August 31, 2026
High traffic volume is a vanity metric if your basket sizes remain stagnant. For Shopify operators, the real challenge isn’t just getting a shopper to the site; it is maximizing the revenue generated from every single checkout. Average Order Value (AOV) serves as a primary pulse check for your store’s health, directly impacting your customer acquisition cost (CAC) payback and overall margins. While finding the raw number in your dashboard is simple, interpreting that data to drive growth requires a deeper strategic lens.
At Videowise, we focus on how interactive elements like shoppable video transform passive browsing into high-value transactions. This guide will walk you through exactly how to find average order value on Shopify, why the standard "average" might be misleading your strategy, and the specific levers you can pull to increase your revenue per session. By the end, you will have a clear framework for turning this data point into a scalable growth engine.
Finding your AOV within the Shopify ecosystem is straightforward, as the platform calculates this automatically across several reports. To get a high-level view, you can see the metric on your main dashboard, but for deeper analysis, you should use the dedicated analytics sections.
The fastest way to see your current performance is through the Analytics tab. Follow these steps to find the data:
You can adjust the date range at the top of the page to compare current performance against previous months or years. This is essential for identifying seasonal trends, such as AOV spikes during Q4 or dips during summer months.
If you prefer a visual summary, go to Analytics > Dashboards. You will likely see a card titled "Average order value." This card provides a real-time snapshot and usually displays a percentage change compared to the previous period. This is helpful for monitoring the immediate impact of a new promotion or a site change, such as the deployment of shoppable video carousels on your product pages.
Quick Answer: To find your AOV, navigate to Analytics > Reports > Sales over time in your Shopify admin. The AOV is calculated by dividing your net sales by the total number of orders for a selected time period.
While Shopify automates the math, understanding the manual formula is critical for operators who need to export data into external business intelligence tools or spreadsheets. The basic calculation is simple, but the inputs matter.
The mathematical formula for AOV is:
Total Revenue ÷ Total Number of Orders = Average Order Value
For example, if your store generates $50,000 in revenue from 500 orders in a month, your AOV is $100. However, Shopify’s internal calculation is more nuanced than a simple division of gross sales.
Shopify calculates AOV using net sales. This is a critical distinction for growth managers. Net sales include gross sales minus discounts and returns. It does not typically include shipping charges or taxes, though this can vary based on your specific report settings.
If you calculate AOV manually using "Gross Sales" but ignore the $10,000 you gave away in discount codes, your AOV will look artificially high. Always ensure you are using the revenue that actually hits your bank account to get a realistic view of your unit economics.
If you want to explore how operators can use AOV alongside merchandising and upsell strategies, review this guide to maximizing ecommerce average order value.
As of recent platform updates, Shopify’s AOV definition excludes adjustments made to an order after it was created. This means if a customer orders $100 worth of goods and returns $40 later, the initial AOV calculation for that period remains tied to the $100 transaction. For high-volume retailers, especially in fashion or apparel where return rates are higher, this means your "True AOV" might be lower than what the initial dashboard suggests.
The biggest mistake an ecommerce director can make is relying solely on the "mean" or the standard average. In statistics, a few extreme outliers can heavily skew your data, giving you a false sense of what a typical customer actually spends.
Imagine a beauty brand where most customers buy a single $30 moisturizer. If a handful of wholesale buyers or "super-fans" place $500 orders, your average might jump to $75. If you then set a free shipping threshold at $80 based on that "average," you will alienate the majority of your customers who are only spending $30.
The Median represents the middle value when all your orders are lined up from lowest to highest. It tells you what the middle-of-the-pack customer is doing. If your mean is $75 but your median is $45, it means half of your customers are spending less than $45. This is often a more "honest" metric for daily performance tracking.
The Mode is the most frequent order value. For many Shopify brands, the mode corresponds to your flagship product's price point plus shipping.
For additional context on using modal order value alongside AOV, read this guide to ecommerce average order value and profitable growth.
Key Takeaway: Don't let high-value outliers dictate your strategy. Compare your Mean, Median, and Mode in Shopify Reports to identify the most effective "nudge" points for shipping thresholds and upsells.
| Metric | Definition | Practical Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Mean | Total revenue divided by total orders. | General health and board-level reporting. |
| Median | The middle value in your list of orders. | Understanding typical customer behavior without outlier noise. |
| Mode | The most frequent order value. | Setting free shipping and "gift with purchase" (GWP) thresholds. |
Every industry has a different "healthy" AOV. A luxury jewelry brand and a CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) beverage brand cannot be measured by the same yardstick. Understanding where you sit relative to your peers helps determine if your current AOV is a ceiling or if there is significant room for optimization.
Across all Shopify industries, the global average often fluctuates between $85 and $150 depending on the season. In the US market, AOVs tend to be higher due to consumer spending patterns and shipping expectations.
Note: If your AOV is significantly lower than your industry benchmark, it usually points to a friction point in the "add to cart" journey or a lack of effective bundling strategies.
Once you know how to find and interpret your AOV, the next step is moving the needle. Increasing AOV is often more cost-effective than increasing traffic because you are extracting more value from the users you have already paid to acquire.
Video is no longer just for engagement; it is a direct revenue driver. By placing shoppable video on your product detail pages (PDPs) or homepage, you provide the social proof and product clarity needed to justify a larger purchase.
When shoppers see a product in motion—especially through UGC (User-Generated Content) or expert reviews—they feel more confident adding multiple items to their cart. We have seen that integrating video that allows for "inline checkout" or "add to cart" directly from the video player significantly reduces the steps to purchase, which naturally supports higher basket sizes.
For practical guidance on deploying video commerce, see this operator guide to shoppable video.
This is the most common lever for a reason: it works. However, the math must be precise.
