How Gift Messaging Can Increase Your Shopify Average Order Value by 25%

Every Shopify merchant knows the importance of Average Order Value (AOV). It's one of the most critical metrics for profitability—increasing AOV means more revenue without the additional cost of acquiring new customers.

What many merchants don't realize is that gift messaging features can be a powerful AOV driver. Our analysis of over 50,000 gift orders shows that customers who use gift messaging spend an average of 25-35% more per order than standard shoppers.

Let's explore why this happens and how you can leverage gift messaging to boost your bottom line.

Why Gift Givers Spend More

1. Emotional vs. Transactional Mindset

When someone is buying a gift, they're not just making a purchase—they're expressing care, appreciation, or love. This emotional context shifts their decision-making:

• Price becomes secondary to finding the "perfect" item
• They're more likely to upgrade to premium options
• Add-ons feel like enhancements rather than upsells
• Quality and presentation matter more than usual

2. Social Signaling

Gifts communicate something about the giver. Many customers subconsciously (or consciously) want to appear generous and thoughtful. This drives them toward higher-priced items and premium packaging options.

3. Reduced Price Sensitivity

Gift givers often have a "budget" in mind rather than a strict price limit. If they've mentally allocated $50-75 for a gift, they'll often reach the top of that range when presented with compelling options.

7 Strategies to Maximize Gift Order AOV

Strategy 1: Offer Premium Gift Wrapping Tiers

Don't just offer one gift wrap option—create a tiered system:

Interestingly, when offered three tiers, most customers choose the middle option—giving you higher revenue than a single basic offering would.

Strategy 2: Create Gift Bundles

Curate gift sets that combine complementary products at a slight discount from buying separately. Gift givers love bundles because:

• They look more substantial and thoughtful
• The perceived value is higher
• Decision fatigue is reduced
• They often hit perfect price points ($50, $75, $100)

Strategy 3: Suggest Add-Ons at Gift Checkout

When a customer indicates they're sending a gift, show targeted add-on suggestions:

• Greeting cards: $3-5 per card
• Chocolates or treats: $8-15 add-on
• Small complementary items: $10-25
• Extended warranty or care plans: Premium service

Strategy 4: Offer Priority/Guaranteed Delivery

Gift givers often have specific delivery dates in mind. Offer expedited shipping options with guaranteed delivery dates:

• Guaranteed by Friday: +$9.99
• Next-day delivery: +$19.99
• Same-day local delivery: +$24.99

Strategy 5: Personalization Upgrades

Beyond standard gift messages, offer premium personalization:

• Monogramming or engraving (+$10-25)
• Custom printed cards with photos (+$5-8)
• Handwritten notes (+$3-5)
• Video message QR codes (+$2-4)

Strategy 6: Free Shipping Thresholds

Set your free shipping threshold slightly above your average gift order value. If your average gift order is $65, set free shipping at $75. Many gift givers will add another item to "unlock" free shipping rather than pay shipping on a gift.

Strategy 7: Gift Cards as Add-Ons

Suggest adding a small gift card to physical gifts: "Let them pick something special too! Add a $25 gift card." This works especially well when shoppers aren't 100% sure about sizes or preferences.

Real Results: Case Studies

Implementation Checklist

Ready to boost your AOV with gift messaging? Here's your action plan:

Start Growing Your AOV Today

Gift messaging isn't just a customer convenience—it's a powerful revenue optimization tool. By understanding the psychology of gift givers and implementing strategic add-ons, you can significantly increase your average order value while creating better customer experiences.

The merchants seeing the biggest AOV gains are those who treat gift messaging as a complete experience, not just a text field in the cart.