Product bundles can double or triple your average order value while saving your buyers precious hours of item-finding.
Shopify product bundles give buyers a feeling similar to the eureka of learning you’ve won the lottery or cashing in on a once-a-lifetime discount offer. They’re so good you should be creating them right away if you haven’t.
If you’re reading this, you belong to one of two classes: (i) you want to learn how to create new product bundles on Shopify or (ii) you want tips to get the best out of product bundle offers in your store.
In this article, we’d cover the essentials of product bundling. How they work on Shopify, the different types of product bundles, and strategies to consider when you want to create product bundles.
Let’s get started.
How Product Bundles Work
Product bundling is a go-to method to sell different products to your customers within the same purchase window. You can do this by combining two or more similar products in your store into a package and making the package open for purchase at a reduced price.
Bundling leverages two main e-commerce sales techniques: upselling and cross-selling. To upsell is to persuade buyers to purchase higher grade products by highlighting the benefits of getting the higher quality item. For example, recommending an $80 jogger that can be worn to the gym or to a meet-up with friends over a $35 option.
With cross-selling, you recommend other similar products to your customers’ intended purchases. Airpods with an iPhone, face cleanser with face serum, chicken sauce with a plate of grilled chicken. That’s cross-selling at work. You can learn more about these techniques here.
Product bundles curate related items in your store and throw them into a single package. In many cases, product bundles cost less than the cost of purchasing each product as a unit.
This Dyson Airwrap set depicts a typical product bundle on Shopify. For each set of hair dryers, you also get detachable blow-dry heads. The entire package is sold as a unit and is considered a pure bundle.
Let’s look at some other product bundle types.
Types of Product Bundles
There are different ways to combine your Shopify product bundles for upselling and cross-selling. Frequent types include:
Pure Bundles
Pure bundles are packages containing products that are directly related or complementary to each other. A yoga mat and resistance bands (both used during workouts), a laptop stand and a mousepad (both computer gadgets). This kind of package is a natural fit, providing customers a complete solution.
Bought-Together Bundles
When creating bought-together bundles, you lean on the consumer’s purchasing patterns. This implies that you can’t create bought-together product bundles for first-time buyers or store prospects. In a kitchenware store, a bought-together bundle might include a mixer, mixing bowls, and a spatula set. These items are often bought in conjunction with each other for baking purposes.
Mix and Match Bundles
One way to encourage customers to engage your product bundles is to allow flexible combinations. You can do this by offering mix and match bundles which allow customers to select products from a predefined category to create their own customized bundle.
A clothing retailer might offer a mix-and-match bundle for t-shirts. Customers choose any three t-shirts from a selection of colors and designs to create their personalized bundle.
Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) Bundles
BOGO bundles offer customers a free product when they purchase a specific item. This promotion encourages customers to make a purchase by offering them added value. Research agrees that rewarding customers with incentives drives conversions and captures attention.
A BOGO bundle for skincare products could offer a free moisturizer with the purchase of a serum. This incentivizes customers to buy the serum while receiving a complimentary product.
Combo Bundles
A combo bundle combines products from different categories into a single package. For premium effectiveness, products in a combo bundle must have different case use and provide your customers’ value. You don’t want them feeling like you’re cheating them out of their money.
A good combo bundle from a Shopify tech store could combine a laptop bag, a wireless mouse, a stress ball, and ring lights. This lets customers purchase a diverse list of products with essential benefits.
Strategies for Creating Product Bundles
To get the most value from your product bundles:
Understand Customers’ Basic Needs
Customers’ needs drive bundle creation. Before you set out, conduct market research. This could mean reading through feedback from previous purchases, or identifying purchasing patterns to identify bought-together or complementary products.
For example, if you’re selling skincare products, you may find that consumers often purchase a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen together as a basic skincare routine bundle.
You can then create product bundles that meet specific customer requirements, making it easier for them to find and purchase what they need in one package. The benefits? You increase your chances of upselling and cross-selling related products.
Offer Savings Through Discounts
Why do customers scout bundles and discounts? To save money. If you want to sell out your bundles, use pricing strategies such as volume discounts, percentage discounts, or fixed amount discounts to make the bundles more attractive.
Let customers know how much they’re saving with each purchase. Highlight the savings customers will enjoy by purchasing the bundle compared to buying each item individually.
For instance, offer a “Buy 2, Get 1 Free” deal or a “20% Off Bundle” promotion to encourage customers to choose the bundled option. Clearly display the discounted price alongside the regular price to emphasize the value proposition of the bundle. This strategy not only drives sales but also provides a compelling reason for customers to opt for the bundled offer.
Allow Personalization
Customers should have an option to personalize bundles when shopping from your Shopify store. Provide options such as choosing product variants, selecting preferred colors or sizes, or adding optional accessories. Your buyers look forward to the flexibility to tailor their packages.
For example, if you’re selling gift sets, allow customers to mix and match products based on recipient preferences. This could include choosing different scents for candles, selecting specific flavors for gourmet food items, or customizing packaging with personalized messages.
Personalized bundles mirror the delight of engaging personalized product recommendations. You cater to individual customer tastes and increase the perceived value of the bundle. Personalization also fosters customer engagement and loyalty, as customers feel more connected to products that reflect their preferences and style.
Create Limited Time-Offers
Urgency drives customer engagement. Design some of your store’s bundles to include limited time-offers so customers can cash in on the deals before they expire. You can test flash sales or season-bound bundles to create a buzz.
If you sell personal care products, create a “Summer Essentials Bundle” with sunscreen, beach towels, and sunglasses, available for one week during the first month of Summer. Add countdown timers that display the duration of the offer.
Highlighting the limited availability and time-sensitive nature of the offer in your marketing campaigns will prompt customers to act fast and make a purchase.
Promote Your Product Bundles
Here are a couple of ways you can promote your Shopify bundles:
Email Marketing
Send targeted email campaigns to your subscribers. Talk about your product bundles in your newsletters; highlight what customers will gain and how much they stand to save. Don’t forget to use specific figures.
A/B test email titles and subject lines to find out what sticks with your audience. You can add visuals to your emails to simplify the point you want them to take away. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars hiring a designer. Get on Canva and design quick covers to go with your copies.
Social Media Advertising
Leverage platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to promote your bundles through paid advertising. Replicate designs in your newsletters on social media too. Spell out the value proposition of your product bundles.
Content Marketing
Do you have a dedicated blog page for your Shopify landing page? Reach out to early bundle buyers and compile their feedback into a blog post. You can also create videos or host webinars that feature your product bundles as solutions to common customer problems or needs.
Collaborations and Partnerships
Do you have the budget to pay influencers? Then get them on board. Ask them to promote your limited time-offers, your special combos, your mix and match bundles. You should only work with influencers whose branding aligns with the industry in which you operate.
An alternative would be to partner with blogs that rank for a variety of e-commerce or Shopify terms. Collaborative marketing efforts can expand your reach and introduce your bundles to new potential customers.
Conclusion
Bundling products is an effective way to constantly clear out your inventory. Buyers can cut from juicy offers that delights their shopping experience, while you position your Shopify store for more sales and higher average order values.
Before you throw items together into a bundle, research and plan based on your buyers’ potential preferences and proven shopping habits. This will help you escape the loop of wondering if you’re making the right decision with your Shopify product bundles.
