It’s easier to retain customers than it is to get new ones. And as it turns out, it’s also easier to increase the average order value than it is to increase total sales for many of the same reasons.
The average order value (AOV) represents the average dollar amount spent across all of your orders. You can calculate it by dividing your total revenue by the total number of sales that you have.
Tracking your AOV is one way to determine how your customers really feel about your brand. Why? Because when they enjoy the shopping experience, they spend more.
Here are eleven things you can do to increase the AOV of your ecommerce site in ways that also enhance the shopping experience.
There’s a lot you can do to increase the average order value in an ecommerce shop. Here are eleven great ideas to get you started.
Ever stood in line at a store and grabbed something on a whim from a display by the register? That’s an example of cross-selling.
Cross-selling, or selling products that go with another product, is a powerful way to improve the customer shopping experience and your average order value.
The trick? Be thoughtful with it. For example, if you sell makeup, consider cross-selling with makeup remover. If you sell clothes, try cross-selling with jewelry or other accessories. The choices are endless.
Product customization lets users configure the details of a product to suit their tastes. Some common examples include colors, materials, or even sizing specifications.
It’s also a great way to upsell each order; Deloitte’s research shows that more than 50 percent of customers are interested in customized products or services and are willing to pay a 20% premium for this heightened level of exclusivity.
Fender provides a great example of how custom products can truly move the needle on increasing average order value. Play around with their incredible guitar configurator and you’ll see why!
Did you know that 3D product visualization improves conversion rates by up to 40 percent? It also helps increase the average order value significantly.
That’s because customers are much more likely to hit buy when they can see exactly what they’re getting.
Pro-Tip: Blend 3D product visualization with augmented reality and let your customers visualize your product already in their lives. Or use WebGL technology to serve up lifelike graphics on your site and make your products stand out.
Check out how Franklin Sports does it with their 3D custom batting gloves:
Via Franklin Sports
Whether it’s Etsy’s $35 minimum for free shipping or Calvin Klein’s free shipping on two or more items, a minimum order for free shipping will boost your average order value.
That’s because we’re psychologically predisposed to perceive free shipping as a better value, even if it ultimately costs us more.
The next time you find yourself filling up your cart to qualify for free shipping, stop and observe. You can put this phenomenon to work on your site, too.
What’s better than knowing exactly what you want? Not having to know because your favorite brand offers bundles.
Bundles and kits take many forms. Consider adding a few of these to your site:
Research shows that customer loyalty programs work. According to Oracle, 70 percent of customers belong to at least one loyalty program, and 59 percent cite special offers as the reason why they stay.
Customer loyalty programs also help improve the average order value because customers feel like it will pay off. That makes it easier to spend—and easier to feel good while doing so.
Want to change things up for your customers? Try gamifying the shopping experience.
Many brands use this strategy to move items and increase the average order value. You can try:
Volume discounts are another common method that many ecommerce sites use to improve the average order value. They are a good way to move products that you might otherwise have trouble moving. You can take many approaches here:
With an average of 88 percent of shopping carts abandoned, a special deal can be just what lures a customer back.
If you’ve ever abandoned a cart and gotten a discount code in your email a few hours later, you’ve met one of the many strategies that ecommerce sites use to prevent lost sales.
However, similar special deals can also increase the average order value. Choose events like someone’s birthday, signing up for your newsletter, or having spent a certain amount of money. The trick here is to target them carefully so that customers recognize it for the exclusive offer that it is.
Product customization is a powerful way to boost an average order value, and so is product personalization. That’s where you let your customers submit content they have created to be added to your product.
That might be something as simple as an engraved name or statement, or as complex as a custom design or photograph.
Not only can you charge more, but you ensure that your customers walk away with a product that is truly unique.
For example, Ralph Lauren’s Polo shirt personalization experience allows shoppers to choose from premium extras like adding a premium logo or monogram and adding a name and number to the back of the shirt.
Via Ralph Lauren
At the end of the day, customers will shop with you when they trust you, and retailers develop trust with accuracy and transparency.
It’s not enough to have a great product. Part of the customer experience now includes ensuring that customers feel good about buying from you.
Support a great experience by inspiring trust and showing that you are a true expert at what you do. Customers will appreciate it and buy more from you because of it.
Boosting your average order value isn’t difficult. We’ve covered 11 different strategies that you can use. From cross-selling to making sure your product visualization is on point, they all focus on enhancing the overall customer experience.
Are you ready to engage ecommerce customers in this new, hyper-competitive landscape? With these strategies, you’ll boost your sales, build your trust, and enjoy a flourishing brand.
ConfigureID’s premium product personalization platform is one of the best tools you can use to increase AOV and brand loyalty. Sign up for a free demo now.
