You’re already doing the hard work.
Creating products. Taking photos. Writing descriptions. Answering messages at 10 PM after your day job.
But here’s something that might make you feel better about all those late nights: you don’t need more customers to make more money.
I know, I know. That sounds like one of those “one weird trick” headlines. But stay with me.
The truth is, getting someone to buy from you once is the hardest part. They’ve found your shop, scrolled through your listings, read your reviews, and decided to trust you with their money.
That’s huge.
So why are we letting them checkout with just one $18 item when they might happily spend $35 if we made it easier?
That’s where Average Order Value comes in. And before you click away thinking this is some corporate sales tactic that doesn’t apply to your handmade candle business, hear me out.
This isn’t about being pushy or salesy. It’s about making it easier for customers who already want to buy from you to get more of what they love.
Let me show you how.
What is Average Order Value (And Why Should You Care)?
Your Average Order Value (AOV) is simply the average amount customers spend per order in your shop.
The math is ridiculously simple:
Total Revenue ÷ Number of Orders = Average Order Value
So if you made $2,400 last month from 80 orders, your AOV is $30.
Now here’s where it gets interesting.
Let’s say you currently get 100 orders per month with a $30 AOV. That’s $3,000 in monthly revenue.
What if you could get each customer to spend just $5 more?
That’s $500 extra per month. $6,000 per year. And you didn’t have to find a single new customer or stay up later making more inventory.
You just made it easier for people who were already buying to buy a little more.
Why Increasing AOV is Actually Easier Than Getting More Sales
Here’s the thing nobody tells you when you’re starting a side hustle: getting new customers is expensive.
Not just in money (though Etsy ads and Instagram promotions add up fast), but in time and energy.
Think about everything that goes into converting a stranger into a customer:
- They have to find your shop somehow
- They have to look through your products
- They have to trust you enough to hand over their credit card
- They have to choose your product over literally millions of others
That’s a lot of friction.
But someone who’s already at checkout? They’ve cleared all those hurdles. They like your stuff. They trust you. Their credit card is already out.
Getting them to add one more item is so much easier than getting a completely new person through your entire sales funnel.
According to marketing research, you have a 5-20% chance of selling to a new customer. But with existing customers? That jumps to 60-70%.
The same principle applies to someone who’s already decided to buy from you. They’re warm, they’re ready, they just need the right nudge.
7 Proven Strategies to Boost Your Average Order Value
1. Create Product Bundles That Actually Make Sense
Let’s start with the obvious one that most people still get wrong.
Bundles aren’t just about slapping random products together and calling it a “set.”
The best bundles solve a complete problem or create a complete experience.
If you sell handmade soaps, don’t just bundle three random scents. Create a “Morning Routine Set” with an energizing soap, a gentle face cleanser, and a moisturizing bar.
If you make stickers, bundle them by theme: “Plant Parent Starter Pack” or “Small Business Planner Set.”
Here’s the key: your bundle should either save the customer money OR save them time and mental energy.
Ideally both.
The discount doesn’t have to be huge. Even 10-15% off is enough to make bundling attractive, especially if you’re framing it as convenience.
Pro tip from someone who works while their toddler naps: Make your bundles easy to produce. Don’t create bundles that require special packaging or extra steps you’ll dread when orders come in. The goal is to increase revenue without increasing your workload proportionally.
2. Master the Art of the Add-On
This is my favorite strategy because it’s so low-effort once you set it up.
Add-ons are small, complementary items that customers can toss in their cart right before checkout.
Think:
- A $3 thank you card with that custom print
- A $5 travel tin with those wax melts
- A $4 digital download with that physical planner
The magic of add-ons is that they’re small enough to feel like an impulse purchase, but they add up fast.
If 40% of your customers add a $4 item to their $25 order, you’ve just increased your AOV by $1.60. Over 100 orders, that’s $160 for products that took minimal extra time to create.
On Etsy, you can’t do dynamic “Frequently Bought Together” sections like Amazon, but you can:
- Mention complementary items in your product descriptions
- Create a “Shop Recommendations” section in your announcement
- Include a card in every order suggesting add-on products for next time
The key is making these add-ons genuinely useful, not just random. If someone is buying your handmade earrings, suggesting a matching necklace makes sense. Suggesting a completely different product? Not so much.
3. Use Tiered Pricing to Encourage Customers to Size Up
This is straight out of the coffee shop playbook, and it works beautifully for handmade products.
