Bundling products is more than pairing items together, it’s a revenue-driving strategy that taps into customer psychology, increases average order value (AOV), and helps you move inventory more efficiently. For ecommerce merchants, bundles can be a way to deliver a smoother shopping experience while subtly guiding customers toward higher-value purchases.
When executed well, product bundles:
In this article, you’ll learn how to design, price, and market bundles that actually convert, supported by real-world ecommerce examples and data-backed insights.
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Launch Your First Price Test TodaySmart bundling works because it speaks to how the human brain weighs value, effort, and risk. When done right, it doesn’t just sell more products. Effective bundling moves more inventory while also influencing the way customers perceive your store and the value you offer.
When customers see multiple items packaged together, they often overestimate the combined worth – even if the bundle price is only slightly lower than buying each item separately. This taps into the anchoring effect, where people rely heavily on the first price they see when making decisions.
We make an estimated 35,000 decisions a day. In ecommerce, too many options can push people to abandon their cart altogether. Bundles remove friction by pre-selecting complementary items, making the buying decision feel easier and “already solved.”
Humans are more motivated by avoiding loss than by gaining an equivalent benefit – a principle proven by the Nobel Prize–winning research from Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky.
The principle is often simplified as:
“The pain of losing $10 feels worse than the joy of gaining $10.”
Limited-time or exclusive bundles trigger the fear of missing out (FOMO), making customers more likely to purchase now.
Sephora frequently offers “Value Sets”– bundles that combine complementary items (like a full-size cleanser with a mini moisturizer) at a value compared to buying products individually.
These bundles serve dual purposes:
These sets are a mainstay on their site, categorized under their “Value & Gift Sets” section.
Choosing the right kind of bundle is a strategic move-not just adding items together, but matching customer behavior, inventory flow, and pricing goals. Here’s a breakdown of the most effective bundle types with these merchant examples:
Definition: Products are sold only as part of a bundle, and are not available separately.
Dyson’s Airwrap is sold as a complete styling kit that includes multiple attachments like curling barrels, brushes, and a dryer. These attachments aren’t sold separately, reinforcing the kit as one unified product.
Why It Works:
Tip for Merchants:
Package complementary items as a single solution. Think about bundles like “Home Nail Care Kit” with clippers, files, and polish – all bundled as a standalone product. Highlight the convenience, and skip the sales clutter with individual configurations.
Definition: Products sold both individually and as part of a bundle.
During seasonal promotions, Apple offers a bundle where buying a MacBook (sold individually year-round) comes with discounted or free AirPods. Customers can still buy each product separately, but the bundle drives seasonal urgency and lifts average order value.
Why It Works:
Actionable Tip for Merchants:
Use mixed bundles for products that naturally complement each other, and offer a clear price advantage for buying together. Display “You Save X%” prominently to make the deal tangible.
Definition: Bundles that pair complementary products to encourage customers to buy more in a single transaction.
GoPro sells cameras individually but often pairs them with accessories like mounts, tripods, and spare batteries. This cross-sell approach ensures customers have the gear they need from day one, increasing immediate order value and reducing the likelihood of them buying cheaper third-party accessories later.
Why It Works:
Tip for Merchants:
Use product page or checkout-stage suggestions to present relevant add-ons. Highlight how the bundle improves the customer’s experience (e.g., “Everything you need for your first adventure” or “Perfect pairing for your meal”).
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Launch Your First Price Test TodayDefinition: Offers where customers save money by buying larger quantities of the same item.
Dollar Shave Club encourages customers to purchase multi-month razor blade refill bundles instead of single packs. This not only locks in repeat business but also lowers per-unit costs for customers, increasing perceived value.
Why It Works:
Tip for Merchants:
Show clear per-unit savings and use urgency triggers like “Buy 3, save 15%.” For consumables, emphasize how volume bundles help customers avoid running out.
Once you know what you’re bundling, the big question is – how are you going to price it?
The way you set your bundle price can completely change how customers see the deal. A small tweak can make it feel like a bargain, a premium offer, or even an exclusive insider perk.
Below are three tried-and-tested pricing models you can borrow, plus real ecommerce examples showing how they work in action.
Definition: Customers receive a lower total price when purchasing products as a bundle compared to buying them individually.
