A mis-set threshold, or none at all
About 4 in 10 stores we audit have a mis-set free shipping threshold, or none at all. That leaves a major checkout incentive untested.
PDQ store audits
Find the free shipping threshold that earns more per checkout
A good free shipping threshold is not a universal dollar amount. It is the cutoff that increases revenue per checkout for your specific carts without giving away unnecessary margin. Find it by modeling your economics, then A/B testing nearby thresholds across shopper segments instead of choosing one number by gut.
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What does the wrong free shipping threshold cost?
Based on PDQ audits of 600+ Shopify stores, each benchmarked against its own industry.
Margin gets given away
A low free shipping minimum rewards carts that would have converted without the incentive. Order volume may look healthy while shipping cost quietly absorbs the gain.
Shoppers stop chasing it
A threshold far above the store's real cart distribution does not change behavior. Shoppers see an unreachable target, ignore it, and check out at the same value or leave.
How does PDQ find the right free shipping threshold?
There is no magic cutoff. Start with the economics of your carts, then test nearby thresholds across the storefront and checkout. Keep the number that lifts revenue per checkout, not the one that merely moves orders between shipping buckets.
Calculate a starting free shipping threshold
Model your current cutoff against average order value, volume, shipping cost, and vertical benchmarks. The result is a testing range, not a universal answer.
01
Test your way to the right number
Most stores pick a threshold by gut, or never set one. PDQ A/B tests nearby cutoffs across the storefront and checkout at once, from $75 to $85 and the points between, to find the threshold that lifts revenue per checkout instead of moving orders around.
02
Nudge shoppers toward the threshold
A progress bar and a clear “You're $12 away from free shipping” message turn an abstract cutoff into a goal. The shopper can see the next step, and the store gets a direct way to test whether the message increases cart value without hurting conversion.
03
Surface the products that close the gap
Telling a shopper they are $12 short only works if adding $12 is easy. PDQ surfaces relevant, profitable products that bridge the gap, so the path to free shipping takes one tap instead of another search through the catalog.
04
Set the threshold by segment
A first-time shopper and a returning VIP do not need the same free shipping threshold. A high-margin cart can also support a different cutoff than a thin-margin cart. PDQ tests the free shipping number by shopper segment and cart profitability, then keeps the policy that produces the strongest checkout economics.
05
Pair the threshold with a reason to go further
The free shipping minimum does not have to be the finish line. Unlocking free shipping with a small gift or discount at the same tier gives shoppers another reason to clear the cutoff instead of stopping just below it.
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What does PDQ's testing deliver?
A measured conversion result across PDQ experiments, not a threshold-specific lift claim.
+19% CVR
PDQ's winning A/B tests deliver an average +19% CVR improvement, measured across 36 experiments
Free shipping threshold questions
What is a good free shipping threshold?
A good free shipping threshold is the cutoff that increases revenue per checkout for your store without giving away unnecessary margin. There is no universal dollar amount. Start with your cart economics, then A/B test nearby thresholds to find the number your shoppers respond to.
How do I set a free shipping threshold?
Set a free shipping threshold by modeling average order value, shipping cost, order volume, and cart distribution, then testing several nearby cutoffs. Apply the threshold consistently across the storefront and checkout so shoppers see one clear goal from cart to payment.
Does free shipping increase sales?
Free shipping can increase conversion or average order value when the threshold gives shoppers a realistic reason to add more. A threshold set too low can give away margin, while one set too high may not change behavior. Measure revenue per checkout rather than order count alone.
How do I calculate my free shipping threshold?
Use the calculator on this page to model a starting free shipping threshold from your current cutoff, average order value, order volume, shipping cost, and vertical benchmarks. Treat the result as a testing range, not a universal answer. The final threshold should be selected through an A/B test on your real store.
Should every shopper see the same free shipping minimum?
Not necessarily. First-time buyers, returning customers, VIPs, and carts with different economics may respond to different free shipping thresholds. Segment-level testing can identify where a different cutoff improves checkout performance without drifting into paid shipping-method pricing.
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