Shopify Pre-Purchase Upsell: Best Tactics To Generate More Sales in 2024

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Boosting your sales on Shopify can be as simple as adding a Shopify pre-purchase upsell feature to your store. This tactic allows you to offer customers additional products before they complete their purchase, increasing the average order value.

In this guide, you’ll discover the benefits of pre-purchase upsells, strategic locations and timing to apply them, and the top apps to make it happen. Let’s dive into it now!

1. Pre-Purchase vs. Post-Purchase Upsell on Shopify

A pre-purchase upsell on Shopify is a Shopify upselling strategy where additional products or upgrades are offered to customers before they complete their purchase. This tactic aims to increase the average order value by presenting relevant items or higher-end versions of the selected products.

For example, if a customer adds a coffee maker to their cart, a pre-purchase upsell might suggest adding a set of coffee mugs or a premium coffee bean grinder.

The table below shows the difference between Pre-purchase & post-purchase upsell:

	Pre-purchase upsell	Post-purchase
Timing	Before completing the purchase	After completing the purchase
Location	Product page, cart page, checkout page	Thank-you page, order confirmation page
Customer Mindset	Considering additional items before checkout	Already made the decision, open to more offers
Risk of Abandonment	Higher if offers are too aggressive	Lower, since the initial purchase is complete
Common Offer Types	Product add-ons, upgrades, bundles	Related products, special discounts, loyalty rewards
Conversion Rate	Can impact the original purchase if not balanced	Often higher due to post-purchase impulse buys

 Key Takeaways:

• Pre-Purchase Upsells: These are great for boosting the AOV before a customer finishes their first purchase. Finding the right balance is important so customers don’t feel overwhelmed. 
• Post-Purchase Upsells: These are perfect for adding extra value after a sale since the customer has already bought something. Keep these offers straightforward and timely to prevent any feelings of regret after buying.

2. Benefits of using pre-purchase upsell on Shopify

Pre-purchase orders bring a bunch of benefits to your Shopify business.

Firstly, it significantly boosts your AOV and revenue. By offering relevant add-ons or upgrades before checkout, you make the most of customers’ buying momentum, often more effectively than post-purchase upsells. 

Secondly, these upsells also create awesome cross-selling opportunities, helping customers discover products they might not have thought about. A smart tactic is to offer bundles that complement the main product, such as recommending a stylish backpack and laptop sleeve for a new laptop purchase.

Thirdly, pre-purchase upsells help optimize your marketing spend. Instead of always chasing new customers, focus on getting more value from each visitor to your store. It’s usually cheaper to boost the order value of current customers than to find new ones.

Finally, this strategy enhances customer loyalty. When you recommend great products, you show that you get what they need, turning one-time buyers into loyal repeat customers.

3. Strategic locations and timing to apply Shopify pre-purchase upsell

To maximize the effectiveness of pre-purchase upsell on Shopify, it’s crucial to strategically choose the right locations and timing to present offers to customers. Here are four key strategies to consider:

3.1 Product Pages

Displaying pre-purchase upsell offers on product pages can be highly effective, as customers are already in a buying mindset, and presenting upsell offers on product pages can capitalize on their existing interest.

Tips:

• Use a clear and prominent call-to-action (CTA) to draw attention to the upsell offer.
• Ensure the upsell offer is relevant and complementary to the original product.
• Use social proof, such as customer reviews and ratings, to build trust and credibility.

3.2 Cart Pages

The cart page is a crucial touchpoint for pre-purchase upsells, as customers review their selections before proceeding to checkout.

At this stage, shoppers have demonstrated clear intent to buy. Hence, you ought to offer targeted upsells based on their cart contents, which can increase order value and provide last-minute inspiration. You might suggest popular add-ons, bulk discounts, or premium versions of items already in the cart.

Tips:

• Consider offering a small discount or free shipping to encourage bigger purchases.
• Ensure the upsell offer is relevant and complementary to the products in the cart.
• Use a sense of urgency, like “Hurry! Only a few items left – grab yours before they’re gone!”; “Limited-time offer: Get 20% off your purchase if you buy within the next hour!”

Read more: In-cart Upsell On Shopify: A Detailed Guide to Generate More Sales

3.3 During Checkout

Customers at checkout are committed to making a purchase. Small, relevant additions may feel like a natural extension of their intended buy. Here, you should focus on low-cost, high-value items that go well their purchase. 

Tips:

• Keep checkout upsells minimal and easy to add with a single click.
• Avoid anything that might cause the customer to second-guess their entire purchase, such as large price increases or complex offers.

3.4 Add to Cart Popup

The moment a customer adds an item to their cart presents a unique opportunity for immediate upsells.

Using an app like BOGOS can help you implement effective add-to-cart popup upsells. BOGOS offers powerful features for creating Buy One Get One (BOGO), Buy X Get Y, and free gift with purchase promotions. These offers pop up right after customers add something to their cart, making the most of their buying decision momentum.

When using BOGOS or similar apps, make sure your discount popup design looks good and isn’t too pushy. Clearly highlight the benefits of the upsell offer and keep it easy for customers to say yes or no without any hassle.

4. Create an upsell funnel to maximize the conversion rate

As we shift to talking about where and when to use pre-purchase upsells in Shopify, we should think about how these parts fit into a bigger upsell plan. A good upsell funnel can really increase conversion rates and average order value. Let’s see how it helps!

What is an Upsell Funnel?

An upsell funnel is a way to offer customers upgrades or extra products and services. Many online businesses use it to increase profits while providing more value to customers. This funnel helps customers buy more easily and quickly.

