Tired of spending a fortune on customer acquisition only to see low-value carts? You’re not alone.
Many Shopify store owners focus so much on getting new customers that they forget the goldmine they already have: existing customers.
Increasing your Average Order Value (AOV) the average amount a customer spends per transaction is one of the most effective ways to grow your e-commerce business.
Why? Because it’s easier and cheaper to get a current customer to spend a little more than it is to acquire a new one.
This guide shares 10 proven upsell strategies you can implement on your Shopify store today to boost your average order value (AOV) and increase your revenue.
10 Proven Upsell Strategies for Shopify Stores
1. The Classic Pre-Purchase Upsell on Product Pages
This is the most common and effective upsell strategy. When a customer is on a product page, they are in the buying mindset. This is the perfect moment to present a “better” option.
How it works: Instead of letting a customer add a standard product to their cart, show them a premium version or a larger size with a clear value proposition.
- Example: A customer is viewing a 1 oz bottle of face serum. Right below the product description, you display a “Why not go for the 3 oz bottle?” prompt, highlighting that it’s a better value and will last longer.
- Best Practice: The upsell should be a logical upgrade and not a completely different product. It should also be priced at a reasonable increment (e.g., 10-25% higher than the original item) to not scare the customer away.
2. The Smart Post-Purchase, One-Click Upsell
This strategy is pure genius and has a huge impact on AOV. It’s a frictionless way to get more revenue from a customer who has already committed to a purchase.
How it works: After a customer completes their checkout and has entered their payment information, they are redirected to a thank-you page. Here, you present a highly relevant, one-time offer that they can add to their existing order with a single click, no need to re-enter payment details.
- Example: A customer buys a new camera. On the thank-you page, you offer a discounted camera case or a lens cleaner.
- Best Practice: The offer should be a low-cost, high-margin item that perfectly complements the main purchase. The “one-click” nature is key to its success.
3. The Power of Product Bundles
Bundling is a win-win: customers get a deal, and you get a higher AOV. It simplifies the buying decision and can move products that might not sell on their own.
How it works: Create product kits or collections that group complementary items together at a slightly reduced price compared to buying them individually.
- Example: A store selling coffee might create a “Morning Ritual Bundle” with a bag of coffee beans, a mug, and a coffee press.
- Best Practice: Market the bundle as a solution or a theme, making it feel like a complete package. Use a “You Save X%” badge to highlight the value.
4. Free Shipping Thresholds
This is a classic psychological hack that works every time. Customers hate paying for shipping, and they’ll often add an extra item to their cart to avoid the fee.
How it works: Set your free shipping threshold just slightly above your current AOV.
- Example: If your store’s AOV is $55, set your free shipping at $65. As the customer shops, a dynamic progress bar in the cart shows how close they are to the threshold.
- Best Practice: Make the progress bar clear and visually appealing. You can also suggest specific, low-cost items that would help the customer reach the goal.
5. The Checkout Upsell
You’ve seen this on Amazon, and there’s a good reason for it: it works. The checkout page is the final stage of the customer journey, making it a powerful spot for a last-minute suggestion.
How it works: On the cart or checkout page, display a small, non-intrusive section with products that are “frequently bought together” with the items already in the cart.
- Example: A customer has a phone in their cart. The checkout upsell suggests a matching phone case and a screen protector.
- Best Practice: Keep the recommendations highly relevant. Use an app that leverages AI to analyze your store’s purchase data for accurate suggestions.
6. Offer a Loyalty or Rewards Program
Loyalty programs aren’t just for retaining customers; they are a fantastic tool for increasing AOV.
How it works: Customers earn points for every dollar they spend. You can offer bonus points for reaching a certain spend amount, incentivizing them to add more to their cart.
- Example: Spend $100 and get 2x points on this order.
- Best Practice: Make the program easy to understand. The rewards should be enticing enough to motivate customers to spend more.
7. The Volume-Based Discount
This strategy leverages the “more you buy, the more you save” principle. It’s particularly effective for consumable products or items people might buy in multiples.
How it works: Offer a discount that increases with the number of units a customer purchases.
- Example: Buy 2 and get 10% off, buy 3 and get 15% off, buy 4 and get 20% off.
- Best Practice: Highlight the savings clearly on the product page. Use a visual table or a slider to show the different tiers.
8. Strategic Price Anchoring
Price anchoring is a psychological pricing strategy where you present a more expensive option first to make a subsequent, lower-priced option seem more reasonable.
How it works: Display the premium, higher-priced version of a product right next to the standard one. The higher price becomes the “anchor” for the customer, making the slightly cheaper one a seemingly better deal.
- Example: On a product page for a subscription box, you show the monthly plan ($50) next to the annual plan ($450, a 25% savings). The annual plan looks like a fantastic value compared to the single month.
