback period
• Better reinvestment capacity in growth channels

This is especially critical for subscription brands where most profit occurs after order 2–3.

2. The AOV vs. CAC Problem

Most Shopify merchants face the same challenge:

• Paid acquisition keeps getting more expensive
• First-order profitability is rare
• Discounts attract low-quality, churn-prone customers

Increasing AOV fixes unit economics at their root — without new traffic.

3. 7 Proven Strategies to Increase AOV on Shopify

1. Smart Upsells at Checkout

Checkout is where purchase intent is highest. A well-timed one-click upgrade can increase cart size without adding friction.

Examples:

• Move from 1-unit to 2 or 3-unit purchase
• Upgrade to the premium or larger version of the same SKU

Relevant and low-effort offers often see double-digit acceptance rates.

2. Post-Purchase Upsell Offers

After checkout, customers are in “yes mode.” Post-purchase offers convert well because the payment step is already complete.

Effective use cases:

• Trial product → full-size upgrade
• Add a complementary SKU for the upcoming subscription cycle

This builds AOV without impacting initial checkout conversion.

3. Subscription Plan Upgrades

For subscribers, upgrades feel like progress — not a push to spend more.

Common upgrade levers:

• More units per delivery to match consumption
• Switching to a preset multi-pack plan for better value
• Moving from single SKU to a higher-value bundle or box

This improves recurring AOV and reduces stockout-driven churn.

4. Cross-Sells and Bundles (Preset + Build-Your-Own)

Bundles make the buying decision easier and more valuable by grouping products that work together.

Two common formats:

• Preset bundles: curated solutions aligned to a goal (e.g., “Essential Skincare Routine”)
• BYOB: customers choose items within a defined set, ensuring higher AOV

These increase product adoption and turn single-SKU customers into multi-product loyalists.

5. Multi-Pack Pricing and Best-Value Tiers

Create pricing ladders that make the optimal option obvious.

Example structure:

• 1-pack = standard price
• 2-pack = small savings
• 3-pack = best value (visually highlighted)

Customers naturally trade up when the value is clear and the math is easy.

6. Threshold Perks (Free Shipping, Gifts, Rewards)

AOV lifts when customers get something extra for crossing a spend line.

Popular formats:

• Free shipping above a set threshold
• Free sample or gift on hitting a target order value
• Extra loyalty points or perks unlocked by spending more

These perks feel like bonuses rather than forced purchases.

7. Customer-Portal Add-Ons (Recurring AOV Lift)

For subscription brands, the customer portal is the most underused revenue channel.

High-impact portal offers include:

• One-time add-on for upcoming order
• Seasonal drops or new variants to try
• Swap options that prevent cancellations

Many Shopify merchants now see the customer portal as their strongest revenue channel after checkout. Loop Subscriptions enables personalized add-ons and swap-based retention options directly inside the portal to increase recurring AOV and reduce churn at the same time.

4. Best Practices to Maximize AOV (With Real-Life Examples)

The best AOV strategies combine timing, relevance, and product fit. While execution varies by vertical, the goal stays the same: increase order value while strengthening retention, not forcing spend.

Below are proven tactics across key Shopify subscription categories:

Beauty & Personal Care

What works: Preset and Build-Your-Own bundles
Why it works: Customers see better results when using products together → stronger loyalty.

Real example: Lilac St.

• Migrated to Loop Subscriptions and introduced Build-Your-Own boxes using tiered “buy more, save more” logic.
• Charted a 📈 72.7% increase in subscription revenue within 11 months. 
• They also achieved a 55.2% growth in total subscriptions activated in that period. 

Best practice: Start with smaller bundle options for first-time customers, then recommend full routine upgrades after 1–2 successful purchases.

Health & Nutrition

What works: Multi-packs and subscription plan upgrades
Why it works: Prevents inconsistent usage — one of the top churn triggers in supplements.

Real example: Good Protein

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• Migrated to Loop Subscriptions and implemented multi-pack tiers, upgrade prompts and improved subscription logic.
• Achieved a whopping 📈 400% growth in their subscriber base in just 4 months. 

Best practice: Use portal-based upgrade prompts close to the next billing date — especially when usage data suggests the customer is ready for a higher tier.

Pet & Consumables

What works: Low-friction add-ons during subscription management
Why it works: Consumables naturally lend themselves to routine repeat buying + surprise treat items.

Real example: NutriPaw

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• Using Loop Subscriptions, NutriPaw defaulted PDP to “Subscribe & Save”, added welcome gift, optimized widget and portal flows.
• Results: 📈 73.5% increase in subscription revenue over 9 months, and first-time orders on subscription jumped from 4% → 18-20%. 

Best practice: During subscription management, encourage add-ons (treats, extras) and pair them with loyalty/seasonal perks to drive engagement and repeat orders.

6. Final Takeaways

• Increasing AOV improves profitability faster than new acquisition efforts
• Upsells and bundles are the strongest AOV lever for consumable subscriptions
• Subscription-focused AOV improvements benefit both revenue and retention
• The long-term wins come from relevance, timing, and value alignment

AOV is not just a revenue metric — it’s a growth strategy.

7. FAQs: Increasing AOV on Shopify 

Q. How do I increase AOV on Shopify quickly?
Implement checkout upsells, threshold offers, and product bundles. These require minimal changes and create immediate value lift.

Q. Do upsells improve subscription revenue?
Yes. Subscription upgrades prevent churn tied to running out too soon or incomplete product experiences — increasing both AOV and LTV.

Q. Should I use discounts to boost AOV?
Discounts may increase order size but can hurt margins and train price sensitivity. Value-based incentives are healthier long-term.

Q. Is there a benchmark AOV for Shopify stores?
Benchmarks vary by category. Focus on progressive improvement against your acquisition cost and margin requirements.