Overview
This guide walks you through proven ways to increase conversions and maximize AOV with Upcart. You’ll learn how to design your cart for trust, use rewards strategically, configure upsells and add-ons, and make the most of your empty cart space.
Match Your Branding for Trust and Consistency
Your customers are far more likely to complete checkout when your cart feels like a natural extension of your brand.
You can customize your cart’s look and feel in the Design Module to match your store’s identity perfectly.
Here’s how to align your cart design for best results:
Inherit your fonts to create a consistent shopping experience.
Match button, background, and text colors with your brand palette.
Use contrast on key actions like Checkout to draw attention.
Simplify your layout by removing clutter and unnecessary elements.
💡 Tip:
If your store uses visuals like trust badges, icons, or illustrations, you can add them easily using Custom HTML or the Trust Badges Module in your Upcart editor.
Use Rewards to Motivate Higher Spend
Upcart’s Rewards Bar gives your customers a clear path to unlock perks like free shipping, discounts, or gifts and also encourages them to add more to their cart.
Recommended Three-tier Structure
Tier 1: Free Shipping
Start just above your current AOV to motivate that extra purchase.
Example: If your AOV is $50, set the threshold around $55–$60.
Tier 2: Percentage Discount
Offer a small discount at a slightly higher threshold.
Example: 10–15% off once a customer spends above Tier 1.
Tier 3: Free gift
End with an exclusive, tangible reward such as a sample, best-seller, or branded item.
Keep costs low but perceived value high.
Tips for rewards setup
Avoid large jumps between tiers
Clearly highlight the reward value in the bar text
Keep goals achievable but exciting
⚠️ Note:
Upcart tiered rewards do not create discounts. Set them up in Shopify or with a discount management app like Abra Promotions. Review Shopify’s discount stacking limitations before combining multiple discount types.
Go Further with Triggered Rewards
Triggered Rewards let you create rule-based promotions that apply automatically when certain conditions are met. This could be adding a product, hitting a cart total, or logging in as a subscriber.
Examples:
“Get a free gift card when you add any subscription”
“Spend $100 and add Product X → get 20% off”
“Free shipping for logged-in customers”
Supported triggers
Cart total threshold
Cart item quantity
Specific products or variants
Collections
Subscription products
Customer login status
Supported rewards
Fixed or percentage discounts
Free gift (specific product or variant)
Free shipping
💡 Tip:
Each Triggered Reward supports up to two conditions (using AND logic), and you can create up to 10 active rules.
You can learn more about Triggered Rewards in the Triggered Rewards Guide.
Offer Relevant Upsells
Upsells increase cart value and help customers discover complementary products they’ll love. When done right, they feel like friendly recommendations, and not pushy add-ons.
What makes a good upsell
Directly relates to current cart contents
Has a low price point or acts as an accessory (less friction)
Enhances or completes the main purchase
Presented clearly with a benefit or urgency
Examples:
“Add this matching case for 15% off”
“Bundle with a charger and save $10”
🧠 Note:
You can only use one upsell method at a time - either AI (best for large catalogs) or Manual (best for curated stores).
Show 1–3 upsells per cart for best performance. More than that can feel overwhelming.
Use Add-Ons to Boost AOV with Minimal Friction
Add-ons appear in the cart footer as toggles for extras like shipping protection or gift wrapping.
Best Practices
Clearly explain what the add-on includes.
Example: “Protect your order against loss or theft for up to $100.”Price it fairly in relation to cart value.
Offer just one add-on to reduce decision fatigue.
💡 Tip:
Upcart’s built-in Shipping Protection Add-on can be dynamically priced using tiers.
You can also add your own product as a custom Add-On, and choose whether it counts toward rewards totals.
Turn empty carts into product discovery
Not every customer adds something right away and that’s okay.
Upcart’s Empty Cart Recommendations turn an empty cart into a curated browsing experience.
Ideas for Empty Cart Design
Feature seasonal items, best-sellers, or low-cost intro products.
Link the “Shop Now” button to your highest-converting collection.
Use a block layout for up to 5 products, or a carousel to show more.
Example:
During a holiday sale, link your “Shop Now” button to your Gift Guide or Holiday Collection to inspire purchase intent.
Final Tip: Test and refine
The key to higher conversions? Consistent testing.
Use Upcart’s Sandbox Mode to experiment with:
Different reward thresholds and logic
Upsell combinations
Add-on pricing
Cart design changes
Then track how each change affects:
Average Order Value (AOV)
Conversion rate
Cart abandonment rate
If you’re unsure where to start, we recommend:
One reward bar with 2–3 tiers
One to two relevant upsells
One clear add-on
Empty cart recommendations enabled