To create an effective upsell funnel, it’s crucial to understand and take advantage of each touchpoint in the customer journey. Let’s break down the basic journey on a Shopify store and explore upsell opportunities at each stage:

4.1 Product Page

The product page is often the first significant interaction a potential customer has with your offerings. Here, you can show the value of your products and introduce complementary items.

Upsell Techniques:

• Product Bundles: Create appealing bundles that pair the viewed product with related items. For example, if a customer is looking at a fancy coffee maker, offer a bundle with a milk frother and artisanal coffee beans at a small discount.
• Tiered Product Options: Show different product versions and highlight the benefits of higher-tier options. For example, if selling smart home devices, create a comparison table of basic, advanced, and premium models, focusing on the extra features of the higher-end ones.
• Social Proof and Urgency: Add customer reviews and real-time stock updates to build trust and create a sense of urgency. You could display a notification like “5 people are currently viewing this item” or “Only 3 left in stock” to encourage quicker decision-making.

4.2 Add to Cart

When customers add an item to their cart, it’s crucial to capitalize on their buying intent.

Upsell Techniques:

• Personalized Popup Offers: Use data from the customer’s browsing history or cart contents to display targeted upsell offers.
• Discounts: Implement a fun, interactive element to encourage additional purchases. You could create a “Spin the Wheel” popup after adding an item to the cart, offering various discounts or gifts if they add another item to their order.

4.3 Cart Page/Checkout Page

The cart and checkout pages are your last opportunities to increase the order value before the customer completes their purchase.

Upsell Techniques:

• Smart Product Recommendations: Use AI-powered recommendation engines to suggest products based on what’s in the cart and the customer’s browsing history.
• Conditional Free Shipping: Offer free shipping when the cart value reaches a certain threshold and clearly shows how much more the customer needs to spend to qualify. You could display a progress bar saying, “You’re only $15 away from free shipping!”
• Last-Minute Product Add-Ons: Present small, relevant items that can be added to the order with a single click.

To bring this upsell funnel to life in your Shopify store, consider the following tips:

• Use Shopify Apps: Try apps to add upsell features easily. They often have simple drag-and-drop tools to create offers that match your theme (stay stunned because the secret is untold).
• A/B Testing: Keep testing different upsell strategies and placements to improve your results. Use Shopify’s A/B testing tools or other apps to determine the best tactics.
• Mobile-Friendly: Make sure your upsell funnel works well on mobile devices. As more people shop on phones, your popups and recommendations should look good and be easy to use on small screens.

Read more: 5 Proven Tactics to Upsell And Cross-sell on Shopify

5. Top apps to apply pre-purchase upsell on Shopify

Here are some of the top apps that can help you implement pre-purchase upsell strategies on your Shopify store:

App Name	Provider	Rating	Price
BOGOS.io Free Gift Buy X Get Y	Secomapp	4.9 (1,974 reviews)	– Basic: $29.99/month  – Professional: $49.99/month – Unlimited: $69.99/month – Plus: $99.99/month
Upsell & Cross Sell – Selleasy	Logbase	4.9 (1,812 reviews)	– Tier I: Free to install – Tier II: $8.99/month – Tier III: $16.99/month
AfterSell Post Purchase Upsell	AfterSell	4.9 (791 reviews)	– Development stores: Free – 0-500 orders: $34.99/month – 501-1000 orders: $54.99/month – 1001-2000 orders: $99.99/month

5.1 BOGOS.io Free Gift Buy X Get Y

BOGOS is a powerful app that lets you create various promotions, like buy-one-get-one (BOGO), free gifts with purchase, and volume discounts. It’s designed to increase your average order value (AOV) by encouraging customers to buy more.

Key Features:

• BOGO and Buy X Get Y Offers: Create enticing promotions where customers get a free item or a discount when they purchase a certain quantity.
• Gift With Purchase: Offer a free gift with a purchase to incentivize customers to spend more.
• Product Bundles: Create bundles of related products to encourage customers to buy multiple items at once.

Pros:

• Easy to set up and use.
• Offers a wide range of promotion types.
• Provides real-time analytics to track performance.

Cons:

• It can be expensive for larger stores.
• Some features are limited in the free plan.

5.2 Selleasy

Selleasy is another popular app that helps you increase your AOV through pre-purchase and post-purchase upsells. It offers a variety of upsell and cross-sell strategies, including product bundles, product page recommendations, and cart upsells.

Key Features:

• Product Page Upsell: Display related products and add-ons on your product pages to encourage customers to buy more.
• Cart Upsell: Offer additional items or upgrades to customers when they have items in their cart.
• Bundles: Create bundles of frequently bought together products to increase the average order value.

Pros:

• Offers a free plan for small stores.
• Easy to customize widgets to match your store’s design.
• Provides free setup assistance.

Cons:

• Limited features in the free plan.
• Some users have reported issues with the app’s stability.

5.3 AfterSell

AfterSell is an app that focuses on post-purchase upsells and offers some pre-purchase upsell features. It’s known for its user-friendly interface and powerful analytics tools.

Key Features:

• Checkout Upsell (Shopify Plus Only): Offer additional items or upgrades to customers at the checkout page.
• Order Bump Upsell (Shopify Plus Only): Present customers with an additional offer just before they complete their purchase.

Pros:

• Offers a free plan for development stores.
• Provides detailed analytics to track performance.
• Offers A/B testing to optimize your upsell strategies.

Cons:

• Some features are only available for Shopify Plus stores.
• It can be expensive for larger stores.

6. Conclusion

I hope you find this guide on pre purchase upsell Shopify helpful! By using the strategies we talked about, you certainly easily boost your sales and make the shopping experience even better for your customers. Just remember, offering relevant and appealing upsell options without overwhelming your shoppers is super important. Good luck!

7. FAQs