- Best Practice: The anchor product should be a valid, high-quality offering, not just a decoy.
9. Subscription and Reorder Offers
For products with a high repeat purchase rate, like supplements, beauty products, or coffee, subscriptions are a no-brainer for boosting AOV and customer lifetime value.
How it works: On the product page, give customers the option to “Buy One-Time” or “Subscribe and Save.” The subscription option offers a small discount in exchange for recurring orders.
- Example: Get 15% off your first order and free shipping when you subscribe to a monthly delivery.
- Best Practice: The discount should be compelling enough to entice customers to commit to a subscription. Use a clear call to action and highlight the convenience.
10. Leverage AI-Powered Personalization
This is the future of upselling. AI can analyze a customer’s browsing behavior, purchase history, and even their demographic data to present hyper-relevant offers.
How it works: Use a Shopify app that leverages AI to power your “You May Also Like” and “Complete the Look” sections. The recommendations are dynamic and change for each individual shopper.
- Example: An AI tool might see a customer frequently browsing a specific brand of athletic wear and automatically recommend a matching gym bag from that brand in their cart.
- Best Practice: Ensure the AI tool integrates seamlessly with your Shopify store and is not intrusive. Test different placements and offer types to find what works best for your audience.
Introducing the Best Upsell App for Shopify Store
Of course, the key to implementing these strategies effectively is having the right tools. I’ve seen countless upsell apps, but few are as robust and user-friendly as GP ‑ Wishlist & Upsell Suite.
We built this app from the ground up to address all the upsell challenges facing modern e-commerce stores, providing a powerful, all-in-one solution. It makes it easy for you to:
- Create Upsell Widgets Easily & Customize with Your Store’s Design: Our intuitive drag-and-drop editor allows you to build stunning upsell widgets that perfectly match your brand’s look and feel, without needing a single line of code.
- Place Upsells on Key Pages: You have complete control. Strategically place your upsell offers on product pages, in the cart, and even on the checkout page to catch your customers at the most impactful moments of their buying journey.
- Schedule Upsell Offers: Launch and end campaigns on your schedule. Whether you’re running a flash sale, a holiday promotion, or a limited-time bundle, you can set a start and end date for your offers, so you’re always in control.
- Customize Offer Discounts: Choose the exact discount that works for your business. You can offer a flat percentage off (e.g., 20% off) or a fixed amount discount (e.g., Save $5) to create the perfect incentive for your customers.
Upsell Analytics: The Data You Need to Succeed
With GP ‑ Wishlist & Upsell Suite, you get a clean, simple dashboard that provides all the data you need at a glance.
- Impressions: See how many times your upsell offers were shown to customers.
- Clicks: Track how many customers clicked on your upsell offers.
- Conversions: Know exactly how many of those clicks turned into a successful upsell.
- Revenue: Watch your AOV grow with a clear breakdown of the revenue generated by your upsell campaigns.
Freequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between upselling and cross-selling?
Upselling is about getting the customer to buy a more expensive or upgraded version of the product they’re already considering (e.g., buying a larger size of a shirt).
Cross-selling is about encouraging the customer to buy a related or complementary item (e.g., buying socks to go with the shoes they just put in their cart). Both are great for increasing AOV!
Will upselling annoy my customers?
Not if it’s done right! The key is to offer relevant and valuable upgrades or bundles. If your upsell offers are helpful and make sense for the customer’s purchase, they’ll appreciate the suggestion.
For example, suggesting a protective screen cover for a new phone is a helpful upsell, not an annoying one.
What’s the best time to upsell?
There are three prime times:
On the product page: When the customer is deciding what to buy.
In the cart or at checkout: When the customer is reviewing their order.
After the purchase is complete (post-purchase): This is a great time for a one-click upsell, as the customer has already committed and their payment information is saved.
How can I measure the success of my upsell strategies?
The most important metric to track is your Average Order Value (AOV). You can also monitor your conversion rate on the upsell offers themselves and compare the AOV of customers who accepted an upsell versus those who didn’t. Most Shopify upsell apps provide built-in analytics to help with this.
Are there any specific Shopify apps you recommend for upselling?
The Shopify App Store has many great options, but for a comprehensive, all-in-one solution that’s both powerful and easy to use, we highly recommend GP ‑ Wishlist & Upsell Suite app. It’s built specifically to handle all the upsell strategies discussed in this post.
Conclusion
Upselling is not about tricking your customers into spending more; it’s about providing more value.
By offering them a better product, a more convenient bundle, or a great deal on a complementary item, you’re enhancing their shopping experience.
Don’t try to implement all 10 strategies at once. Start with one or two that feel most relevant to your business, like a free shipping threshold or a post-purchase upsell, and test their effectiveness. Analyze the data, see what works, and then scale up.
