Why the threshold matters
Shipping fees are a leading cause of abandoned carts, and a threshold turns that friction into a nudge: add one more item and the fee disappears.
Set well, the extra items added to qualify cover the shipping the store absorbs.
Setting the threshold
- Start a step above your current average order value
- Check the margin math on orders that just clear the line
- Show progress in the cart: you’re $8 away from free shipping
- Offer low-price add-ons that bridge the gap
Questions
Should the threshold be visible before the cart?
Yes: announcement bar, product page, and cart. A threshold nobody sees moves nobody.
Is free shipping on everything better?
Unconditional free shipping simplifies the pitch but gives up the basket-building nudge and eats margin on small orders. Thresholds keep both.