Cross Sell vs Upsell: Understanding the Difference

Have you wondered how businesses skyrocket their sales while keeping customers happy?

It all boils down to the art of strategic selling and that’s where knowing the difference between a cross sell vs upsell can drive your strategy.

But what exactly is the upsell vs cross sell debate, and how can they fit into your business strategy?

In this blog post, we define and cover the key differences between an upsell and a cross sell and aim to inspire you with examples so you can sell your way to better profits.

Cross selling is about persuading customers to buy additional products or services related to what they originally intended to buy. It’s a sales technique used to increase the average transaction value by offering add-on or related products.

For example, when buying a smartphone, you can encourage customers to purchase a protective case, screen protector, and a portable charger.

Here are some examples of successful cross selling examples to inspire you.

Tentree uses a cart drawer cross selling approach where when a customer adds a t-shirt to their cart they are shown additional related products like a festival hat and quarter socks. These products are chosen to complement the original purchase and complete the outfit.

The festival hat and quarter socks are presented as products that go with the t-shirt, so the customer can see the outfit come together. This relevance makes the customer more likely to see value in buying these extra products, especially with the $20 discount on the hat.

To make the buying process even smoother, Tentree has a “quick add” button next to each cross sell product in the cart drawer. This allows customers to add the extra products to their cart with one click, reducing friction and making the decision easier.

On Wayfair's product page for faux leather fabric, customers will find a "Compatible Products" section below the main product details. This curated list highlights items that complement the original product.

For example, the section showcases a sewing kit and a sewing machine. These are essential tools for any DIY project involving faux leather. By featuring these items, Wayfair helps customers identify everything they need to complete their projects, all in one place.

Wayfair's approach allows customers to browse these additional products without leaving the current page. This not only helps them make more informed purchasing decisions but also encourages them to add more items to their cart.

Each product in the Compatible Products section comes with an “Add to Cart” button, enabling customers to effortlessly expand their orders with just one click. This setup not only enhances the user experience but also encourages impulse buying, ultimately boosting sales.

Below the product details on Amazon product pages, the Frequently Bought Together section shows other items that are often bought with the main product. 

In this example of a facial device kit for sculpting, Amazon suggests related products like a smoothing starter kit and a peptide booster, all from the same brand.

If a customer is looking to add to their skincare routine with the facial device, they will be interested in the smoothing starter kit and peptide booster for overall skincare benefits.

Amazon also often highlights that the suggested items are on sale or have special promotions like discounts or bundled pricing. This gives the customer more reason to buy the whole set of recommended products and see the total value they are getting compared to buying each item separately.

Upselling is when you get the customer to buy a more expensive version, upgraded or premium version of the product or service they were going to buy in the first place. 

Like cross selling, it’s a sales tactic to increase the overall transaction value.
For example, a customer wants to buy a basic laptop and you get them to upgrade to a model with higher specs.

Businesses gain a boost in short-term sales revenue with upselling but they can also drive more customer satisfaction by offering them value they weren’t aware of. 

By highlighting the extra value or benefits of the premium options, you can meet the customer’s needs more comprehensively while maximizing your own profit per sale.

Hence, upselling uses the customer’s existing purchase intent to offer them extras, so it’s a cost-effective way to increase sales without having to acquire new customers.

Here are three upselling examples for you to know.

Shop Ben Greenfield Life uses an upsell strategy to increase customer engagement and sales during his 6-Day Life Optimization Challenge. When users sign up, they are redirected to a landing page for the upsell offer. This page offers the chance to upgrade to VIP Access.

IP Access includes private Q&A sessions with Ben Greenfield during the challenge. The landing page says the regular price for these sessions is $894 but users can get them for $27. 90% off is a pretty attractive deal.

The landing page keeps saying this offer is only available on this page so users feel like they’re getting a special, time-sensitive deal.

Moonpig’s card in cart upgrade is a great upsell tactic that gets customers to choose a bigger card than they originally selected. Once a card is chosen, Moonpig asks customers if they want to upgrade the card. The options are Standard Card, Large Card or Giant Card.

The price to upgrade is shown in pounds so customers easily know what they’re paying extra. Upgrading is made easy. Customers can choose the card size they want and then move on.

Throughout the process, the customer has the final say.

Deliveroo’s meal upgrades for upselling are designed to add to the customer’s ordering experience by showing relevant extras for the items they’ve chosen. 

When customers choose an individual item from a restaurant menu, like McDonald’s, they see a list to pick from.

For example, if you order a McDonald’s bacon roll with brown sauce, you have the option to add extras like bacon, an extra sausage patty, or an additional slice of cheddar cheese. 

Each extra shows the additional price and calories. That’s so customers can decide based on budget and diet.

The available extras or “upgrades” vary depending on what they’ve chosen, so customers can customize to taste. That’s more of the dining experience brought through the app, which is a great personalization tactic too.

It’s essential to know the difference between upselling and cross selling. Both increase your earnings potential but are different in their approach. Here’s how and when to use each.

Upselling means selling a customer a more expensive or upgraded version of what they were already looking at. The goal is to add value to one sale.

For example, if a customer is buying a basic laptop, an upsell would be a higher model with more specifications like improved graphics cards or more RAM for more money. You’re showing them the value of the more expensive thing.

Cross selling means selling additional products to what’s already being bought. The goal is to sell more items.

For example, if a customer is buying a smartphone, a cross sell would be a case, screen protector, or wireless earbuds. You’re adding to the original purchase.

Consider the following factors when you choose between the two strategies for your business.

Mastering these strategies can significantly impact your business and enhance your sales team's approach.

Picking the right sales strategy is crucial for maximizing your revenue. Understanding the distinction between upselling and cross-selling is vital: