12 Proven Ways To Increase AOV On Shopify in 2025

Kanishk

24 Aug 2025 — 5 min read

Introduction

If you're spending time and money to bring visitors to your Shopify store, getting more value from each order is the smartest way to grow. That's where Average Order Value (AOV) comes in.

Higher AOV means better returns on your ads, more value from each customer, and growing revenue without needing more traffic. This guide shows you how to raise AOV using Shopify's built-in tools, helpful apps, and referral systems. You'll also find India-specific tips like UPI payments, WhatsApp integration, COD handling, and INR pricing that work naturally.

Why AOV Matters for Shopify Store Owners

AOV = Total Revenue ÷ Number of Orders

When you improve this number, you can:

Get more value from every customer
Make up for rising ad costs
Boost your profit margins and cash flow
Get better returns on ad spend without spending more

Key Metrics to Watch Along with AOV

Track these numbers too, so you don't hurt conversions or customer loyalty while raising AOV:

Conversion rate
Cart abandonment and checkout drops
How often customers buy again
Customer lifetime value
Prepaid vs COD split in India, plus return rates for COD orders
Refund rates by product or bundle

Tactic 1: Smart Upselling and Cross Selling

Use product pages, cart pop-ups, and checkout add-ons to show premium options and related items that actually make sense.

How to do it:

Product pages: Show premium versions or bigger sizes
In cart: Add items that help them use what they're buying
At checkout: Suggest one item that fits perfectly with their order

Keep suggestions relevant and visual. Match the look and description to what they're already considering.

Tactic 2: Create Bundles That Feel Like Deals

Group products that naturally go together so it feels like a smart purchase, not a sales push.

Bundle ideas that work:

Complete skincare routines for specific skin types
Coffee starter packs (beans + mug + filters)
Home workout essentials

Price bundles so they save money compared to buying separately, and show the exact savings in rupees.

Tactic 3: Volume Discounts That Make Sense

Offer better prices when people buy more of the same item.

Simple tiers that work:

Buy 2: Get 10% off
Buy 3: Get 15% off
Buy 5+: Get 20% off

Make sure the quantities match how people actually use your products, so they don't feel pushed to buy more than they need.

Tactic 4: Smart Free Shipping Limits

Free shipping offers are still one of the best ways to increase order size.

Best practices:

Set the limit just above your current AOV
Show a progress bar in the cart
Use round INR numbers like ₹999 or ₹1,499
In India, consider different limits based on delivery location

Tactic 5: After Purchase Add Ons

Right after someone pays but before they see the confirmation page, offer small add-ons.

Good add-on ideas:

Travel sizes or trial packs
Protection plans or care kits
Gift wrapping or custom notes

Since they just bought something, they're more likely to add small useful items.

Tactic 6: Limited Time Offers with Clear Rules

Short-term deals create urgency and bigger orders when the rules are simple.

Formats that work:

"Buy any 2, get the 3rd free"
"This week: Extra 10% off all bundles"
"Festival special: Free express shipping over ₹1,999"

Make the deal visible on product pages, cart, and checkout, and keep it simple to understand.

Tactic 7: Referral Programs That Boost Order Size

Referrals bring in friends who trust your brand, and you can design rewards to encourage bigger first orders.

AOV-focused referral setup:

Give ₹200, Get ₹200 for any first order
Bonus ₹150 when the friend's order is over ₹1,499

Referrush automatically applies referral discounts at checkout, tracks which orders came from referrals, and pays referrers through UPI weekly. It works naturally in India and keeps referred customers coming back.

Tactic 8: Better Product Discovery

When people can't find related products, your AOV suffers. Help them discover items that go together.

What to add:

"Frequently bought together" on product pages
Personalized recommendations on homepage and cart
Good filters by use case, skin type, size, or compatibility

Check your category pages to make sure high-value products aren't buried where no one sees them.

Tactic 9: Clear Bundle Pricing

Make bulk buying attractive with transparent pricing that shows the value.

Example:

1 item: ₹799
3 items: ₹2,199 (save ₹198)
5 items: ₹3,399 (save ₹596)

Always show the per-item price and total savings in the cart.

Tactic 10: Personalize Based on Behavior

Use what people have bought before and what they look at to show better recommendations and bundles.

Where to personalize:

Homepage sections like "recommended for you"
Product page add-ons based on what they've viewed
Follow-up emails and WhatsApp messages with items that complement their purchase

Start simple. One good suggestion beats five random ones.

Tactic 11: Specific Tweaks That Work

Small changes that respect how Indians shop online while growing AOV.

Local optimizations:

Keep COD available for trust, but add small UPI cashback (₹50) or free shipping for prepaid
Use familiar INR amounts like ₹999 or ₹1,499 for thresholds
Send WhatsApp order updates with gentle product suggestions
Show GST included prices clearly to avoid checkout surprises
During salary weeks and festivals, update bundles and raise free shipping limits slightly to protect margins

Tactic 12: Fix the Pages That Control AOV

Three page types determine how much people spend:

Product Pages:

Upgrade options with clear benefits
Add on suggestions that make sense
Savings callouts with specific amounts

Cart Page:

Progress bar for shipping threshold
One complementary item suggestion
Clear delivery promises

Checkout Page:

One relevant upsell opportunity
Trust badges and security icons

Test changes on each page type separately, not all at once.

Putting It All Together

Growing AOV is about making additional purchases feel natural, not forced. Start with one or two tactics that fit your products, track the results clearly, then add more as you see what works.

For India specifically: use WhatsApp for updates and light promotions, UPI for quick incentives and payouts, and COD for trust while managing returns properly.

30-Day Action Plan

Week 1:

Check your current AOV, conversion rate, and refund rates
Add upgrade options and one add-on to your top 5 products

Week 2:

Set up free shipping threshold just above your AOV with a progress bar
Create one bundle and show the exact INR savings

Week 3:

Turn on post-purchase upsells for small add-ons
Start a simple referral program with Referrush that auto-applies discounts

Week 4:

Test a limited-time offer and small prepaid bonus
Add personalized recommendations for returning customers

Check how these changes affect your AOV, conversion rate, repeat purchases, and refunds. Keep what works and adjust what doesn't.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's a good AOV target for a new Shopify store? Try to increase your current AOV by 10-20% before focusing on getting more traffic. Start with bundles, free shipping thresholds, and post-purchase upsells.

Will trying to increase AOV hurt my conversion rate? Not if your offers are relevant and honest. Watch your conversion rate and cart abandonment alongside AOV. If either gets worse, reduce the number of offers or adjust your pricing.

How should Indian stores handle COD when trying to increase AOV? Keep COD available to build trust, but encourage prepaid with small UPI cashback or free express shipping above your threshold. Track returns by area and adjust COD rules if needed.

What should I do if I only sell one product? Use volume discounts, complementary add-ons, and subscription options. Post-purchase upsells work really well for single-product brands.

How does Referrush help with AOV? Referrush turns referrals into repeat revenue by automatically applying friend discounts, tracking orders correctly, and paying referrers through UPI. You can set up rewards that encourage bigger first orders and follow-up purchases.