A Framework for Increasing Retention with Product Bundles

Retention isn’t just about how much your customers “like” your brand.

Retention is about how efficiently your business can turn first-time interest into repeat value. And for Shopify brands, few tactics are more effective at doing this than bundling the right products together.

Because the brands that win long term? They’re not just pushing one-time purchases—they’re engineering better purchase flows that increase Average Order Value (AOV), improve margins, and bring customers back again and again.

Too many brands still view retention through a limited lens: sending a generic win-back email or leaning too hard on discounts. Others treat sentiment alone (NPS, surveys, emojis) as the gold standard for loyalty—ignoring whether that sentiment actually converts into sales.

This article shows you how to go beyond soft metrics and start tracking and improving retention through smarter bundling. 

Because in the end, retention isn’t about what customers say—it’s about what they keep adding to cart.

Understanding Which Customers to Prioritize (and Bundle For)

Before you can optimize retention with bundles, you need to know which customers matter most.

Segment your customers by two key dimensions:

• Behavior/Account Value – How often they buy, how much they spend, how profitable they are.
• Sentiment – What they’re telling you via NPS, reviews, support tickets, or surveys.

From here, you can map your audience into four core groups:

The Four Customer Segments

• Loyalists (High value, high sentiment): Your biggest fans. Give them curated bundle options, early access, or personalized recommendations to deepen the relationship.
• Trapped (High value, low sentiment): They spend—but they’re not thrilled. Bundles with added value or education (e.g. “complete your routine”) can reduce churn.
• Mercenaries (Low value, high sentiment): They like you, but aren’t spending much. Use bundling to increase AOV without over-investing in perks.
• At Risk (Low value, low sentiment): These customers are likely to churn. Try targeted bundle offers to re-engage them—if it doesn’t work, let them go.

Overlaying behavioral data with sentiment gives you a powerful retention engine. Focus on shifting one quadrant at a time.

Bonus Resource: Bundling Tips in Action

Want to see these strategies come to life? Watch our short video on the most common product bundling challenges—and exactly how to overcome them.

Metrics That Actually Matter

You don’t need 30 dashboards. You need a few high-signal numbers tied to actual revenue.

Goal: “I want customers to come back more often.”

• Customer Retention Rate (CRR) – % of customers who return after a purchase.
• Repeat Purchase Rate (RPR) – % of customers with multiple purchases.
• Time Between Purchases (TBP) – Days between one order and the next.
• Churn Rate (CCR) – % of customers who haven’t returned within a set period.
• NPS or Post-Purchase Survey Data – Not as a standalone, but as a layer on top of behavior.

How to use these with bundles:

• Segment your CRR or RPR by bundle type: Are skincare bundles driving faster repurchase cycles than mix-and-match kits?
• Analyze TBP to see how bundle frequency affects long-term purchase patterns.
• If your CRR is high but NPS is low, you might have too many Trapped customers—test bundles that educate or add value.

Goal: “I want to increase Customer Lifetime Value (CLV).”

• CLV by Segment – Revenue per customer over their lifetime.
• CLV:CAC Ratio – The ROI of acquiring different customer types.
• Time to Second Purchase – How fast your bundles turn first-timers into repeat buyers.
• AOV / Margin per Order – Compare single-SKU vs. bundled performance.

How to use these with bundles:

• Track which bundle formats (subscription kits, upsell bundles, build-your-own) produce the highest CLV.
• Use predictive CLV to find emerging Loyalists and accelerate their journey with curated bundle emails.
• Compare AOV of customers who purchase bundles vs. those who don’t.

Goal: “I want to know which offers and products drive long-term value.”

• Top SKUs in Repeat Orders – What’s frequently bought again (on its own or within a bundle).
• Profit Per Order (PPO) – Bundles should increase this, not just AOV.
• Bundle Attach Rate – % of orders that include a bundle.
• Engagement with Bundle Promotions – Are “Buy More, Save More” or “Build Your Own” bundles getting clicks?

How to use these with bundles:

• See what bundles Loyalists return for and feature them prominently.
• Use bundles to transition Mercenaries into higher-spending segments.
• Test bundles that solve problems for At-Risk customers—e.g. “Starter Packs” or “Easy Restocks.”

Turning Metrics Into Strategy

You’ve gathered the data. But now what?

It’s worth addressing the biggest blockers that brands face when implementing product bundles. From backend complexity to confusing offers that hurt conversion, there are a few common traps—and thankfully, they’re all solvable.

In this short video, we’ll walk through:

• The top reasons bundles break backend operations
• Why shoppers don’t convert on bundle offers (and how to fix it)
• What to prioritize if you want bundles to improve retention—not create headaches

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) How do product bundles improve retention?
Bundles encourage repeat purchases by creating logical product combinations that solve customer needs more completely than single products. When bundles deliver higher AOV and margin per order, they also give you more room to re-invest in retention campaigns.

2) Which customers should I target with bundles first?
Start with Loyalists (high value, high sentiment) by offering curated bundles or early access. Then focus on Trapped customers (high value, low sentiment) by using bundles that add education or extra value, reducing churn risk.

3) What retention metrics matter most when tracking bundles?

• Customer Retention Rate (CRR)
• Repeat Purchase Rate (RPR)
• Time Between Purchases (TBP)
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
• Bundle Attach Rate
  These show whether bundles are driving long-term engagement and profitability—not just higher cart sizes.

4) How do I know if my bundles are actually improving CLV?
Compare CLV and AOV for customers who purchase bundles vs. those who don’t. Track time to second purchase—if bundles accelerate repeat orders, they’re improving lifetime value.

5) Can bundles work for at-risk or low-value customers?
Yes. For At-Risk customers, try simple “Starter Packs” or easy restock bundles that remove decision friction. For Mercenaries (low value, high sentiment), bundles can raise AOV without requiring heavy perks or discounts.

6) What backend challenges do bundles create?
The biggest risks are inventory mismatches and fulfillment complexity. With Simple Bundles, every bundle breaks down into child SKUs for accurate stock sync, 3PL integration, and clean reporting—so bundles boost retention without creating ops headaches.

7) How should I communicate bundles to build trust?
Use context-heavy copy that explains why the products are bundled, how they work together, and what outcomes customers can expect. Pair this with reviews, UGC, and education to reinforce credibility.

8) What’s the fastest way to test bundles for retention impact?

• Launch a post-purchase bundle offer to shorten time-to-second purchase
• Create a build-your-own kit for Loyalists and track repeat rates
• Use email segmentation to promote bundles to Trapped or At-Risk segments
  Small pilots reveal which bundle types best increase repurchase behavior.