8 Proven Ways To Upsell On Shopify Effectively

---

Do you want to boost your Shopify store sales? Upselling is like being that helpful store clerk who suggests the perfect relevant products to what customers are buying – and it’s amazing for your online shop. 

Knowing how to upsell on Shopify can help significantly increase your average order value (AOV)! In this article, I’ll show you some proven ways to recommend related products that your customers will actually want, helping you make more sales while keeping shoppers happy. Let’s make your Shopify store better together with these easy tips to upsell on Shopify!

1. What is Upselling?

Upselling is when sellers try to get customers to buy better, more expensive versions of what they’re already planning to buy. This helps stores increase AOV while giving customers a better option.

Think of buying a coffee maker. When you pick a basic one, the seller might show you a fancier version that does more things, like grinding coffee beans and letting you set brewing times.

Upselling on Shopify is a great way to boost sales, but it’s not the only way to increase AOV. In fact, complementary products can also help with sales, as well as the customer experience. The way here is cross-selling, which is about suggesting other items going along with the original purchase.

To illustrate the difference:

• When you upgrade (upsell): You want a $50 coffee maker. The seller shows you a better one for $120 that does more things. It’s still a coffee maker, just nicer.
• When you add more items (cross-sell): You’re buying that coffee maker and the seller suggests you also get coffee beans, something to grind them, or a cup to carry your coffee. These are different items that work well with your coffee maker.

The key is making product recommendations that genuinely add value to the customer’s original purchase, not just pushing them to spend more money.

The difference between post-purchase and pre-purchase upsell on Shopify

Technically, there are two ways merchants can upsell on Shopify: Post-Purchase and Pre-purchase upsell.

Post-purchase upselling focuses on encouraging customers to make additional purchases or upgrades after they have already completed their initial transaction, while pre-purchase upselling encourages customers to increase their purchase value before completing their transaction.

So, the key differences between post-purchase and pre-purchase upselling on Shopify primarily lie in the timing and how the upsell offers are presented to customers. Here’s how they compare:

Aspects	Pre-Purchase Upsell	Post-Purchase Upsell
Timing	Before checkout completion	After transaction completion
Strategy Focus	Enhances current cart value	Generates additional transactions
Customer State	In decision-making mode	Already committed buyer
Typical Offers	Premium versions, bundles, complementary items	Warranties, accessories, subscriptions
Advantage	Immediate revenue increase	Builds on established trust

The average conversion rate for post-purchase upselling is 4%, with some merchants reporting conversion rates as high as 10% or more. In exceptional cases, using a one-click post-purchase upsell approach can achieve take rates as high as 30-40%.

For pre-purchase upselling, the average conversion rate ranges from 1-4%, with 16% of retailers falling within this range.

Here is how they compare to each other:

Upsell Type	Average Conversion Rate	Potential High Conversion Rate
Post-Purchase	4%	10-40%
Pre-Purchase	1-4%	11.9%

Generally, post-purchase upselling on Shopify has higher conversion rates due to minimal friction, as customers don’t need to re-enter their payment details. Additionally, when customers are in a buying momentum, they are more likely to spend more.

However, keep in mind that conversion rates for an upselling strategy can depend on many factors, such as the relevance of the upsell products, the pricing strategy, and more.

2. Benefits of Upselling on Shopify

Now that we know what upselling is. Let’s see why it’s such a powerful strategy for businesses. Upselling on Shopify offers a variety of benefits that go beyond just increasing sales:

• Helps Increase AOV: Even without bringing in new customers, your store can profit more per purchase by proposing better or upgraded products. According to McKinsey, Cross-selling and upselling techniques increase sales by 20% and profits by 30 percent
• Makes Customers Happier: Happy customers are more likely to trust your Shopify store and return for future purchases.
• Builds Customer Loyalty: Customers feel that if offered useful upgrades, their brand is more credible and likely to come back for future purchases.
• Saves Money on Marketing: Selling to existing customers is easier and cheaper than winning new ones. Upselling can allow you to grow without spending additional money on ads.
• Clears Old Stock: By upselling, older items can be moved while bringing customers to new products, freshening inventory, and decreasing store costs.

