#13 Cross-Selling & Upselling

The credo for this weeks edition is simple: maximize the AOV by increasing the items per order! By suggesting complementary products at the right moment, you can increase their order value and, ultimately, your profit.

There is a strong correlation between AOV and the number of purchases a customer makes after that order. The higher the AOV, the more orders will follow. It's that simple. Increasing AOV is therefore an incremental growth driver.

As a first step it's of course important to track the purchase behavior of your customers in order to be able to leverage cross-selling opportunities. Therefore, you should answer the following questions:

1) What products do your customers naturally tend to buy together?

→ Find out with our Cross-Selling Analysis

2) What products are currently trending on your site and generating high click-through rates on your collection pages?

→ Find out with our Merchandise Optimization product performance tracking!

3) Which products are often bought as follow-ups to a specific product purchase?

→ Find out with our Follow-up Purchases Analysis

Winning Cross-Selling Strategies

Cross-selling recommendations can be implemented in many different ways. Too many recommendations can overwhelm customers, so it’s best to limit choices to a maximum of three products at once.

Product Recommendations

One natural way to cross-sell is by showcasing products your customers simply want to add to their order. Placing cross-sell recommendations strategically can make a significant impact. Here are a few best practices:

1. On the Product Page

Showcasing additional products on the product detail page is the perfect placement for alternatives to the product (in case the user is not decided yet) or add-ons that customers often bought together with product – helping customers make more informed decisions:

🔎 Seen at brumate.com

2. In a Cart Drawer Message

After a customer already decided on a product and adds it to their cart, the cart drawer is the perfect spot for items that naturally pair with the product, e.g. items that “complete the look”:

🔎 Seen at nimbleactivewear.com

3. At Checkout

At checkout, consider offering smaller, affordable items that require minimal decision-making, making it easy for customers to add these last-minute items to their order:

🔎 Seen at piquelife.com

4. After the Checkout 

Post-purchase, you can still cross-sell through the order confirmation page or follow-up email campaigns. To encourage quick action, create urgency with limited-time offers, prompting customers to adjust their order promptly.

Tips for Success

No matter what strategies you use, it's important to take advantage of a shopper's impulse buying behavior. As a rule of thumb, consider the following:

• High-ticket products that cost >15% of the main item will sell better if displayed on the product page or cart drawer

• Pitch low-cost products and smaller items that cost 10% of the main product at the checkout page or after the checkout

Product Bundles

Product bundles are another smart way to increase the number of items per order. Here are some effective bundling techniques:

• Complementary Packages: Combine products that work well together and offer them at a bundled price lower than if sold separately.

• Mixed Popularity Bundles: Pair slower-selling items with bestsellers to improve sell-through rates, often discounting the lesser-performing product in the process.

• Limited-Time Bundles: Promote bundles or multipacks only during specific occasions or as seasonal offers to create urgency.

🔎 Seen at rhodeskin.com

Order Thresholds

A minimum sales incentive is a great way to motivate higher spending. Motivate higher spending by setting minimum order values to unlock benefits. To maximize visibility:

• Place order threshold offers prominently on product and checkout pages.

• Use interactive displays that show the remaining amount needed to qualify for the deal.

• Consider popular incentives like free shipping or gifts with purchase. Learn here how to set these thresholds right.

🔎 Seen at kachava.com

Demonstrate a Use Case

Even with well-targeted recommendations, customers may need a nudge to understand the added value of an additional product. Showcase practical examples or scenarios that demonstrate how complementary products work together, helping customers visualize the benefit.

🔎 Seen at dermalogica.com

Use Social Proof

Build trust through product reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content. Seeing other customers enjoying recommended products boosts credibility and can significantly influence purchase decisions, encouraging customers to try additional products with confidence.

🔎 Seen at aimn.com

That’s it for this edition!