Shopify Cart Upsell: 3 Ways to Boost AOV With Cart Upselling

Shopify cart upsell has always been regarded as a battleground for securing extra revenue just before customers hit pay. But do you know the 3 incredibly powerful ways to ensure they can’t ignore your product suggestions? 

In this article, I’ll disclose 3 explosive techniques, guide you step-by-step on applying them to your store, and reveal strategic tricks to push your average order value to the top without annoying customers.

1. What Is a Shopify Cart Upsell & Why It Works

If you’re running an online store, you’ve probably heard about ways to boost sales without much extra effort. One powerful strategy is the Shopify cart upsell, a technique that encourages customers to add more items to their cart right before they check out. 

Essentially, a cart upsell is a suggestion or offer that pops up while a shopper is reviewing their cart, just before they finalize their purchase. What makes a Shopify in-cart upsell so effective is how smoothly it fits into the shopping experience:

• It doesn’t interrupt the checkout but slides in smoothly while you’re double-checking your cart.
• It works with that “might as well add this” feeling, making it super easy to toss in one more item.
• It’s often simpler to bump up the order value here than earlier, because the customer’s already in buying mode.
• It shows up in just the right spots – like the cart drawer, cart page, or even a well-timed popup – so they’re hard to miss.

💡 Pro Tips: There are many ways you can upsell on Shopify, each suitable for a specific type of business. Discover 9 ways to upsell on Shopify here.

2. How to Do Cart Upsells on Shopify (No Code Needed)

If you don’t have coding skills, using an app is the only way to create effective cart upsells on Shopify. Fortunately, with the right app, it’s quick and easy. There are 3 main ways to show upsell offers to customers using an app: 

2.1 Trigger Upsell Offers Based On Cart Items 

A trigger-based Shopify upsell offer is a strategic pop-up that automatically appears when customers meet specific conditions during their shopping journey. These smart triggers activate based on:

• Adding a specific product to the cart – e.g., if the customer adds Product A, an upsell offer is shown.
• Reaching a cart value threshold – e.g., if the cart total exceeds $50, a special deal pops up.

This type of upselling is incredibly effective because it targets customers at the perfect moment when they’re already in a buying mindset. The timing feels natural rather than pushy, and the offers appear contextually relevant to what they’re already purchasing. It’s an excellent way to increase average order value while providing genuine value to customers who are ready to spend.

One exceptional app for creating these trigger-based upsells is BOGOS (4.9 ★ with 2,000+ reviews), a comprehensive Shopify upsell app that makes setting up intelligent offers incredibly simple, even for e-commerce beginners. This all-in-one platform also lets you create free gift campaigns, product bundles, and smart discount offers – all without needing any coding skills.

With BOGOS, you can set precise triggers based on cart values, specific products, or customer behavior, ensuring your upsell offers feel perfectly timed and relevant. The app integrates seamlessly with cart drawers, product pages, and checkout flows, giving you complete flexibility to maximize revenue at every customer touchpoint.

Other than cart upselling, BOGOS offers many powerful tools for Shopify merchants to upsell on Shopify. You can discover BOGOS’s upselling feeatures here.

Getting started with BOGOS for a Shopify cart upsell is simple and requires no technical skills. Follow these steps to create your first pop-up offer: 

Step 1: Go to BOGOS.io > All Offers > Create Offer

Choose “Create manually.” Click Create offer.

Step 2: Fill in the offer information and trigger conditions

Name your offer and set a start time. Then add a main condition.

• To trigger by cart value, choose Cart Value Condition.
• To trigger when a specific product is in the cart, choose Specific Product Condition.

You can add a sub-condition if you want this offer to apply to a specific customer group (like location, link, tag, ect)

👉 Read more: How to Apply Automatic Discounts for Specific Customers on Shopify?

Step 3: Configure the upsell product (this will show in the popup)

Scroll to the “Select Gifts” section.

• Set Gift Discount Type to either a percentage (e.g. 20% off) or fixed amount (e.g. $5 off).
• Enter the number of gifts the customer can receive.
• Then click Select Gifts and choose 2 or more products to appear in the popup. If you only want to show 1 product, that’s fine too, just don’t set the discount to 100%. It’ll be shown at full price, which works well for upgrades or limited editions.

Step 4: Customize the Gift Slider Popup

Go to BOGOS.io > Customize > Gift Slider.

In this section, you can customize the pop-up’s appearance to match your Shopify store’s style. Under Text, enter a headline—such as “You Might Need These Too” or “Complete Your Setup”—to make the offer feel both helpful and engaging. You can also tweak the Add to Cart button label for a more branded call-to-action.

This is the result after setting up:

Best Practices:

• Avoid using generic headlines like “Special Offer”: These don’t tell the shopper why they should care. Instead, write benefit-focused headlines like “Complete Your Setup” or “Add This to Maximize Value.”
• Limit choice to avoid distraction: Don’t overload the popup with too many products – 1 to 3 relevant options keep focus and increase clicks.
• Stack offers without confusion: If running multiple deals (e.g., free shipping + upsell), set offer priority and allow stacking to avoid conflicts and missed conversions.

