Increasing average order value (AOV) has become a strategic priority in digital commerce. Growth teams can no longer rely on traffic or conversion improvements alone to drive meaningful revenue lift, order size has become a primary efficiency lever.
The challenge is that AOV is rarely influenced at checkout. It is shaped earlier, while shoppers evaluate options, compare products, and decide what belongs together. Digital catalogs address this moment by embedding merchandising logic into the browsing experience, where basket decisions are formed.
The article outlines how to increase average order value with digital catalogs by structuring product discovery around real shopper behavior and interventions.
What Is Average Order Value and Why Does It Matter for Digital Commerce
Average order value measures the average amount a customer spends per transaction. It is calculated by dividing total revenue by the number of orders over a given period. AOV is one of the first metrics commerce teams monitor because it directly affects revenue efficiency per transaction.
If shoppers spend more per order, total revenue increases without requiring additional traffic or higher acquisition spend. Across industries, global AOV benchmarks sit around $150, which makes incremental gains meaningful at scale.
Digital catalogs directly support this behavior. Unlike standard ecommerce navigation, which prioritizes speed to product, catalogs are designed to slow the journey slightly to encourage evaluation. This is precisely why teams exploring how to increase average order value with digital catalogs focus on product discovery techniques rather than checkout mechanics.
How to Calculate and Benchmark Average Order Value
Understanding AOV requires consistent measurement over time. Benchmarking is only meaningful when order value is evaluated over time and across contexts that influence purchase behavior. Using a consistent calculation method is critical when comparing performance over time or across channels.
The basic AOV formula is straightforward: AOV = Total Revenue ÷ Total Orders
For Example, $10,000 in revenue ÷ 100 orders = $100 AOV
Benchmarking AOV requires context beyond a single number. Teams should evaluate AOV across multiple dimensions, including:
- Channel (email, paid media, organic, and catalog traffic)
- Device (mobile vs desktop)
- New vs returning customers
- Product category or assortment
Industry benchmarks vary by category and shopping mission. As per reports, Walmart averages $41–$42 AOV, driven by grocery and household replenishment, while Home & Furniture retailers typically see $250–$253 AOVs due to higher-ticket, room-level purchases. This underscores why AOV benchmarking must account for product mix and intent.
Additionally, tracking AOV over time reveals seasonality and the impact of merchandising changes. This measurement framework is essential for isolating catalog-driven AOV impact from overall site performance.
Why Digital Catalogs Are Effective at Increasing Basket Size
This behavior shift explains why discovery-led formats influence basket size more effectively than speed-driven navigation. Digital catalogs increase basket size by shaping how shoppers discover, compare, and contextualize products.
- Curated discovery over search-led navigation: Digital catalogs guide browsing through intentional layouts that surface related items, bundles, and upgrades in context, making multi-item consideration feel natural rather than forced.
- Rich content that reduces purchase hesitation: High-quality imagery, video, zoom, and clear product details help shoppers understand value and compatibility, supporting confidence in higher-priced or additional items.
- Structured layouts that simplify comparison: Clear visual hierarchy and grouping reduce cognitive load, making it easier to compare options without fatigue.
- Personalization that aligns with shopper intent: Research shows that 71% of consumers expect brands to deliver personalized interactions, and nearly three-quarters are willing to switch if the experience feels irrelevant. Shoppers increasingly expect experiences that reflect their preferences, context, and behavior. Personalized product surfacing improves relevance and increases the likelihood of larger baskets.
This makes them well-suited for online catalogs to increase basket size, particularly when products are complementary.
Best Ways to Improve Average Order Value With Digital Catalogs
Improving average order value requires influencing how shoppers build their baskets, not just how they complete checkout. Digital catalogs make this possible with these elements.
1. Use Product Bundling Within Catalog Flows
Bundling works best when it feels helpful rather than promotional. This approach is one of the best ways to improve average order value with digital catalogs because it reduces decision effort while increasing item count. Digital catalogs can present bundles as logical sets within a browsing flow rather than as forced add-ons.
For example:
- Complete the room groupings in home décor
- Outfit combinations in apparel
- Starter kits in beauty or DIY
This makes bundling a core AOV mechanism within catalog-led discovery flows.
2. Drive Upsell and Cross-Sell Through Visual Hierarchy
Visual hierarchy influences what shoppers notice first and what they consider secondary. In digital catalogs, layout choices determine perceived value relationships.
Effective strategies include:
- Showing premium options slightly larger or more prominently
- Positioning accessories adjacent to hero products
- Using short annotations to explain value differences
These techniques improve AOV without relying on disruptive pop-ups or late-stage checkout prompts.
3. Increase AOV With Volume and Quantity Anchors
Quantity anchors work when shoppers can quickly see the benefit of buying more. Digital catalogs allow these anchors to appear in context, not just at checkout.
4. Promote Free Shipping or Incentive Thresholds Contextually
Free shipping thresholds remain one of the most reliable AOV drivers. Baymard Institute research shows that shipping costs are a leading cause of cart abandonment. Digital catalogs can surface threshold messaging earlier in the journey, such as:
- Add $15 more to qualify for free shipping.
- Highlighting products that help shoppers reach the threshold
Placed within catalog pages, these messages influence basket-building before checkout friction appears.
5. Use Personalization Signals in Digital Catalogs
Personalization does not require one-to-one AI recommendations to be effective. Even lightweight signals can increase relevance and order size.
