8 Must-Try BFCM Bundles to Boost Your AOV in 2024

You’re here because you’re looking for inspiration this holiday season, right? And you want to create product bundles that wow your customers and drive up your AOV. 

You’re in the right place. We just-so-happen to be experts in product bundling. So here are eight types of bundles you can create for BFCM…and GO!

1. The classic bundle

You can’t go wrong with the basics! 

The classic bundle brings together complementary products that go well together to create a complete, convenient experience for your customer. There isn’t any customization for the shopper to worry about—everything they’d need to satisfy a shopping intent should be available within the bundle.

This strategy helps introduce multiple products in one package while boosting AOV by bundling items that naturally pair with each other.

Example: Glow Recipe, a skincare brand found in Sephora, Ulta Beauty, and more, offers a “Dry Skin Routine Kit,” featuring a cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and serum to to hydrate, plump and soothe skin during the harsh winter months.

With the focus on helping soothe your skin through the winter, it fits perfectly into the BFCM season.

Bonus: integrate with POS

Like many beauty brands, Glossier offers a wide range of shades for customers to choose from, and product bundles are a key part of that experience.

“But what about my POS system? Won’t bundles mess it up?” 

They don’t have to.

Example: Glossier, a long-time user of Simple Bundles, takes full advantage of its Shopify POS integration to streamline the bundle buying process in their physical retail spaces.

In-store, Glossier displays bundles on a dedicated wall, just like they do online. Thanks to Simple Bundles’ native integration with Shopify POS, store associates can easily select the customer’s exact bundle options at checkout.

Even better, if a customer grabs three items from the bundle shelf, the sales associate can quickly pull up that exact bundle on their POS device. The full bundle and its contents are neatly shown on the receipt, saving store associates time and eliminating the need to manually search for individual items or apply discounts.

To sell unlimited bundle options in-store, simply add the Simple Bundles app tile to your Shopify POS smart grid. This lets you customize bundles on the spot, based on customer preferences. For simple bundles, there’s no need for the app tile—you’ll automatically see each bundle SKU broken down at checkout.

Try creating up to three mix-and-match bundles on Simple Bundles for free here.

2. The buy one, get one (BOGO) bundle

This is an old favorite that never goes out of style. The BOGO BFCM bundle lets customers buy one product and get a second one (or more) at a discount or even for free. It’s a powerful way to clear stock while making customers feel like they’re getting a great deal.

Example: Nate Lagos leads marketing at Original Grain, a high-end watch brand. Last year, he ran a BOGO deal for customers to buy a watch and get the second for 60% off. He shared this promotion in a plain-text email to Original Grain’s subscribers. 

"Plain text emails hit so hard. It's one of my favorite plays in the playbook. I have branded myself as 'Nate the marketing guy,' and the emails come from my voice. I'll say things like 'Hey, it’s Nate here from Original Grain. My boss told me to tell you about this,’" he said.

One standout BFCM example Nate mentions is from a Cyber Monday promotion: "I didn't sign off as Nate the marketing guy, I signed off as ‘Nate, OG's Whiskey Guy’ because the email was 'last-call' themed. So the subject line was, 'Last call sucks, but someone's gotta call it.' I love this one, and it crushed super hard."

3. The build-your-own bundle

Let your customers take the reins and create their own bundles. Personalization is key, and this strategy taps into that desire for customization. By allowing your customers to pick and choose their products, you’re letting them curate their perfect bundle while driving up their cart size.

Example: Check out how Revel Nail leveraged personalization to create custom nail polish sets that reflect the shopper's taste. This bundle not only meets individual preferences but also makes it feel like the customer is in control of their purchase.

With Simple Bundles, offering build-your-own bundles is super easy. In most cases, brands are limited by Shopify’s 100-variant limit, which makes it difficult to let customers personalize their bundle offers too much. Our Infinite Options feature allows you to create an unlimited number of combinations, meaning you can give your customers as many options as you want. 

Check out how Loaded increased AOV by 11% within one week of introducing mix-and-match bundles with over 200,000 options.

