Mastering upselling on Shopify: A step-by-step guide

Written by: Guest Blog

Published: Mar 6, 2024

10 minutes read

Ultimate guide to shopify checkout customizations

For Shopify store owners, revenue growth and increasing AOV are almost always top priorities. One tactic that can help is upselling. When done right, it convinces customers to buy a more expensive or better version of a product.

That’s why upselling is the perfect addition to complete a well-rounded e-commerce growth strategy.

This guide will show you how to upsell on Shopify, from finding prime opportunities to crafting irresistible offers. We’ll walk you through proven strategies that will elevate your sales and enhance your customers' shopping experience. If you're a Shopify store owner who wants to earn more, this guide is your step-by-step plan for upselling success.

Ready to transform your approach and see significant results? Keep scrolling to discover how.

Understanding the basics: What is upselling?

Upselling prompts customers to upgrade their purchases to more premium, costly items.

In a storefront, this might look like a salesperson persuading you to purchase a higher-end model of a product you're interested in.

For example, to upsell tech products, you might suggest someone looking at a simple laptop buy a more powerful one instead.

Online stores like Shopify emulate this approach but with features native to the digital landscape.

Instead of a pushy salesman, online upsells utilize strategically placed product recommendations. This nudges the customer to consider pricier alternatives.

Let’s see what this looks like in practice.

Upsell page example: Remarkable

Remarkable uses upselling strategies on its product page. This encourages customers to buy a pricier “Book Folio” over the standard “Folio” product.

Source: Remarkable

This page uses the following tactics to upsell:

The product description highlights a key advantage of the premium version. It keeps your Remarkable tablet safe even while you're using it.
The premium choice (the Book Folio) and the high-end material (Black leather) are pre-selected when you visit the page. This setup requires shoppers to actively select the less expensive Folio if they want it. Thus making them think twice before choosing the cheaper option.
The FAQ accordion addresses questions buyers may have when choosing the premium product over the regular Folio.

This method might seem like it's just smart selling, but it's much more – upselling is a science. It mixes information about how customers act, product performance, and sales trends to find the best chance to sell more.

Cross selling vs upselling

Alongside upselling, is cross-selling, a sister-strategy often confused with upselling.

It's important to know the differences between these strategies to learn how to use both cross-selling and upselling effectively!

Because, while both tactics aim to increase sales, their execution varies significantly.

Upselling, as we’ve just discussed, encourages customers to buy a higher-end product or add-on features. The goal is to make the customer see the added value in the upgraded product option, even at a higher price point.

In contrast, cross-selling prompts customers to purchase items related to their initial selection.

Let’s see what cross-selling looks like in practice for Shopify brands.

Cross sell page example: Loop

One brand on Shopify that has successfully implemented cross-selling techniques is Loop.

During the checkout process for the Quiet earplugs, a complementary cross-sell is introduced: the Loop Link.

Source: Loop

This cross-sell uses copy to help to explain why the Loop Link is the perfect add-on to a customer’s original purchase. They do this by highlighting the benefit: “Loop Link keeps your earplugs close in safety and style.”

Now that we’ve seen these strategies applied separately, let’s check out how you can use upselling and cross-selling together on your Shopify product pages.

Upsell and cross-sell page example: Raycon

Raycon uses both upselling and cross-selling techniques on its “Everyday Earbuds” product page.

Source: Raycon

Here’s how Raycon tries to upsell shoppers:

Product placement: Adding the premium product next to the original product.
Highlighting benefits: Pointing out a specific benefit of the premium product (“75% more battery life”).
Discount code: This helps convince customers that even if they buy the pricier option - they will still be getting a deal.

In addition to their upselling tactics, Raycon has added a cross-sell option: their “Memory Foam Tips.”

By combining upselling and cross-selling, Raycon makes a strong case for shoppers to spend more in its online store.

Upsell and cross-sell page example: Ekster

Ekster is another brand on Shopify that has used a combination of upsell and cross-sell tactics on its product pages.

Source: Ekster

Ekster uses personalization as an upselling strategy, by offering engraving for a $15 upcharge.

In addition to their personalization options, their product page also shows an option to “Add a Tracker Card” for an additional $36.

This cross-sell opportunity is made even more attractive with the 40% discount applied to the Tracker card product.

This combination of tactics will help Ekster increase its AOV, a great example that other Shopify stores can imitate.

Knowing how these two strategies work is critical when designing your Shopify store pages.

Unveiling the benefits of upselling on Shopify

Now that we've looked at examples of upselling in action, let's explore the tangible benefits it brings to store owners.

Increasing Average Order Value: The upselling effect

Upselling ensures Shopify store owners aren't just making more sales but better sales. By convincing shoppers to buy pricier items or add-ons, you can increase your store's average order value (AOV).

