Product bundling is the perfect solution for ecommerce stores looking to unlock their full earning potential.
At its core, product bundling is a pricing tactic where merchants group multiple products together and sell them as a package deal to create a new price point.
When done right, your customers will be happy because they're getting a deal, and your business will see:
- An increase in average order value by selling more without increasing transaction costs
- Differentiation from your competitors and a decrease in comparison shopping
- A boost in sales for lesser-known products
Sounds simple enough — and it is!
It can sometimes be tricky to know how to bundle your products together though.
A lot of bundle types overlap while still having significantly different uses.
In this post we’ll go over examples and use cases for selling multiple products together to help you decide which is the perfect fit for your store, including:
- Bundle by product (group bundling)
- Bundle by collection (mix and match)
- Buy X Get Y (BOGO style bundles)
- Component + assembled bundles
- Linked bundles (forced bundling)
Looking for an easy-to-use bundling app to start boosting sales today? Try Bold Bundles FREE FOR 14 DAYS!
Bundle by product (group bundling)
Ideal for
Choosing specific products customers can purchase together, where the bundled products are still sold individually.
The details
With product bundles, individual items are purchased together to create a combo or package of products, sold at a discounted price.
It's also the easiest type of bundle you can offer on your store!
First, you choose a few specific products that you want customers to purchase together. This could be a bar set with an ice bucket and bottle opener, a few items from the same brand, or even just two complementary products (like a pair of shoes and socks to go with them).
Next, you set the discount that customers will get if they purchase those items together — and you're done!
Example
Image from stichlabs.com
People who suffer from headaches will love this bundle of relief from Saje. Instead of buying each of these products separately, the customer can purchase them as a bundle, save money, and get everything they need for all-natural pain remedy.
Bundles like this also make for excellent holiday gifts or birthday presents.
Bundle by collection (mix and match)
Ideal for
Creating collection-based bundles where customers can choose similar products in multiples. It's a great way to offer products in bulk that your customers actually want!
The details
Another effective way to bundle products is using collections. With this type of bundle, it’s all right there in the name: mix and match a few different products to put on sale for your customers to choose from, creating their own custom bundle.
You can set a quantity range for each bundled product, bundle multiple instances of the same product, or simply offer bulk discounts. On the back end, inventory is tracked as stand-alone products, while all the customer sees is a list of available products they can make their own selections from.
The best part about mix-and-match bundling is customers feel like they're in control of the transaction.
They get to buy exactly what they want for a discounted price, which would make any deal-hunter happy. In fact, research proves that custom bundling increases a consumer's perceived value, boosting the likelihood they'll buy from you.
Example
Image from bronuts.ca
Sell donuts like the AMAZING ones above? Let your customers pick any 6 donuts they want to try to make their own variety pack.
I know what you're thinking, "who buys donuts online?" The answer is simple. Fancy donut shops like Bronuts often sell out of their product, especially on a Friday when everyone is trying to bring donuts back to the office. By offering their product online, customers can mix and match, pre-order, and pick-up at a time of their choice.
They also offer a 10% discount for customers who pre-order more than six donuts, so the customer saves money for planning ahead. Smart!
Buy X Get Y (BOGO style bundles)
Image from tuckstudio.ca
Ideal for
Rewarding customers with easy to understand promos by combining relevant products together. Additional items can be included at a discount or even for free.
The details
One of the most powerful types of product bundling is the Buy X, Get Y offer.
This promotion gives customers a discounted or free item when they purchase a full-price product. That product could be a stand-alone item (buy this necklace and get a free pair of earrings) or an item from a specific collection (buy any set of bedsheets and get any pillowcase for half price).
It’s a great way to drive sales of slower moving products, or to promote new items on your store.
E.g., your store sells shoes, but no one is buying the shoe protector that goes with them. You can set up a “buy a pair of shoes, get a protector for half off” sale as the perfect way to clear out your inventory.
Examples
There are so many different sales you can run with this bundle type! Here are a few examples:
- Buy one (X), get one (Y) at 50%
- Buy one, get one free site wide (perfect for Black Friday)
- Buy two, get one free
- Spend $X, get a free gift
- Buy a dress, get 30% off any bag
Looking to profit big with product bundling this Black Friday? Plug the latest version of the Bold Bundles app.
Component + assembled bundles
Ideal for
Selling multiple products together in a kit, or to create a customized product from smaller, individual items.
The details
Component bundling combines multiple items into one new product. Stock for each item is tracked separately (individual items can still be purchased on their own) but the bundle will be sold at a fixed price with the customer making the selections.
Example
Image from kidsracing.co.uk.
Component bundles can be used by customers to build their kid a custom bike, like these awesome ones above from kidsracing.co.uk.
It might seem unusual to order a bike online, but these build-it-yourself kits are reinventing the wheel for bike enthusiasts, especially those who like to put things together with their hands. They even make for a great parent-kid activity, as you can help your child assemble their first bike. Choose the tires, frame, handlebars and more, all for a bundled price.
Linked bundles (forced bundling)
We won't go too deep into linked bundles because it has such a niche use, but it's still worth mentioning since it does have its use in the world of eCommerce.
With this type of sale, the individual products in the bundle cannot be purchased without the other item in the cart. So when one product is added, the linked item is automatically added as well.
This type of bundle is less common, but great for eCommerce stores offering services with fees associated with them.
E.g., forced bundling can be used for adding on additional delivery fees for oversized items on your store, an installation fee for the hot water tank you just sold, or labour costs for the landscaping job your customer just booked.
Are bundles right for your business?
Offering bundles on your eCommerce store can help differentiate you from competitors, clear out aging inventory, and increase your average order value by incentivizing customers to buy more.
If you want to know more about product bundling and if it's right for your store, learn how to make more money with these product bundling secrets and find out:
- The psychology behind eCommerce product bundling
- Product bundling strategies and best practices
- How to use Google Analytics to find your most popular products to bundle together
For custom product bundling, BOGO offers, and more, plug the Bold Bundles app into your eCommerce store and just watch your sales increase.
What are the most popular product bundles you've ever offered on your store? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