3. How to Upsell on Shopify Effectively

Upselling truly has many benefits. Now is the time to carry out this integration in your Shopify store. There are many ways you can upsell on Shopify; a good place to start is to use the product add-ons section.

3.1 Upsell with Product Add-ons

Upselling with product add-ons is a great pre-purchase upsell strategy on Shopify where customers are shown relevant products as they shop. These add-ons usually show up as popups or in special sections on the product, cart, or checkout pages. 

You’ll often see labels with terms like “You may also like” or “Frequently bought together” that make it easy for customers to find the items that pair well with what they already buy. The best thing is that customers can add these suggested products directly to their cart with just one click without having to leave the page they’re on. This better them to upgrade their purchase and increases the chances of you making a bigger sale. 

To easily set up a section to upsell on Shopify with product add-ons without coding, you can use third-party apps. For instance, a Shopify upsell app like Selleasy enables customers to view suggested items and add them directly to their cart with one click. This makes shopping convenient while increasing sales.

Why Selleasy?

• Key Features: Selleasy supports popular upselling styles like “frequently bought together” bundles and post-purchase offers. It integrates smoothly with Shopify, supports multiple languages, and easily customizes your store theme.
• Pricing: Selleasy offers a free tier for up to 50 orders/month. Paid plans include $8.99/month for up to 500 orders/month and $16.99/month for stores with over 500 orders/month. All plans come with a 30-day free trial and full feature access.
• Rating: 4.9/5 rating and 2,100+ reviews
• Feedback: Users love Selleasy’s simple setup and responsive customer support. One merchant shared, “The team fixed my issue in minutes and made the entire process stress-free!”

3.2 Upsell with Popups

Shopify merchants often use popups as a way to upsell on Shopify, as it’s a powerful (and useful) tool for presenting targeted offers to customers at just the right time. Pop-ups can specify discounts, product combos, free gifts, and other deals designed to get shoppers to add more to their carts. Upselling with popups can be a surprisingly effective way to boost sales when they are done well – they play with attention without disrupting the shopping experience.

Note: It’s essential to use popups wisely. While they can be very effective, overusing them or showing irrelevant offers can annoy customers. 

A survey revealed that 45.6% of users feel annoyed by frequent popups, and 28.6% dislike popups that appear immediately upon entering a site. Poorly timed or irrelevant popups can frustrate customers and even push them to leave. But when used wisely, popups have the potential to turn the tide. 

As the saying goes, “Timing is everything.” A well-placed upselling popup, like the right word spoken at the right time, can feel like a helpful nudge rather than an unwelcome interruption.

Now, let’s explore how pop-ups can be triggered to upsell on Shopify based on specific customer actions or behaviors, making them more effective and engaging.

• Cart Value Triggers: Show a popup when a customer’s cart reaches a certain amount, encouraging them to add a little more for rewards like free shipping.
• Product or Category Triggers: Target specific items or categories to recommend complementary products.
• Time Delay Triggers: Display popups after a customer has spent some time browsing, making the offer feel less intrusive.
• Specific Page Views: Trigger popups when a customer browses particular product or category pages.
• Scroll Depth Triggers: Show popups when customers scroll halfway down a page, catching their attention at an engaging moment.

To create these effective upselling popups, you can use Shopify apps like BOGOS, which is great for cart value and product-specific triggers, or Wisepops, which is ideal for time delay and scroll-based popups.

How to use BOGOS to upsell on Shopify:

• Gift Slider: This shows free gifts in a clean, scrollable section, making it easy for customers to choose their reward.
• Cart Message Popups: Displays messages like “Spend $20 more to get a free gift,” encouraging shoppers to add more items.
• Customizable Popups: You can fully personalize the look to match your store’s style, ensuring a stable shopping experience.

How to use Wisepops to upsell on Shopify:

• Wide Popup Options: Includes email popups, exit popups, sales bars, and cart abandonment notifications in one app.
• Pre-made Templates: Over 60 ready-to-use templates for creating personalized website experiences.
• Smart Targeting: 30+ options to show the right popup to the right user at the right time.

So with these 2 amazing apps, you don’t have to worry about creating popups to upsell on Shopify – BOGOS and Wisepops make it easy to boost sales and keep your customers happy. 

