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Upsell & Cross-Sell
Why This Matters
Acquiring a new customer costs 5–7x more than selling to an existing one. Upselling and cross-selling increase your average order value without increasing your customer acquisition cost.
Upselling means offering a better version ('Want the premium model?'). Cross-selling means offering related products ('People also bought...'). Both work because the customer is already in buying mode.
Amazon attributes 35% of its revenue to cross-selling. If it works for them, it works for you.
What You'll Do
Set up product recommendation widgets on your product pages, cart page, and post-purchase page.
How To Do It
How to Set Up "Frequently Bought Together" and Post-Purchase Upsells
This takes about 45 minutes. Upselling and cross-selling can increase your average order value by 10-30% with almost no extra effort once set up.
1. Map your product relationships (15 min)
Before installing any app, think through which products naturally go together. Create a simple spreadsheet with columns: Product, Upsell (premium version), Cross-sell (complementary product), Bundle Option.
Examples: - Yoga mat → Upsell: premium thick mat. Cross-sell: carrying strap, cleaning spray. Bundle: "Starter Kit" (mat + block + strap at 15% off). - Phone case → Upsell: premium leather case. Cross-sell: screen protector, wireless charger. Bundle: "Protection Pack."
The key: every recommendation must make logical sense. Random suggestions feel spammy and hurt conversion.
2. Set up "Frequently Bought Together" on product pages (10 min)
Install the Frequently Bought Together app (Shopify) or equivalent plugin for your platform. Configure it to show 2-3 complementary products below the Add to Cart button, Amazon-style. Enable the bundle discount: "Buy all three and save 10%." This widget typically adds $5-15 to average order value.
3. Set up cart page cross-sells (10 min)
On your cart page, show 2-3 recommended add-ons below the cart items. These should be low-priced impulse buys ($5-15) that complement what is already in the cart. Think: gift wrapping, express shipping upgrade, travel-size versions, or accessories. The cart page is high-intent — the customer has already decided to buy, so a relevant add-on converts well.
4. Set up post-purchase upsells (10 min)
Install ReConvert or Bold Upsell to customize your thank-you page. After checkout, the customer sees a one-click offer for a related product at a discount. Since they have already entered their payment info, there is zero friction to add another item. Post-purchase upsells typically convert at 5-15% — meaning 1 in 10 customers adds something extra.
Best post-purchase offers: - Discounted subscription conversion: "Love it? Subscribe and save 15%" - Complementary product at 20% off: "Add a [product] for just $X" - Quantity discount: "Want another one? Add a second for 25% off"
5. Test and optimize (ongoing)
After 2 weeks of data, check which upsell/cross-sell offers are converting. Remove anything with a 0% take rate and replace it. A/B test different discount levels — sometimes 10% off converts as well as 20% off, saving you margin.
By the end of this step, you should have:
- Product relationship map documenting upsells, cross-sells, and bundles for your catalog
- "Frequently Bought Together" widget installed and configured on product pages
- Post-purchase upsell offers configured on the thank-you page
Recommended Tools
ReConvert
Post-purchase upsell funnels for Shopify. Customize your thank-you page to drive immediate repeat purchases.
Free up to 49 orders/mo
Try ReConvertFrequently Bought Together
Amazon-style product bundles for Shopify. Simple setup, proven to increase AOV.
$9.99/mo
Try Frequently Bought TogetherBold Upsell
Pre and post-purchase upsell offers. Pop-up and in-page offers with A/B testing.
From $9.99/mo
Try Bold UpsellPro Tips
- 1Keep upsell recommendations relevant. Random product suggestions feel spammy and hurt conversion.
- 2Offer bundle discounts: 'Buy all three for 15% off.' Bundles increase AOV and perceived value simultaneously.
- 3Test post-purchase upsells — after checkout, the friction of entering payment info is gone, so conversion rates are higher.