Are you looking to increase your Shopify store’s average order value without acquiring new customers? Implementing effective upsell and cross sell Shopify strategies can significantly boost your revenue while enhancing the customer shopping experience.
In this guide, we explore what upselling and cross-selling are, highlight the best Shopify options for upselling and cross-selling, and provide proven strategies to optimize your e-commerce conversion rates.
What is Upselling and Cross-Selling?
Upselling on Shopify is a strategic sales technique that offers customers premium versions or upgrades of the original item they’re viewing. In contrast, cross selling involves displaying related or complementary products to items the customer has previously viewed or purchased. For instance:
- Upsell example: Offering a waterproof foundation as an upgrade to a regular foundation.
- Cross-sell example: Suggesting a shock-proof phone case when a customer purchases a smartphone.
Both upsell and cross-sell strategies help merchants increase their average order value (AOV) while enhancing customer loyalty through personalized, exclusive offers. When implemented correctly, these techniques create additional value for customers while boosting your store’s revenue.
Now that you understand what an upsell and a cross-sell are, let’s explore the best upsell cross sell Shopify app options for your store.
Best Upsell and Cross-Sell Apps for Shopify 2025
1. AOV Post Purchase Upsell
AOV Post-Purchase Upsell is a free upsell Shopify app designed to increase order value after customers complete their purchase, targeting a critical point in the e-commerce sales funnel. You can place upsells on thank-you pages, checkout pages, and order confirmations where customers are most likely to add premium or complementary products.
AOV Post Purchase Upsell helps merchants verify every upsell and cross-sell trigger with built-in testing to ensure your deals convert and prevent revenue loss.
General app information:
- Rating: 5.0/5 (17 reviews)
- Developer: AOV.ai (by Avada)
- Pricing: Free
- Free plan: Yes
Key features:
- Post-purchase optimization: Increase your average order value (AOV) when customers are most likely to make additional purchases.
- Thank you page optimization: Strategic use of order confirmation pages for coupons and discounts.
- AI-powered checkout personalization: Smart recommendations that personalize offers.
- Quick setup: Implement your first post-purchase upsell campaign in under 10 minutes.
Who is it best for?
- E-commerce beginners (Stay-at-home parents, college students, retirees).
- Stores focused on post-purchase revenue (Increase monthly visitors).
- Merchants need downsell options (High-end fashion brands offering mid-range items).
2. AOV Free Gift Buy X Get Y BOGO
The second app is AOV Free Gift Buy X Get Y BOGO, which is a pre-purchase upsell app that integrates various promotional strategies, including Buy One Get One (BOGO), Buy X Get Y, and cart value-based gifts, directly on product pages. It supports cross-selling and upselling at the product page for order recommendations.
AOV Free Gift Buy X Get Y BOGO boosts conversions with AI-powered upsell and cross-sell strategies like order goals, gift-with-purchase, and cart value discounts.
General app information:
- Rating: 4.9/5 (459 reviews)
- Developer: AOV.ai (by Avada)
- Pricing: Free plan available, $19.99–$49.99/month
- Free plan: Yes
Key features:
- Optimal A/B testing: Identify the most effective campaign types and boost your store’s reach.
- Auto add-to-cart upsell strategy: Configure Buy One Get One (BOGO), Buy X Get Y, and Quantity Purchase promotions to increase reach.
- Global compatibility: Serve international customers in their native language and expand your market reach.
Who is it best for?
- Multi-country Shopify merchants targeting international markets.
- Merchants comfortable with basic widget designs.
- Store owners with technical teams.
Expert tip: Elevate your AOV Free Gift Buy X Get Y BOGO campaigns by integrating them with post-purchase cross-sell and upsell strategies using AOV Post Purchase Upsell for complete funnel optimization.
3. iCart Cart Drawer Cart Upsell
iCart Cart Drawer Cart Upsell is one of the best Shopify upsell and cross-sell apps, offering targeted campaigns for different customer segments and extensive customization options. You get smart discount strategies, volume pricing, and in-cart upsells that work well on desktop devices.
iCart Drawer Cart Upsell combines upsells, progress bars, and cart timers to lift AOV and reduce cart abandonment.
General app information:
- Rating: 4.8/5 (403 reviews)
- Developer: Identixweb Limited
- Pricing: Free plan available, or $12.99–$29.99/month
- Free plan: Yes
Key features:
- Targeted offer rules: Create specific upsell campaigns for different customer types and valuable repeat buyers
- Smart discount strategies: Increase order value through volume discounts, free gifts, and progress bars
- Cart optimization tools: Boost sales with in-cart upsells, sticky drawers, and slide-out suggestions.
Who is it best for?
- Desktop-focused Shopify stores.
- Stores with technical support available.
4. Essential Upsell & Cross Sell
Essential Upsell & Cross Sell is a free cross sell Shopify app that makes implementing cross-selling strategies accessible for beginners and new e-commerce entrepreneurs. It provides intelligent product recommendations, one-click upsell options, and seamless cart integration with in-app previews for better control of the customer shopping experience.
Essential Shopify upsell and cross-sell app makes it easy to offer product bundles, cart page upsells, and frequently bought together combos to drive AOV.
General app information:
- Rating: 5.0/5 (623 reviews)
- Developer: Essential Apps
- Pricing: Free
- Free plan: Yes
Key features:
- Smart product recommendations: Automatically display related items customers are likely to purchase based on browsing behavior.
- One-click upsells: Allow customers to add cross-sell products instantly without leaving the page, reducing friction in the purchase process.
- Cart drawer integration: Transform your shopping cart into a revenue-generating tool with strategic add-ons.