In simpler terms, AOV is the average amount each customer spends on your store during a purchase.

Advocating increased customer lifetime value

Turning one-time shoppers into repeat customers is a powerful strategy, and upselling on Shopify can help you achieve it.

Upselling not only improves the instant sale value but can also increase the customer lifetime value (LTV). LTV is a prediction of the net profit attributed to the entire future relationship with a customer.

LTV is no small metric to consider; the higher the customer LTV, the more valuable each customer is to your business over time.

The benefits of upselling on Shopify make it a great strategy for merchants to implement.

Let’s dive into the basics of how to implement your upselling strategy.

How to upsell on Shopify: Getting started

Step 1: Identifying upsell opportunities

Upselling stems from the potential within your product offerings. A first step towards effective upselling is identifying which products serve as an upgrade or complement to others.

Imagine selling a camera; a natural upsell could be a superior model. You can look at your sales trends and customer feedback to gauge potential upsell products.

Understanding your customers is another key factor in identifying upsell opportunities.

This involves studying their purchasing patterns, interests, and responses to past upsell offers.

Knowing your customers well will help you to refine your upselling strategies, making them more focused and likely to work.

Step 2: Creating upsell offers

Once you identify your upsell products, you must craft your offer.

Effective upsell offers balance both the value proposition and pricing.

Creating a compelling narrative of why the upsell product is worth the extra cost is imperative. This might rely on the product’s superior quality, increased efficiency, or other tangible benefits.

Price is a significant determinant of successful upselling. It's vital to optimally price upsell products, ensuring they remain attractive to customers. Too high, and customers might balk at the increased cost; too low, and you could eat into your profit margins.

Step 3: Leveraging Shopify upsell apps to boost sales

With your upsell offers ready to go, the next step involves bringing your strategy to life on Shopify.

Shopify offers a variety of features that enable sellers to promote and upsell products effectively.

For instance, sellers can showcase upsell products on product pages, check-out pages, or in shopping cart views. This nudges customers towards higher-value purchases.

Additionally, Shopify integrates with third-party apps that can further refine your upselling strategy.

For example, using the Instant Page Builder app, you could create custom product page sections to highlight the details of your upsell product. Then, you could use Qikify’s Upsell & Cross-sell app to add your upsell offer to encourage customers to buy more!

This step-by-step process provides a guide to mastering upselling techniques. But remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to upselling on Shopify. You need to craft a strategy that fits your business's specific needs.

Why upselling is crucial for your Shopify store

When upselling is done well, it’s a win-win for customers and for Shopify store owners. This is because it improves the shopping experience for customers, which will keep them coming back. Plus, when customers start to see better and more relevant products, your AOV will increase. This paves the way for sustained revenue growth for your business.

Upselling and its influence on customer retention

Upselling is not only effective in financial terms but is also an invaluable tool for achieving customer loyalty. If you offer customers great products that match what they need, this makes their shopping better and keeps them happy.

Positive experiences often translate into repeat purchases, boosting your customer retention rates. Good upselling tactics seamlessly address customers' needs. They also help keep customers coming back and build lasting relationships with them.

How upselling improves customer purchase experience

A well-executed Shopify upsell strategy enhances your customer’s purchase experience. When done right, customers can view upselling as a service rather than a sales tactic.

This happens because when upselling works well, it's usually because suggestions are made that fit what the customer likes. In this way, upselling makes the shopping experience customized, effortless, and more enjoyable. In this sense, upselling becomes a facilitator for improved customer satisfaction and engagement.

Upselling, functions as a mutually beneficial strategy. While your Shopify store's profits will rise, your customers will get a personalized shopping journey.

Conclusion

The foundation of a successful upselling on Shopify strategy involves:

Scrutinizing your product catalog
Identifying high- and low-performing items
Strategically aligning these products

Remember, personalized product recommendations are not just useful, but crucial.

When done right, upselling can be a game-changer for your Shopify store. It helps you to nurture loyal customers, boost your AOV, and grow your revenue.

So, how are you going to amplify your Shopify store profits using upselling strategies? Start by reviewing your offering, zeroing in on products, and crafting your add-on strategies around them. Make your customer experiences seamless, catering exactly to their needs and desires.

Are you ready to maximize your Shopify store potential through upselling? Because in the world of e-commerce, going that extra mile for your customers is not just appreciated... it's expected.

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About The Author

Rebecca Anderson
Rebecca Anderson is the Content Marketing Manager at Instant, a no-code, all-visual Shopify page builder. Instant enables users to create high-converting pages and sections. Simplify your design process with Instant's drag-and-drop functionality, customizable templates, and mobile-friendly compatibility. Instant aims to accelerate the launch of online stores by eliminating technical barriers.