Cross-Selling

Cross-selling is a sales technique that’s very popular in the world of online selling. It’s where a merchant entices a customer to spend more money at their store by purchasing a product (or products) related to what they’re already buying. Usually, these other products satisfy additional and/or complementary needs associated with the original item.

More often than not, cross-selling draws attention to products the customers would have needed to of bought anyway. By displaying these items at the right time—such as when they’re already pondering their purchase or the experiences they’re going to have with their purchase—you massively increase the chance of securing an additional sale.

Cross-Selling vs. Upselling

Cross-selling shouldn’t be confused with upselling. That’s something entirely different. Upselling takes things up a notch by prompting the shopper to opt for a better, more expensive version of what they’re already purchasing.

Examples of Cross-Selling

Amazon is one of the most well-known brands for cross-selling. You’ve probably seen it yourself—you know, the “Customers who bought this, also bought…” section at the bottom of each product page? That’s cross-selling. Allegedly, Amazon makes as much as 35% of its sales through cross-selling!

For instance, if you’re marketing TV remote controls, you might try and cross-sell batteries. This is an excellent example. Without the batteries, the TV remote won’t function properly. Or, if you’re selling makeup, you could cross-sell makeup brushes.

The key takeaway here is if you’re able to cross-sell something that’s needed for your product to operate, do so! This kind of cross-selling usually gets the best conversions.

If you can, it’s also a great idea to bundle related products together. This makes the shopping experience much easier for the customer, and means a higher average order value for you—win-win! You could even offer consumers a discounted price on your bundled items. Sometimes this is the deciding factor that causes a customer to impulse buy your products.

Tips for upping your cross-selling game

• Less is More: The last thing you want is to bombard customers with tons of product suggestions. Stick to just two or three cross-selling options and only provide what they really need for them to be happy with their initial purchase.
• Honesty is Always the Best Policy: Don’t give customers that icky feeling that pushy salespeople often do—not only does this damage your brand, but it also risks the sale. The more transparent you are about cross-selling, the more likely your customers will respect you. It’s simple—be forthright about pricing and what they’ll get for their money and you shouldn’t go too far wrong.
• Showcase Value: Demonstrate the value of the product(s) you’re trying to cross-sell. Make it clear to customers why these additional purchases have value. For instance, you can use customer case studies, testimonials, or customer reviews to prove your point. It doesn’t really matter what kind of social proof you use, just ensure that the value is made evident to your customers. That way, they can make a fully informed choice for themselves, without you coming across as pushy or sales-y.
• Reward Loyalty: When a customer commits to spending more by purchasing one (or more) of the products you’re cross-selling, reward their loyalty! Send a handwritten thank-you letter, give them a discount coupon for a future purchase, send them a piece of branded merchandise, or offer them a free gift—just as a few ideas.

By following the above cross-selling tips, you should experience greater success when cross-selling your products!