5
min read

Cross-selling and up-selling in your Onlineshop

Published on
July 27, 2023

Both cross-selling and up-selling are two effective ways to increase the average shopping cart value of your online shop. In this blog we will discuss what these techniques are, what the difference is between them, how they can boost sales, as well as some best practices when carrying out these strategies.

What are these sales techniques all about?

Cross-selling is a sales technique in which a seller suggests an additional product to the customer during the purchase process, usually related to their original purchase. The key word here is an additional product, usually this product is complementary or related to the original product.

Up-selling is a sales technique in which the seller encourages the customer to upgrade or buy an enhanced version of their desired product or service for a higher price. The key word here is an upgrade, because this is an upgraded version of the original product.

What is the difference between cross-selling and up-selling?

The main difference between cross-selling and up-selling is that cross-selling involves suggesting additional products that are related to the customer's original purchase while up-selling involves encouraging customers to upgrade their current purchase with a more expensive option.

Cross-selling in an online store includes providing customers with additional options that may be relevant to them, increasing total revenue, and potentially leading to repeat purchases from satisfied customers. Conversely, up-selling in an online store includes increasing average order values by offering customers more expensive options and creating opportunities for businesses to increase profit margins on certain items or services they offer.

How can these techniques help to increase cart value?

Effective implementation of cross-selling can help increase average shopping cart value by suggesting supplementary items at checkout that are relevant and useful for customers, such as accessories or add-ons which compliment their original purchase decision, thus driving up total value per order over multiple purchases within one transaction session.

The effective implementation of up-selling can help increase average shopping cart value by offering higher priced products than those originally considered by customers at checkout, such as more advanced versions of the same item/service they were looking at or improved variations thereof; this encourages shoppers to spend more money instead of settling for cheaper options due to limited selection possibilities available otherwise on site.

What are some best practices to keep in mind?

Several companies are thriving with these strategies, like Amazon who offer product recommendations when you view your cart or check out. Another example is online clothing stores that suggest accessories, or even luxury items related to your current selection or items in your cart.

Some best practices when it comes to up selling involve:

  • Being sensitive towards pricing discrepancies between different tiers (eg: basic vs premium) so that customers do not feel like they’re being taken advantage off via exploitative tactics like high pressure selling etc.
  • Ensuring that any upgrades offered actually add tangible value beyond just price in terms of features & performance improvements etc., so as not seem like nothing more than empty promises from business end side regarding promised offerings post completion transaction process.
  • Understanding your customers' requirements to ensure they receive the perfect balance of options - not too many, but not too few - at each point along their visit, from landing page to product detail page right through to check out.

Takeaway

Both cross-selling and up-selling can increase the customer's cart value, enhance their customer experience and thus loyalty.

It's time to get started now that you understand cross-selling and how it can enhance your average order size and income!

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