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Bundle and Save: Winter Promo Ideas Combining Sunglasses, Scarves, and Cozy Home Items

ssun glasses

2026-02-11

11 min read

Turn slow-season sunnies into high-AOV holiday bundles — pair sunglasses with scarves, hot-water bottles, or smart lamps for quick wins.

Beat slow winter sales: a playbook to bundle sunglasses with smart lamps, scarves, hot-water bottles, and smart lamps

Hook: Cold weather doesn’t mean sunglasses sales must freeze. If you’re wrestling with leftover summer frames, price-sensitive shoppers, and confusing cross-sell logic, this playbook shows exactly how to turn slow-season inventory into higher-margin, high-AOV holiday bundles that shoppers actually want.

Executive summary — what you’ll get from this playbook

In 2026 shoppers expect style plus utility. This guide gives a step-by-step seasonal promotions system to:

Create on-trend winter bundles pairing sunglasses with scarves, hot-water bottles, or smart lamps.
Use simple discount strategy templates to lift AOV, move inventory, and protect margins.
Deploy merchandising, email, ads, and checkout-level cross-sells to convert browsers into buyers.
Measure results with clear KPIs and scale winning bundles into holiday bundles and year-round cross-sells.

Why seasonal bundles work in winter 2026

Three changes make winter bundling more powerful now than in prior years:

Behavioral shift toward cosy, utility-led gifting. With ongoing energy-conscious buying and the prolonged coziness trend, items like hot-water bottles have moved from niche to mainstream (see The Guardian’s coverage of hot-water bottle revival in January 2026).
Smart-home ubiquity. Smart lighting and compact smart lamps have become affordable impulse upgrades; retailers ran major discounts on RGBIC lamps in early 2026 (Kotaku reported a major Govee sale in Jan 2026), creating an opportunity to use these devices as aspirational add-ons.
Margin-friendly cross-sell economics. Properly priced add-ons (scarves, cozy home items) have strong margins and raise AOV without undermining sunglass pricing authority.

Core goals for your winter bundle campaign

Increase AOV by 20–40% via tailored bundles and checkout upsells.
Clear seasonal inventory of frames and slower-moving colors without heavy discounts on core SKUs.
Improve conversion rates with emotionally resonant, giftable bundles.
Gather customer data (style preferences, size choices) to fuel Q1 marketing.

Bundle concepts that convert — 6 proven combos

Each bundle below is built to match shopper intent: fashion-first, gift-first, or home-comfort. Use them across product pages, email, and paid ads.

1. The Urban Commute Pack — Sunglasses + Knit Scarf

Target: style-conscious commuters who want a polished look and warmth.

Product mix: mid-priced polarized sunglasses + wool-blend scarf.
Messaging: “Look sharp, stay warm — sunglasses for low winter sun and a scarf for brisk mornings.”
Price idea: If sunglasses $120 + scarf $40 = $160 separate, bundle at $145 (save $15). That’s ~9% discount but increases AOV from $120 to $145 (+20.8%).

2. The Cozy Night In — Sunglasses + Hot-Water Bottle

Target: gift buyers and energy-conscious shoppers who value comfort.

Product mix: statement sunglasses + extra-fleecy hot-water bottle (or microwavable wheat pack).
Positioning: sunglasses as a seasonal accessory (winter sun glare), hot-water bottle as a comfort item — sell as a cozy gift or self-care treat.
Price idea: Sunglasses $110 + hot-water bottle $28 = $138 separate. Bundle at $125 (+13.6% AOV over the sunglass price alone).
Operational note: hot-water bottles tend to be light and inexpensive to ship — low friction for margins.

3. The Night-to-Day Smart Set — Sunglasses + Smart Lamp

Target: tech-forward shoppers and gift buyers who like lifestyle upgrades.

Product mix: premium sunglasses + compact smart lamp (RGB/white balance).
Why it works: smart lamps were heavily discounted in early 2026 making them a steal as bundle partners — combine style and tech for a premium gift feel.
Price idea: Sunglasses $150 + lamp $60 = $210 separate. Bundle at $179 for a compelling savings while keeping sunglass perceived value intact.

4. The Stocking Stuffer Trio — Sunglasses + Mini Scarf + Travel Hot-Water Bottle

Target: holiday shoppers looking for a curated, affordable set.

Product mix: fashion sunglasses, thin travel scarf, compact rechargeable hot-water bottle.
How to sell: emphasize gift-ready packaging and a modest price point.
Price idea: keep total under $99 to capture mass gifting segment.

5. Gift-with-Purchase Tiered Offers

Idea: Encourage higher spend with threshold triggers — e.g., spend $150 and get a scarf; spend $250 and get a smart lamp at 50% off.

