Building A Value Proposition That Increases Cart Value

If I could only optimize 4 things to increase sales, here's exactly where I'd start. Most brands optimize their homepage first. That's completely backwards. Instead, start "close to the money" and work backwards from purchase. Here's the priority order that actually moves revenue, quickly: 1. Post-purchase upsells (biggest bang for buck) Do you offer post-purchase upsells or cross-sells? If not, you're leaving like ~10% revenue on the table. Why this works: → Customer already has payment info entered → They're in "buying mode" after successful purchase → Impulse resistance is lowest right after buying → Implementation takes literally minutes What to offer: → Complementary products at a discount → More of what they just bought → "Complete the experience" add-ons → Extended warranties or care products Near-instant AOV increase with minimal effort. 2. Checkout optimization (where 70% drop off) If you are on Plus, are you using Shopify's checkout extensions? Must-have checkout blocks: → Cross-sells and upsells during checkout flow → Social proof (ratings/reviews/testimonials) → Trust signals (security badges, guarantee reminders) → Shipping incentives clearly displayed You've done the hard work getting them here. Don't let a poor checkout experience kill the sale. 3. Smart cart experience Ditch the dedicated /cart page. Use a slide-out/JSON cart instead. Why slide-out carts convert better: → No page load interruption → Maintain shopping momentum → Perfect space for additional offers → Keeps them on product pages longer Smart cart essentials: → Incentive progress bar ("Spend $25 more for free shipping") → In-cart upsells and cross-sells → Trust signals and guarantees repeated → Easy quantity adjustments We’ve seen these carts lead to a 20-40% improvement in cart-to-checkout conversion. 4. Cart abandonment recovery Even with perfect optimization, 30% will still abandon. Capture them. Recovery tactics: → Exit-intent popups → Abandoned cart email/SMS/direct mail sequences Most brands think: "Let's get more traffic to the homepage first." Smart operators think: "Let's maximize revenue from people already buying." Why this approach works: → Quickest implementation and results → Highest ROI optimizations first → Builds momentum and confidence → Generates revenue to fund further optimization The crazy part? We haven't even touched: → Product pages → Homepage → Collection pages → Navigation

Client came to me with a 96% cart abandonment rate In a recent consultation, a client shared a serious challenge: 👉 They had just started running Facebook Ads with a modest £500 budget. 👉 Their Initiate Checkout results were solid at $2 per action. 👉 But the cart abandonment rate was a shocking 96-97%. With their product priced at just $10, there was barely any room for profit. Their passion for growth was clear, but the numbers were unsustainable. Here’s how we tackled the problem and turned things around: Key Issues Identified: 1️⃣ Trust Issues – No custom domain or optimized checkout experience made the site seem less credible. 2️⃣ Slow Website – Long load times and disconnected ad-to-page messaging disrupted the user journey. 3️⃣ Conversion Funnel Flaws – Sending users straight to checkout without enough product information or engagement. 4️⃣ Weak Ad Strategy – Over-reliance on a low-margin product and no upsell options to boost revenue. Our 3-Step Solution Step 1: We revamped the website: ◾ Secured a custom domain for better trust. ◾ Improved load times by compressing large images. ◾ Added a product details page for clarity before checkout. Step 2: We focused on creating a better conversion funnel ◾ Shifted from direct checkout to a multi-stage funnel. ◾ Launched video-based ads highlighting the product's solution. ◾ Retargeted high-engagement viewers (50%+ watched the video). ◾ Added upsell opportunities post-purchase to boost AOV (Average Order Value). Step 3: While making these changes, we paused high-budget campaigns and ran low-cost awareness ads to stay visible. This allowed us to: ◾ Fine-tune ad creatives for better consistency. ◾ Use heatmaps to identify why users were dropping off. The results? ◾ Reduced cart abandonment by solving trust and usability issues. ◾ Boosted AOV with strategic upsells and smarter pricing. ◾ Created a sustainable strategy to make the product profitable. Are you facing similar issues with your e-commerce growth? book a call with me (Link in Bio)

₹1 isn’t cheap. It’s smart. I was browsing Zepto the other day and noticed this 👇 An earphone for ₹1 — but only if my cart hit ₹1399. At first glance, it looks like bad business. Why sell anything at ₹1? But through a PM lens, this is actually a layered product decision: 1. Basket Engineering (AOV push) The ₹1 deal isn’t standalone — it’s gated. You unlock it only after crossing a threshold. What feels like a gift is actually a nudge to increase cart size. 2. Psychology of Winning Even after spending ₹1399, that ₹1 item makes you feel like you “beat the system.” That dopamine hit → higher recall, more repeat visits. 3. Inventory Management Some ₹1 SKUs are slow-moving or near expiry. Clearing them through delight-driven promos is smarter than costly write-offs. 4. Data & Experimentation Every promo teaches Zepto: Which products drive attach-rate? What thresholds maximize cart expansion? How sensitive are customers to tiny rewards? 5. Differentiation in a Commodity Market Every app delivers milk, bread, chips. But how many make you talk about your order later? ₹1 deals are a cheap way to buy mindshare. 6. Trade-off Thinking Short-term → margin loss. Long-term → higher LTV, reduced dead inventory, stronger habits. That’s a PM call: sacrifice today’s order economics to strengthen tomorrow’s. 👉 Takeaway for PMs: Pricing isn’t “just finance.” It’s a product lever that blends ops, psychology, and growth strategy. Sometimes, ₹1 is worth more than ₹100 — if it earns you the next order. Confession: I’ve gone for a ₹1 deal and ended up with a ₹1500 cart 😂 Anyone else guilty? #ProductManagement #Ecommerce #Zepto #CustomerExperience #GrowthStrategy #BehavioralDesign #InventoryManagement