- Beginner-friendly interface: Set up cross-sell campaigns in minutes without technical skills or coding knowledge.
Who is it best for?
- Solo founders with no technical background looking for simple implementation.
- Stay-at-home parents with a budget-limited first online business.
5. ReConvert Upsell & Cross Sell!
ReConvert Upsell & Cross Sell! is a versatile cross-sell app for Shopify merchants to implement comprehensive cross-sell and upsell promotion capabilities across multiple touchpoints in the customer journey, along with customizable thank-you page experiences. With robust A/B testing functionality, this cross-sell app is particularly well-suited for experienced merchants such as dropshippers and custom product creators.
ReConvert Shopify app lets you build full-page cross-sell funnels post-purchase, improving retention without requiring customers to re-enter their information.
General app information:
- Rating: 4.8/5 (2,657 reviews)
- Developer: ReConvert
- Pricing: Free plan available, or $4.99–$14.99/month
- Free plan: Yes
Key features:
- Shopify Plus thank you page optimization: Transform order confirmation pages into powerful upsell opportunities with sophisticated A/B testing capabilities.
- Drag-and-drop bundle builder: Easily create checkout upsell strategies using intuitive visual tools to build compelling product bundles.
- One-click upsell blocks: Add post-checkout offers and cart bundles that customers can purchase instantly with AI-powered relevance.
Who is it best for?
- Experienced dropshippers with sophisticated A/B testing requirements.
- Custom product makers seeking personalized recommendation capabilities.
To find the perfect fit app for your Shopify store, explore our comprehensive list of upsell and cross-sell apps, including pros, cons, and practical tips.
5 Upsell and Cross-Sell Strategies for Shopify Stores
After implementing your chosen Shopify solution for upselling and cross-selling, let’s explore which strategies are best suited for your store type and why they are effective.
Implement these 5 tips to enhance upsell and cross-sell offers on your Shopify store.
1. Related and personalized offers
Your customers only buy what they actually need. They don’t act on a deal that offers a random item, such as a key ring, after a vase order. Stay relevant with every upsell and cross-sell deal to create offers that solve customer pain points and needs.
2. Perfect timing and quantity
There are 3 typical placements for Shopify upsell and cross-sell campaigns that deliver excellent conversion rates and revenue:
- Pre-purchase page: Product page upsells and cross-sells.
- Cart page: In-cart or cart drawer recommendations.
- Post-purchase page: Checkout page, thank you page, order status page upsells.
While the product page and cart page are suitable for initial discovery, the post-purchase pages focus on customer retention and repeat business.
Pro tip: Limit suggestions to 3 items to avoid overwhelming customers and causing decision fatigue.
3. App compatibility
Some third-party upsell and cross-sell apps that Shopify solutions offer may include advanced features. Still, these can potentially slow down your store’s speed, often with limited customization options for widgets.
- For beginners learning how to upsell on Shopify, consider using free apps that offer a user-friendly interface and straightforward configuration.
- For experts, choose an app with a one-flow setup and preview capabilities to see how your offers appear before going live.
4. Customer retention improvement
According to The Marketing Centre report, selling to existing customers has a 60% to 70% success rate, whereas selling to new prospects yields a success rate of only 5% to 20%. It’s also more cost-effective to retain current customers, as acquiring a new one costs three times as much as keeping an existing one.
Key considerations: Effective upsell and cross sell Shopify strategies can significantly enhance customer lifetime value.
5. Test and optimization
If you’re launching your first upsell and cross-sell offers, begin with small tests for 2-3 weeks to better understand your customer behavior.
For example, offer 10% off a waterproof sunscreen for two weeks to customers who buy a moisturizer to gauge shopper reactions while protecting your profit margins.
Pro tip: Select upsell Shopify app options that include A/B testing capabilities to optimize your campaigns more effectively and identify the highest-converting offers.
Conclusion
Implementing upsell and cross-sell strategies on your Shopify store can significantly boost your average order value and overall revenue. By understanding the differences between the two, selecting the right apps, and prioritizing customer value, you can create a more engaging shopping experience that encourages spending.
FAQs About Upsell and Cross Sell Shopify
- Upselling is a sales technique that encourages customers to buy a higher-end version of a product, such as suggesting a premium subscription plan.
- Cross-selling involves recommending complementary products, such as offering a phone case with a smartphone purchase.
- Downsell presents a more affordable option if a customer declines the initial offer, like suggesting a $75 item instead of a $100 one.
Each of these strategies serves a different purpose in your overall sales approach, with upselling focusing on increasing the value per product, cross-selling aiming to increase the number of items per order, and downselling helping to prevent lost sales.
Best upselling example: Apple successfully upsells by offering iPhone models with increased storage, allowing customers to upgrade from 128GB to 256GB or 512GB for an extra cost.
Best cross-selling example: Amazon excels at suggesting complementary products through its “Frequently bought together” and “Customers who bought this item also bought” sections. For instance, when purchasing a digital camera, Amazon suggests products such as memory cards and camera bags.
These strategies are effective because they are relevant, timely, and add value to the customer’s purchase.
The success rate of upsell and cross-sell strategies varies by industry, implementation method, and relevance of offers, but research shows impressive results when executed properly:
Brands that utilize cross-selling tactics often experience a profit increase of approximately 20%.
Upselling to existing customers can result in profits that are nearly 5-25 times higher.
According to Launchtip, 72% of sales professionals have reported revenue growth as a result of implementing upselling and cross-selling strategies.
To maximize success rates, it is essential to ensure that offers are relevant, timed appropriately, and focused on a customer-first approach rather than a sales-driven one.
