Increasing Conversion Rate in an eCommerce is a daunting task, however you must have heard about cross-selling and up-selling, but do you understand what they mean? And more importantly, do you apply and use these sales techniques properly in your online store? If you don’t, you’re losing sales opportunities.
Cross-selling and Up-selling
Many of you will be applying these techniques without realizing that’s what you’re doing. They’re not new or complicated but it is important to know about and use them properly in order to get the most out of them. As studies in this area confirm:
It’s easier to work on a customer who is already buying something than to achieve a new purchase to increase your total sales volume.
What is it? Definition and examples
Although the name makes it sound very sophisticated, cross-selling is in fact a very basic sales technique and probably one of the oldest. It simply involves offering products that complement the main buy. For example, if a user buys a mobile phone, offer them a case, a car charger, a screen protector, etc. The clear aim is to increase the average value of each purchase.
What about Up-selling?
Here what you’re trying to do is suggest that the customers buy a similar product to the one they’re looking at, but which is more profitable for your business. This technique has always been related to more expensive, top-of-the-range products but this does not have to be the case, you can simply offer products with higher profit margins.
What are the differences?
In general terms, the difference lies in the fact that while one aims to condition/influence the main product purchase decision, the other aims to complement that product with other items.
Which is better, Cross-selling or Up-selling?
These techniques are different and complementary, so combine them!
Just look at how Amazon or eBay work, exploiting and getting the most out of these techniques.
Now you have a clear understanding of these concepts, the first thing you need to know is how to implement them correctly in your eCommerce store, as well as the tools that will allow you to do so.
When and How can I Cross-sell and Up-sell? Techniques and strategies
The key idea is to support actions that foment impulse buys without distracting customers from their objective.
In the product description:
You must work on up-selling in this page. For example by offering recommended products. You can also add cross-selling techniques here, offering related products, product packages or other customers also bought.
Avoid the following mistakes:
- Locating your cross/up-selling at the end of an interminable scroll that most users never reach.
- Many platforms offer other products from the same category in an automatic, random manner. But this tool should be configured in line with your sales strategy and interests.
The shopping cart:
Having already targeted your customer with up-selling on the product form, the shopping cart is a good moment to try and get them to add in a complementary item and increase the value of their purchase. Make them an individual or ‘package’ offer with an attractive discount.
Others:
We have already covered the main areas for these sales techniques, but you can also try them on the home page, the thanks page, order confirmation emails or emails targeting the recovery of abandoned shopping carts. This last example combines cross-selling with another tool to improve conversion rates.
The possibilities are huge.