In consumer products, a “premium look” used to be the shortcut to trust. Glossy packaging. Higher price. Symbol of status. But shoppers have shifted. They’re choosing value that feels personal over branding that feels expensive. The proof? Stanley tumbler dupes keep trending—journalists and testers are naming Ozark Trail’s ~$15 40-oz as a viable alternative that delivers key attributes (vacuum insulation, straw, cup-holder fit) at a fraction of the price. That’s not about luxury; that’s about value alignment for the buyer’s real life. The result? “Premium” signals still help, but personal relevance wins the cart—especially in a trade-down economy. A practical framework I recommend: 1) Rethink “value” beyond price Define the job to be done by segment (commuter hydration, desk hydration, gym hydration). Map features to use-cases (fit, handle, straw, leak-proof). Offer good/better/best tiers without diluting your core margin story. 2) Personalize the experience Pack sizes that match real consumption. Variant names/copy that speak to lifestyle or culture. First-party feedback loops so customers see their input reflected in updates. 3) Merchandise for their moment, not your catalog Bundle by mission (“work bag kit,” “starter set”), not by SKU family. Build your trade calendar around seasonal missions and retailer resets, not internal launch anniversaries. 4) Message like a guide, not a gatekeeper Translate industry terms (e.g., velocity = sales per store per week). Show proof over polish (UGC demos > still images when the choice is either/or). The benefits? Higher repeat rate because the product “fits me.” Less promo dependence because you’re solving a specific problem. Stronger buyer conversations because you tie features to missions, not just margin. Question for you: When your ideal shopper chooses a lower-priced alternative, is it truly about cost—or did the other option feel more for them? If you’re unsure where your value story breaks down in retail, my Brand Audit pinpoints gaps across packaging, pricing, and promotions before they cost you the shelf: https://lnkd.in/g4AMyRxS -- Hi! I'm Jenica Oliver, fCMO. I help growth-stage consumer brands get retail-ready and scale with confidence by leading marketing strategy, guiding teams, and positioning brands to win online and in retail stores—so founders can stay focused on vision and growth.

How We Turned a Simple Cart Incentive Into $2.4M in New Revenue 💰 When trying to increase Average Order Value (AOV), the common move is to push upsells or cross-sells in the cart. But that doesn’t always work. Too many distractions can actually hurt conversions. So, instead of adding friction, we tested an incentive that encouraged larger purchases. -> The Strategy: Offer Store Credit Instead of Just an Upsell Rather than simply suggesting add-ons, we gave customers a compelling reason to buy more now and return later: ✅ Spend more, get store credit for a future purchase. This approach helped increase AOV while also boosting customer retention. ->Why This Worked 🚀 1️⃣ Incentive to spend more now: customers saw immediate value in increasing their order size. 2️⃣ Higher lifetime value: store credit encouraged repeat purchases, making customers more likely to return. 3️⃣ Built-in re-engagement opportunity: brands could email customers reminders when their store credit was about to expire, driving additional sales. 4️⃣ Win-win for new & returning customers: new customers spent more upfront, and existing ones had a reason to come back. ->The Results? 📈 $204K in new monthly revenue (with the same traffic!) 💰 $2.4M in projected annual revenue 🚀 AOV increased AND conversion rates improved This test proved that smart incentives can drive both short-term revenue and long-term loyalty. ->Key Takeaway CRO isn’t just about squeezing more revenue out of a single session, it’s about creating a smoother, smarter buying experience that keeps customers coming back. 👉 Would you try a store credit incentive on your cart?

Premium skincare deserves premium clarity. OSEA already has a beautiful brand, loyal customers, and strong products. But the UX was making people work harder than they should 👇 Here’s how I’d optimize it. 1/ Cart: make free shipping do the heavy lifting Before: • Free shipping message easy to miss • Progress unclear • Upsells visually disconnected After: • Clear free-shipping bar with progress indicator • Exact dollar amount called out (“You’re $12 away”) • Cleaner product hierarchy • Upsells reframed with reviews and strong “Add” CTAs • Savings surfaced clearly instead of hidden This alone can lift AOV meaningfully. 2/ PDP: move trust above persuasion Before: • Strong imagery, weak reassurance • Reviews pushed too far down • Benefits buried in paragraphs After: • Trust strip added immediately (Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Ocean-Powered) • Review score pulled above the fold • Benefits converted into scannable bullets • Size selection simplified • Subscription framed as value, not pressure Result: less scrolling, faster decisions. 3/ Homepage: emotion + evidence Before: • Nice creative • Vague value proposition • Social proof came too late After: • Clear headline with emotional payoff • Review score surfaced immediately • Benefit icons added for quick scanning • One dominant CTA instead of competing actions • Visual content used to reinforce lifestyle, not distract None of this changes the brand. It just removes friction and lets the product win. More Optimization by Oliver coming very soon. Follow @oliverkenyon for more landing page & DTC teardown insights.