---
title: "How to Increase Average Order Value? 12 Ways to Raise Revenue per Order in E-Commerce"
description: "How to increase average order value? Grow the basket while protecting profit with a free shipping threshold, complementary products, bundles, quantity discounts and checkout add-ons."
url: https://www.faprika.com/en/blog/how-to-increase-average-order-value-12-ways-to-raise
language: en
site: Faprika
---

# How to Increase Average Order Value? 12 Ways to Raise Revenue per Order in E-Commerce

> How to increase average order value? Grow the basket while protecting profit with a free shipping threshold, complementary products, bundles, quantity discounts and checkout add-ons.

There are three ways to grow e-commerce revenue: bring in more visitors, convert a larger share of visitors into customers, or make each customer's basket a little bigger. The first two require advertising budget and deep changes to the site. The third often starts with nothing more than the right campaign design and a few suggestions shown at the right moment in the cart.

In this guide we answer **how to increase average order value** while protecting profit. Using examples, we explain how average order value is calculated, why it is a more efficient growth lever than advertising budget, the 12 methods that raise cart value, how to set a free shipping threshold, how discounts can erode profit, and how to measure the result.

Key Takeaway

“You pay to bring a new customer to the site; getting them to add one more product to the cart often takes nothing more than showing the right suggestion at the right moment.”

## What Is Average Order Value and How Is It Calculated?

Average order value (AOV) is the average amount spent per order on an e-commerce site. **Formula: Average order value = Net sales ÷ Number of orders.** For example, a store that makes 432,000 TL in net sales from 360 orders in a month has an average order value of 1,200 TL.

Use net sales when calculating: the amount after returns, cancellations and discounts have been deducted. Average order value calculated on gross sales looks larger than it really is in categories with high return rates. Track average order value not as a single figure for the whole site but also by channel, device and category; there are often clear differences between mobile and desktop, and between new and returning customers. These differences also show in which channel or customer group the growth opportunity lies.

We recommend reading

E-Commerce

Metrics: 15 KPIs You Need to Track and Their Calculation Formulas

## Why Is Increasing Average Order Value Important?

Increasing average order value is the fastest way to earn more revenue and more profit per order with the same advertising budget and the same number of visitors. The fixed costs of an order (the ads that brought the customer, packaging, shipping, payment processing) are spread over a larger amount as the basket grows.

- **Customer acquisition cost stays the same:** The advertising fee you pay to bring a customer to the site is the same whether their cart holds one product or three.
- **The share of shipping and packaging falls:** Two products shipped in one box mean lower logistics costs than two separate orders.
- **Profit per order rises:** While fixed costs stay the same, the gross profit of every added product goes straight into the profit of the order.
- **Return on advertising rises:** Because more sales come from the same clicks, the return on ad spend (ROAS) goes up.

*Görsel: 12 ways to increase average order value: free shipping threshold, complementary product, upsell, checkout add-ons, bundles, quantity discount, cart-value discount, free gift, points and gift vouchers, threshold indicator, personal recommendations and value packs (12 ways to increase average order value: suggestions, campaigns and in-cart incentives.)*

## How to Increase Average Order Value: 12 Methods

The most effective ways to increase average order value are a free shipping threshold, complementary and higher-tier product suggestions, checkout add-ons, bundles, quantity discounts, campaigns tied to cart value, free gifts, points and gift vouchers, a threshold indicator in the cart, personal recommendations and value packs. Most of these methods can be used together.

### 1. Set a Free Shipping Threshold

A "free shipping over a set amount" campaign is the most common way to increase average order value. Instead of paying a shipping fee, customers choose to add products to their cart. Because setting the threshold correctly is critical, we cover it in a separate section below.

### 2. Suggest Complementary Products (Cross-Selling)

Suggest products that are used together with the purchased item on the product page and in the cart: a case for a phone, care spray for shoes, coffee for a coffee machine. Suggestions must be genuinely complementary and cheaper than the main product; unrelated products are a distraction.

### 3. Suggest a Higher-Tier Product (Upselling)

Show a larger, more comprehensive or higher-quality version of the product the customer is viewing, together with the difference: "The large size costs only a little more and lasts twice as long." The price difference should be reasonable relative to the main product's price, and the benefit should be stated clearly.

### 4. Offer Checkout Add-Ons

This is the online counterpart of the shelves at store checkouts: before the customer moves to the payment step, show low-priced products that require no deliberation, addable with one click. Products such as batteries, socks and small accessories work well in this area.

### 5. Create Bundles and Outfit Sets

Offer products bought together as a single set at a slightly better price than buying them separately: a skincare set, an office starter pack, a top-and-bottom outfit. Bundles both raise the cart value and make the decision easier for the customer.

