How to increase your online store’s average order value without feeling pushy

Nico Bértolo · 2026-08-14

In short

• Raising average order value is the fastest way to grow without paying for more traffic.
• What works isn’t insisting, but suggesting what genuinely complements the purchase.
• Start with the free-shipping threshold: it’s the simplest tactic and one of the most effective.

Every order that comes in has already cleared the hardest part: the decision to buy. Raising its value, even slightly, multiplies the result of everything else. And it can be done without turning your store into a bargain bin.

Six tactics that work

1. Free-shipping threshold: Set it slightly above your current average order value and show it in the cart with a progress bar.
2. Bundles that make sense: Products used together, with a small benefit for buying them at once.
3. Cross-sell on the product page: “Complete your routine” or “Pairs well with…”: relevant suggestions, not random ones.
4. Recommendations in the cart: A low-priced add-on right before checkout.
5. Larger formats: For replenishable products, the larger size or a subscription usually works out better for the customer.
6. Post-purchase: An offer after payment doesn’t put the completed order at risk.

The rule: every suggestion should make the purchase better, not just more expensive. If customers feel pushed, order value rises today and repeat purchases drop tomorrow.

How to measure it

Look at average order value alongside conversion: if order value rises but conversion drops, you’re gaining in one place what you lose in another. Ideally the first goes up without the second moving.

At OPLINX, product pages with usage information and complementary products led to orders with more items and more value.

A real 224 case

Frequently asked questions

What is average order value?

The average value of each order: revenue divided by the number of orders in a period.

Where should the free-shipping threshold be?

Slightly above your current average order value, so reaching it requires adding one more product.

Do cross-sells annoy customers?

Only if they’re irrelevant. A suggestion that genuinely complements the purchase feels like help.