A free gift with purchase adds a bonus product to the cart automatically when a shopper qualifies — spend over $75, or buy a specific item, and a gift appears. It's one of the most delightful ways to raise average order value and nudge customers to the next spend tier.
Why free gifts work
- They push order value. "Spend $10 more for a free gift" is a strong, positive nudge — no discount to your core products.
- They feel generous, not gimmicky, so they build goodwill.
- They move stock — gift slow sellers, samples or seasonal items.
Types of free-gift offers
- Threshold gift — free gift when the cart passes an amount (e.g. $75).
- Product-triggered gift — buy product A, get product B free.
- Gated launch gift — a free sample of a new product with any order, to drive trial.
How to set it up on Shopify
- Install Packmate and go to Bundles → Create bundle → Free Gift.
- Choose the trigger — a cart threshold or a specific product.
- Pick the gift and set its price to free (or a deep discount).
- Turn on the widget so shoppers see the "you've earned a free gift" message and the remaining amount to qualify.
- Publish — the gift is added and discounted automatically at checkout, no code.
Best practices
- Set the threshold just above your current AOV so it stretches orders without feeling out of reach.
- Cost the gift in. A "free" gift still has a cost — confirm the promoted orders stay profitable with ProfitVault.
- Show progress. "Add $8 more for your free gift" converts far better than a hidden rule.
- Limit one gift per order to protect margin.
A free gift is one lever among several — see how to increase average order value on Shopify for the rest.