### 6. Run Quantity Campaigns

Campaigns such as "buy 3 pay for 2", "discount on the 2nd item" or "buy one get one free" are particularly effective for products that are bought repeatedly or come in many sizes and colors. Be sure to calculate how these campaigns affect profit; an example is below.

### 7. Offer Tiered Discounts by Cart Value

Tiered campaigns such as "5% off at 1,000 TL, 10% off at 2,000 TL" encourage the customer to reach the next tier. The tiers should start slightly above your current average order value; an overly high first tier moves no one to act.

### 8. Give a Free Gift Above a Set Amount

Instead of a discount, adding a free gift to orders above a certain amount grows the cart without distorting price perception. The gift should be something the customer will genuinely value but that costs you little: a sample-size product, an accessory, a promotional sample of a new product.

### 9. Use Points and Gift Vouchers

Giving points or a gift voucher, usable on the next order, for purchases above a certain amount both grows today's cart and brings the customer back.

### 10. Show the Amount Left to Reach the Threshold in the Cart

A progress bar such as "120 TL left for free shipping" strengthens the effect of threshold campaigns. The customer sees the goal and adds to the cart if they find a product right below that completes the missing amount.

### 11. Show Personal Recommendations

Recently viewed products, similar products and "customers who bought this also bought" suggestions convert to cart additions better than a generic showcase, because they are chosen according to the customer's interest.

### 12. Offer Value Packs and Multipacks

For frequently consumed products, a large-size or multipack option lowers the unit price while raising the cart value. Showing the unit prices side by side on the product page makes the decision easier.

Tip

Show the suggestion at the moment of decision

Complementary product suggestions are most effective at the moment of adding to the cart and on the cart page; the customer has already decided to buy. At the payment step, suggestions should be at a minimum: distraction at this stage puts completing the order at risk.

Okumanızı öneririz

Cross-Selling ve Up-Selling Yöntemleri ile Satışları Nasıl Artırabiliriz?

## How Does the Cart Page Increase Average Order Value?

The cart page is the moment when the customer decides to buy and sees the cart total, which makes it the strongest area for increasing average order value. A good cart page shows the amount left to the threshold, lets the customer add affordable complementary products that reach the threshold with one click, and states active campaigns clearly.

*Görsel: A cart page that raises average order value: a progress bar showing the amount left for free shipping, items in the cart, complementary product suggestions that reach the threshold and campaign information (A cart page that raises average order value: a threshold indicator, complementary suggestions and clear campaign information.)*

- **Threshold indicator:** The amount left to free shipping or the next campaign tier is visible at the top of the cart.
- **Suggestions that reach the threshold:** Two or three products priced close to the remaining amount and related to the products in the cart; addable with one click.
- **Clear campaign information:** The discounts and gifts applied to the cart are listed line by line; the customer sees what they have gained.
- **A simple path to payment:** Suggestions do not overshadow the payment button; "Proceed to checkout" is always the most prominent button.

## Product Page Elements That Increase Average Order Value

Average order value is shaped not only in the cart but on the product page too. If customers see the products they can buy together, the bundle options and the shipping advantage before adding the product to the cart, they do not arrive at the cart with a single product.

- **"Bought together" area:** Right below the main product, two or three products that are used together and their total price; the option to add them all to the cart with one click.
- **Bundle and pack options:** Next to the single product, a bundle or multipack option is shown together with its unit price.
- **Quantity selector:** For frequently consumed products, choosing the quantity should be easy and visible; if there is a quantity campaign, it should be stated next to the selector.
- **Shipping information:** If the "free shipping over a set amount" message sits near the price, the customer plans their cart around that amount.
- **Other colors and models:** Showing other colors of the same product leads to a second product being added, especially in clothing and accessories.

We recommend reading

E-Commerce

Product Page: What Should It Look Like?

## How to Set a Free Shipping Threshold

The free shipping threshold is set according to the current distribution of cart values, the shipping cost and the products' gross profit margin. The threshold should be close enough for the customer to say "let me add a little more", yet high enough that the profit on the added product covers the shipping cost you absorb.

*Görsel: How to set a free shipping threshold: cart value distribution chart, current average order value and recommended threshold line (Cart value distribution: set the threshold slightly above the range where orders cluster.)*

1. **Look at the cart value distribution:** Group the orders of the last few months by value range and find the range where orders cluster the most.
2. **Set the threshold slightly above the cluster:** Choose an amount that most orders can reach, but that requires most customers to add one more product.
3. **Check your profit:** The gross profit on the average amount added to reach the threshold should cover the shipping cost you absorb.
4. **Have products that can complete the threshold:** If there are no reasonably priced products for the remaining amount, the customer cannot reach the threshold and may abandon the cart.
5. **Test and measure:** Apply the threshold for a few weeks and compare average cart value, conversion rate and profit per order with the previous period.

