7 Easy ways to grow your Magento AOV without giving away discounts

Average Order Value (AOV) is one of the most important metrics in eCommerce because even a small increase can have a big impact on your overall revenue. Instead of focusing solely on driving more traffic, raising your AOV allows you to get more value from each customer you already have, making your marketing efforts more efficient and profitable.

While many stores rely on discounts to boost AOV, constant price cuts can eat into your margins and train customers to only buy during sales. The good news? There are plenty of strategic, non-discount methods that work just as effectively — if not better — for growing AOV over the long term.

In this article, we’ll explore seven proven ways to increase AOV in Magento that not only protect your profits but also enhance the customer experience, encourage repeat purchases, and strengthen brand loyalty.

Leverage smart product recommendations

This strategy focuses on presenting highly relevant product suggestions to customers at the right stage of their shopping journey. The goal is to guide them toward adding more items to their cart or choosing higher-value products — both of which can significantly boost your Average Order Value (AOV).

In Magento, you can use three main types of recommendations: upselling, cross-selling, and related products. When implemented strategically, they work together to improve order value without discounting.

Concept & benefits

• Upselling: 

Upselling is the practice of suggesting a more expensive or premium version of the product the customer is currently viewing. This could be an upgraded model, a version with more features, or a larger size. For example, if a customer is browsing a basic coffee machine, you might recommend the deluxe version with built-in grinders and programmable settings.

Upselling increases the value of each order by encouraging customers to spend more on higher-priced options within the same product category. These suggestions appear on the Product Detail Page, giving them maximum visibility at the moment of purchase decision.

• Cross-sell:

Cross-selling involves recommending complementary products that enhance the value or functionality of the main product. For example, suggesting a protective case or wireless mouse alongside a laptop purchase.

These suggestions appear on the cart page before checkout, capturing sales when buying intent is highest. They empower store owners to increase cart quantity naturally by encouraging customers to add useful, relevant add-ons, often triggering impulse purchases for smaller, lower-cost items that are easy to justify. 

• Related products: 

Related products are items similar in category, function, or style to the one currently being viewed. They help customers explore alternatives or supporting products that might better suit their needs. For example, showing different colors or styles of the same shirt, or alternative laptop models in the same price range.

Related products help stores promote higher-margin or strategic items, increase cross-category exposure, and improve conversions by offering appealing alternatives. They appear on Product Detail Pages, using value comparison to encourage customers to choose slightly higher-priced options that feel worth the extra spend.

How to do it in Magento

1. Assign Magento recommended products based on customer behavior

Magento allows you to manually set up product recommendations in the backend so they match customer interests and buying habits. By tailoring suggestions to what shoppers are browsing or have purchased before, you can make each recommendation feel relevant and increase the likelihood of a higher-value order.

You can base recommendations on:

• Browsing history – For example, suggesting related items in the same category.
• Purchase data – Such as products that are frequently bought together.
• Logical product pairings or upgrade paths – Like offering a premium version of a product the customer is viewing.

Steps:

1. Go to Admin Panel > Catalog > Products
2. Select the product you want to configure
3. Open the tab: Related Products, Up-Sells, and Cross-Sells
4. Add the appropriate products to each section:
   • Related Products – Items in the same category or with similar features.
   • Up-sell Products – Higher-value alternatives or upgrades.
   • Cross-sell Products – Complementary items that add value to the main purchase.
5. Click Save to apply your changes.

2. Add gift cards as an upsell product

Gift cards are a high-converting upsell option because they don’t require a direct product match and can be used for future purchases or given as gifts — both of which lock in future revenue for your store. They’re also a versatile offering that works across all product categories, making them an easy addition to any upsell strategy.

In Magento Commerce, gift cards are available as a default product type, so you can create and sell them without additional modules.

Steps to configure:

1. Go to Catalog > Products > Add Product
2. Choose Gift Card as the product type
3. Configure options such as:
   • Amounts/denominations
   • Format (digital or physical)
   • Expiration, usage limits, etc.
4. Save and publish the gift card like a normal product
5. Go to the products you want to associate with gift cards, and add the gift card in the Upsell Products section (e.g., accessories, low-ticket items)

For Magento Open Source, you’ll need to install a third-party extension to enable this feature. This tool lets you create gift cards as sellable products with custom designs, flexible denominations, and multiple delivery methods (digital or physical). You can set predefined values or allow customers to choose an amount within a set range, and even apply special pricing to align with seasonal campaigns. It’s a simple way to offer a high-converting upsell product while giving customers more purchasing flexibility.