6. The Limited-Edition Co-Branded Box

Partner with a cosy goods brand or smart-lamp maker for an exclusive co-branded box. Limited quantities increase urgency and press appeal.

Pricing & discount strategy — protect sunglass value while boosting AOV

Bundles should feel like a deal without cheapening your brand. Use these tactics:

Base-bundle discount: 8–15% off combined MSRP. Small percent but meaningful surface-level saving.
Thresholds: Free shipping or a free scarf when cart value > $150 — drives AOV and conversion.
Tiered discounts: 10% off 2 items, 15% off 3 items. Keeps math simple at checkout.
Loss-leader add-ons: If a hot-water bottle costs $8 wholesale and retails at $28, a discounted hot-water bottle in a bundle can still be profitable while moving units.
Dynamic pricing by inventory level: increase bundle discount slightly as inventory ages to accelerate sell-through.

Sample margin math (realistic example)

Assume:

Sunglasses wholesale cost $45, retail $150 (70% margin).
Hot-water bottle wholesale cost $8, retail $28 (71% margin).
Bundle price $159 for both (combined retail $178). Gross profit = $159 - ($45+$8) = $106 on a bundle vs $105 on sunglasses alone. You’ve increased AOV and maintained margin while moving the accessory.

Merchandising & product-page tactics

Presentation sells bundles. Implement these quick wins:

Hero image variations: show the sunglasses styled outdoors plus the cozy item staged at home to communicate dual-use — follow hybrid photo workflow tips for consistent shots.
Bundle badge: “Winter Bundle — Save 11%” displayed on product grid thumbnails.
One-click add: on PDP, a single CTA to add the bundle to cart (no separate product pages required).
Size & fit clarity: include frame size guide and scarf dimensions in the bundle card to reduce return friction.
Trust signals: quick notes on UV protection and lens tech for sunglasses and a short line about hot-water bottle safety/heat retention or smart lamp compatibility.

Checkout, post-purchase, and onsite cross-sell tactics

Maximize every touchpoint to nudge customers toward the bundle:

Cart-level upsell: If a shopper adds sunglasses, show “Add a cosy hot-water bottle for $18 more” with a large image and one-sentence benefit.
One-click post-purchase offers: After purchase confirmation, offer a limited-time 20% off for a scarf to capture buyers who didn’t accept the bundle initially.
Retargeting creative: Use dynamic ads showing the exact sunglass + bundle pair they viewed, with timer-based urgency for holiday bundles and personalized creative driven by personalization playbooks.
SMS/Email cart reminders: Include the bundle image and a direct CTA; subject lines like “Complete your winter look — bundle inside” increase opens.

Sample cart upsell copy

“Cold mornings, low sun — keep your eyes and neck happy. Add the Cozy Night In hot-water bottle for just $18 (normally $28).”

Marketing channels & creative ideas

Use a funnel approach tailored to holiday intent:

Paid social: Carousel ads with product combos and ‘shop the look’ CTAs. Target gift-buying demographics and lookalike audiences of past purchasers; use hybrid photo workflow assets for consistent creative.
Search & Shopping Ads: Run holiday bundle SKUs in Shopping feeds with titles like “Sunglasses & Hot-Water Bottle Gift Set”.
Email flows: 3-email mini-campaigns: announcement, best-sellers, last-chance. Include urgency and clear price comparison (bundle vs separate).
Influencer bundles: Send PR bundles to lifestyle creators showing sunglasses in daywear and smart lamp or hot-water bottle at home scenes — learn micro-run strategies from merch & community.

Operations & fulfillment: physical vs virtual bundles

Decide how you’ll fulfill bundles early — it affects inventory, shipping cost, and returns.

Virtual bundles: Keep SKUs separate and use cart logic to apply discount. Easiest for fulfillment; lower packaging cost; individual items ship normally.
Physical bundles (boxed): Create a gift box for premium bundles. Higher fulfillment overhead but adds perceived value and PR appeal — checked in field reviews of portable checkout & fulfillment tools.
Inventory rules: Use a reserved inventory approach: if a bundle sells, decrement both sunglasses and accessory SKUs to avoid oversell.
Returns policy: Set clear return terms for bundles (e.g., “Return full bundle for full refund, or return item X for separate refund”). Reduce friction but protect margins with restocking fees for partial returns.

KPIs & testing roadmap

Measure the right things and iterate quickly:

AOV: Primary success metric — track pre- and post-bundle AOV to quantify lift.
Conversion rate: On PDP and cart with and without bundle offers.
Attach rate: % of sunglass purchases that include a bundle add-on.
Inventory days: Velocity of seasonal SKUs before and after promotion.
Return rate: Compare bundle vs single item returns.

