#119: The 4 cart changes that brought a 10%+ AOV for this 8-figure apparel brand.

No. 119: Hey all,

September is here and shopping is about to ramp up for the holidays.

How can you increase average order value (AOV) for your large catalog of products?

By introducing 4 new features to your quick view cart.

Let’s dive in.

In this issue:

• This week’s win: 4 ways to increase order value for your large catalog.

• In the news: Why 2024 is the year of the “finicky consumer.”

• Quick tips: How to combat high returns without obliterating future sales.

WIN OF THE WEEK

Have a large catalog? Add these 4 things to your cart to increase order value.

Fashion retail is fast-paced, saturated, and personal.

The quick view cart is not just a checkpoint – it’s a crucial engagement zone.

Turn passive shoppers into active buyers by amping up their motivation.

For an 8-figure apparel brand, we introduced 4 specific cart features that increased average order value (AOV) by 10%, with 11% more buyers completing checkout.

That’s millions in additional revenue. And, it’s easier than you think.

Here’s What We Added

1 – Tiered shipping progress bar: Increasing impulse purchases with free shipping and gift thresholds is a no-brainer. But it’s not enough to just mention it. Give buyers a reason to buy more.

Free shipping with $99+ orders is much more specific than, "Free Shipping, Returns & Exchanges” that was on their previous cart. Plus, a visual progress bar lets them see in real time how close they are to their reward.

2 – Gift motivator: A free gift when they spend $200 is ultra-specific, and gives them something to work towards after already meeting the shipping threshold.

3 – Personalized upsells: Before, their quick view cart had a link to view other products, but no images or personalized upsell widgets related to the products in their cart. With personalized upsells present, it’s easier to add more to the cart to reach the order thresholds above.

4 – Bold color checkout CTA: Clear call-to-actions are a big contribution to a fast and easy checkout process. A purchase button should stand out.

“Before” Test:

“After” Test:

Here’s Why it Worked

Their quick-view cart now has features that make visitors want to buy more.

This works especially well for large catalogs and impulse purchase brands, like fashion.

Visual progress bars, a rewards system, specific upsells, and bold CTA buttons give customers a reason to spend more money.

The new smart cart does three things:

Motivates and Rewards

This Baymard study found that 47.8% of US online shoppers abandoned a cart within the last 3 months because “they were just browsing / not ready to buy.”

Motivation goes a long way. A shipping threshold and gift with purchase encourages higher spending. The personalized upsells on top of this motivate the customer to add to their cart.

They can view MORE of the catalog they may have missed, saving time, increasing impulse buys, and rewarding them with free products.

Reduces Friction

Friction is the enemy of a smooth customer experience. If it causes confusion or requires effort, it’s got to go.

Hidden shipping costs, an unclear checkout process, and extra links all hinder purchases.

These features help reduce the unnecessary need to click on other pages, and the bold CTA button grabs attention and gets them to the finish line faster. For this cart, we used Rebuy and their “Smart Cart” solution.

Gamify Purchases

With these changes, customers get rewards the more they shop, and won't miss out on great products.

What Most Brands Do Wrong

Most fashion brands try out an upsell or two, link to their large collections, and hope for the best.

But they miss out on opportunities to personalize the cart experience and show the most relevant upsells.

Instead, encourage impulse purchases with personalized upsell recommendations, and incentivize the purchase with rewards.

Steps to Try Today

Have a large catalog and want to increase your AOV? Start with the cart. Lift order values and conversions with relevant features.

Then, test it!

🕙 WHAT’S BREWING

Is ROAS dead? Learn new ways to increase engagement and strategies for retargeting ad visitors.

📣 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Your customers are your best salespeople. Here’s why.

Brands with $10-$20M in revenue have millions hidden in Google Analytics.

How to combat high returns without obliterating future sales.

🎯 NEWS

Why 2024 is the year of the “finicky consumer.”

👀 LAST WEEK’S LETTER

#118: Want to sell more bundles? Change your product image.

💡 TWEET OF THE WEEK

👊 STOUT SUCCESS

Want this for your store, too?

Book a strategy call with me.

That's all for today.

If you enjoyed this, please consider forwarding it to a friend, founder, or fellow marketer.

And if you have any comments/questions, I'd love to hear them.

Until next time.

— Allen

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