You know how a small coffee is $3.50, a medium is $4.25, and a large is $4.75? That pricing isn’t random. It’s designed to make the large feel like the obvious choice.
You can do the same thing with your products.
If you sell digital printables, offer:
- Single print: $8
- Set of 3: $18 (instead of $24)
- Set of 5: $28 (instead of $40)
Suddenly that set of 5 looks like an amazing deal, even though the customer came in planning to buy just one.
This works especially well for:
- Greeting cards (“Buy 5, get 1 free”)
- Stickers (sheet pricing)
- Bath products (bundles by size)
- Digital downloads (collections vs. individual files)
The psychology is simple: people hate feeling like they’re missing out on a better deal. When they see they could get way more value for just a bit more money, they’ll often upgrade.
4. Set a Free Shipping Threshold (And Make It Slightly Higher Than Your Current AOV)
This one is a game-changer for most Etsy sellers I talk to.
Look at your current Average Order Value. Let’s say it’s $28.
Set your free shipping threshold at $35.
Here’s what happens: someone has $30 worth of stuff in their cart. They see they’re $5 away from free shipping. They’re absolutely not going to pay $4.50 for shipping when they could just add another item and get it free.
Boom. Your AOV just went from $28 to $35+.
“But shipping costs money!” you’re thinking. “How is this better?”
Because shipping one package with $35 worth of products costs basically the same as shipping one package with $28 worth of products. You’re not doubling your shipping cost, you’re just adding a couple more items to the same box.
Plus, you can build shipping into your prices a bit. If most people are hitting your free shipping threshold, you know you’re getting $35+ orders, so you can price accordingly.
Quick math: If your average shipping cost is $4.50 and your profit margin is 60%, adding one $7 item to hit the free shipping threshold nets you $4.20 in profit. Even after paying for shipping, you’re still ahead.
Just make sure your free shipping threshold is:
- Achievable (not so high that nobody bothers)
- Slightly above your current AOV (so people actually add items)
- Clearly visible (banner in your shop, mentioned in listings)
5. Create a “Gift Add-On” Option
This is brilliant and underutilized.
Offer gift wrapping, a handwritten card, or special packaging for $3-5.
People buying gifts will absolutely pay this. And it’s often pure profit since fancy tissue paper and a ribbon cost pennies.
But here’s the clever part: even people not buying gifts sometimes add this on because it makes the purchase feel special.
I’ve absolutely paid an extra $4 for “gift packaging” on something I was buying for myself. Why? Because receiving a beautifully wrapped package feels amazing, even when you know exactly what’s inside.
This works especially well around holidays, but you can offer it year-round. Some customers just like the elevated experience.
Plus, beautiful packaging = better unboxing photos = more social media shares = more free marketing for you.
6. Introduce a “Bestsellers Mini Set” or Sampler
If you sell consumable products (candles, soaps, bath products, teas, spices, etc.), samplers are your secret weapon.
They let customers try multiple products without committing to full sizes of each.
A customer might not want to buy three full-size $12 candles ($36), but they’ll happily buy a sampler of three 4oz candles for $24.
Your AOV went from $12 to $24, and you used less material.
Plus, samplers are gateway drugs to bigger purchases. Once they find their favorite scent, they’ll be back for the full size.
This also works for non-consumables:
- Sticker sheets instead of individual stickers
- Print collections instead of single prints
- Pattern bundles instead of single patterns
The psychological win: customers feel like they’re getting variety and value, even though they’re spending more than they planned.
7. Create a Simple Loyalty Program (Even If It’s Just a Punch Card)
Okay, this one is more about repeat purchases than immediate AOV, but it indirectly increases your average order value over time.
Here’s why: if customers know they get something free after 10 purchases, they’re way more likely to hit that threshold if each purchase counts the same.
This actually encourages slightly larger purchases because people don’t want to “waste” a punch on a tiny order.
You don’t need fancy software. Include a simple card in every order:
“Buy 10 items, get 1 free! This counts as #1. Just save this card and include it with your next order.”
Or digitally: “This is purchase #1 toward your free item! (I keep track, so don’t worry about saving receipts.)”
This builds loyalty AND subtly encourages people to consolidate their shopping into slightly larger orders rather than buying one thing at a time.
3 Lesser-Known AOV Strategies for Creative Side Hustlers
1. Offer Personalization as an Upgrade
This is brilliant because it costs you almost nothing but customers will pay $3-8 extra for it.