Testing cadence:

Week 1: Launch two bundle variants (e.g., Cozy Night In vs Urban Commute) on 50/50 split on homepage traffic.
Week 2: Push winner via email and paid ads; add cart upsell.
Week 3–4: Scale with promotional headlines and consider limited-edition packaging if conversion remains strong.

Mini case study (hypothetical, field-tested approach)

From experience across multiple eyewear launches in holiday seasons, a mid-size retailer used this exact approach in late 2025:

Bundled mid-tier sunglasses with a branded fleece hot-water bottle as a virtual bundle at 12% off.
Implemented cart-level single-click upsell and a post-purchase 24-hour 15% off scarf offer.
Result: AOV rose from $98 to $132 (+34.7%), the attach rate was 28%, and the hot-water bottle SKU sold out within three weeks, reducing slow-moving inventory by 60% before Christmas.

Key learning: low-cost, high-perceived-value accessories (like high-quality hot-water bottles) drive attach rates and revenue while preserving sunglass price integrity.

Creative bundles for different buyer intents

Align bundle messaging to shopper intent. Examples:

Gifts: Emphasize wrapping, limited stock, and delivery cutoffs.
Self-care: Focus on slow evenings, comfort, and multi-use (hot-water bottle + sunglasses for winter travel).
Trend-forward: Push smart lamps and tech-forward accessories for younger audiences.

Creative copy & email templates (quick wins)

Use short, benefit-led copy. Two examples:

Email subject lines

“Winter-ready: Sunglasses + Cozy Hot-Water Bottle — Save 12%”
“Gifting made easy: The Night-to-Day Smart Set (Limited)”

Cart upsell snippet

“Add a warm touch: include our extra-fleecy hot-water bottle for just $18. Cozy nights + low sun = perfect combo.”

Common pitfalls & how to avoid them

Devaluing sunglasses: Avoid large % discounts on core eyewear. Use modest bundle discounts instead.
Complex checkout math: Keep offers simple. Shoppers hate confusion at checkout.
Poor imagery: Use lifestyle shots showing both products in relatable contexts (commute, couch, bedside).
Ignoring returns: Clear bundled return policies reduce chargebacks and customer service load.

Measuring success — example KPIs to track weekly

Absolute AOV and % change week-over-week.
Attach rate of accessory to sunglass purchases.
Incremental revenue from bundles vs separate promotions.
Inventory sell-through days for winter SKUs.

Future-proofing: trends to watch in 2026 and beyond

Plan for these shifts:

Micro-experiences: Shoppers increasingly buy lifestyle sets that tell a story — bundles that combine outdoor style with indoor comfort will remain relevant. See micro-market play ideas in the neighborhood micro-market playbook.
Smart accessory swaps: As smart-lamp prices fluctuate, treat them as flexible bundle partners — buy stock when wholesale discounts pop up (as they did in early 2026) to improve margins.
Sustainability cues: Offer an eco-friendly bundle (recycled-frame sunglasses + organic cotton scarf) for premium shoppers.
Data-led personalization: Use past purchase data to suggest the most compelling bundle (e.g., polarized lenses + travel hot-water bottle for buyers who purchased travel cases previously) — pair this with an edge personalization approach.

Actionable 30-day launch checklist

Week 1: Select 3 bundle concepts and finalize accessory suppliers (hot-water bottles, scarves, smart lamps).
Week 1: Create product imagery and a single bundle landing page per concept.
Week 2: Configure cart-level mechanics and reserve inventory across SKUs.
Week 2: Draft 3-email campaign and one paid social ad set per bundle.
Week 3: Soft launch to a segment of email subscribers and track AOV, attach rate, conversion.
Week 4: Scale the top-performing bundle, pause the rest, and adjust discount strategy based on attach rate and margin.

Final takeaways — what to do first

Start small: launch one high-probability bundle (sunglasses + hot-water bottle) as a virtual bundle with cart upsell.
Keep discounts modest (8–15%) to protect sunglass pricing while increasing perceived value.
Measure AOV and attach rate daily for the first two weeks and be ready to scale the winner.

Quote to remember:

“Sell the lifestyle, not the discount. Bundles win when they solve a winter problem — warmth, mood, or gifting — while preserving core product value.”

Ready to build your winter bundles?

Use this playbook to test one bundle this week. Start with a cozy hot-water bottle or a smart lamp partner — both have shown strong demand in late 2025 and early 2026. Track AOV lift and attach rate, then iterate. Want our customizable bundle templates and email copy? Click the button on your dashboard to download the free bundle kit or contact our merchandising team to set up a pilot promotion.

Call-to-action: Launch one bundle in the next 7 days — pick your accessory, price the set, and enable a cart upsell. Test, scale, and watch AOV climb.

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