Increase AOV

Turn "AOV is $34, make it bigger" into a ranked backlog. Leave the how-to and the papers in the Depth skills. Rank direct findings (measured on order size) ahead of adjacent (measured on sales or returns) and indirect (measured on willingness to pay or deal attractiveness) at equal fit. Every number is what a cited study measured in its own context; do not turn it into a forecast for the user's AOV.

When to use

• The user names AOV, basket size, units per order, or "sell more per customer" as the goal
• Deciding between a free-shipping threshold, a membership, a bundle, or a coupon

When not to use

• More visitors buying at all → increase-conversion; second orders → increase-repeat-purchases
• Cart/checkout field design (guest, wallets, coupon-box distraction) → checkout-ux
• The exact wording of a discount → discounts; the promotion mechanic in depth → promotions

Inputs

Collect, or state your assumption:

• Products, prices, typical basket (units and value), complements sold
• Whether the main product is naturally bought in multiples
• Current CTA, shipping policy, coupons, returns, any bundle and its wording
• Order frequency (for a membership) and margin (for discount depth)

Procedure

Walk each check; note whether the setup complies, and if not, what changes. Include applicable levers the user didn't mention; list the rest as considered.

Direct

1. Quantity CTAs. Multi-unit product → Buy 1 / Buy 2 / Buy 3 instead of "Add to cart". Depth: product-page.
2. Paid free-shipping membership with a minimum order. A plain threshold without a membership isn't in the evidence — say so if recommending one. Depth: post-purchase.
3. Free, easy returns. Higher spend per order and more variety. Depth: post-purchase.

Adjacent (measured on total sales or returns, not basket size)

4. Coupon type. Store-wide → percentage; product-specific → amount off. Depth: discounts.
5. Bundle framing. Wanted product as the gift, "at no cost", not a "special bundle price". Depth: promotions.

Indirect

6. Token-fee upgrades rather than free. Depth: promotions.
7. Flat rate above pay-per-use where usage varies. Depth: pricing, subscription-pricing.
8. Simple add-on pricing. Rounded, same ending as the base, no service fee. Depth: pricing.
9. Complements around the focal product in the shot (raises focal-product purchase likelihood, not accessory sales). Depth: product-visuals.
10. Intuitive units ("about 15 cups", not "250 g"). Depth: product-copy.
11. Rank. Direct first; then by measured effect and distance from the rule; cheap changes (CTA, wording, coupon type) ahead of programs that need billing or logistics.

Output

Then: what already complies. Each effect was measured on its own; don't add them up. Ship the top two or three, measure, then take the next.

Common mistakes

• Inventing a lift for a free-shipping threshold ("+10–20%") — the evidence is for a paid membership with a minimum; say so.
• "Special bundle price" wording — gift framing is the measured lever.
• A dollar-off coupon for a store-wide promotion — percentage puts people in "the more I spend" mode.
• Defaulting the bundle in the cart instead of quantity buttons — the measured lever is the CTA format.

Quick reference

Evidence and effect sizes: see reference.md.