Save time on order fulfillment for Shopify bundles with Shopify automation
Think back to the last time that you bought a pot that was just right for your kitchen or cushions for the couch that perfectly matched your upholstery. That’s what your customers are looking for, too, but they want it easy. Bundled products leave your customers delighted with the thought that they finally found it, wrapped in a neat bow.
Product bundling is an eye-catching way to make the cut. Bundles work so well because they trigger your customer's value perception by being of monetary value, social value, or functional value (we'll explain these in a bit). With shopping now taking place almost exclusively online, work smart and implement this sales-generating tactic into your upcoming campaigns.
If selling bundles seem daunting, let this post show you the way. Find the product bundling strategies you need and other things to consider when selling bundles, like pricing tips.
We'll also explain how to automate them with simple workflows for fast and easy fulfillment using Edit Order by Cleverific. Ready to learn how to bring a little extra delight to your customers with intoxicating bundle offers? Get the details on
Time-tested and proven bundle strategies
What to consider when you set up
Staying ahead of bundle fulfillment
You need a bundling strategy.
So where should you start?
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel! We’ve compiled some time-tested strategies that real stores have used and proven as efficient methods for increasing average order value and customer engagement. Spend a few weeks testing your options to see what fits your business before you really dive into the nitty gritty.
4 bundles proven to engage customers
1. Add value with related products
If you have a high-traffic product, group it with like items to draw attention to the rest of your store. Pair a spatula with a complementary accessory like a cooking spoon or pasta strainer. If you have two popular products that are also complementary to one another, like an Asian knife and a standard knife, you can bundle those for added value!
Beginner’s kits are great examples of products that naturally go together. Check out what Canadian knife store Knifewear does with its Konro barbecue starter set, which provides everything you need for a successful grilling experience, while also saving $14.
2. Mix & match
Customers love to mix and match because they feel like they’re in control while still getting a discount. Give your customers the option to choose for themselves if you have multiple variants of the same product type. For example, you could sell chocolates with different fillings, or trail mix bags with a variety of nuts and candies.
Here’s a great example from Bright Foods. Customers can sign up for a box of its protein bars and choose which bars they get, when they get them, and even get a percent discount on their order every time! With this model, their customers enjoy a little personalized touch to their diet, and Bright Foods gets a constant stream of income.
3. Design a gift set
Start planning early and create gift sets so shoppers can easily shower their loved ones with love for special occasions. Gift baskets create an experience and work well with a theme, like a Valentine’s Day set of chocolates or a basket of fun bath products for a friend’s birthday. Pick the main product to start building your basket and pair smaller accessories around that main product.
Take a look at what Ava’s Baskets does with its Spa Luxuries Gift Basket. For the price of one product (and on sale, too!), customers get a whole list of products that they need for that luxurious day off: bath salts, body lotion, even chocolates and herbal tea.
4. Buy X, Get Y
Use buy one, get one free (BOGO) bundles for selling apparel, beauty, school supplies, or anything that can be bought in bulk. Make sure you pick products that are the same or of a similar nature. For example, you could have a BOGO bundle to buy a journal and get a set of free pens, or buy some vitamins and get the next month’s worth free.
Take what health and sports retail chain GNC does here, for example. When you buy a bottle of Alani Nu Immunity Gummies, you get another item of equal or higher value half off. This allows the customer their choice of a free gift, providing the rest of your catalogue more exposure and making customers more likely to come back for more.
Take a look at some buying trends before you choose what to bundle!
Make sure the items in your bundles meet your customers' value perception. This perception can be functional value, where shoppers are after the product's solution; monetary value, where shoppers perceive a discount in the cost, or social value, where the product gives shoppers status or social connection. Keep an eye on customer buying trends like:
Indoor and outdoor furniture
Home office equipment
Board games and puzzles
Exercise equipment
Self-care and beauty
Leisure wear
If you’re interested in more details, check out our guide on 6 different ways you can use bundling to improve your sales this year.
What to consider when you’re prepping that perfect bundle
✅ Bundle up with your popular products
Check your analytics for products with the highest traffic. Does it make sense to bundle them together, or are items frequently bought together? Bundles work best with complementary products, like a high-performing dog toy with a package of your customer's favorite treats. Or make a spirits bundle with a bottle of your most famous red wine with a bottle of your popular white wine. Ensure the products make sense together; you won't find much success if the products don't pair well. Imagine bundling a bestselling paperback book with an e-reader!
✅ Know who's buying
When creating your bundle, think of your demographic. Maybe you sell board games and want to target parents buying something special for a family game night. Consider bundling family-friendly, group games together. Always keep your target market top-of-mind when building your bundles and bundle products that they'd like.
✅ Choose the right price
You've made the perfect pair (or more) of products and are ready to start pricing. If you have a price-sensitive audience, your bundles will only sell if there's a perceived discount. If you sell hamburgers and bundle a side and a drink to make it a meal, add a price deduction. If your customers aren't as price-sensitive, applying aggressive discounts to your bundle can cheapen it, making it unattractive to potential buyers. Keep your audience in mind and price accordingly.
✅ With help from the perfect Shopify bundle app
Running bundle promotions can be hectic, but don't worry; you've got this with a helping hand from the right apps and software. You'll need them to find high-traffic products, automate your repetitive tasks, create bundle products on your online store, and resolve fulfillment and order-management issues like if you need to edit an order because a customer has an allergy. What tools are available to deal with these?
Use Google Analytics when you're looking for insight into your high-traffic products
Bundle Products and Discounts by Thimatic to automate bundle creation on your online store
Edit Order: for automating your bundle fulfillment
Turn that bundling headache into a simple task with Edit Order
Once your bundles are live on your store, what do you do when the orders start rolling in? Automation buys you time and an opportunity for growth by removing the headache of using pick lists to find all the items you need for your bundles.
Instead, Edit Order makes sure that you have everything you need for quick and easy fulfillment, all on one order. Bundles show up in your orders as one SKU, but with bundle fulfillment automation, that doesn’t have to stay the case. With Edit Order, you can set up a single workflow to automatically expand your bundle SKU into individual product SKUs. Your customer will continue to only see the bundle they ordered.
Read more about this exciting feature, now available for all Shopify Plus merchants with Edit Order + Shopify flow, on our official announcement blog.
Start bundling with Shopify automation!
Selling bundles is a powerful way to boost your average order value and number of repeat customers by removing the "pain of paying" and creating the joy of finding a good deal. Soon, bundle issues will be a mere memory. With Edit Order, you’ll get streamlined fulfillment for your bundles and more!
📣 Edit Order automation is coming soon for Shopify Advanced merchants. Notify me when it's available