3.3 Bundle Upsell

An upsell on Shopify using product bundles involves selling one or more items together as a combined product at a discounted price. This upselling technique will encourage the customers to buy more at once and will greatly help in adding the AOV and sales. 

To understand how effective a bundle can be to upsell on Shopify, let’s look at two typical case studies below.

• Coconu, an intimacy lubricant brand, achieved a 20% increase in AOV by introducing product bundles.
• Similarly, Maev, a DTC dog food brand, experienced a 15% boost in AOV and a 20% jump in units per transaction after offering bundles.

These examples clearly show that bundling complementary items encourages customers to spend more while making their shopping journey smoother and more enjoyable.

Now, let’s dive into the types of bundles you can use to upsell on Shopify:

• Classic Bundles: These combine related products into one package at a discounted price. For instance, a skincare brand could sell an offer based on a cleanser, a toner and a moisturizer.
• Mix-and-Match Bundles: Unlike classic bundles, bundles in these differ in allowing customers to create their own packages based on their own needs. For instance, a snack brand can allow customers to select five snacks for a certain amount, which would personalize and sell better. 

To help you create and manage bundles effectively to upsell on Shopify, tools like BOGOS are highly recommended. Here are the 3 main types of bundles offered by the app:

• Classic Bundle: Combines 2 or more related products into a single discounted package. Use this for curated sets like skincare kits or home essentials to encourage customers to buy more items together.
• Quantity Break: Offers discounts based on the number of the same product purchased, like “Buy 2, get 10% off.” Use this to motivate bulk purchases and increase sales volume.
• Mix-and-Match Bundle: Lets customers choose products from a predefined list to create their own bundle. Use this for stores with diverse items like snacks or clothing to give customers more flexibility and boost their cart value.

If you are considering using product bundles to upsell on Shopify, BOGOS is a top Shopify product bundle app that can help.

3.4 Upsell with Loyalty Programs

A loyalty program is a way to reward customers for shopping with you. It’s designed to keep them returning by offering points, discounts, or special perks. These programs make customers pleased and encourage them to spend more.

First, let’s look at why loyalty programs matter. They help build strong, long-term relationships with customers. Here’s something interesting – loyal customers spend 67% more than new ones! Plus, it’s cheaper to keep existing customers than to attract new ones, which makes loyalty programs a smart business move. (Source: Adobe Blog)

Now, let’s talk about how to use loyalty programs to upsell on Shopify. A tiered loyalty program is one of the simplest ways to do this. It could be seen as a rewards ladder for customers, which means they can climb to levels and reap more benefits.

Here’s how it works:

• ​​You set up the different tiers, such as Member, Gold, VIP, or whatever you name them.
• Each tier provides different discounts, free shipping codes, exclusive gifts, and more.
• As customers shop more and earn points, they can move up to the next tier and receive even better rewards.

With this upselling strategy, our goal is to create a sense of progression and success for the customer, making them more likely to continue shopping.

Speaking of loyalty program tools, let’s talk about one of the best options out there – Smile.io. This app stands out for creating loyalty programs on Shopify because:

• Features: It offers point-based rewards, referral programs, and VIP tiers. It also works with tools like Klaviyo and Mailchimp, so you can send emails tied to your loyalty program.
• Pricing: Smile.io is free for up to 200 orders per month. Paid plans start at $49/month (for up to 500 orders) and go up to $999/month for larger stores, with advanced branding and priority support included.
• Rating: 4.8/5 rating from 6,600+ reviews.
• Feedback: Merchants say it’s user-friendly and great for growing businesses. One user shared, “Smile helped us set up a rewards program quickly, no coding needed. Their support team is amazing!”

A loyalty program is not just a way to build trust and reward your loyal customers but also a strategy to upsell on Shopify. By offering discounts when customers reach a certain spending threshold, you encourage them to spend more.

3.5 Upsell with Tiered Discounts

Think of tiered discounts as a “buy more, save more” strategy. It’s simple – customers get bigger discounts when they buy more. For instance, they might save 10% on a $50 purchase, 20% when spending $100, and get an impressive 30% off when they reach $150 or more.

