Apr 29, 2025

15 Proven Product Bundle Strategies to Increase Your Shopify Store's AOV

Andrey Gadashevich

CEO | Conversion expert

Understanding AOV and Product Bundling Fundamentals

What is Average Order Value (AOV) and Why It Matters for Shopify Merchants

Let's talk numbers for a second.

Average Order Value (AOV) is simply the typical amount customers spend when they hit that "buy" button on your store. You calculate it by dividing your total revenue by the number of orders. It's not just another vanity metric for Shopify merchants—it's a game-changer.

Why? Because boosting your AOV means making more money from customers you've already attracted. No extra marketing dollars required.

Think about this: bump your AOV by just 10% and watch what happens to your bottom line. According to Littledata, the average Shopify store sits at an $85 AOV, but the shops crushing it are way above that benchmark. That's money left on the table if you're not optimizing.

How Product Bundling Directly Impacts AOV: The Data Behind the Strategy

Here's where things get interesting. Product bundling isn't just a nice-to-have feature—it's a proven AOV booster. According to a research, Shopify product bundle strategies increase the value of orders by about 20%. That's not small change. The logic is stupidly simple. When customers grab bundles instead of single products, they spend more per order. A McKinsey study found that clever strategic product combinations can pump up profits by as much as 30%. The math doesn't lie.

The Psychology of Bundle Purchasing: Why Customers Love Bundled Offers

Ever wonder why bundles work so darn well? It's all in our heads. Product bundling taps into several psychological triggers:

Value perception: "I'm getting so much more for my money!"
Decision simplification: "Someone already figured out what goes together!"
Complete solution: "This solves my entire problem, not just part of it."

The Journal of Consumer Research found shoppers consistently prefer bundled items when they see clear value. It just feels better to buy this way. Our brains love the efficiency and perceived deal.

Product Bundling Models That Drive Higher AOV

1. Pure Bundling: Creating Must-Have Package Deals

Pure bundling is exactly what it sounds like—selling products exclusively as a package. For pure bundles to crush it:

Make sure each product genuinely enhances the others
Offer a discount that feels meaningful (but protects your margins)
Tell a story about why these products belong together

The sweet spot? Studies show 15-25% discounts generally deliver the best bundle profit margin while still triggering purchases.

2. Mix and Match Bundles: Empowering Customer Choice

We love mix and match bundling because it gives customers control while still guiding them toward higher spending. To nail this approach:

Set minimum quantities that keep the deal profitable for you
Create logical categories that naturally complement each other
Build in tiered discounts that reward adding more items

A case study by MBC Bundles proves that mix-and-match bundles generated £50,000 additional sales. People crave that personalization.

3. BOGO (Buy One Get One) Strategies That Actually Work

BOGO might seem like your grandma's retail tactic, but modern BOGO approaches can seriously drive up your AOV:

BOGO with threshold: "Spend $100, get something free" (pushes up that spending!)
Category-specific BOGO: "Buy jeans, get a t-shirt half off" (encourages multi-category purchases)
Limited-time BOGO: Creates that "I better buy now" urgency

It's almost impossible to walk out with just one item. Their average order value skyrockets during these promotions.

4. Build Your Own Bundle (BYOB): Personalization That Converts

BYOB bundles are the ultimate in customer control. The secret sauce:

Set minimum requirements ("Pick any 4 items")
Make selection super intuitive and visual
Implement tiered discounts that reward bigger bundles

Monetate found that personalized website experiences—e.g. tailored bundle recommendations—drive an average 20% increase in sales conversion rates. People love playing product curator.

5. Cross-Sell Bundles: Complementary Products That Make Sense

Cross-sell bundles combine products that naturally work together but customers might not find together while browsing. The trick to cross-selling without being sleazy:

Actually analyze purchase data to find real product affinities
Focus on genuine complementary value, not just pushing slow inventory
Create bundles that solve complete customer needs

Done right, cross-sell bundles can boost cart value by 20-30%. And customers actually thank you for it!

6. Volume Discounts: Tiered Pricing That Encourages Larger Orders

Volume discounts are perfect for products customers naturally need multiples of. Strategies that convert:

Make tiered pricing crystal clear: "1 for $20, 3 for $50, 5 for $75"
Create price breaks that feel generous but still protect your margins
Apply volume pricing strategically to high-margin products

7. Subscription Bundles: Creating Recurring Revenue

Subscription bundling is the gift that keeps on giving—to both you and your customers. To make subscription bundles work:

Make the discount meaningful enough to commit
Offer flexible delivery schedules that match real usage
Make subscription management dead simple (nobody likes feeling trapped)

The numbers don't lie—subscribers—returning customers spend 67% more on average than new customers. It's like AOV on autopilot.

Strategic Implementation for Maximum Impact

8. Identify Your Best Bundle Opportunities Through Data Analysis

Don't just throw random products together and call it a bundle. Dig into your data:

Which products do people often buy together already?
What items have complementary use cases?
Which products have margins that can absorb bundle discounts?
What high-value items can anchor your bundles?

Use your eCommerce analytics tools to uncover patterns in purchase frequency and customer buying behavior. The best bundles often come from insights hiding in plain sight in your data.

