How this calculator works
A bundle is only a good deal for you if it saves you something. Selling three items in one box means one package, one transaction fee, one picking and packing operation — real money that can fund a real discount.
Beyond those savings, every further percentage point comes out of margin. That can still be worth it to raise order value, but it should be a decision rather than an accident.
The formula
- Individual value = Σ (product price × quantity)
- Bundle price = individual value × (1 − bundle discount)
- Real savings = packaging saved + (fixed fee × orders avoided) + handling time saved
- Funded discount = real savings ÷ individual value
What to watch for
- The funded discount is the honest ceiling. Below it, the bundle costs you nothing — you are passing on efficiencies. Above it, you are buying order value with margin.
- Fixed transaction fees are a genuine saving that people forget. Replacing three separate orders with one saves two fixed fees, which on low-priced items is meaningful.
- Handling time saved is usually the largest real saving. Picking, packing and processing one order instead of three is several minutes at your labour rate.
- A bundle that raises average order value can be worth funding from margin. The point is to know which you are doing.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a round discount before working out what the bundle actually saves.
- Forgetting the fixed transaction fees saved by combining orders.
- Bundling slow-moving stock with a bestseller and discounting both.
- Assuming a bundle always beats separate sales — it often does not, and the profit-change figure says so.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I discount a bundle?
Start with what bundling genuinely saves you: one package instead of several, one transaction fee instead of three, one picking operation instead of three. Divide that by the combined individual price and you have the discount you can offer for free. Anything above it is bought from margin.
Do bundles always make more money?
No, and the profit-change figure shows when they do not. If the discount exceeds the real savings and the customer would have bought all the items anyway, bundling simply hands them money. It works when it moves someone from one item to three, not when it discounts a purchase that was already coming.
What actually gets cheaper when I bundle?
Packaging, fixed transaction fees, and handling time — you pick, pack, label and process one order rather than several. Materials and per-item labour do not change at all, which is why the funded discount is usually smaller than people expect, often under 10%.
Should I bundle slow-moving stock with a bestseller?
It can clear stock, but be honest about what it costs. You are discounting the bestseller — which was selling anyway — to move something that was not. Run it through the calculator with the real prices, and compare the profit change against simply discounting the slow item on its own.