What Is Upselling? Meaning, Examples and How Online Stores Do It

Upselling is a sales technique where the seller suggests a better, bigger or more complete version of the product the customer is about to buy. The customer still buys the thing they came for, only in a version that costs more.

The key word is version. An upsell replaces the original choice with an upgrade of the same item. Suggesting a different, related item is cross-selling, covered below.

Upselling works when the upgrade is worth it to the customer, not only to the store: a lower price per unit, a feature they will use, or a size that saves them a reorder. When the upgrade is not a better fit, it is just pressure, and customers notice.

The classic examples come from outside ecommerce: "Would you like to make that a large?" at a fast food counter, a seat upgrade when you check in for a flight, or a phone with more storage for a little more money.

In an online store, upselling usually looks like this:

• A bigger size with a better unit price. A 1 kg bag of coffee instead of 250 g, shown with the lower price per cup.
• A higher tier of the same product. The premium version of a skincare set, with the extra items it includes listed side by side.
• A bundle instead of a single item. The starter kit instead of the device on its own.
• A subscription instead of a one-off order. The same product delivered every month at a lower price.
• A faster or safer option. Express shipping, gift wrapping or an extended warranty added to the same order.

Upselling offers a better version of the item the customer is buying. Cross-selling offers a different item that goes with it.

• Upsell: the 1 kg bag of coffee instead of the 250 g bag.
• Cross-sell: a grinder or filters to go with the coffee.

Stores usually use both. Upsells tend to work best before the order is placed, when the customer is still choosing. Cross-sells often work well after the purchase, once the customer has the product and knows what else they need. For email copy, see these cross-sell email examples.

On the product page

Show the versions side by side with the difference that matters: size, what is included, price per unit. A pre-selected middle option often feels like the sensible choice.

In the cart and at checkout

Offer one relevant upgrade for an item already in the cart, such as the larger size or the bundle, with a one-click swap. Keep it to a single offer so checkout stays fast.

In emails after a purchase

The best moment for many upsells is the next order. When a customer is about to run out, suggest the larger size or a subscription. When they have used a product for a few weeks, suggest the upgraded version. These emails can be sent automatically from your order data.

Through loyalty tiers

Early access or better prices on premium products give repeat customers a reason to move up a tier, which is upselling built into the relationship rather than a single offer.

An upsell email works when it is timed to something the customer did: a reorder coming up, a product they have used for a while, or a category they keep buying from. It should name the product they own, show what the upgrade adds and make the switch one click.

For copy you can adapt, see these upsell email examples and upsell email subject lines. For the full sequence of emails after an order, including when upsells and cross-sells fit, read the guide to WooCommerce post-purchase emails.

• Stay relevant. Upsell the item the customer is buying or has bought, not whatever has the best margin.
• Keep the step small. The upgrade should sit close to what the customer planned to spend.
• Show the value in numbers. Price per unit, what is included, how long it lasts.
• Make one offer at a time. A single clear upgrade beats a wall of options.
• Read the moment. Skip upsells for customers with an open return, a complaint or a delayed order.

Track the upsell take rate, the share of customers who accept the offer, and the change in average order value. For upsell emails, look at revenue per recipient rather than opens. Watch returns as well: an upsell that comes back as a return was the wrong offer.

Online stores that run this well do it as part of their retention marketing, where upsells, cross-sells and reorder reminders all come from the same order data.