How to increase average order value without discounting
Retailers often turn to discounting when sales slow down, but lowering prices can hurt margins and create long‑term challenges. Another approach is improving average order value (AOV) by helping customers understand the full value of what they’re buying. This includes building helpful bundles, framing upgrades around benefits instead of price jumps, and offering alternative payment methods that may make higher‑value purchases more accessible. By offering access to convenient payment options, including Snap-branded lease‑to‑own and loan options, retailers may give customers more ways to choose the products that fit their needs while making convenient payments over time.
Key Takeaways
AOV can improve without discounting: Helping customers understand value, not pushing them to spend more, is the foundation of a strong AOV strategy.
Bundles work when they solve real problems: Customers respond best to bundles that complete a setup or protect their purchase.
Upgrade conversations work best when tied to benefits: Framing upgrades around comfort, durability, or performance keeps the focus on value instead of price.
Convenient payment methods may support AOV: Options that allow customers to pay over time may help them explore more choices and feel confident selecting what fits their needs.
Tracking AOV by payment type provides insight: Reviewing AOV by payment type helps teams understand how financing may influence customer decisions.
When sales slow down, many retailers feel pressure to drop prices. It’s a fast way to get attention, but it also cuts into margin and trains customers to wait for deals. Over time, discounting becomes a habit that’s hard to break.
A different long‑term strategy is raising your average order value (AOV). Even small increases in AOV can create steady, predictable growth without hurting profit, and it can work across many categories, including furniture, appliances, electronics, mattresses, tires, and specialty retail.
Financing may play a role in increasing AOV. In fact, according to research from Snap Finance, 76% of Snap merchant partners report customers spend more with Snap.1 Another element of an effective AOV strategy is helping customers see more value in what they buy, not pushing them to spend more. The approaches below are simple and repeatable. They also include one major AOV driver many retailers still overlook: payment framing.
Bundling and accessory attachment
How to build bundles that feel like value rather than upselling
Bundles may help customers get everything they need in one visit. But they only work when they feel helpful, not like a sales trick. Many of the most useful bundles solve a real problem or complete a setup, such as:
A sofa with a fabric protector
A mattress with a base and pillows
A laptop with a case and spare charger
A washer with detergent and hoses
When the bundle feels like a “complete solution,” customers are more likely to see it as a smart option.
The accessory attachment conversation: when and how to have it
Timing matters. Associates should bring up attachments after the customer chooses the main item but before they anchor to a final price. If the customer already has a number in mind, add‑ons feel like extra cost. But if the associate introduces them earlier with an explanation like “Many customers choose to add this accessory because it complements the product, and you may be able to bundle it using Snap Finance,” the customer may see the value before mentally locking in a price.
Presenting bundles in terms of financing
Among shoppers with subprime credit, 65% said financing availability was an important factor in selecting where to buy, according to Snap Finance.2 For this group of consumers, presenting bundles in terms of alternative payment options may be a positive way to engage with them. Explaining that items can be bundled using Snap-branded lease-to-own financing or loan options may allow them to focus on what improves their purchase overall, not just the full upfront price.
Upsell framing: feature upgrade vs. price jump
Why customers resist upsells presented as price increases
Customers don’t mind better products; they mind sudden price jumps. Some customers may be more receptive when upgrades are framed around value rather than price alone
How to present upgrades in terms of added value
Instead of saying, “This one costs $300 more,” associates can explain what the customer gets by highlighting substantiated benefits like:
Longer life
Better performance
More comfort
Lower long‑term cost
Stronger materials
This helps keep the focus on value, not price.
Examples from furniture, electronics, and appliance retail
Across categories, upgrades become easier when tied to real benefits:
Furniture: Performance fabric means better stain resistance and longer life.
Electronics: Higher refresh rates mean smoother motion and better gaming.
Appliances: Higher‑efficiency washers mean lower water use and better cleaning.
Mattresses: Hybrid models mean stronger support and cooler sleep.
When customers understand the “why,” they’re better able to see the added value.