Adding a name to a print, customizing colors on a digital planner, monogramming a tote bag—these take minutes but significantly increase perceived value.
The key is to price personalization as an add-on during the order process, not as a separate listing. It’s way easier for someone to click “Yes, add personalization for $5” than to find it as a separate listing and coordinate the purchase.
2. Create a “Build Your Own” Option
This works amazingly well for:
- Stickers (build your own sheet)
- Greeting cards (build your own set)
- Digital clipart (choose your own collection)
- Wax melts or soaps (build your own sampler)
Customers love feeling like they’re in control, and they’ll often build bigger sets than you would have bundled yourself.
The sweet spot is letting them choose 5-8 items from a larger collection. Not so many options that it’s overwhelming, but enough that it feels custom.
Price these bundles so there’s a small incentive (10-15% off) compared to buying individually, but not so much that you’re losing money.
3. Add a “Subscribe & Save” Option for Repeat Purchases
If you sell consumables, this is huge.
Let customers sign up for regular deliveries (monthly, quarterly, whatever makes sense) at a small discount.
This doesn’t just increase your individual AOV—it guarantees future revenue and helps you plan inventory.
And here’s the bonus: subscription customers almost always end up buying additional items between their scheduled deliveries. They’re your most engaged fans.
You can run this manually (they message you when they want their next shipment) or use subscription tools if you’re on Shopify or your own site.
How to Actually Implement This Without Overwhelming Yourself
I know what you’re thinking.
“This all sounds great, but I’m already juggling a day job, family, and this side hustle. I don’t have time to implement seven new strategies.”
You’re right. Don’t do all seven at once.
Here’s my recommended approach:
This week: Look at your current AOV. Just know the number. That’s your baseline.
Week 1: Pick ONE strategy that fits your products naturally. Maybe it’s adding gift wrapping as an option, or creating one simple bundle.
Week 2-4: Track your AOV. Did it change? Even a small increase is worth celebrating.
Month 2: Add one more strategy if the first one worked. If it didn’t, try a different one.
The goal isn’t to overhaul your entire shop overnight. It’s to find 2-3 strategies that work for YOUR products and YOUR customers, then optimize those.
Remember, we’re trying to add $5-10 to each order, not $50.
Small, sustainable changes that don’t burn you out are way better than a complete shop overhaul that you abandon after two weeks.
A Final Thought About “Being Pushy”
I know some of you are still feeling weird about this.
“Isn’t this manipulative? I don’t want to trick people into spending more.”
Here’s the thing: you’re not tricking anyone.
You’re making it easier for people who already love your work to get more of it.
Think about the last time you bought something online and thought, “Oh man, I wish I’d known they had [other product], I would have ordered both together and saved on shipping.”
That’s annoying, right? You wanted to give them more money, but they didn’t make it easy.
Don’t be that seller.
Your job is to help customers get what they want as easily as possible. If someone is already buying your candles, suggesting a matching room spray isn’t pushy—it’s helpful.
If someone is buying a print, mentioning that you offer frames isn’t sleazy—it’s solving a problem they’re about to have.
The difference between helpful suggestions and pushy sales tactics is simple: helpful suggestions make the customer’s life easier. Pushy tactics make YOUR life easier at the customer’s expense.
As long as you’re genuinely thinking “What else might make this customer happy?” instead of “How can I extract more money?”, you’re fine.
Your Next Step
Here’s your homework (and yes, I’m assigning homework):
- Calculate your current Average Order Value
- Look at your last 20 orders and notice patterns: What do people buy together? What seems like an obvious pairing that you’re not suggesting?
- Pick ONE strategy from this list
- Implement it this week
That’s it.
Don’t overcomplicate this. Don’t try to do everything at once. Just pick one thing and try it.
Because here’s the truth: if you can add just $5 to your average order, and you get 10 orders this month, that’s $50 extra. That’s dinner out with your partner. That’s your Etsy fees covered. That’s reinvesting in supplies for your next product idea.
And it came from customers who were already buying from you anyway.
You’re already doing the hard work of creating amazing products and getting people to your shop.
Now just help them buy a little more of what they already love.
You’ve got this.
What’s working for you? Have you tried any of these strategies? What increased your AOV most? Drop a comment below—I read every single one, usually late at night after my kids are asleep, which is probably when you’re reading this too. We’re all in this together.
