Getting new customers is not the only way an online business has when it wants to grow. Up selling and cross selling are ecommerce sales strategies that can also boost growth . Here we explain what it is about.
Up-selling
When we up-sell we are improving the sale of the product that the client acquired or is about to acquire. In other words, we offer supplementary products or services . For example, if the customer is about to buy a common led television, we offer him a smart television. For those who sell services, it works the same way: if the client receives a newsletter from a company that is dedicated to web design and is interested in developing a landing page, we can offer the design of a complete web page. Within the up-selling strategies there are several alternatives:
- Up-selling before adding a product to the cart.
- Up-selling when the purchase was finalized, suggesting for an additional amount of money to improve the product or service purchased.
Cross-selling
When it comes to cross-selling , we are offering other complementary products , that is, they enable or improve the use of previously purchased products. For example, if we sell cell phones, we can also offer the cover or some other accessory. There are several alternatives to implement cross-selling:
- If a user has already tried the product or service, later we can offer you a complementary (post-test or use). This situation is it gives more in the case of services, where it is necessary to build trust to continue offering others of superior value.
- A second option is to offer complementary products on the spot. same of the purchase. This is very common in consumer products massive, as for example in clothing: the user buys a garment and, at the moment of closing the sale or selecting the product, the complete outfit is offered.
If you have an online store, you can implement cross-selling or up-selling strategies in the following ways:
- Defining keywords for each product . In this way, when the user performs a search, related or supplementary products are also displayed .
- Mapping the relationship of each product with the others . Thus, when the user selects a product, other complementary or supplementary ones are displayed.
Some of the common phrases used in cross-selling strategies are “We also recommend …”, “Those who bought this product also bought …”, “Other products in this category”, “Accessories for your purchase”, etc. .
What strategy is more convenient?
Between up-selling and cross-selling there is no preferred option, the selection depends on the strategy we follow . If we decide on both, perhaps the ideal order would be to first up-sell, to try to get the most benefit from the sale in progress, and then cross-sell, adding complementary products. In a purchase of a computer, for example, when the user adds their product to the cart, we can offer them a superior or new model (up-selling) and then, at the end of the purchase, suggest bringing an additional accessory.
For both strategies we can use other communication tools complementing the first interaction channel . For example, if the client bought through an ecommerce, we can continue the offer of complementary or supplementary products through email marketing. This has the advantage of a second instance of measurement of interest and the possibility of not saturating the customer at the moment, contacting him at a later stage (the next day, in the same week, etc.).
A high level of effectiveness
These strategies have a high level of conversion in online stores. The reason is that the customer has already shown interest in the brand and their decision changes instantly, generating extra income for the company with just one click. That is why it is so important to define well the flow of interaction with the page and the user experience .
Both strategies, cross-selling and up-selling, are very effective because if they are well implemented they have a certain personalization tone and are based on consumer choices and attitudes . That characteristic is what makes the difference.
The focus should always be to provide added value to the customer , offering products or services that are relevant, without deceiving them or wanting to oversell unnecessary items. The latter could be counterproductive, even having the power to dissuade the user from the original sale.
Remember that the user experience is what will determine that you can retain your customers , so these ecommerce strategies are really efficient .