7 Proven Ways to Increase Average Order Value in E‑Commerce

Most e-commerce stores focus on getting more visitors. But getting more traffic is expensive.

What if you could get more from the traffic you already have? Shoppers who are already on your site are your biggest revenue source. Increasing AOV is how you earn more from every one of them.

In this article, you’ll find out what AOV is, how to calculate it, and seven proven strategies to grow it.

How AOV drives revenue in e‑commerce

Raising average order value is one of the simplest, highest‑impact ways to grow revenue without reinventing your entire sales strategy or heavily investing in ads.

Here’s why AOV matters:

It’s the fastest way to grow revenue without more traffic

Buying traffic is expensive. Higher AOV helps you earn more from the visitors you already have. Even a small increase compounds fast.

In practice, it can look like this:

Your store makes €50,000 a month with an AOV of €40. A 5% increase in AOV pushes it to €42.
That tiny bump adds €2,500 in monthly revenue. Over a year, that’s €30,000 in pure incremental revenue.

All of that without a single visitor.

It directly improves profitability

Higher AOV makes every order more profitable. When customers spend more per order, fulfillment and processing costs stay mostly the same, but your margin goes up.

Shipping a €40 order and a €60 order often costs you the same. But the €60 order leaves you with far more margin.

It creates a competitive advantage

Reinvest the extra profit from higher AOV into customer acquisition and retention.

When you out‑deliver competitors on service and out‑reward them on loyalty, you create a growth loop they can’t match.

7 ways to improve average order value in your online store

Customers don’t like to be pushed into purchases. When you give them the tools to discover products and make them feel confident about their choices, they’re more likely to stay and buy more.

Here are 7 strategies that will help you create journeys that lead to more purchases.

1. Make your search bar a sales tool

When your search only understands exact keywords, shoppers who type ‘comfy sneakers’ get zero results and leave. A search that understands what shoppers mean, not just what they type, and surfaces the right products instantly.

Autocomplete goes even further. Even before customers start typing, it surfaces products based on their browsing and purchase history. More relevant options mean bigger baskets.

Our data shows it works: shoppers who use autocomplete are three times more likely to convert.

Think of it as a personalized digital window display. For example, if a customer browses budget lipsticks, autocomplete shows them a selection of affordable options, not Dior or Gucci.

2. Suggest products customers weren’t looking for, but can’t leave without

Many shoppers don’t know what they want until they see it. Show them the right thing at the right moment, and they’ll add it to their cart.

Instead of showing everyone the same products, modern AI-powered recommenders adapt to each shopper in real time based on what they’re clicking, hovering on, and buying.

Where you place recommendations matters more than you think. Put suggestions on the homepage to capture interest early, on product detail pages to suggest bundles and relevant add-ons, or in the shopping cart to maximize purchase value. These are greatspots for upselling and cross-selling without disrupting the flow.

For example, if a customer buys a coffee machine, suggest other relevant items like a descaling kit. The add-on makes sense to the customer while raising their order value.

3. Show higher-value items first

Many category pages don’t live up to their earning potential simply because the right products are in the wrong order.

Advanced ranking engines automatically move your best-performing, highest-margin products to the top, so the first thing shoppers see is the one they’re most likely to buy.

They use the following factors:

• Margin: products with the most significant profit margin appear at the top of search results.
• Popularity: your proven bestsellers rise to the top of product lists.
• Novelty: new arrivals get visibility without manual merchandising.
• Engagement signals: when shoppers click, hover on, or add a product to their cart, the algorithm learns and adapts in real time.

4. Let a Shopping Assistant do the upselling for you

Shopping assistants ask simple, targeted questions to recommend the best products to each customer. When they find the right fit, buying even a more expensive item often feels right.

For example, a shopper looking for a “professional hairdryer under €150” might get a few suggestions above their budget with better durability, heat protection, and more attachments. When the assistant explains why the pricier model lasts longer or performs better, the shopper is confident about the upgrade.

5. Put your most profitable products first with merchandising

What customers see first shapes what they buy. Merchandising controls give you direct influence over that.

Tools like Luigi’s Box let you rank items automatically, manually, or both. This blend of automation and human oversight gives you precise control over what shoppers see and where they spend.

The most important merchandising controls include:

• Pinning: keep key items or seasonal bestsellers at the top of category pages so customers can see them immediately.
• Boosting: increase visibility for high-margin products, slow-moving stock, or discounted items.

For example, Barron, a custom merchandise retailer, wanted customers to see certain products first. Their goal was to clear out stock and move inventory faster. They pinned products directly in search results and lists, so customers found them faster, reducing drop-offs and improving conversions.

See how Barron improved conversion and customer experience with Luigi’s Box in our case study.

6. Promote high-value products with banner campaigns

When soft nudges aren’t enough, banner campaigns let you promote high‑value products or categories right where the customers are looking—search results and product listings.

They’re also ideal for bundles or limited editions. You can use them to target specific queries or apply them universally for a wider reach. Adding this extra visibility naturally lifts AOV and guides customers to products they might otherwise overlook.

For example, a shopper browsing the gaming section sees a banner for a premium brand campaign. They didn’t come looking for it, but now they’re curious.

7. Analytics reveal AOV opportunities

Without data to track, you’re just guessing. Analytics reveals patterns behind your AOV and shows you exactly where to act.

Tools like Luigi’s Box Analytics reveal gaps in your search performance. With these insights, you can identify:

• Queries that lead to high-value purchases
• Zero-result searches
• Products with strong margins buried in results
• Categories where shoppers drop off

Conclusion

AOV grows when the right product reaches the right shopper at the right moment. That’s exactly what search and discovery tools are built for.

Whether it’s AI-powered search, personalized recommendations, or Shopping Assistant guiding customers toward a better fit, all the tools mentioned in this article work toward the same goal: more value for your customers and more revenue for your business.

Frequently asked questions