Learning how to upsell will make your business bloom and become more relevant to existing customers. Even new people that visit your website will likely become regulars if upselling and cross-selling are well implemented in your system. Learn to upsell from some examples and tips right here.

What Is Upselling and How to Use It to Attract Customers

The best tips for e-commerce business owners aren't things only select VIPs need to know - most are free, and will help you succeed in e-commerce. What won't be free is having reliable software for selling online, products worth purchasing, and learning how to upsell and cross-sell them when possible.

Essentially, if you have items that attract customers to stay, your business will be in a good place. Originality and getting more for less have always been methods for businesses to stand out.

Upselling is offering customers an upgrade of the product they want to purchase. This usually happens when the customer adds something to their cart; the upgrade or a better version of their desired product pops up for a slightly higher price.

That formula is one of the ways companies gain returning buyers. By suggesting things they might like, they'll think you know them well; personalized options bring more shoppers to your store.

How Upselling Compares to Cross-Selling

Next to upsells, you can cross-sell. Cross sell and upsell often go hand in hand and make the shopping experience more complete.

Businesses use cross-selling to offer items that complement the product a customer is looking at. For example, if it's a pillow, they'll be offered a pillowcase. This is an item this customer would likely purchase at some point, but now they're suggested to do it immediately.

A great example of how cross-selling works is presented in the video below.

How to Upsell a Product and Earn More

Think about what you want to sell first. Can it be upsold? If not, try to change that since having a possible upgrade on most items will keep existing customers.

These existing buyers are more likely to recommend your products to others, attract more returnees, and boost sales. Never underestimate the power of an existing customer since they're the ones that can keep you in business. This can work with any type of product - whether it's the best car boot sale finds, some of the best vintage items on the market, or valuable second-hand items.

Tips on How to Upsell In Retail and Attract Customers

If you want to make upselling part of your e-commerce, here are some tips you need to get results:

• Use the right kind of method - upgrading to a better version, getting product protection (like an extended warranty,) customization, and extended service periods,
• Ensure the upgrade is visible on every page your customer visits, from the product page to checkout,
• Offer upgrades as part of a customer's milestone, which would mean having a points and rewards system,
• Don't upsell too early or too obviously - post the upgrade below the description, somewhere not too far or too close to the product,
• Make the upgrade relevant - it must be related to the items the customer is interested in,
• Learn to show the benefits that come with the upgrade in an appealing way,
• Share upsells via email or on a mailing list.

An Example of Upselling When Selling Online - Free Shipping, Upgrades, and Alike

Selling items on the best online UK marketplace can be effortless if you do the proper research. Knowing your target audience and niche will significantly help you boost sales and create upgrades.

These sales methods aren't just for online businesses. They're tactics for numerous industries, from fast-food chains to banks. When you go to McDonald's, you will be upsold on an item by being offered larger fries and soda for "just x amount."

In banks, you'll open a free bank account and then get upsold by being offered an upgrade, where you pay maintenance fees monthly but have more privileges. These businesses know precisely how to upsell customers and get better results after each sale.

Famous Example: Apple Products and Their Endless Offer List

Apple is famous enough without resorting to upsells, yet it's why their revenue is so large each year. They often rely on upsells more than the actual tech. While buyers realize this, they're not upset about paying more because they know they're getting their money's worth.

Say you want to purchase an iPhone 12 with a 32GB storage space. As soon as you check this page out, you'll see an offer for the same models, except with 64GB and 128GB of storage. The price will likely be minimally different yet still big enough to gather revenue.

Additionally, when you purchase the iPhone 12, you won't get a charging plug or headphones. In fact, all of the new generation iPhones are made with special charging ports and without the 3.5mm plug for headphones.

That's when they'll cross-sell you a charging port, a fast-charging cable, and AirPods. You'll end up buying more for less in a bundle, and bundling is essentially upselling and cross-sales in one.

How to Apply the Apple Model on Your Online Selling

To get the results Apple gets, offer upsells on products that go well together or can't do without each other. If you don't have these, set a limited time on an upgrade and add a countdown timer. The sense of rush may force the customer to make a faster decision.

What sets you apart from Apple is that your company likely isn't as big. Apple gets away with making complementary products because they are of higher quality than most. However, this doesn't mean customers always enjoy buying bundles - maybe they just find it easier. 

The key is not to be smug about your business. Ensure you sell a reliable product and start by offering things like free shipping over a certain amount or extended warranties for a smaller fee. Later, when the company develops, you can work on other upgrades.

To keep up with your online businesses, try some of the best crossposting tools and cross-listing software like Zipsale.

When You Learn How to Upsell Products, Sell Them on Our Marketplace Platform

If you want to sell on multiple platforms, Zipsale is the perfect crossposting app for you. If you're just starting and don't know what crossposting is, read our blog page and learn from some firsthand experiences.

The best thing about Zipsale is that our app allows you to monitor all your platforms and businesses from one place. You won't have to worry about lost passwords and not visiting one platform for a while because you'll be able to see the progress on each all at once. Check out which marketplaces we cover, and then sign up via email to start your crossposting venture.