Ecommerce OS · Guide9 min readUpdated November 2, 2026

Order Bumps: What to Offer, Where to Put Them, How to Measure Them

How to run order bumps at checkout: what to offer, price and placement, the pre-checked box rules, cart-based targeting, Shopify limits, measurement.

Nick Bonnassies, CMO at Tagada · checked against 5 sources

Article summary

TL;DR

Run one order bump per checkout: a small add-on related to the cart, priced well below it, placed next to the order summary or above the pay button, and left unticked. Show different bumps for different carts, and judge each one on the extra profit per order and the refunds it brings, not on how many buyers tick it.

The FTC lists "tricking a shopper into buying unwanted items by using a pre-checked box" as a dark pattern (September 2022).
In the EU, a buyer charged through a pre-selected option is entitled to a refund of that payment (Directive 2011/83/EU, Article 22).
A bump that starts a subscription needs the terms before billing details and express informed consent under ROSCA.
On Shopify, apps that add offers to the payment page are available only on Shopify Plus.
20% of US shoppers who abandoned a checkout said delivery was too slow: faster shipping is a bump that answers a real worry.

Want to go further? Ask

On this page

This page is about running bumps in your checkout. For the definition and the difference with other offers, see what an order bump is. Bumps are one part of a custom ecommerce checkout.

Where an order bump sits in the checkout

On the checkout page, before payment. The buyer ticks a box, the total updates, and the add-on is paid in the same charge as the main order.

Fig. 1A bump before payment, an upsell after

CartCoffee grinder
CheckoutBump: cleaning kit, one tick
PaymentOne charge for both
Offer pageUpsell: beans subscription
Thank youOrder confirmed

the bump never needs a second charge

Illustrative example.

Offer	When	How the buyer accepts	Charge
Order bump	On the checkout page, before payment	Ticks a box	Same charge as the order
One-click upsell	After payment, on an offer page	Clicks "Add to my order"	A second charge on the stored card
Cart drawer upsell	Before checkout, in the cart	Adds a product	Same charge as the order

The two are not rivals: most funnels use a bump and an upsell. After-payment offers in detail: one-click upsells and how a one-click upsell charges the card. Cart offers: cart drawer upsells.

What to offer as an order bump

Something the buyer will want with what is already in the cart, that takes a second to decide. Six types cover most stores.

Bump type	Example	Fits when	Why it works
Accessory or consumable	Cleaning kit with a grinder, case with a phone	The product needs it	Useful from day one
Smaller size or sample	Travel size, sample pack	First order	Low-risk way to try the range
Second unit at a lower price	Second bottle, spare filter	Consumables	The buyer already chose the product
Faster shipping	Express delivery	Any physical order	20% of abandoners cite slow delivery5
Protection	Shipping protection, extended warranty	Higher-value orders	Covers a risk the buyer already sees
Gift wrap or note	Wrapping, message card	Seasonal orders	Turns the order into a gift

Fig. 2Three checks before you publish a bump

Related
It goes with what is in the cart, so it needs no explanation beyond one line.
Small
It costs well below the main order, so the yes or no takes a second.
Chosen
The box starts unticked, and the price is in the bump line.

fail one, and it belongs after payment

Editorial rule of thumb.

Avoid bumps that compete with the main product, or that need a decision the buyer wasn't ready for (a bigger plan, a different model). Those belong after payment, as an upsell.

Price, copy and placement

Price it well below the order. The bump should be a yes or no in a second.
Show the price, and the saving if there is one, in the bump line itself.
One sentence on why: "Add a cleaning kit for $9, keeps the burrs sharp."
A small product photo next to the checkbox.
Place it next to the order summary or just above the pay button, visible on a phone without scrolling past the card fields.
One bump per checkout, two at most. More turns the checkout into a catalog, and 17% of abandoners already find checkouts too long5.

Fig. 3A bump line, field by field

Checkout · Coffee grinderBump row under the order summary

Checkbox: Unticked by default
Headline: Add a cleaning kit · $9.00
Reason: Keeps the burrs sharp, ships in the same box
Total if ticked: $98.00, one charge

Illustrative record.

price, reason, photo, unticked

Illustrative example.

Never pre-check the box

The buyer must choose the bump. A pre-checked add-on is the textbook case regulators point to, and the one buyers dispute.

Tricking a shopper into buying unwanted items by using a pre-checked box

FTC, Bringing Dark Patterns to Light, September 2022, under "Sneak-into-Basket"

Rule	What it says	Applies to
FTC dark patterns report	Lists pre-checked add-ons, such as an extended warranty added unless the customer opts out, as dark patterns1	US
Consumer Rights Directive, Article 22	The trader needs express consent for any extra payment; consent inferred from a pre-selected default entitles the buyer to a refund2	EU
ROSCA	A bump that starts recurring charges needs all material terms before billing details, express informed consent and a simple way to cancel3	US, online subscriptions

Watch out

A bump the buyer didn't notice comes back as a refund request or a chargeback. A lower take rate with clean consent costs less.

Trials and subscriptions added at checkout: free trials and negative option billing.

Match the bump to the cart

One bump for every order wastes the slot. Set rules on what is in the cart, and show the add-on that fits it.

Fig. 4Which bump for which cart

The grinderCleaning kitAccessory for that product
A total under the free shipping thresholdFaster shippingSmall add-on the buyer can justify
A total above a set amountShipping protectionCovers a bigger risk
Three items or moreGift note, or no bumpThe cart is already full

the cart decides, not a fixed slot

Illustrative example.

Start with one rule per bestseller. Add more only when the data shows a cart type that ignores the default bump.