So why are tiered discounts such a powerful tool to upsell on Shopify? For starters, they tap into customer psychology by making larger purchases feel like better deals. When shoppers see they can save more by spending a bit extra, they’re often motivated to reach that next discount level. Plus, this approach helps you move inventory and promote specific products more effectively.

When it comes to implementing tiered discounts to upsell on Shopify, you’ve got several options:

• Base them on total order value – like “Spend $50, get 10% off; spend $100, get 20% off”
• Focus on specific products or categories – such as “Buy 2 shirts, get 15% off; buy 3 or more, get 25% off”

What makes this even more effective is something called the anchoring effect – a fascinating psychological principle that you can try.

Here’s how it works: the first price customers see becomes their reference point for judging all other prices. Let’s say you’re shopping for a TV and seeing a $2,000 high-end model first. Even if it’s out of your budget, it sets a new standard, making $700-$800 TVs more reasonable. You might spend more than planned because your perception of a “normal” price has shifted. 

So, by showing customers a higher-priced option first, you can make lower-priced options seem like a better value, making the anchoring effect a valuable tool to upsell on Shopify.

To make implementing these discounts easier, let me tell you about BOGOS, a popular Shopify app that’s perfect for creating tiered discounts to upsell on Shopify. This tool offers some really useful features:

• Cart Value Multipliers: You can set up progressive rewards – like offering one free item at $100 and two free items at $200
• Specific Product Rules: Choose which items get discounts and which don’t
• Gift Discount Types: Mix and match between percentage discounts or fixed-amount discounts in your tier structure

The best thing is that all these upselling offers show up clearly on the product page, so customers can easily see their savings. With the help of a perfect Shopify upsell app like BOGOS, tiered discounts become a powerful way to boost your sales and create a better shopping experience.

3.6 Personalized Product Recommendations

Let’s talk about one of the most effective ways to upsell on Shopify – personalized product recommendations. While similar to the product add-ons feature, this upselling technique uses AI to analyze customer behavior – like their past purchases, current browsing history, product categories, and descriptions – to recommend the most relevant products for upselling.

For example, you might see a “Frequently Bought Together” section on a product page or personalized suggestions on the cart and checkout pages.

What sets this upselling feature apart is its ability to adapt based on your store’s specific data. For stores with large product catalogs, AI makes sure that customers aren’t overwhelmed and can quickly find what they need – or didn’t know they wanted.

Speaking of smart solutions, let me introduce you to the Frequently Bought Together app – a fantastic tool for Shopify merchants who want to implement personalized product recommendations to upsell on Shopify. Here’s what makes this app stand out:

• Features: AI-driven recommendations to suggest complementary products for higher conversions. It also allows merchants to create bundle discounts for added value.
• Pricing: The app offers a free developer plan and a flat rate of $19.99/month for unlimited usage.
• Rating: 4.9/5 rating from 2,470+ reviews.
• Feedback: Merchants praise its user-friendly setup, seamless integration, and exceptional customer support. One user highlighted how the app’s team resolved their issue within minutes, making it highly reliable for Shopify businesses.

The beauty of this app is that it works quietly in the background, enhancing your customer’s shopping experience while automatically boosting your sales through smart product suggestions. It’s like having an extra team member who never sleeps, constantly helping customers find exactly what they need!

3.7 Offer Free Shipping to motivate purchase

Offering free shipping is a great way to upsell on Shopify. It’s very simple: customers get free delivery when they add more items to their cart. In fact, according to Shopify, 47% of customers are willing to spend more to earn free shipping. 

To make this upselling technique work for your business, consider increasing your product prices slightly to cover the cost of shipping. This way, you can offer free shipping without losing much money.

However, you’ll have to set a smart free shipping threshold to bring this strategy to work for your business. A good rule of thumb is to set the threshold at no more than 30% above your average order value (AOV). For example, if your AOV is $50, consider setting the spending threshold to receive free shipping at $65.

Setting a Free Shipping discount to upsell on Shopify is quite simple using its internal discount tool. Here’s your step-by-step guide:

• Step 1: In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and Delivery.
• Step 2: Click General Shipping Rates.

