Double Your Shopify AOV: The Ultimate Shopify Subscription Bundling Guide
Are you ready to SKYROCKET your Average Order Value and SUPERCHARGE your subscription game?
Welcome to the video that’s about to TRANSFORM your Shopify store’s revenue!
Let’s get right into it:
What is AOV? 🤔 (Average Order Value) AOV is the average amount spent each time a customer places an order on your store.
The math is simple:
Average Order Value = Total Revenue ÷ Number of Orders
Now, why does AOV matter so much? 🔑
Why is AOV Crucial?
Higher Profits: More revenue without more customers.
Lower Acquisition Costs: If each customer spends more, it costs you less to acquire them.
Customer Insights: AOV helps you understand buying behavior.
Growth Indicator: A rising AOV means your store is scaling effectively.
Here’s the kicker: Boosting your AOV by just 10% can increase your profits by 25% or more! 🚀💸
Now that we know why AOV is key, let’s talk about how to increase it while giving knockout value to your customers!
The Power of Subscription Bundling 📦❤️
Subscription bundling is THE strategy that not only boosts AOV but also creates loyal, repeat customers.
Stores using subscription bundling see up to a 40% increase in AOV and a 30% boost in customer lifetime value. Are you leaving that money on the table?
By the end of this video, you’ll learn how to:
Skyrocket your AOV 🚀
Boost customer loyalty 🤝
Create irresistible subscription offers 🎁
Turn one-time buyers into lifelong fans 💖
Here’s a Real Life Bundle Example
Thanksgiving Coffee does bundles perfectly.
They’ve got this mega bundle page where you can see all their coffee blends in one spot.
It’s simple—customers get to browse all the different SKUs, pick exactly what they want, and lock in a discount. Plus, they can choose how often they want it delivered.
Besides selling more with less effort; it’s about exposing customers to the full product lineup.
The more choices they see, the more likely they’ll try something new.
That’s how you increase sales and customer loyalty—by letting shoppers build their perfect coffee order.
Why Do Subscription Bundles Work?
People love saving money.
When you offer a discount for buying more, customers spend more.
Now, let them customize that bundle and they’ll spend even more time on your site, building the perfect order. More value, faster checkouts—it’s a no-brainer.
Bundles are a killer way to showcase all your SKUs in one shot—no need for customers to click around.
On average, customers see 4-5 products when browsing your site.
But with a Bundles page?
They’re exposed to 30+ products in one go.
More exposure. More chances to buy.
How is Bundling Like Gamification?
Bundling isn’t just about saving money—it’s a game customers love to play.
Customization & Control: When you let customers build their own bundles—it feels like playing a game, giving them control over the experience. The act of selecting and customizing products taps into the same satisfaction as personalizing a character in a game.
Progress & Rewards: When bundling comes with incentives like escalating discounts, “Add one more item to save 15%!”— feels like leveling up.
Challenges & Milestones: Setting a minimum number of items to unlock discounts (like “Pick 3 items to unlock 15% off”) acts like a challenge. Customers are motivated to complete the challenge, and the Ongoing progress bar keeps track of their progress, which further encourages them to hit that goal.
Instant Gratification: Every time they add an item, they see the price drop. That’s a dopamine hit, encouraging them to keep adding to the cart. The immediate feedback of seeing discounts applied as items are added to the bundle mimics the instant rewards and dopamine hits of gaming. This encourages customers to keep playing with different combinations. Each time an item is added and the discount moves closer, it gives a small burst of satisfaction—triggering the release of dopamine, the brain’s "reward" chemical. Dopamine reinforces behaviors, making customers want to continue the activity that gives them this pleasure, which in this case is adding more items to the cart.
Bundling becomes less about shopping and more about playing—and people spend more when they’re playing to win.
The Psychology of Progress: How 'Leveling Up' Boosts Sales
Want to boost sales?
Here are six ways subscription bundles use the psychology of progress to drive customer purchases.
