Bundle Builders Are Printing Money for DTC Brands

This week:

👉 Why people buy more when they pick their own products

👉 Setup tricks that actually boost your order values

👉 Mobile hacks most brands completely miss

Bundle builders are everywhere in DTC right now.

Instead of showing pre-made bundles, smart brands let customers pick their own stuff. The numbers don't lie.

When people build their own bundle, they spend 40-60% more than on regular product pages.

Here's why it works and how to nail the setup.

When someone builds their own bundle, they value it way more because they made it themselves.

This is the IKEA effect. Just like people love their IKEA furniture more because they built it, customers get attached to bundles they create.

When someone adds products to their bundle, their brain flips to "this is mine" mode before they even checkout.

Taking stuff out feels like losing something they already have. That's money.

Bundle builders work by stacking small wins:

By step 5, purchasing feels inevitable instead of risky.

When people focus on building the right combo, they worry less about the total.

Their brain switches from "How much is this gonna cost me?" to "What else do I need to make this work?"

✅ Show the anchor first: Display individual prices totaling $200, then reveal bundle price of $120

✅ Use the "1+1=3" rule: Always show what extra they get, not just savings

✅ Dynamic pricing: Show higher individual prices for items they haven't added yet

Look at Javy's coffee bundle setup:

Visual game: They show all the flavor bottles together so you can picture your whole collection

Smart quantity play: "Build your bundle" with 1, 2, 3, or 4+ bottles - savings get better as you go

Flavor psychology: Each flavor gets its own space with descriptions that make you want to try everything

Pricing that works:

The genius move: They make the 4+ option feel like the obvious smart choice by showing per-bottle savings.

✅ Thumb zone placement: Stick "Add" buttons bottom-right where thumbs naturally land

✅ Progress rewards: Mobile users bail after 3 items - hit them with a reward right here

✅ One-hand setup: Everything needs to work with just your thumb

✅ Social proof injection: "Sarah from Austin just built a similar bundle"

✅ Completion pressure: "Your bundle expires in 15 minutes" after first item added

✅ Progress psychology: "You're 1 item away from the perfect bundle"

Skincare example:

Supplement example:

Sweet spot: 2-3 minutes building time gives best results

After 3 minutes: Completion drops 40% - add urgency here

Weekend effect: Weekend builders spend 30% more than weekday builders

Incomplete bundle emails: Get 67% completion rate with "finish your bundle" emails

Save state: Let people bookmark incomplete bundles - creates return motivation

Exit intent: "Save your bundle for later" when they try to leave

Start high, go lower: Show expensive individual total first ($180), then reveal bundle savings ($120)

Progressive discounts:

Threshold psychology: "Add $25 more for free shipping" works better than "Free shipping over $75"

❌ The problem: More options feel like more control but actually reduce sales

✅ The fix: Limit to 3-4 categories with 5-6 products each

✅ Why it works: People can compare options without getting overwhelmed

❌ The problem: Hiding totals to avoid sticker shock backfires

✅ The fix: Show clear pricing but emphasize savings, not cost

✅ Better approach: "$120 bundle (save $60)" not "Bundle: $120"

❌ The problem: People build tiny bundles that hurt your average order value

✅ The fix: Set smart minimums with clear benefits

Start routine-based: Morning routine, evening routine, weekly treatment

Use problem-solution flow: Cleanser → treatment → protection

Add seasonal items: "Perfect for winter skin" during cold months

Lead with main benefit: Energy, sleep, immunity, etc.

Stack complementary products: Magnesium + melatonin for sleep

Include absorption helpers: Vitamin D + K2, Iron + Vitamin C

Complete the look: Start with main item, add complementary pieces

Size bundling: "Buy 3 get 1 free" works great for basics

Cross-category mixing: Tops + bottoms + accessories

Instead of: "Only 5 left in stock" (per item) Try: "Only 3 bundles like this available today"

Why it works: Creates urgency around their specific combination, not just individual products.

Don't just show popular stuff. Show items that complete their specific bundle type.

Completion psychology: "People who built this bundle also added..."

Cross-sell timing: Right after they add their 3rd item (peak engagement moment)

Vertical stacking: Items stack cleanly on mobile instead of cramped horizontal rows

Swipe interactions: Feel way more natural than tiny click targets

44px minimum touch targets: Thumb-friendly buttons that actually work

Visual progress tracking: Show the bundle growing, not just boring text lists

Most brands treat mobile like "small desktop" - huge mistake. Mobile browsers think differently and need different flows.

Track these bundle-specific metrics:

Bundle completion rate: How many people finish building vs abandon

Average build time: Sweet spot is 2-3 minutes

Items per bundle: Higher = better customer education

Return completion: People who save bundles and come back

Mobile vs desktop behavior: Different optimization needs

Perfect for:

Skip bundle builders for:

Ready to test bundle builders?

Hit reply and let me know what products you're thinking of bundling. I love seeing what combinations work in different industries.

Talk soon, Ryan