Free shipping thresholds: how to set one that pays for itself

Free shipping is one of the most consistent conversion levers in ecommerce

75% of consumers expect free shipping above a certain order value. That number has been stable for years across multiple ecommerce surveys. A free shipping threshold lifts your conversion rate and your average order value at the same time, because customers who are close to the threshold add an extra item to qualify. Two effects, one offer.

The trick is setting the threshold high enough to cover your actual shipping cost, but low enough to feel achievable. Too high and it feels like a bait-and-switch. Too low and you're paying shipping out of your own pocket on every order.

This lesson walks through the simple math, configures free shipping in Shopify, then adds the cart progress bar that turns the threshold into an active prompt instead of a static line of fine print.