How to Add Upsell Products in Shopify: 3 Proven Strategies & Tips for Effective Upsell Campaigns

Upsells in Shopify are offers that encourage customers to buy upgraded or additional products. Unlike cross-sells (which suggest related complementary items), upsell strategies focus on promoting premium versions of what customers already want—for example, offering a shockproof phone case instead of a basic one. In this guide, you’ll learn how to add upsell products in Shopify in three ways with the best upsell apps recommendations.

Before diving into implementation, let’s examine the three most effective upsell strategies and their impact on different stages of the customer journey and sales funnel.

3 Proven Upsell Strategies for Shopify Stores

Upsell offer acceptance rates usually range from 4% to 25%, depending on when and how they are presented during the customer journey. Proper placement is key to successfully converting shoppers based on their decision-making stage.

1. Product page upsells

Product page upsells are effective because customers are already interested in your products. By showing upgraded or premium versions of what they’re looking at, you can enhance their shopping experience at a crucial moment.

2. Cart page upsells

The cart page is where customers review their purchases just before checking out. This is the perfect time to recommend extra items, bundle deals, or complementary products to encourage them to complete their purchase and reduce cart abandonment.

3. Post-purchase page upsells

Post-purchase upsells capitalize on customers who have just made a purchase and are feeling satisfied. Studies show that this approach can boost conversion rates to 10-28%, making it effective for increasing the total order value.

Now that you know which upsell strategies are effective at different stages of the sales funnel, let’s look at how to apply these techniques to improve conversions in your Shopify store.

How to Add Upsell Products in Shopify: Step-by-Step Guide

Let’s explore the specific implementation methods for incorporating upsells across various areas of your Shopify e-commerce store.

How to add upsell to the product page

To get started, you’ll need a Shopify app that supports product page upsell. These apps let you show a special offer right in the product page, when they’re most engaged with your store.

AOV Volume Discount Bundles is a free upsell app that helps you increase sales on the product page. It enables you to create AI-powered ‘frequently bought together’ fixed bundles and volume discount suggestions tailored to customers’ needs.

General app information

• Rating: 5.0/5 (81 reviews)
• Developer: AOV.ai (by Avada)
• Pricing: Free
• Free plan: Yes

Who is it best for?

• E-commerce newcomers (Stay-at-home parents, university students, seniors).
• Online stores focusing on inventory clearance.
• Various SKU-based businesses (Fashion brands, home decor retailers, and beauty product merchants).

Step 1: Create new offer

• In AOV Volume Discount Bundles dashboard, click Create new offer.
• Select your preferred campaign type, then Create (e.g, Frequently bought together)
• Name your campaign clearly (e.g., “Frequently bought together #1”).

Pro tip: Customers won’t see this internal campaign name. Use descriptive naming conventions to help you easily identify and manage different campaigns in your dashboard.

Step 2: Trigger conditions

Choose qualifying items from Specific products or Specific collections that will activate the upsell offer when viewed by customers.

Step 3: Set up the Product page upsell offer

You have 4 ways to select the product you want to offer at the product page:

• AI Recommendation: Let the app automatically suggest high-performing products based on purchase history.
• Same Collection: Offer a group of products from the same collection for cohesive recommendations.
• Specific Collection: Offer a group of products from a particular collection for strategic product grouping.
• Specific Product: Manually select individual products to upsell based on your merchandising strategy.

Pro tip: Enable the Add free gift option when customers purchase all recommended upsell products to enhance the perceived value and shopping experience.

Step 4: Enable Discount offer (Optional)

• Choose a discount type: Percentage or Fixed amount for dynamic pricing.
• Select discount combinations.

Pro tip: Ensure you enable usage limits and set one use per customer to prevent promotion abuse while maintaining profitability.

Step 5: Advanced settings & Schedule

• Fill in the offer message with compelling content.
• Select the page to redirect to after Add to cart: Current page or Cart page.
• Apply the discount to the minimum product quantity or only to upsell products.
• Schedule your offers based on your marketing calendar > Save.

Step 6: Test the Offer

• Navigate to a product configured in step 2.
• Verify that your upsell products display correctly on the product page.
• Test the complete purchase flow to ensure a seamless user experience.

Now that you’ve learned how to implement effective product page upsells, let’s explore upsell cart page optimization strategies, which often deliver higher conversion rates due to stronger purchase intent signals.

How to add upsells to the cart drawer page

If you’re a first-time merchant, choose a third-party app that provides a smooth integration with a simple setup flow to configure your upsell promotions in the cart.

AOV Slide Cart Drawer is an easy-to-use cart upsell app that shows updates in real-time as shoppers change their cart. It improves the shopping experience and helps reduce cart abandonment with a reward system.

General app information

• Rating: 5.0/5 (2 reviews)
• Developer: AOV.ai (by Avada)
• Pricing: Free
• Free plan: Yes

Who is it best for?

• Various SKU-based stores (Fashion retailers, home decor merchants, and beauty brands).
• Budget-conscious e-commerce businesses.
• Mobile-focused Shopify sellers prioritizing responsive design.

