Free shipping bar wording that shoppers understand

A bar that tells shoppers how close they are to a reward is only as good as its words. The same wording ideas work for a free shipping bar and for a free gift bar. Replace the reward and keep the shape.

#Three states, three messages

Before the shopper starts. Say what the offer is, with the number.

• "Free shipping on orders over 50."
• "Free gift with orders over 65."

In progress. Say how far away the reward is. A distance is easier to act on than a total.

• "You are 12 away from free shipping."
• "Add 14 more to get a free gift."

Reached. Confirm it plainly, so the shopper knows nothing more is needed.

• "Free shipping unlocked."
• "Your free gift has been added."

The numbers above are examples. Use your own, in your own currency.

Say the number, say the reward, say how far away they are.

#Rules that keep wording clear

1. Put the number in the message. "Spend a bit more" gives no goal.
2. Name the reward in a few words, free shipping or free gift, not a long phrase.
3. Show the remaining amount, not just the minimum.
4. Keep it to one line on a phone.
5. Say what counts. If sale items or discount codes affect the minimum, say it in a short note near the bar so the shopper is not surprised at checkout.
6. Match the currency and language of the shopper.

#Pick the number before you write the words

The minimum has to make sense for your margin. For shipping, compare the shipping cost you absorb with the margin on the added spend: https://taskivator.com/free-shipping-threshold-calculator/. For a gift: https://taskivator.com/free-gift-threshold-calculator/. Shipping cost moves with weight and destination, while a gift has a fixed cost, which is one reason some stores prefer a gift.

#Test the bar like a shopper

Try a cart below the minimum, one just under, one at it, and one above. Check the message at each step, on a phone as well as a computer.

#Setting up the gift in your store

Giftproof is a Shopify app that adds a free gift to the cart when a shopper reaches your minimum spend, and removes it if they drop below. Giftproof is coming soon.