2.2 Add-Ons Section in the Cart Drawer

Another effective way to implement a Shopify cart upsell is through an add-ons section directly in the cart drawer. This feature displays product suggestions under a header like “You May Also Like” when customers view their cart. It’s perfect for recommending related items, such as accessories, bundles, or frequently bought together products. 

This method works better when you combine it with a progress bar. For example, show “Spend $20 more to get a free gift” — as customers add more, they see the bar move. 

UpCart (4.8 ★ with 690+ reviews) is a powerful Shopify cart upsell app designed for this purpose. The app is incredibly easy to use with its drag-and-drop interface, requiring no coding knowledge at all. It automatically shows relevant add-on products when a customer opens their cart, enhancing the shopping experience. 

Follow these steps to launch your add-ons section with UpCart:

Step 1: Open the Cart Editor and Enable Upsells

• Click Cart Editor from the left sidebar.
• Scroll down to the Upsells section and click Activate. Upsells must be active before any changes can be previewed or saved.

Step 2: Choose Between AI or Manual Upsells

#1 Use AI upsells

To automate the upsell process, utilize Shopify’s product recommendation engine.

• Check the box for Use AI-recommended upsells.

• In the Recommendation Algorithm dropdown, choose:
  • Related to suggest similar items. This requires products to share at least one collection.
  • Complementary to show add-ons or accessories. This option must be manually configured via Shopify’s Search & Discovery app.
• Enable Smart variant matching to auto-select color, size, or other variants that match what’s already in the cart. For example, if a shopper adds a blue shirt, the upsell will default to blue pants (if available).

This setup is quick, scalable, and ideal for large catalogs where manual curation isn’t practical.

#2 Configure Manual Upsells (Full Control)

If you prefer to choose specific upsells for each product, turn off the AI option and build your own rules.

• Disable the Use AI recommended upsells > Click Configure Manual Upsells.
• Click Add New Upsell to create a trigger-offer pair.

• Under Trigger Product, choose:
  • Specific Trigger: if you want the upsell to appear only when a selected product is in the cart.
  • All Products should have the upsell to appear for any item in the cart.
• Under Upsell Product, click Add Upsell Product and select what you want to promote.

You can add multiple rules. For example, if a customer adds “The Hidden Snowboard,” you can suggest “The Multi-location Snowboard” as an upgrade.

Step 3: Customize the Upsell Display Settings

Decide how many upsells to show, whether to allow duplicates, and if product reviews should appear. You can also edit the title, button label, and choose the layout (carousel or grid) and position (top or bottom) in the cart drawer. Keep it simple to avoid clutter!

Step 4: Preview and Save

On the right, you’ll see a live preview of the upsells inside the cart drawer. Once you’re happy with the setup, click Save to publish your changes.

Best Practices:

• Use clear, benefit-focused labels. Instead of just “Add-On,” try headers like “Complete Your Order” or “You Might Also Need This.”
• Avoid decision fatigue. Only display one add-on at a time — too many options can overwhelm shoppers and reduce conversions.
• Keep descriptions short and to the point. Customers won’t read a paragraph — one sentence that highlights the value is enough.

2.3 Cart Page Upselling 

A cart page upsell is a strategic offer that appears when customers navigate to their cart page to review items before checkout. This approach displays relevant product suggestions or deals directly on the cart page, catching shoppers at a crucial decision-making moment.

This upselling method works exceptionally well because customers are already committed to purchasing and reviewing their total spend. It’s the perfect psychological moment to present complementary items or upgrades that enhance their original purchase. Unlike intrusive popups, cart page upsells feel like helpful suggestions, making decisions feel logical rather than impulsive.

To create these effective cart page upsells, Shopify merchants should consider BOGOS, a powerful all-in-one promotion app that seamlessly integrates upsell offers directly into your cart page. With BOGOS, you can set up smart product recommendations and bundle deals that appear naturally within your cart layout, encouraging customers to add more value without disrupting their shopping experience.

To create this cart page upsell offer with the BOGOS app, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Create an upsell pop-up triggered by cart value or specific product conditions (As in the 2.1 section)
• Step 2: Navigate to Customize Dashboard > Gift Widget > Gift Slider
• Step 3: Choose Page Display > Choose Cart page.

3. High-Converting Cart Upsell Strategies for Your Shopify Store

Cart upsells are one of the fastest ways to grow your AOV on Shopify when you have effective strategies. This section will break down high-converting tactics you can apply right away.

Match Offers with Intent

Start by matching your upsell to what the customer actually wants. 

• Use popups for higher-ticket items that can carry bigger promos (BOGO, bundles, upgrades).
• Use cart add-ons for cheap, useful extras people often forget, like chargers or cleaning wipes. 
• Avoid mixing the two. Too many offers at the same time just clutter the cart and confuse shoppers.

Trigger-Based Personalization

This means showing upsell offers based on what the shopper is doing in real time: what they add to their cart, how much they’re spending, or how they behave on your site. It’s a smarter way to upsell because it responds to intent, not guesswork.