Now that you know what this app offers, let’s explore a step-by-step guide for cart upsell offers.

Step 1: Create offer

• Navigate to AOV Slide Cart Drawer dashboard.
• Click Create or Cart editor in the left-hand menu bar.
• Select Body > Enable Upsell products.

Step 2: Set up the Cart drawer upsell offer

Select your upsell products: AI-recommended or manually selected.

Step 3: Display settings

Personalize offer content and styling to maintain brand consistency.

Step 4: Activate your upsell offers

• Set status to Active in the left-hand status panel.
• Click Save to implement your changes.
• Your add-on upsell offers are now active in your store.

Step 5: Test the Offer

Add items to the cart and see how your upsell offer appears.

Pro tip: Enable these conversion-optimizing elements as needed for your business goals:

• Announcements: Create urgency with timer-based messaging (e.g., “Your products are reserved for 1 minute!”).
• Reward bar: Encourage customers to buy more items to reach attractive spending goals.
• Customized text: Clarify important policy information (e.g., “Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.”).
• Trust badges: Enhance brand credibility with payment security indicators to boost customer confidence.
• Discount codes: Display available discount options and provide an input field for applying the code.

Note: Customers must proceed to the checkout page to apply free shipping discounts. For Shopify Plus merchants using a custom checkout.liquid templates, the discount codes module will not display on the storefront.

For merchants interested in implementing post-purchase upselling strategies, explore our comprehensive post-purchase upsell setup guide with expert tips for effective upsell campaigns.

Even with the right tools and implementation strategy, you may encounter challenges that impact your upselling success. Let’s address the most common obstacles and their solutions.

3 Common Upsell Challenges and Proven Solutions

Most e-commerce merchants struggle with optimizing their upselling campaigns after initial implementation. Here are the three most prevalent issues and data-driven solutions to overcome them:

1. Low conversion rates

Your upsell offers aren’t generating expected conversion rates despite adequate traffic and visibility. If so, follow these two solutions first to optimize your upsell promotions:

• Focus on relevance and strategic timing.
• Test different discount percentages, product combinations, and value propositions.

If your current upsell offer features a basic summer blouse, test an upgraded version with a floral pattern or premium fabric. Customer preference data often shows higher conversion rates for distinctive products over basic options, even at slightly higher price points.

2. Technical integration issues

Third-party apps cause conflicts or negatively impact your store’s loading speed and performance before going live. Make sure you test all new apps in a development environment before implementing them on your live store. After installation, closely monitor the site’s speed and performance metrics to ensure the best customer experience.

3. Customer experience concerns

Customers may find upsells to be pushy or annoying. Quality upsell apps allow you to limit the frequency of offers shown to individual customers. Prioritize subtle, visually appealing designs that enhance the shopping experience while maintaining brand consistency across all touchpoints.

Pro tip: Select a Shopify upsell app that offers extensive widget customization options to match your brand guidelines and create a seamless visual experience.

3 Advanced Tips to Optimize Your Upsell Campaigns

Once you’ve established basic upsell functionality, these advanced optimization techniques can significantly boost your average order value and conversion metrics. Each strategy includes practical examples you can adapt for your specific Shopify store and product catalog.

1. Use data-driven product selection

Analyze your sales data and customer behavior patterns to identify the products you frequently purchase together or in sequence. For instance, if your analytics reveal that you often buy clear phone cases alongside shock-proof cases within 30 days, you can use this insight for targeted upselling. This strategy can enhance your shopping experience and help you discover complementary items that meet your needs.

Example implementation:

• Configure an automated upsell offering shock-proof cases at 15% off when customers add clear phone cases to their cart.
• Position this offer strategically on both the cart page and the post-purchase confirmation screen.
• A/B test different discount levels to identify the optimal conversion point.

2. Create compelling bundle offers

Bundle your upgrade products at attractive price points. Instead of selling items individually, create packages that offer clear value to your customers. This approach not only enhances customer perception but also encourages larger purchases.

Example implementation:

• Fashion store: Offer “Complete the Look” bundles with accessories.
• Beauty store: Create skincare routines with cleanser, toner, and moisturizer accessories.
• Electronics: Bundle devices with essential accessories in a package.

3. Optimize timing and frequency

Some customers respond better to immediate offers, while others convert at higher rates through strategic follow-up communications. Ensure you test various timing strategies to identify what works best for your specific audience segments.

Example implementation:

• Immediate post-purchase: 25% off of limited-edition products (one-time offer).
• 24-hour follow-up email: “Complete your purchase” with related items.
• 7-day email: Educational content about product usage with soft upsell suggestions.

As a result of addressing these challenges, you’ll be ready to implement these advanced optimization strategies that can significantly boost your results.

Conclusion

To implement effective upsells in your Shopify store, you’ll need strategic planning, the right tools, and ongoing optimization. Start by focusing on one type of upsell placement, measure the results, and then gradually expand your efforts.

By following this guide on creating upsell products in Shopify, you’ll be well-equipped to boost your average order value while nurturing positive customer relationships. The key is to find the right balance between optimizing revenue and ensuring customer satisfaction.

FAQs on How to Add Upsell Products in Shopify