Encourage bulk purchases with personalised quotes

Offering personalized quotes for large or custom orders gives customers a compelling reason to add more items to their cart without relying on fixed discounts. This tactic works particularly well for wholesale buyers, corporate clients, or high-value retail shoppers who might be willing to purchase more if they know they can negotiate better terms. By inviting customers to request a quote, you create an opportunity to upsell, apply volume-based pricing, and increase your average order value while maintaining healthy margins.

How to do it

Magento 2 does not include a built-in quote request feature, so you’ll need to implement it using an extension. When setting it up:

1. Choose a Magento 2 Request for Quote extension that allows quote requests from the product page, cart, or both.
2. Set eligibility rules so only certain customer groups (e.g., wholesale, VIP tiers) or orders above a minimum value see the “Request a Quote” option.
3. Configure form fields to capture relevant details such as product SKUs, quantities, preferred delivery dates, and special requirements.
4. Enable quote management in the admin so your team can review requests, adjust pricing, and respond directly.
5. Allow one-click conversion of approved quotes into orders without forcing the customer to rebuild their cart.
6. Send automated notifications to both customers and staff to keep the process fast and transparent.
7. Promote the benefit in your store’s banner, product descriptions, and loyalty communications so customers know they can get a tailored deal for larger orders.

Pro tip: Request for quote Magento 2 extension by BSS Commerce equips your store with a complete quote management workflow, from enabling customers to submit requests directly from product or cart pages to converting approved quotes into orders in one click. As a trusted Magento 2 extension provider with over 10 years of experience, BSS Commerce is known for being solution-oriented, feature-rich, and committed to transparency, delivering over 150 high-quality plugins that help merchants streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and boost revenue.

Highlight “Customers Also Bought” or “Recently Viewed”

Displaying “Customers Also Bought” or “Recently Viewed” products gives shoppers quick access to items they’ve previously considered or that others have purchased alongside the current product. This creates a sense of social proof and FOMO (fear of missing out), encouraging customers to add more items to their cart. It’s an easy way to surface relevant products without interrupting the browsing experience, often leading to higher-value orders through convenient add-ons.

How to do It

• To add Recently Viewed / Compared Products
  • Enable via Stores > Configuration > Catalog > Recently Viewed/Compared
  • Then, you need to place the block where you want it to appear in the Content > Widgets.
    • Add new widget: Click Add Widget, select Recently Viewed Products as the Type, choose your Design Theme, then click Continue.
    • Set storefront properties: Enter a widget title, assign it to specific store views, and set the sort order.
    • Define layout updates: Click Add Layout Update, choose the pages (e.g., product pages, category pages) and the container (e.g., sidebar, main content) where the widget will appear.
    • Configure widget options: Set the number of products to display, choose which product attributes to show, and enable or disable buttons like Add to Cart or Add to Wishlist.
    • Save and flush cache: Click Save, then go to System > Cache Management and flush the cache to apply changes.
• For “Customers Also Bought”, this feature isn’t available by default, but you can implement it using a custom extension or advanced recommendation tool that analyzes purchase history and pairs frequently bought items.

Utilize product bundling and kits

Product bundling involves grouping multiple related items and selling them for a single price. Customers see bundles as convenient, ready-to-use packages and often perceive them as offering better value compared to purchasing each item separately. Bundling can also help you move complementary products together, increase average order value, and introduce customers to items they may not have considered buying individually.

Magento implementation:

• Create pre-configured bundles: Set up fixed product kits such as a Starter Kit or Complete Collection, where the included items are pre-selected.
• Offer dynamic bundles: Allow customers to choose their own combination of products within the bundle, giving them flexibility while encouraging multiple-item purchases.
• Highlight the value: On the product page, clearly show the price difference between buying the bundle and purchasing each item separately to emphasize savings and convenience.

Establish a free shipping threshold

Customers will often add extra items to their cart to avoid paying a shipping fee. By setting your free shipping threshold slightly above your current Average Order Value (AOV), you can nudge shoppers to spend a bit more — often just one additional product — to qualify. This approach not only increases order value but also enhances customer satisfaction by removing a common purchase barrier.

Magento implementation

• In the Admin Panel, go to Stores > Configuration > Sales > Shipping Methods > Free Shipping.
• Enable Free Shipping and set a Minimum Order Amount slightly above your current AOV.
• Create a clear and visible message (e.g., “You are only $15 away from free shipping!”) in the cart or mini-cart to motivate customers to reach the threshold.
• Consider using a progress bar extension to make the spending target more engaging and easy to track during checkout.

Offer a gift with a spending threshold

Similar to free shipping thresholds, offering a gift once the customer’s cart reaches a certain value motivates shoppers to add more to their cart to receive a complimentary item, such as a sample product, branded merchandise, or a small accessory.

How to do it in Magento: You need to create a Cart Price Rule that includes conditions based on the cart’s subtotal and actions that add the gift

• Create a new cart price rule:
  • Navigate to: Marketing > Promotions > Cart Price Rules > Add a new rule to create a new promotion.
  • Configure the rule information by setting the name, description, status, applicable websites, and selecting the customer groups eligible to receive the gift.
• Set conditions for the spending threshold
  • Select “If all of these conditions are true” to define the trigger for the gift offer.
  • Add a condition specifying that Subtotal is greater than or equal to your target spending threshold (e.g., 50). This means the rule will apply only when the cart subtotal meets or exceeds this threshold.
• Configure the Action tab to add the gift
  • Apply: Select Add gift product to cart (if your Magento version supports this natively, or you may need an extension).
  • Free Gift SKU(s): Enter the SKU(s) of the product(s) you want to offer as gifts.
  • If your store allows, enable options for customers to choose their gift from multiple SKUs by listing them here.
  • Discount amount: Set to zero or leave blank because the gift is free, not discounted.

• Display gift message:  To inform customers about the free gift:
  • Use the Labels tab to set a promotional message that will show on the cart or checkout page (e.g., “Add $X more to receive a free gift!”).
  • You may also customize frontend messages via theme templates or with an extension.
• Click Save to activate the rule.

Pro tip: Choose gifts that are:

• Low cost for you, but high perceived value for the customer
• Relevant to the main products (e.g., a free phone case with phone purchase)
• Limited-time only to create urgency

Create a compelling loyalty or rewards program

A loyalty or rewards program motivates customers by rewarding their purchases with points or credits they can accumulate and redeem later for discounts, gifts, or exclusive offers. This not only encourages repeat business but also incentivizes customers to increase their spending to reach higher reward tiers, boosting overall customer lifetime value and brand loyalty.

How to Implement in Magento

• Using Magento’s customer groups and attributes: Leverage Magento’s built-in customer groups and attribute filters to categorize customers based on their purchase behavior or loyalty status. While Magento doesn’t offer advanced segmentation outside Adobe Commerce, you can still target and reward customers by assigning them to specific groups or using custom attributes.
• Dedicated loyalty extensions: For a more comprehensive and customizable solution, consider installing a loyalty or rewards extension. These extensions provide advanced features such as points accumulation, tiered rewards, points expiration, referral bonuses, and customer dashboards for tracking points and rewards.

By integrating a loyalty program, you create a win-win scenario: customers feel appreciated and engaged, while your store benefits from increased repeat purchases and higher average order values.

Additional tips for boosting your store AOV 

• Create a streamlined checkout process

A complicated or lengthy checkout process can significantly increase cart abandonment rates because customers may become frustrated or lose patience. To prevent this, make your checkout as quick and simple as possible by minimizing the number of steps and form fields required. Additionally, offering guest checkout options reduces friction by allowing customers to complete their purchases without having to create an account, which helps speed up the buying process and improves conversion rates.

Use a One step checkout for Magento 2 module by BSS Commerce to simplify the checkout process and eliminate friction that often prevents customers from purchasing bundles or add-on products.

• Implement flexible payment options

Providing “buy now, pay later” services can make larger purchases feel more manageable for customers. By breaking down a high-cost item into smaller, more frequent payments, you can reduce checkout friction and encourage them to complete a higher-value order.

• Leverage urgency and scarcity

Displaying messages like “Only 2 left in stock” or “Offer ends in 24 hours” on product pages during checkout creates urgency and scarcity. This motivates customers to purchase an item immediately or to add more items to their cart to avoid missing out on a deal.

• Showcase customer reviews and ratings

Prominently featuring positive reviews and high ratings on product pages can build trust and confidence. Social proof often encourages customers to feel more secure in their purchase decisions, which can lead to larger, more valuable orders.

Conclusion: The long-term strategy

Boosting your store’s average order value is not just about quick wins—it requires a thoughtful, long-term strategy focused on enhancing customer experience and delivering real value. By offering incentives like free gifts, implementing loyalty programs, streamlining checkout, and leveraging psychological triggers such as urgency and social proof, you build stronger relationships with your customers and encourage higher spending over time. Investing in these strategies today will help create sustainable growth and a more profitable eCommerce business in the future.