4. The limited edition bundle

This bundle type plays on FOMO (fear of missing out) by offering exclusive products only available for a short period. It creates urgency and encourages immediate purchases, which is especially effective during the high-pressure BFCM shopping rush.

Example: Take a look at BOKKSU’s seasonal fall box, which offers limited-time-only snacks from Japan that appeal to fans of rare and exclusive items. Once a month has passed, you can’t get that box or its unique products again. 

Bokksu also tapped into the holiday spirit with a creative twist—an advent calendar bundle. They offer two types: "Japanese Delights" and "Japanese Wonders," combining a variety of products into a single, festive SKU. It's a fun, holiday-themed way to showcase multiple items in one package.

5. The stock clearance bundle

We all have excess inventory we need to move. The stock clearance bundle lets you pair slow-moving products with more popular ones at a discount. Not only do you clear your shelves, but you also make room for new stock while offering your customers an attractive deal.

Example: A tech store could pair last year’s phone cases with current models for a “Tech Essentials” bundle. Customers get a useful accessory for a new device, and you get to move those older items.

6. The subscription + product bundle

Increase customer loyalty and revenue by pairing a physical product with a discounted subscription service. This bundle strategy entices first-time buyers with an initial purchase and hooks them into a longer-term commitment through a subscription.

Example: Supplements brand Innosupps offers stacks of products for various health purposes. When customers scroll down a bit on the bundle landing page, there’s an additional offer to subscribe to three months of product deliveries. By doing so, customers receive a discount and additional goodies. 

This is a good offer for brands that sell products like supplements, skincare, or hair care products that require consistent use before seeing positive results.

7. The gifting bundle

BFCM is all about preparing for the holiday season, and gift bundles are a huge part of that. Create curated bundles specifically for gift-giving, complete with seasonal wrapping or personalized touches. These bundles are perfect for customers looking for ready-to-go gifts.

Example: Kerotin’s holiday bundles are a great example of curated collections that simplify holiday shopping. While the products themselves aren’t specifically tied to BFCM, the landing page leans into the BFCM exclusivity theme, seamlessly tying into the holiday spirit.

8. The B2B/wholesale bundle 

Don't forget about your wholesale customers! Offering B2B bundles can help you move larger volumes and increase loyalty among business clients. Tailor your bundles to fit the needs of businesses by providing bulk or wholesale packs.

Example: Poppy & Pout created a website and bundles specifically for wholesale clients, offering bulk packs of their lip balms at a discounted rate, ensuring retail customers can stock up for the season.

Wholesale?? Yes, we do that, too 😏

Bundles can be retail-ready and easy to manage with wholesale partners.

Check out Poppy and Pout’s wholesale store for inspiration. They sell gift sets in case packs of 5. pic.twitter.com/AnlIFJbVPH

— Simple Bundles (@SimpleBundles) September 3, 2024

Your BFCM bundling game plan

The possibilities for creating a memorable shopping experience this BFCM season are endless. 

But with the sales uptick you're about to experience, it's crucial to ensure your backend systems don’t hold you back.

That’s where Simple Bundles comes in. We help 15,000+ merchants build and manage bundles effortlessly, all while simplifying inventory management and streamlining order fulfillment. 

Here’s how Simple Bundles can help you stay ahead of the game:

• Build any type of bundle in seconds: Mix-and-match, subscriptions, multi-packs, B2B packs, volume discounts—whatever you need!
• Offer infinite options: Surpass Shopify’s 100 variant limit by giving customers endless bundling choices.
• Break down bundle orders to child items: Ensure accurate fulfillment and prevent overselling by maintaining real-time inventory sync.
• Sync data seamlessly: Integrate with 3PLs, WMS, and other third-party apps to keep your workflows efficient.
• Showcase bundles with a dedicated product page: Treat bundles like any other product for easy discoverability and reviews.
• Keep your back-end optimized: Add no front-end components to your theme—perfect for custom and Hydrogen stores.
• Gain in-depth insights: Track bundle performance, including sales and top performers, to boost AOV.
• Sell more with POS & Shop: Integrate with POS and Shop, and extend your reach through additional sales channels and apps.

You can try Simple Bundles for free from the Shopify app store here.