1. Progress and Achievement (Endowed Progress Effect)
When customers see that they are making progress toward a goal—like adding items to unlock a discount—they experience a sense of achievement, even before they finish the task.
This is known as the endowed progress effect.
The moment they add the first item, they feel they're on the way to completing the challenge, which motivates them to keep going.
In essence, people are more likely to finish a task when they feel they have already made progress toward it.
This is why showing a progress bar (like Ongoing does) works so well—it visually confirms their progress and encourages them to take the next step.
2. The Goal Gradient Effect
This effect explains that as people get closer to achieving a goal, their efforts to complete it intensify.
When the discount is within reach (say, after adding 2 of the required 3 items), customers are highly motivated to "level up" and complete the purchase.
The closer they get, the more invested they become in completing the task.
3. Loss Aversion
Loss aversion is a powerful psychological trigger where people are more motivated to avoid losses than to achieve gains.
When a customer is close to unlocking a discount, the thought of missing out on that deal (because they didn’t add enough items) creates a sense of loss.
This is why dangling a discount in front of a shopper work well: the fear of losing out on getting the discount can drive customers to add more items to their cart.
4. Instant Gratification and Dopamine
Each time an item is added and the discount moves closer, it gives a small burst of satisfaction—triggering the release of dopamine, the brain’s "reward" chemical.
Dopamine reinforces behaviors, making customers want to continue the activity that gives them this pleasure, which in this case is adding more items to the cart.
5. The Sunk Cost Fallacy
Once customers start adding items toward meeting a discount requirement, they become psychologically invested.
They feel that they’ve already put effort into the process and may as well complete it to justify the effort (or cost) they’ve already "sunk" into it.
This makes it harder for them to abandon the process once they’re partway there.
6. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
When a customer is one item away from unlocking a discount, there’s a natural fear of missing out on a better deal.
This drives urgency, especially when combined with progress indicators (like a bar or count) that show how close they are to the goal.
The thought of leaving value "on the table" propels them to add that final item.
Let's break down the GAME-CHANGING techniques that'll take your Shopify store to the next level!
I’m going to talk about the different types of subscription bundles you can offer on your store to increase your average order value.
The "Bundle & Save” Approach 🎒
Imagine giving your customers the POWER to create their perfect subscription box.
Sounds crazy?
It's crazy EFFECTIVE!
Here's how it works:
Allow customers to mix products from across collections
Set a minimum item requirement (e.g., "Choose 3 or more items")
Offer a sweet discount for bundling (10-15% off is a good start)
Watch as customers add MORE items to hit that minimum and maximize value!
🔥 HOT TIP: Make it fun! Use playful copy like "Build Your Dream Box" or "Craft Your Perfect Pack" to get customers excited about choosing multiple items.
RESULT: Higher AOV, happier customers, and let’s them create a subscription order they're INVESTED in!
The “Pack Size Strategy” 📦
Who doesn't love a good bulk discount?
Here's how to make it work for subscriptions:
Offer larger pack sizes (like a 6-pack and a 12-pack)
Provide escalating discounts (e.g., 10% off 6-pack, 20% off 12-pack)
Highlight the per-unit savings to show the VALUE
🔥 HOT TIP: Use visual comparisons to show how much they're saving. "Pay for 10, Get 12!" is way more compelling than a simple percentage.
RESULT: Customers stock up, your AOV soars, and everyone wins!
The "First-Time Frenzy" Offer 🎉
Want to get customers HOOKED on your subscription from day one? Here's the secret sauce:
Offer an EXTRA discount on the first subscription order
Stack it on top of the regular subscription savings
Create a sense of urgency ("Limited Time Offer!")
Sweeten the deal further with free shipping on Bundles
For example: "25% off your first box + 15% off all future boxes!"
🔥 HOT TIP: Use a countdown timer on your product page to drive home the urgency. FOMO is a powerful motivator!
RESULT: Lower barrier to entry, higher conversion rates, and a BOOST in new subscribers!
The "Frequency Fine-tuner" Approach ⏰
Here's where we get intelligent about retention.