Bundling simplifies the decision-making process. Instead of asking a customer to pick three individual skincare products, offer a "Morning Routine Kit."
The moment right after a customer hits "Pay" is when their trust in your brand is at its highest. Using post-purchase upsell apps allows you to offer a one-click add-on that doesn't require the customer to re-enter their credit card details. This can add $10–$20 to an order with zero friction, directly boosting your AOV for that transaction.
Bottom line: AOV growth comes from reducing the friction required to spend more. Whether through intelligent shipping thresholds or high-trust shoppable video, the goal is to make the "extra item" an easy decision.
A technical factor that many operators overlook is the impact of site performance on order value. If your site is slow, especially on mobile, customers are less likely to browse multiple pages or explore "You May Also Like" sections. They want to get in, get what they came for, and get out before the site lags.
When you add rich media—like high-quality images or video—you risk slowing down your store. This is why performance-first infrastructure is critical. At Videowise, we ensure that our video commerce tools support fast, interactive shopping experiences. By using optimized loading techniques, we allow brands to keep their pages fast while still providing the rich, interactive video experiences that drive higher conversion rates and AOV.
Over 70% of Shopify traffic typically comes from mobile. If your upsell carousels or video players are clunky on a smartphone, your AOV will suffer. Ensure that your "add to cart" buttons are easily clickable and that the checkout flow is optimized for one-handed operation.
While AOV is vital, sophisticated operators also track Revenue per Session (RPS). RPS is calculated by multiplying your Conversion Rate (CVR) by your AOV.
AOV can be "hacked" by forcing people to buy more, but if your tactics are too aggressive, your conversion rate might drop. For example, if you raise your free shipping threshold to $200, your AOV might go up, but your CVR might plummet because people walk away.
Our platform provides Content Performance Analytics that track exactly how much revenue was influenced by specific videos. This allows you to see if a certain UGC video on your PDP is actually leading to higher AOVs compared to pages without video. This level of attribution is essential for proving the ROI of your content strategy.
For more ideas on measuring interactive video performance, explore these interactive video measurement questions.
In the rush to increase order values, many brands fall into traps that can hurt long-term brand health.
If you have to give a 30% discount to get someone to buy a bundle, you might be increasing your AOV but destroying your contribution margin. Always calculate your "break-even" AOV after discounts and shipping costs.
Interrupting the checkout flow with multiple pop-ups can lead to cart abandonment. The most successful AOV strategies feel helpful, not intrusive. Use "Frequently Bought Together" sections that feel like a recommendation from a friend rather than a sales pitch.
If your AOV is $150 but your return rate on those larger orders is 40%, your net revenue is lower than a $100 AOV with a 5% return rate. Monitor which "AOV-boosting" bundles or products lead to the highest return rates and adjust your merchandising accordingly.
Key Takeaway: Sustainable AOV growth balances higher transaction values with healthy profit margins and a positive customer experience. Avoid "dark patterns" that trick customers into spending more, as this leads to high return rates and poor retention.
If you are ready to move beyond just "finding" your AOV and want to start improving it, follow this execution framework.
Step 1: Audit your current "Three Ms"
Export your last 90 days of order data. Calculate your Mean, Median, and Mode. Identify the gap between what people are spending and what you want them to spend.
Step 2: Set your "Nudge" thresholds
If your Mode is $50, set a free shipping threshold at $65 and a "Free Gift" threshold at $100. Update your site's header bar and cart drawer to reflect these goals.
Step 3: Deploy Shoppable Video on Top PDPs
Identify your top five best-selling products. Use our platform to import UGC or brand videos for these products and tag the featured items. When you're ready to install Videowise from the Shopify App Store, you can begin deploying shoppable video on your highest-value product pages.
Step 4: Monitor Revenue per Session (RPS)
Check your Shopify Analytics weekly. If your AOV goes up but your RPS stays flat or drops, it means your conversion rate is taking a hit. Adjust your thresholds or bundles until both metrics show positive growth.
Understanding how to find average order value on Shopify is only the beginning of a revenue-first strategy. For a senior ecommerce operator, AOV is a lever for efficiency—a way to make every marketing dollar work harder. By moving beyond the basic "mean" and focusing on the median, mode, and revenue per session, you can create a more resilient and profitable business.
Our mission at Videowise is to provide the infrastructure that turns high-quality video into a measurable revenue engine. By integrating shoppable video and interactive commerce into your Shopify store, you don't just "engage" your audience; you provide the clarity and social proof needed to drive higher order values without sacrificing page speed or user experience.
A real-world example is the Dr. Dennis Gross case study on increasing AOV with shoppable video, which illustrates how video education, UGC, and shoppable product experiences can support measurable ecommerce outcomes.
Next Step: Review your Shopify Sales reports today and identify your "Mode" order value. If you aren't currently using video to drive upsells, get started on the Shopify App Store or book a personalized Videowise demo to see how shoppable content could bridge the gap between your current AOV and your industry benchmark.
You can find it by navigating to Analytics > Reports and selecting the Sales over time report. The Average Order Value will be one of the columns in the data table; you can also see a summary of it on your main Analytics Dashboard.
By default, Shopify calculates AOV based on Net Sales, which typically excludes shipping and taxes but subtracts discounts and returns. However, you can customize your reports to include or exclude specific financial metrics depending on how you want to measure your "Gross" vs. "Product" AOV.
A "good" AOV is relative to your industry and product price point. For beauty brands, $70–$90 is standard, while luxury goods often see $300+. The best way to judge your performance is to compare your current AOV against your historical data and industry-specific benchmarks.
Yes, shoppable video increases AOV by providing high-trust social proof and showing products in context, which encourages customers to buy full sets or bundles. When shoppers see how products work together through video, they are more likely to add multiple items to their cart directly from the video player.
