What Are Shopify Bundles and Why They Increase AOV
Bundling — selling multiple products together at a combined price — is one of the highest-leverage AOV (Average Order Value) strategies in e-commerce. Bundles increase AOV by making it convenient and economical for customers to buy more in a single transaction. When done well, bundles also improve customer satisfaction: a customer who buys a complete kit (all the components needed for a project) has a better experience than one who discovers after purchase that they forgot a necessary accessory.
Shopify has multiple ways to implement bundles, from simple product groupings to sophisticated “Build Your Own Bundle” configurators. This guide covers every method and when to use each.
The 4 Types of Shopify Bundles
Understanding which type of bundle fits your products and goals is the starting point:
- Curated bundles — pre-selected product combinations sold as a single listing (“Starter Kit,” “Complete Set”). Simplest to implement; works when you know the ideal combination for your typical buyer.
- Mix-and-match bundles — customer chooses N items from a defined selection at a bundle price (“Pick any 3 scents,” “Choose your flavors”). Higher perceived value than curated bundles because customers feel they’re getting their personal ideal combination.
- Tiered bundles — quantity-based bundles: “Buy 1 for $20, Buy 3 for $50, Buy 6 for $90.” Especially effective for consumables and gifts.
- Cross-category bundles — products from different categories bundled together (“Camera + Case + Memory Card”). Works when there’s a natural “everything you need” relationship between products from different collections.
Method 1: Native Shopify Bundles (Shopify Markets)
Shopify introduced native bundle functionality in 2023 via the Shopify Bundles app (free). Install from the Shopify App Store. This app lets you create:
- Fixed bundles — predetermined product combinations sold as one listing
- Mix-and-match bundles — customer selects from defined options within each bundle component
The Shopify Bundles app integrates with inventory management — when a bundle sells, Shopify deducts individual component inventory. This prevents the overselling problem that manual bundles cause. Best for: simple curated bundles and basic mix-and-match configurations. Limitation: limited customization of the bundle display and purchase experience.
Method 2: Bold Bundles App
Bold Bundles ($19.99/month) offers more flexibility than the native app for stores that need:
- Percentage or dollar-amount bundle discounts
- Bundle display on individual product pages (“Complete the set”)
- Bundle-specific landing pages
- Mix-and-match with quantity tiers
- Revenue analytics by bundle type
Bold Bundles works by displaying bundle options on existing product pages and collection pages, without requiring separate product listings for each bundle. This reduces catalog complexity while enabling bundle functionality.
Method 3: Discount Codes for Bundle-Like Behavior
A simple bundle-mimicking approach without additional apps: create an automatic discount in Shopify Admin → Discounts → Create Discount that applies when specific products are purchased together. “Buy Product A + Product B and get 15% off the order.” This doesn’t create a true “bundle product listing” but achieves the pricing behavior of a bundle with zero additional app cost.
Limitation: requires customers to add individual products separately, which is more friction than a true bundle listing. Best for: simple cross-sell discounts and promotional combinations where catalog simplicity matters.
Method 4: Manual Bundle Products
Create a new Shopify product listing representing the bundle. Set inventory to track manually (not tied to component products). Price at the bundle rate. In the product description, list the included components with their individual values to communicate the savings.
Limitation: inventory tracking is decoupled from component products — you need to manually adjust component stock when bundles sell. Works acceptably for low-volume stores or for bundles that use stable, high-stock components.
Step 1: Identify Your Best Bundle Opportunities
Data-driven bundle creation outperforms intuition. Identify bundle candidates by:
- Order analysis — look at orders where customers bought multiple products together. These are natural bundles because customers already made the purchase decision independently. Formalizing them as a bundle reduces friction for future buyers.
- Product affinity — which products have natural “completion” relationships? Camera + bag + strap. Supplement + shaker + meal plan guide. Skincare cleanser + toner + moisturizer.
- New buyer starter kits — what does someone brand new to your product category need to get started? A bundle of “everything you need” reduces decision fatigue for first-time buyers.
- Gift occasions — gift buyers want convenience and completeness. Gift sets (curated bundles in gift-appropriate packaging) are among the highest-converting bundle formats for seasonal campaigns.
Step 2: Price Your Bundles Correctly
Bundle pricing needs to balance perceived value (discount must feel meaningful) with margin protection (bundle can’t destroy profitability):
- Typical bundle discount: 10-20% off combined individual prices. Under 10% feels token; over 25% often signals quality concern or harms margin significantly.