Common approaches include:
- Location-based assortments
- Seasonal product prioritization
- Previously viewed or popular items highlighted
If used carefully, personalization helps to increase average order value with digital catalogs by narrowing choices to what is most likely to be added together.
Using Online Catalogs to Increase Basket Size Across Channels
Digital catalogs are not limited to a single channel. They can be distributed via:
- Email campaigns
- Paid social
- QR codes in-store
- Website embeds
This flexibility enables online catalogs to increase basket size, especially effective in omnichannel strategies. Shoppers often browse catalogs in low-friction moments and return later to complete higher-value purchases.
Designing Catalogs for Adjacency Selling
Adjacency selling is about anticipating what a shopper is likely to need next and placing that option within easy reach. In digital catalogs, this requires deliberate visual merchandising and layout decisions that guide discovery without interrupting intent.
When done well, adjacency selling increases basket size by making additional purchases feel logical and helpful rather than promotional.
What Adjacency Selling Means in Digital Catalogs
The goal is not to push more products, but to surface relevance. By showing how items relate or work together, digital catalogs reduce the effort required to evaluate add-ons, upgrades, or supporting products. This makes adjacency one of the most reliable AOV levers without relying on aggressive selling tactics.
How Adjacency Increases Average Order Value Organically
Adjacency increases AOV by building on existing buying momentum. When shoppers already trust a product or brand, presenting relevant adjacent items leverages that confidence rather than resetting the decision process.
Because adjacency selling is embedded into the browsing experience, it feels organic. Upsells, cross-sells, and bundles are introduced at the moment of consideration, not after commitment. This leads to higher basket values without relying on late-stage prompts or forced recommendations.
Practical Adjacency Layouts That Increase AOV
Effective adjacency layouts are simple, consistent, and context-driven. Common patterns include:
- Primary-plus-complement layouts: A hero product paired with accessories, refills, or compatible items.
- Use-case groupings: Products organized around a task or scenario, such as outdoor dining or work-from-home essentials.
- Tiered options: Good, better, and best variations displayed together to support natural upsell.
- Collection-based spreads: Coordinated products shown as part of a complete look, room, or routine.
These layouts help shoppers visualize completeness and value, making it easier to add multiple items in a single transaction.
Optimizing the Checkout and Conversion Path From Digital Catalogs
AOV gains are often lost when the transition from catalog to checkout introduces friction. To preserve basket value, teams should follow these best practices:
- Keep the path direct with clear links from the catalog to the product or cart
- Minimize checkout steps using guest checkout and autofill
- Ensure mobile consistency across the catalog and checkout
- Show trust signals and full costs upfront
- Remove distractions that interrupt purchase intent
Measuring and Optimizing AOV Performance From Digital Catalogs
Measuring AOV performance is essential to scaling results from digital catalogs. Teams should calculate AOV consistently and isolate catalog-driven performance to understand how discovery-led browsing influences order size.
Key metrics to track include:
- AOV from catalog sessions vs the site average
- Products most frequently added from catalogs
- Drop-off points between catalog interaction and checkout
These insights create a repeatable optimization loop. Layout changes, bundle tests, merchandising adjustments, and incentive messaging can be evaluated based on their direct impact on basket value rather than assumptions.
Real-world results reinforce this approach. Capitol Lighting recorded a 22% increase in average order value among shoppers who engaged with the digital catalog.
How Interactive Catalog Platforms Support AOV Growth
Modern interactive catalog platforms support AOV growth by enabling shoppable product elements, structured discovery flows, and analytics tied directly to catalog interactions. With Publitas, retailers can design digital-first catalogs that connect inspiration with commerce through embedded product links, flexible layouts, and rich media. This enables teams to guide shoppers toward complementary products and higher-value baskets during browsing rather than at checkout.
It also provides insight into how shoppers interact with catalog content, allowing teams to assess which products, layouts, and groupings contribute most to AOV and conversion. By combining flexible design control with measurable performance data, the platform supports ongoing optimization without adding operational complexity to existing ecommerce workflows.
Conclusion
Increasing AOV is not about pushing more products at checkout. It depends on helping shoppers make more informed, complete purchase decisions earlier in the journey. Digital catalogs do this effectively by combining visual merchandising, structured discovery, and contextual cues into a single experience. When designed with intent, they offer a practical, scalable answer to how to increase average order value with digital catalogs, driving revenue growth while improving the overall shopping experience.
FAQs
How do digital catalogs increase average order value?
Digital catalogs increase AOV by encouraging multi-item discovery earlier in the shopping journey. By visually surfacing complementary products, structuring bundles, and presenting personalized recommendations, catalogs help shoppers understand what belongs together.
Are digital catalogs effective for increasing basket size in ecommerce?
Yes. Digital catalogs are highly effective for increasing basket size in ecommerce. Retailers use online catalogs to increase basket size most effectively in discovery-led categories, where shoppers browse, compare, and evaluate products before committing to a purchase.
What types of products benefit most from catalog-driven AOV strategies?
Home, fashion, beauty, B2B assortments, and seasonal collections benefit most from catalog-driven AOV strategies because their products naturally relate to one another.
How do I measure AOV from a digital catalog?
Track revenue and orders originating from catalog sessions using analytics tools and compare them to site-wide AOV benchmarks.
Can interactive catalogs replace traditional upsell tactics?
Interactive catalogs complement traditional upsell approaches by shaping product consideration earlier in the journey. This makes upsells feel contextual and natural, while checkout-based mechanisms continue to reinforce final basket decisions.