There are a few common (and effective) ways to set triggers:

• Trigger by product: Show a related item when a specific product is added, like a phone case when someone buys a phone. It’s highly targeted and feels personal.
• Trigger by cart value: Encourage shoppers to spend a bit more: “Add $10 for free shipping” or “Spend $75, get a free gift.” It’s a proven way to push AOV higher.
• Triggered by time spent or behavior: If a shopper hesitates or lingers on an item, use that moment to drop in a relevant upsell.
• Trigger by category or collection: Suggest accessories when someone adds anything from a specific category, like gym gear with activewear.

Visual Hierarchy

This is a very important consideration as a stunning presentation can make or break your Shopify in cart upsell. Your call-to-action (CTA) needs to be the star of the show. Just think about a blazing “Grab This Now!” button in a bold color that screams “click me.” 

You can layer on urgency with badges like “Hot Deal!” or “Only 3 Left!” to ignite that fear of missing out, but time them right so they don’t feel spammy. 

A/B Test Regularly

As we all know, a successful Shopify cart upsell strategy should be backed by data, not gut feeling. That means running regular A/B tests to see what actually gets clicks, adds, and conversions.

Here’s what you should be testing:

• Popup placement: Try a cart drawer vs. full-screen popup – see which grabs more attention.
• CTA wording: “Add to Cart” vs. “Get This Deal” vs. “Yes, I Want This” – small changes can shift behavior.
• Offer type: Test discounts vs. free gifts, or bundles vs. single items.
• Timing: Show upsells right after product add-to-cart or when they open the cart drawer.

To run tests effectively, use apps like:

• NA Product + Upsell A/B Testing – Built for running real A/B tests on upsells, product suggestions, and layouts.
• UpCart – Offers built-in metrics tracking for popups, add-ons, and cart performance.
• ReConvert – Great for testing post-purchase upsells and thank-you page offers.

Track key metrics like:

• View rate – How often the upsell is seen
• Add-to-cart rate – How often it’s clicked
• Conversion rate – How many shoppers go through with the purchase

Test regularly, learn what works, and double down. That’s how you turn a basic Shopify in cart upsell into a revenue-driving machine.

4. 5 Inspiring Shopify Cart Upsell Examples with Sleek & User-Friendly Design

Here are 5 Shopify stores that do a great job with Shopify cart upsell. Each one presents a clear design and upsell placement to make the cart feel useful to some extent. Hopefully, these real examples will give you fresh ideas to improve your own Shopify in cart upsell.

Glossier

Glossier integrates upselling directly into the cart drawer using a progress bar. As soon as you add an item, a clean visual bar appears, showing how close you are to unlocking free shipping or a free gift. It’s subtle, visually on-brand, and creates a natural incentive to increase order value without interrupting the shopping flow.

What you can learn from them:

• Use a progress bar to show shoppers how close they are to rewards
• Keep upsell visuals minimal and on-brand
• Tie upsells to cart value milestones (e.g., free shipping at $40)

Gymshark

Gymshark uses a horizontal product carousel inside the cart drawer to suggest add-ons under a “You Might Also Like” section. Size selection is built directly into the upsell block, allowing customers to add items instantly without leaving the cart. The layout is compact, fast, and designed for quick decision-making.

What you can learn from them:

• Use a carousel to display multiple upsell products without overwhelming the cart
• Allow variant selection (e.g., size) inside the cart for frictionless add-to-cart
• Position upsells immediately next to cart items for better visibility
  

Joseph Joseph

Joseph Joseph highlights complementary products in the cart drawer with a clean, space-conscious layout. When a shopper adds something like a dish rack or storage box, the cart suggests a matching item that naturally pairs with the original purchase. The upsell appears as a quiet side panel with only essential details: image, price, and CTA.

What you can learn from them:

• Focus on product relevance over quantity (recommend what makes sense)
• Keep the upsell presentation minimal and non-intrusive
• Use product-specific rules to surface logical pairings

Gloxie

Gloxie turns upselling into a rewards experience by showing a tiered progress bar in the cart. Shoppers see exactly what benefits they’ve unlocked (free shipping, express upgrades, and bonus gifts) as their order value increases. The design feels fun, branded, and creates a sense of momentum.

What you can learn from them:

• Gamify your Shopify cart upsell using multi-level reward thresholds
• Show clear visual cues (icons, progress bars) for each unlock
• Stack benefits to encourage larger carts without relying on discounts

Heart & Soil

Heart & Soil uses product-based upselling with tight logic. Once a customer adds a supplement, the cart shows related products that support similar health goals, placed right below the subtotal. Combined with a free shipping bar at the top, the layout delivers both incentive and relevance without feeling cluttered.

What you can learn from them:

• Use cart-based triggers to recommend functionally related products
• Display upsells near the subtotal for optimal visibility
• Combine upsell and shipping incentives in one clean cart layout

5. Conclusion 

I hope that this blog post has helped you see how a Shopify cart upsell can transform your store’s performance. With the two ways to upsell in cart above, I prefer to use popups because they grab attention instantly, especially for bigger deals. And don’t forget that BOGOS.io can be your key assistant. 

. FAQs