- Calculate using your cost of goods: ensure bundle margin stays above your minimum threshold after discount.
- Always show the “vs. individual” price prominently: “Bundle: $67 — Individual items total: $82. You save $15.” The comparison makes the value concrete.
- For mix-and-match bundles with different-price items, use a flat bundle price rather than percentage off each item — flat pricing is easier for customers to evaluate.
Step 3: Present Bundles on Product Pages
Bundle discovery needs to happen where buying decisions happen — on individual product pages. Options for displaying bundle options on product pages:
- Bold Bundles and similar apps add a “Complete the Set” or “Bundle & Save” section directly on product pages
- Manual approach: add a “Frequently Bought With” section in your product description with links to components and a note about the bundle discount
- Product recommendation sections (from review apps like Yotpo or AfterShip) can be configured to show complementary products with bundle pricing notes
Step 4: Create Bundle-Specific Landing Pages
For major bundles (seasonal gift sets, new collection starter kits, core product combinations), create dedicated landing pages that present the bundle as a complete offer:
- Hero image showing all bundle components together
- Individual item breakdown with individual prices (making the savings obvious)
- Use case copy: who this bundle is for, what problem it solves
- Bundle-specific reviews from customers who purchased the full set
Bundle landing pages perform especially well for paid traffic — a Facebook ad showing a gift set photo driving to a bundle landing page converts better than driving to a general product page.
Step 5: Upsell Bundles Post-Purchase
Customers who purchase one product are primed to add complementary products. ReConvert or a similar post-purchase upsell app enables bundle upsell offers on the thank-you page: “You bought the [Product] — add the [Complementary Product] at 20% off and complete your setup.”
Post-purchase bundle upsells convert at significantly higher rates than pre-purchase cross-sells because the customer is already in a buying mindset — they’ve just committed to a purchase and are evaluating whether to add more. The friction of a second decision is lower right after the first.
Step 6: Analyze Bundle Performance
Track bundle performance separately from individual product performance. Key metrics:
- Bundle attachment rate — what percentage of customers who view the bundle buy it (vs. individual products)?
- Bundle contribution to AOV — compare average order value for bundle purchases vs. non-bundle purchases
- Bundle margin contribution — are bundle sales more or less profitable per order than individual sales?
- Top performing bundles — which bundle combinations drive the most revenue? Double down on these with promotion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Shopify have built-in bundle functionality?
Yes — Shopify offers the free Shopify Bundles app that handles fixed and mix-and-match bundles with proper inventory tracking across components. For more advanced bundle functionality (percentage discounts, bundle landing pages, analytics, cross-sell display on product pages), third-party apps like Bold Bundles ($19.99/month) offer additional capabilities beyond the native app.
How do I handle inventory for bundles on Shopify?
The Shopify Bundles app automatically deducts component product inventory when a bundle sells. For manual bundle products (separate product listings), inventory must be tracked separately and adjusted manually when bundles sell. If you use Bold Bundles or similar apps, they handle inventory deduction from component products automatically.
What’s the ideal bundle discount percentage?
For most product categories, 10-20% off individual item combined prices is the sweet spot. Under 10% rarely motivates bundle purchase. Over 25% can signal quality concern and significantly impacts margin. The most effective bundle framing shows dollar savings clearly (“You save $18”) rather than percentage, as dollar amounts feel more concrete for most buyers.
Can I use bundles for digital products on Shopify?
Yes — digital product bundles (ebook collections, course bundles, template packs) work well on Shopify using the Shopify Bundles app or manual bundle listings. Combine with the Digital Downloads app for automated delivery. Digital bundles have 100% margin after the initial creation cost, making even 30-40% bundle discounts highly profitable.
How should I promote bundles to drive more bundle purchases?
Three most effective tactics: (1) Display bundles on individual component product pages with clear savings messaging so shoppers discover them at the buying moment; (2) Email campaigns featuring your best bundles, especially for gift seasons; (3) Post-purchase upsells via ReConvert offering bundle components to single-product buyers. Paid social with bundle imagery (showing all components) also performs well as bundle ads communicate value visually.
Final Thoughts
Shopify bundles are one of the clearest AOV levers available to e-commerce stores. Whether you start with the free native Shopify Bundles app or invest in a more sophisticated solution, the key is identifying products with natural completion relationships, pricing the bundle to feel meaningfully economical, and displaying bundles where buying decisions happen — on product pages and post-purchase.
For more on increasing revenue per customer, explore our guides on upsell and cross-sell apps, Shopify discount strategies, and product page optimization with metafields.