Sephora frequently offers makeup and skincare sets priced lower than the combined cost of individual items. For example, a $35 gift set might contain products worth $50 if bought separately, incentivizing multi-item purchases.
Why It Works:
Merchant Tip: Show a “value vs. price” comparison on product pages to highlight the savings.
Definition: An additional product is included at no extra charge, increasing perceived value without lowering the price of the main bundle.
Kilkenny Design Center, known for artisan tableware, ran a “gift with purchase” campaign where customers who spent above €140 received a complimentary artisan jug and bowl set designed by Nicholas Mosse. This not only elevated the value of the purchase but also introduced customers to a new product line and supported the brand’s premium positioning.
Why It Works:
Merchant Tip: Choose low-cost, high-perceived-value add-ons to keep margins healthy.
Definition: Customers can choose from multiple bundle tiers at different price points, each offering a varying level of value or additional products/services.
Shein frequently uses tiered discount bundles to incentivize bigger cart sizes. For instance:
This simple tier structure creates a spend-more, save-more effect, encouraging customers to keep adding items to reach the next threshold. It’s a powerful tactic for driving average order value (AOV) across categories like clothing, accessories, and home goods.
Why It Works:
Merchant Tip:
Anchor your middle tier as the “sweet spot” (e.g., label it Most Popular) so it feels like the best deal. Test your thresholds to align them with your store’s average cart size, ensuring they’re achievable but still push customers to spend more.
Start by calculating the true cost of every item in the bundle (including shipping, packaging, and overhead). Then determine your minimum acceptable margin. From there, balance financials with perceived customer value – customers should feel like they’re saving compared to buying items individually, while you’re still protecting profitability.
Pricing bundles isn’t just about choosing a number that “feels right.” Small differences in how you structure the price can dramatically impact conversions and average order value (AOV).
That’s why testing different bundle price points is critical.
1. Price Point Testing
You can run experiments where the same bundle is shown at two or three different prices. For example:
The goal is to see which version maximizes conversions without slashing too deeply into your margins. Sometimes, the lowest price won’t win, customers often associate higher prices with higher value, so you may find the $49.99 option outperforms the $45 one.
2. Discount Framing (Flat vs. Percentage)
Beyond just the number itself, the format of the discount plays a big role in perception. Run tests such as:
Even if the savings are identical, the way the offer is framed can shift buying behavior. A/B testing helps identify whether your audience responds better to dollar amounts or percentages.
3. Anchoring with Original Price
Test whether showing the original price beside the discounted bundle improves conversions. For instance:
Anchoring often increases perceived value and can raise the conversion rate, but it’s worth verifying through testing.
Tool for testing:
Shogun A/B Testing makes it simple for ecommerce teams to run controlled experiments without relying on developers. With Shogun, you can create two or more variations of the same product page or landing page, then test critical elements like pricing [feature coming soon], offers, headlines, hero images, or calls-to-action.
Instead of making changes blindly, merchants can validate decisions with real customer data.
The best part: it requires no custom coding. The visual editor allows marketers and ecommerce managers to launch experiments quickly, track performance metrics (such as conversion rate, revenue per visitor, and AOV), and apply winning variations to maximize growth.
Why it matters:
A/B testing is essential for scaling because small improvements compound. Even a 5% increase in conversions across high-traffic pages can translate into significant revenue growth. With a tool like Shogun A/B Testing [price testing coming soon], merchants can continuously refine their store experience based on evidence rather than guesswork.
5. Interpreting Results:
Don’t just look at raw conversion rate. Consider profit per visitor or revenue per session. For example:
Key Takeaway:
Bundle pricing isn’t one-size-fits-all. Use A/B testing not only to find the “sweet spot” number but also to validate how customers perceive your pricing (flat discount vs. percentage off, anchoring vs. no anchor). Over time, these experiments can add thousands in incremental revenue by fine-tuning how you present the same offer.
Add limited-time offers (e.g., “Only this weekend”) or exclusive availability (e.g., “Bundle only available online”) to create urgency. Scarcity-driven messaging, such as low stock indicators, also increases perceived value and nudges quicker decisions.
If bundles aren’t performing, adjust either composition (swap in/out products), price point (discount deeper or reduce to preserve margins), or placement (feature bundles earlier in the buyer journey). Use the data to refine your strategy rather than scrap it entirely.
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Launch Your First Price Test Today
