By Ellie-Rose Davies, Content Manager at IMRG In this blog we look at healthy ways to improve average basket values in 2026 with the help of our community of industry experts. Read on to discover:

• Industry ABV insights
• Driving higher basket value through acquisition channels
• Start earlier: influence basket value before checkout
• Relevance, personalisation and timing are key
• AI, data and technology as growth levers
• Bundling and complete the set thinking
• Delivery thresholds and incentives that drive action

Industry ABV insights

Source: IMRGs Online Retail Index, Digital Dashboard

IMRG data shows growth in online average basket value (ABV) from 2020 onwards, rising from a pre-pandemic baseline of £110“£130 to a sustained range of £130“£150 in recent years. Initially driven by COVID-19 behaviours, for example, fewer, larger transactions and increased spend across grocery, home, and electricals, this uplift has persisted due to wider contextual factors. Inflation has played a key role, with rising costs pushing up prices, while retailers have further supported growth through tactics such as higher delivery thresholds, promotional mechanics, and improved cross-sell and bundling. Read on to hear from experts on how retailers can continue to grow ABV beyond price-led increases, particularly as inflation and rising delivery costs persists.

Driving higher basket value through acquisition channels

Average basket value can be influenced before the customer visits a retailers site, with acquisition strategies playing a key role in setting expectations around spend. Joe Appleton, Head of Performance at Shoptimised says, From Google Ads, ABV rises when the feed helps you bid for value. Retailers can use pricing or custom labels to separate higher priced items, then weight budget towards them. Expect higher CPCs and lower CVR, so retailers can keep search terms tight and watch CTR and price competitiveness. Joe recommends retailers to Use Merchant Center promotions for free shipping thresholds or minimum spend codes so the offer shows on the ad before the click. If you have bought together data, build Smart Bundling kits in the feed and advertise them. Add negatives like cheap, used and discount. On site, progress bars and behaviour routing support bigger baskets.

Start earlier: influence basket value before checkout

There are numerous ways to grow ABV ahead of the checkout stage, enabling retailers to prompt profits much earlier in the purchasing journey. Dan Bond, VP of Marketing at RevLifter reflects on this, saying Most basket value tactics focus on the cart. That's too late. The real opportunity is earlier: catch shoppers while they're still browsing and still open to adding more. Progress bars can work because they make a goal visible. Cross-sell tends to work best when it's based on what's actually in the basket, not a generic "you might also like." Bundling works when the savings feel real, not manufactured. Dan exclaims, What unites the approaches that actually move the needle is intent. Show the offer to someone already heading for the exit, and you've probably wasted it. Show it to someone mid-browse with three items and an open mind, and you've got a genuine opportunity to increase AOV. Similarly, Kevin Griffin, VP Growth at PXP reveals Growing average basket value isn't just a merchandising challenge; it starts long before checkout. Progress bars, bundles, and smart recommendations all nudge customers to spend more, but retailers often overlook the role payments play. Once customers get to the checkout Offering flexible payment methods, including Buy Now Pay Later, removes the psychological ceiling on spend. A seamless, fast checkout with saved cards, one-click purchase, and preferred local payment methods means customers are less likely to edit their basket down before completing. Kevin shares that The retailers seeing the strongest ABV gains are those treating the entire journey, right through to payment, as one connected conversion opportunity.

Relevance, personalisation and timing are key

Prompting growth in ABV can be best fulfilled through making the customer experience timely and hyper-relevant. Hem Nathwani, Sales Director, at Price Trakker explores this, stating Improving average basket value in 2026 is less about pushing more products and more about relevance and timing. Effective strategies retailers can implement use data to present the right offer at the right moment, such as intelligent bundling, personalised recommendations and threshold-based incentives like free delivery. Hem says, Retailers seeing the best results tend to be those who test and refine continuously, using competitor and pricing insights to stay competitive while maximising margin. Small changes in positioning or pricing can significantly influence basket size. The key is combining behavioural insights with real time data to create a seamless and persuasive shopping experience. Nate Barad, Vice President of Technical and Product Marketing at Algolia, reveals how AI is making hyper-relevancy possible; Agentic and generative AI are redefining how retailers grow basket value by acting on customer intent, not just suggesting products. Retailers can use AI to dynamically build bundles, personalise upsell paths in real time, and guide shoppers conversationally using context, preferences, and journey stage. Nate reflects on the value of it, where Rather than relying on static rules, it interprets whether a shopper is browsing, comparing, or ready to buy, and adapts instantly. The result is higher conversion and larger baskets without added friction. When AI understands intent, it becomes a trusted guide, helping customers discover and add what they truly want.