How Chubbies Shorts Built a $120M Brand with a Killer Cart Design

When your cart experience hits an 8/10, you're doing something right. That’s exactly what Chubbies Shorts, the $120M lifestyle brand known for their thigh-high energy, has pulled off.

Let’s break down why their cart works—and what you can steal from it to level up your store’s conversions and AOV.

1. The “In-Summary” Upsell: Smart. Subtle. Effective.

Tucked right into the cart summary is a simple product upsell. No flashy banner. No pop-up distraction. Just a clean, relevant suggestion in-line with the order total.

Why it works:

• It's frictionless.

• It feels native to the cart—not salesy.

• It likely lifts AOV quietly and consistently.

Takeaway: Upsells don't have to scream. They just have to show up in the right place, at the right time.

2. Free Shipping Bar: Good, Not Great

Chubbies uses a classic free shipping motivator (“You’re $X away from Free Shipping”), paired with another upsell just beneath it.

That’s solid, but it could be even better.

Improvements:

• Be more specific. What do I get when I hit the free shipping threshold?

• Add a more prominent CTA to “Join the Collective”—their rewards program. Right now, that’s a buried opportunity.

Takeaway: Free shipping is the bait. Make sure the hook is clear and the rewards program is easy to access in-cart.

3. Checkout Block: Strong Finish

This is where Chubbies really flexes.

• Lock icon for trust ✅

• Order summary with tax + shipping estimates ✅

• Inline promo code field ✅

But here’s what would push it from 8/10 to 10/10:

• Add trust badges like “90-Day Free Returns,” “100% Secure Checkout,” etc.

• Reinforce reassurance right before the final click.

Takeaway: The moment before checkout is the most important real estate in eCommerce. Don’t leave it naked—wrap it in trust, clarity, and confidence.

Final Score: 8/10 👏👏👏

Chubbies shows how thoughtful cart design contributes directly to revenue growth. This cart isn’t just pretty—it’s smart, strategic, and clearly built with data and UX in mind.

Is it perfect? Not quite. But it’s good enough to help build a $100M+ brand.

Want to Build a Cart Experience Like This?

If your Shopify store is stuck with a default cart and a broken funnel, QOLOS can help. We audit, optimize, and rebuild high-performing carts that don’t just convert—but scale.

Ready to turn your cart into a revenue driver?

Let’s talk. 👇