The table below is an example that shows the logic of the calculation; the figures are for illustration only:

| Data (example) | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Current average cart value | 650 TL |
| Range where orders cluster | 500–750 TL |
| Shipping cost per order | 90 TL |
| Average gross profit margin | %45 |
| Recommended threshold | 850 TL |
| Average amount added to reach the threshold | 200 TL |
| Gross profit on the added amount (200 × 45%) | 90 TL → covers the shipping cost |

Okumanızı öneririz

Ücretsiz Kargo Seçeneği Satışlarınızı Artırır mı?

## How Do You Protect Profit While Raising Average Cart Value?

Not every campaign that raises average cart value raises profit; if the size of the discount exceeds the product's margin, the cart grows while profit shrinks. That is why every campaign should be assessed by the profit left per order.

*Görsel: Campaign rate and profit: single item 180 TL gross profit, 50% off the 2nd item 160 TL, 25% off the 2nd item 260 TL (Same product, three scenarios: a high discount enlarges the cart but can reduce profit.)*

The example below shows how the rate changes profit in a "discount on the 2nd product" campaign. The product's selling price is 400 TL and its cost is 220 TL (45% gross margin); the figures are only an example:

| Scenario | Cart value | Product cost | Gross profit |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Single product, no campaign | 400 TL | 220 TL | 180 TL |
| 50% off the 2nd product | 600 TL | 440 TL | 160 TL |
| 25% off the 2nd product | 700 TL | 440 TL | 260 TL |

In the 50% discount campaign, the cart value grows by fifty percent, yet gross profit per order falls below that of a single-product order. The 25% discount campaign, on the other hand, grows both the cart and profit. Always factor in the product's margin when setting the campaign rate.

Tip

Add value instead of discounts

For low-margin products, use incentives such as a free gift product, free shipping or points to use on the next order instead of a percentage discount. These incentives often cost less than a discount and do not damage price perception.

Recommended reading

Profit Margin Calculation: How Is Profit Margin Calculated in

E-Commerce

?

## Which Method Suits Which Store?

The method that works best depends on the product type, the price range and how often customers buy. The table below is a starting point.

| Store type | Featured methods |
| --- | --- |
| Clothing and shoes | Outfit suggestions, discount on the 2nd product, free shipping threshold |
| Cosmetics and personal care | Set products, free travel-size gift, points system |
| Electronics and accessories | Complementary products (case, cable, protector), upsell suggestions |
| Food and consumables | Multipacks, buy X pay for Y, free shipping threshold |
| Home and decor | Sets and collections, complementary products, tiered discounts |
| Wholesale (B2B) | Tiered pricing, minimum order quantity, sales by case |

Recommended reading

What Is Customer Segmentation? RFM Analysis in

E-Commerce

## Cart Strategy by Customer Segment

The same campaign does not have the same effect on every customer. When incentives that raise average cart value are tailored to the customer's relationship with the store, they deliver better results and cut unnecessary discounts.

- **New customers:** On the first order, an achievable free shipping threshold instead of a high one, plus a welcome coupon; the goal is to make the first order easy.
- **Repeat customers:** Complementary products and set suggestions based on what they bought before; grow the next cart with points and gift vouchers.
- **High-spending customers:** Early access, gift products and privileges instead of discounts; there is no need to give up profit on a customer who already arrives with a large cart.
- **Customers who haven't visited for a long time:** A personal coupon, valid above a certain amount, that makes coming back easier.
- **Wholesale and corporate customers:** Tiered pricing and sales by case; a unit price that falls as quantity rises grows the cart naturally.

## How Do You Measure the Increase in Average Cart Value?

The increase in average cart value should be measured together with conversion rate and profit per order. If fewer people buy while the cart grows, or if profit falls, the campaign has not succeeded.

- **Track three metrics together:** Average cart value, conversion rate and profit per order. If all three improve together, the method is working.
- **Compare before and after under the same conditions:** Don't compare special-occasion weeks with ordinary weeks; where possible, compare the same period with last year.
- **Measure recommendation areas separately:** Track the number of additions from [complementary products](https://www.faprika.com/en/blog/how-to-sell-bundles-increase-your-cart-value-with-product) and pre-checkout suggestions separately; see which area actually gets products added to the cart.
- **Look at campaign reports:** Evaluate how much discount and how much sales each campaign brings together.

## 4-Week Test Plan for Average Cart Value

Rolling out every method at once makes it impossible to tell which one works. The plan below lets you try the methods one after another and see the effect of each separately.