9. Offer Seasonal and Trending Bundle Strategies for Timely Promotions

Seasonal bundling taps into predictable shopping moments throughout the year.

To crush seasonal bundling:

Plan your bundles months ahead of seasonal peaks (not last minute!)
Create genuine limited-time offers that drive urgency
Keep bundles fresh so returning customers don't get bored
Stay alert to trends that might make for timely, relevant bundles

Well-executed seasonal bundles can drive higher conversion rates: bundle deals show 35% higher conversion rates than single-item discounts.

10. Find the Sweet Spot for Bundle Pricing

Bundle pricing is both art and science. Research reveals some fascinating principles:

Use percentage discounts for items under $100, dollar amounts for higher prices (the "rule of 100")
Show original prices clearly to establish value
Price bundles ending in 9 or 7 (they consistently outperform rounded prices)
Show per-item cost within bundles to emphasize savings

Researches found that the magic zone is typically 5-20% discounts—enough to drive conversion without killing margins.

11. Optimize Bundle Visibility Throughout the Customer Journey

Even the best bundles fail if customers never see them. Strategic placement is key:

Feature top bundles prominently on your homepage
Display relevant bundles directly on product pages
Suggest bundle upgrades during checkout (but don't be annoying)
Include complementary bundle offers in order confirmation emails

Advanced Bundle Tactics for Shopify Merchants

12. Limited-Edition and Exclusive Bundles That Create Urgency

FOMO is real, and limited-edition bundles leverage it perfectly.

To make limited-edition bundles work:

Make exclusivity and availability crystal clear
Use countdown timers or inventory counters to reinforce scarcity
Add special packaging or bonus items that enhance the exclusivity

Implementing smart scarcity with bundles can spike conversion rates. For example, Booking.com’s use of a countdown timer increased conversion rates by 28.5%. The fear of missing out is powerful stuff.

13. Use Bundles to Move Slow-Moving Stock

Let's be real—every store has some inventory that's not flying off the shelves. Smart inventory management means using bundles strategically to balance stock.

Customers get value, and you clear inventory without resorting to profit-killing clearance sales.

14. Increase Seasonal AOV with Gift and Special Occasion Bundles

Gift bundling works because gift-givers are often willing to spend more for convenience and impact.

Gift bundle must-haves:

Special packaging that looks gift-worthy
Simple gift messaging options
Occasion-specific themes that make sense
Different price tiers for different budgets

Nobody wants to give a lame gift!

15. Improve Customer Engagement With Gamified Bundle Offers

Adding game-like elements to bundling creates engagement while driving higher AOV:

Spin-to-win extra discounts after adding items
"Add one more item to unlock premium pricing!" challenges
Interactive bundle builders that reveal increasing discounts

Setting Up Effective Product Bundles in Shopify

Let's get practical. Setting up complex bundles in Shopify often needs specialized tools.

MBC Bundle Builder gives you advanced bundling capabilities without needing a developer:

Quick setup for multiple bundle types (BOGO, mix and match, volume discounts)
Customizable displays that match your store design
Smart inventory management across bundled products
Flexible discount rules for complex bundle scenarios

Their interface lets you create sophisticated bundle deals in minutes instead of hours of custom coding.

You May Also Ask These Questions About Product Bundling for AOV Growth

How do I increase my AOV with bundles when starting from scratch?

Start small and smart. Identify your bestselling products and find their natural companions through your order history. Begin with simple 2-3 product bundles at a modest 10-15% discount. Measure what happens, then expand based on real data. A bundle builder app like MBC Bundle Builder makes this process way easier than trying to code it yourself.

Do product bundles consistently increase sales across all industries?

Bundling works broadly, but it definitely hits differently across industries. Research shows bundling works best when:

Products naturally go together in actual use
Items have similar replacement cycles
The combination solves a complete customer problem

Beauty, electronics, food/beverage, fashion accessories, and home goods typically see the highest bundle impact.

What are the competitive advantages of product bundling?

Beyond just boosting AOV, bundling gives you several strategic edges:

Sets you apart from competitors with unique combinations they don't offer
Creates higher perceived value than standalone products
Improves margins through strategic product pairing
Increases customer retention by exposing them to more of your product line
Improves the overall shopping experience with solution-focused offerings

Can product bundling meaningfully increase average transaction size?

Absolutely. The data is crystal clear on this. M.M. LaFleur’s Omakase bundle kits led to a 92% higher conversion rate than standalone products.

That's significant.

Why is bundle pricing so effective for customer conversion?

Bundle pricing taps into several psychological triggers:

Loss aversion: We hate missing out on savings
Price anchoring: Original prices create a reference point that makes discounts feel more valuable
Mental accounting: Bundled pricing makes the decision process simpler
Perceived value: Bundles create the feeling of getting "extra" products at reduced costs

These are not manipulation—it's understanding how people naturally make decisions.

What bundle types work best for different product categories?

Different products need different bundling approaches:

Consumables: Volume discounts and subscription bundles work wonders
Fashion: Mix-and-match and complete-the-look bundles drive higher spending
Beauty: Regimen-based bundles that create complete routines
Electronics: Accessory and protection bundles (the classic "do you want fries with that?")
Home goods: Room or function-specific bundles that solve complete problems
Food/beverage: Sampler and variety bundles that encourage exploration