Suggest a frequency that balances customer needs with a good retention rate:
Analyze your data to find the sweet spot (e.g., every 45 days)
Offer multiple options, but highlight your "recommended" frequency
Explain the benefits of each frequency option
🔥 HOT TIP: In your subscription plan name - it should say “Most Common” for your most popular frequency
On your product page, you can also use social proof! "Join 10,000+ happy customers who love their monthly box!"
RESULT: Optimized delivery schedules, reduced churn, and MORE predictable revenue!
Offer a Variety of Bundles
Bundles are a game-changer.
Whether it's one big bundle showcasing all your products, or multiple bundles that are laser-focused on specific products—both have their perks.
Let’s say you’ve got a bundle that covers all your collections in one place. Perfect!
It's a one-stop-shop that makes it easy for customers to get everything they need in one click.
But then, some brands like to get a little more specific.
They create multiple bundles, each with its own theme or offer.
Think wet dog food vs. dry dog treats, or a ‘Choose 10 Treats, Get 10% Off’ deal versus a ‘12-Pack, 20% Off’ offer on wet dog food."
By offering different themed bundles, you’re not just adding variety—you’re making it easier for customers to find exactly what they’re looking for.
Want dog treats? Boom, click on the ‘Dog Treat Bundle.’
It's clear, it’s targeted, and it’s a smart marketing play.
So, whether you’re going all-in with one mega bundle or dialing it down with multiple themed options, you’re setting up for success.
It’s all about creating different offers that speak directly to your customers’ needs.
It’s about making it stupid easy for customers to say 'yes.'
More options. More sales. More money.
Here’s a quick break down of how to set up multiple bundle offers.
Allow customers to offer products from a specific collection
Set a minimum item requirement to bring up average order value
Offer pack size options with escalating discounts to increase average order value
Think about how your bundles can be different like Coffee vs. Tea products
Offer free shipping to further sweeten the deal on Bundles
Let me give you an example.
A Beverage Company could offer two different bundles, one for coffee and another for tea.
This helps customers drill down into the products they are interested in.
🔥 HOT TIP: Ongoing’s filter option let’s customers further customize their view to find the perfect products.
RESULT: Increased product discovery, higher AOV, and MORE excited subscribers!
The "Upsell Unleashed" Technique 📈
Don't stop at the initial subscription! Here's how to keep growing that AOV:
Offer one-time add-ons at checkout
Suggest complementary products based on their bundle
Provide an option on the Subscriber Portal to add products to the bundle
Automatically email customers who purchased once & ask them to subscribe
🔥 HOT TIP: Use AI-powered recommendations to make personalized upsell offers irresistible!
RESULT: Maximized cart value lets you tap into long-term value growth
Now, let's talk IMPLEMENTATION:
AUDIT: Analyze your current product lineup and identify bundling opportunities
STRATEGIZE: Choose 1-2 bundling techniques to start with
TEST: Set up A/B tests to find your winning combinations
OPTIMIZE: Continuously refine your offers based on data
SCALE: Roll out your best-performing bundles across your store
Remember, the key to subscription bundling success is VALUE.
Every bundle, every offer should scream "THIS IS A NO-BRAINER!" to your customers.
👉 ACTION STEPS:
IMPLEMENT at least one new bundling strategy this week
TRACK your AOV before and after implementation
SURVEY your customers to get feedback on your new offers
ITERATE and improve based on real-world results
Are you FIRED UP to boost your AOV and take your Shopify subscriptions to the NEXT LEVEL? 🚀💰
If you’re looking for a Subscription solution for your Shopify store, contact us for a free demo.
Don't forget to HIT that like button, SUBSCRIBE for more revenue-boosting strategies, and SHARE this video with every Shopify store owner you know!
Drop a comment with your BIGGEST takeaway, and let me know which bundling strategy you're going to try first!
Until next time, keep BUNDLING, keep GROWING, and let's CRUSH those AOV goals together! 💪