Financing as an AOV tool
How payment framing expands what feels accessible
Financing is often seen as something customers use only when they “can’t afford” the full price. But retailers with that mindset may be underserving their shoppers. In reality, customers may choose higher‑value products because making payments over time may make bigger purchases more accessible.
The research on financed vs. non-financed average ticket
Snap’s Closing the credit gap: Major purchase study revealed that among credit-challenged consumers who used lease-to-own or an installment loan, 48% said they spent more because financing was available. Of this group, 51% of that group reported spending up to 20% more than they would have otherwise.
Why financing isn't just for customers who "can't afford" the product
Financing, including Snap-branded lease-to-own financing and loan options, may provide another option for customers who might otherwise delay or reconsider a purchase. Many shoppers come in with a price in mind based on full upfront costs. When they learn they can make convenient payments over time, they may feel more confident selecting the product that best fits their needs and budget. And when financing is part of the conversation from the start, customers feel supported, not sold to.
Floor behaviors that drive AOV
Increasing AOV isn’t just a pricing strategy. It’s a set of floor behaviors.
The sequence of showing product: start higher, not lower
One approach some retailers use is presenting a range of product options to help customers compare features, value, and price. The first item a customer sees becomes their anchor. If they start with the lowest option, everything else feels expensive. But if they start with a higher-ticket model, mid‑tier options may feel more accessible.
How to handle the customer who's clearly anchored to a lower price point
If a customer is focused on a lower price, the associate’s job is to build a bridge, not apply pressure. That bridge might sound like:
“Let me show you the difference so you can decide what matters most to you.”
“Many customers choose this model because it lasts longer.”
“If you want, I can show you another version that fits your needs and can be financed through Snap.”
These phrases keep the conversation open and customer‑first without pressuring.
Asking value‑based questions also helps:
“How long do you want this to last?”
“How often will you use it?”
“What’s most important to you: comfort, durability, or price?”
These questions guide customers toward products that fit their needs, which may lead to higher AOV.
Tracking and iterating
AOV grows fastest when teams track it and talk about it often. Retailers can look at it by payment type, category, and associate to understand how it changes. When teams can see what’s working, they can repeat it. When something isn’t working, they can adjust quickly.
How to pull AOV by payment type from your point-of-sale (POS)
Most POS systems let you filter sales by tender type. Some retailers find financed orders have higher AOV than non-financed purchases. Pulling AOV by payment type helps you see:
How much financing may lift ticket size
Which categories benefit most
Where training on introducing Snap might help
What a month‑over‑month AOV improvement cadence looks like
A simple monthly rhythm keeps AOV improvement efforts consistent:
Review AOV by tender type
Look at attachment and upgrade patterns
Reinforce one or two key behaviors
Set a small improvement goal
This keeps the team focused without overwhelming them.
Setting AOV as a team goal without creating pressure that backfires
AOV goals work best when they focus on behaviors, not just numbers. If the goal feels like pressure, associates may rush customers. But when the goal feels supportive, associates stay confident and natural.
Helpful behavior‑based goals include:
Introducing financing early
Showing a higher‑tier product first
Walking through the full solution
Using simple value‑based language
AOV improvement is a habit. When teams understand the goal and see progress, they stay engaged.
How financing may help retailers grow ticket size
Retailers may find that offering financing supports customer choice and may contribute to higher AOV over time. Snap Finance helps partners create a buying experience where customers may choose the products they truly want and make convenient payments over time. Learn how Snap Finance may increase ticket size for retail partners by talking to your Client Success Manager today.
Not a Snap merchant partner? Apply now to get started.
Snap Finance, its affiliates, and partners offer consumers a range of solutions, which may include lease-to-own financing, retail installment contracts, installment loans, and credit cards. Product availability may vary by state, merchant, industry, and qualification criteria. Certain products are issued by independent merchants or bank partners and serviced by Snap Finance LLC. For more information, visit https://snapfinance.com/legal/products
1 Proprietary research, “Merchant Pulse Study.” Snap Finance, 2023.
2Proprietary research, “Closing the credit gap: Major purchase study.” Snap Finance, 2025.