1. **Week 1, measurement point:** Record current average cart value, conversion rate and profit per order by channel and device; produce the cart value distribution.
2. **Week 2, free shipping threshold and threshold indicator:** Set the threshold based on the distribution and turn on the remaining-amount indicator in the cart.
3. **Week 3, complementary products:** Define complementary and pre-checkout products for your best sellers; make sure there are products in the price range that will complete the threshold.
4. **Week 4, decision:** Compare the three metrics with week one; make what works permanent, then try set products and quantity campaigns the same way.

## 7 Common Mistakes When Raising Average Cart Value

1. **Setting the free shipping threshold too high:** An unreachable threshold motivates no one and increases the number of customers who see the shipping fee and abandon the cart.
2. **Giving discounts without calculating profit:** The cart grows, profit shrinks.
3. **Recommending irrelevant products:** Suggestions unrelated to the purchased product reduce trust and distract the customer.
4. **Filling the payment step with suggestions:** It makes completing the order harder and lowers the conversion rate.
5. **Not stocking products that complete the threshold:** If there is no reasonably priced product for the remaining amount, the customer cannot reach the threshold.
6. **Overcomplicating campaigns:** Many campaigns running at once and affecting each other confuse the customer.
7. **Looking only at average cart value:** An increase that is not assessed together with conversion rate and profit is misleading.

## Raising Average Cart Value with Faprika

The campaign and recommendation tools needed to raise average cart value are ready in the panel of the Faprika e-commerce platform (you can see which feature starts in which plan on the [e-commerce plans](https://www.faprika.com/en/pricing) page):

- **Shipping and cart campaigns:** "Free shipping over X TL", campaigns based on the cart subtotal, custom campaigns based on the cart total, and cart discounts are included in all plans.
- **Quantity campaigns:** Buy X pay for Y, percentage discount on the 2nd product and buy 1 get 1 free campaigns are in all plans.
- **Gifts and points:** You can encourage the next order with a gift product campaign, money points, a points system and gift vouchers.
- **Related, cross-sell, complementary and pre-checkout product settings:** You define complementary and pre-checkout opportunity products for your items; with [Checkout Opportunities](https://www.faprika.com/en/add-ons/checkout-opportunities) you can present special offers at the order completion stage.
- **Outfit and series product sales module:** You offer products sold together as a set or outfit.
- **Recently viewed and similar product settings:** You show recommendations based on the customer's interests.
- **Campaign discount report:** You see how much discount and sales each campaign brings.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**What Is Average Cart Value?**

Average cart value is the average amount spent per order on an e-commerce site, calculated by dividing net sales by the number of orders. It is also referred to as average order value.

**How to increase average order value?**

A free shipping threshold, complementary and higher-tier product suggestions, checkout add-ons, bundles, quantity offers such as buy X pay for Y, tiered discounts by cart value, free gifts, points and gift vouchers, and an indicator showing the amount left to reach the threshold are the most effective ways to increase average order value.

**How to set a free shipping threshold?**

Find the range where cart values are concentrated and set the threshold slightly above it. The gross profit on the average amount added to reach the threshold must cover the shipping cost you absorb. Once the threshold is live, measure average order value, conversion rate and profit per order together.

**What is the difference between average order value and cart value?**

Cart value is the total amount of a single order or cart. Average order value is the average amount of all orders in a given period.

**Do campaigns lower profit while raising average order value?**

They can if the discount rate is too high for the product's profit margin. For example, on a product with a 45% gross margin, 50% off the 2nd item can enlarge the basket while pushing profit per order below that of a single-item order. Set the campaign rate according to the profit left per order.

**How is the increase in average order value measured?**

Track average order value, conversion rate and profit per order together, and compare periods before and after the change under the same conditions. Measure the additions that come from recommendation areas and campaigns separately.

A bit more from every order

Set up shipping thresholds, buy X pay for Y, gift products, outfit sales and pre-checkout offers from a single panel; see which one brings profit with campaign reports. Try Faprika for free right away.

Try for Free

#### You May Also Like

- [**E-Commerce Campaign Calendar**](https://www.faprika.com/en/blog/e-commerce-campaign-calendar-how-to-prepare-a-campaign-plan)
- [**E-Ticaret Kampanya Örnekleri**](https://www.faprika.com/blog/e-ticaret-kampanya-ornekleri)
- [**What Should an E-Commerce Product Page Look Like?**](https://www.faprika.com/en/blog/e-commerce-product-page-15-elements-of-a-product-page-that)
- [**What Is Average Cart Value?**](https://www.faprika.com/en/glossary/what-is-average-cart-value)