• Step 3: Add Free Shipping Rate:
  – In the shipping zone where you want to offer free shipping, click Edit rate.
  – Set the Price to $0.
  – Click Add conditions and choose Based on order price.
  – Enter the minimum order amount required for free shipping.
  – Click Done, then Save.

Once you’ve got this setup, the free shipping discount will automatically apply at checkout whenever orders meet your conditions. It’s a smooth experience for your customers and a powerful way to upsell on Shopify!

3.8 Post-Purchase Upsell

Another perfect way to upsell on Shopify is utilizing post-purchase upsell, which shows additional products or deals after customers purchase. The best thing about this approach is that it doesn’t interrupt the buying process, so customers feel no pressure and often see these offers as added value.

What makes post-purchase upsell on Shopify particularly effective? It’s all about timing. Since customers are already in a buying mood and have completed their purchase, they’re more likely to consider additional items. Plus, there’s no risk of cart abandonment since the initial sale is already secured – it’s a clever way to boost your average order value (AOV).

Let’s explore four powerful ways to implement post-purchase upsell on Shopify:

• One-Click Upsell

A one-click upsell is a special offer that appears right after a customer completes their purchase but before they see the thank-you page. This offer shows up immediately after the initial order is confirmed, allowing customers to add an extra item with just one click without needing to re-enter payment or shipping details. Tools like Zipify OneClickUpsell make this super easy to set up, creating a smooth customer experience.

• Thank You Page Upsell

A thank-you page is a page appear to customers right after they complete a purchase. To upsell on Shopify with a thank-you page, you will need the help of a third-party app like ReConvert Upsell & Cross Sell. This upselling technique takes advantage of customers’ positive feelings after buying, suggesting additional items that go well with their original purchase.

• Post-Purchase Page (Appears Before Thank You Page)

Using a post-purchase page to upsell on Shopify involves displaying an additional offer on a separate page right after checkout but before the thank-you page. This upselling technique is excellent for presenting time-sensitive deals. You can also customize designs on this kind of page. Let’s use Shopify upsell apps like CartHook or Order Bump for an effortless setup.

• Follow-Up Emails

You can send follow-up emails to confirm a customer’s order while also including upsell offers. Tools like Klaviyo or Omnisend are great for automating these email flows to help with your upselling strategy.

4. Best Practices for Implementing Upselling

Now that we’ve explored various methods to upsell on Shopify. Let’s dive into how to apply them effectively. These best practices ensure that your upselling strategy feels natural and helpful rather than overwhelming, leading to better results for your Shopify store.

• Avoid Choice Overload

Too many options should make customers over whelmed and leave without buying. A study also reveals that 88% of Australian shoppers leave their carts because of choice overload. Simple upsell offers by showing you only 1 – 2 highly related items. 

• Use the 25% Pricing Rule

The 25% rule of upsell pricing is that the upsell items should not cost more than 25 percent of the original item. Say a customer orders a $100 article, then the upsell price should be $25 at max. Therefore, the offer feels like a bargain and not an add-on to a pretty hefty monthly bill. (Source: Business.com)

• Personalize Offers

Use customer data to recommend products based on their purchase history and browsing behavior. Personalized offers feel tailored and thoughtful, making customers more likely to say yes. Tools like AI-driven apps can make this upselling technique easy.

• Optimize Timing and Placement

Upsell offers work best at moments of high engagement, like when a customer is adding items to their cart or after they’ve completed checkout. Ensure the placement doesn’t disrupt the shopping flow. For example, a thank-you page upsell is non-intrusive and effective.

• Ensure a Smooth Experience

Make it easy for customers to accept your upsell offers. Use clear messaging and quick add-to-cart options, and avoid requiring them to re-enter payment details. A smooth experience increases the chances of converting upsell offers into additional purchases.

• Continuously Test and Improve

What works for one audience may not work for another. Use A/B testing to experiment with different upselling strategies, pricing, product recommendations, and placements. Analyze the results to understand what your audience prefers and refine your approach over time.

5. Conclusion

Upselling on Shopify doesn’t have to be complicated. I hope these tips help you not only increase your sales but also make your customers feel like they’re getting more value. Give these strategies a try, and I’m sure you’ll see a positive difference in your store’s performance!

6. FAQ