Order bumps on Shopify, WooCommerce and custom checkouts

Where your checkout lives decides what you can put on it.

Checkout	Order bumps	What to know
Shopify, Plus plan	Through checkout apps on the information, shipping and payment pages	Plus only4
Shopify, other plans	Not on the payment page; apps work on the thank you and order status pages, Checkout Blocks with restrictions4	Move checkout off Shopify to sell a bump before payment
WooCommerce	Through a checkout or funnel plugin	Check that it works with your payment gateway
Hosted payment page	Only if the provider supports add-ons	Often not configurable
Custom or headless checkout	Yours to build, or from the checkout platform	Full control over rules and placement

Shopify options side by side: Shopify checkout alternative.

Measure an order bump

Take rate tells you if the offer is relevant. Profit per order and refunds tell you if it's worth keeping.

Metric	Formula	What it tells you
Take rate	Orders with the bump ÷ orders where it was shown	Is the offer relevant?
AOV lift	AOV with bump ÷ AOV of a holdout	What it adds per order
Profit per order	After product, shipping and payment costs	Does it make money?
Bump refunds	Bump refunds ÷ bumps sold	Did buyers really want it?
Checkout completion	Paid orders ÷ checkouts started	Does the bump slow buyers down?

Published take-rate figures disagree widely and rarely state a method, so measure your own. More on the formula: order bump take rate and average order value.

Pick one bump for your bestseller and write one line of copy.
Split traffic: half the checkouts see the bump, half don't.
Run until each side has enough paid orders to compare, a full week at least.
Compare profit per order, completion and refunds, not take rate alone.
Keep the winner, then test the price or the item, one change at a time.

A clean test needs a holdout: buyers who see no bump.

By industry

Industry	What changes	Guide
Supplements	A second bottle, a travel size or a shaker; a bump that adds a subscription needs its own consent	Order bumps for supplement brands
Skincare	The next step of the routine or a travel mini; never a product that competes with the serum in the cart	Order bumps for skincare brands
Online pharmacy	A non-prescription product, a supply or faster shipping, never a prescription medication; decide what happens to the bump if the review is declined	Order bumps for online pharmacies
Telehealth	Non-medical only: faster shipping, a companion product or a follow-up visit, named so no health data leaks	Order bumps for telehealth companies
Fitness	The obvious next item: collars with a barbell, a shaker with protein powder, shipping protection on a large order	Order bumps for fitness brands
Info products	A resource the buyer can use right away (workbook, templates, recorded Q&A), well below the main price	Order bumps for info product businesses

Bumps are one AOV lever among several: increase AOV for a supplement brand and for a skincare brand.

How Tagada helps

Order bumps, set by product and by cart

Bumps on the checkout page, each one selling a product with its own price, title, description and image (order bumps).
Triggers and cart rules: show a bump for every checkout or for a given product, and limit it by cart contents, cart total or item count.
Slots: a primary bump, additional rows and a premium position.
Per checkout step: pick which bumps run on each checkout of a funnel (step config).
One charge: a ticked bump adds a line to the cart; a one-click upsell after payment creates its own order (upsells and offers).
A/B tests on bumps, offers and checkout.
A pre-check setting exists for each bump: leave it off.
Routing scored in real time: "Every transaction is scored against your live MID network in real time", then sent to the processor most likely to approve it, with a retry on decline. TagadaPay reports a +18% approval uplift.
TagadaPay underneath: onboarding is one KYC, and most merchants are live in under 24 hours. "If you sell something real, we will get you paid."

It runs standalone, on Shopify, on WooCommerce or headless. Plans are on the pricing page.

Apply today · Go live in under 24 hours

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Updated on November 2, 2026

Nick Bonnassies

CMO at Tagada

CMO at Tagada. Before Tagada, Nick built direct-to-consumer brands that generated over $115M in sales, raised over $25M in crowdfunding and sold two of them. He also works as a fractional CMO on marketing operations and AI systems.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good order bump?

A small add-on the buyer will use with what is already in the cart: an accessory, a consumable, a smaller size, faster shipping or protection. It should cost well below the main order and be explained in one sentence. If it needs a decision the buyer wasn't ready for, offer it after payment as an upsell instead.

How much should an order bump cost?

Well below the main order, so the decision takes a second. Show the price, and the saving if there is one, in the bump line. Test two price points against a holdout and keep the one that earns more profit per order with fewer refunds, not the one with the highest take rate.

How many order bumps should I add to a checkout?

One, two at most. Every extra offer adds reading to a page where 17% of abandoning shoppers already find the checkout too long or complicated. Use cart rules to show a different single bump to different carts rather than stacking several.

Can an order bump be pre-checked?

Don't. The FTC lists pre-checked add-ons as a dark pattern, and in the EU a buyer charged through a pre-selected option is entitled to a refund. Buyers who didn't notice the add-on also ask for refunds or dispute the charge. Leave the box unticked.

Can you add order bumps on Shopify?

On the payment page, only on Shopify Plus, through checkout apps on the information, shipping and payment pages. On other plans, checkout apps work on the thank you and order status pages, and Checkout Blocks runs with restrictions. To sell a bump before payment on another plan, the checkout has to run outside Shopify.

Order bump vs upsell: which is better?

They do different jobs. A bump sells a small add-on before payment, in the same charge. A one-click upsell sells a bigger offer after payment, as a second charge on the stored card. Most stores use both: the bump on the checkout, the upsell on the next page.

Sources

Checked November 2, 2026

Tagada

Order bumps and upsells in one checkout

Funnels, one-click upsells, subscription billing and payment routing, on one customer record.

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