Every customer who reaches your checkout represents untapped revenue potential. You've already done the hard work of getting them there. The question is whether you're maximizing what each visit is worth.
Upselling and cross-selling aren't pushy sales tactics when done right. They're about showing customers products they'll genuinely want, whether that's a larger size, a complementary item, or a bundle that saves them money. The difference between a $50 order and a $75 order compounds fast when you're processing hundreds or thousands of transactions.
Why it matters:
A 10% increase in average order value often generates more profit than a 10% increase in traffic. Traffic costs money. Higher cart values come from customers who are already buying.
The best part? Modern upsell tools handle the complexity for you. They figure out which products to recommend, when to show them, and how to present offers without disrupting the purchase flow.
Understanding the Difference
These terms get used interchangeably, but they work differently:
Upsell: Encouraging a customer to upgrade their selection. Think larger sizes, premium versions, or subscription plans instead of one-time purchases.
Cross-sell: Suggesting complementary products. If someone's buying a camera, they probably need a memory card. If they're ordering coffee, a mug makes sense.
Both strategies increase average order value, but they require different approaches and timing. Some tools specialize in one or the other. The best platforms handle both.
Key Metrics to Track
Before implementing any tool, know what you're measuring:
- Percentage of orders with upsells/cross-sells accepted
- Average Order Value (AOV) lift
- Revenue per visitor
- Conversion rate impact (make sure upsells aren't hurting your checkout completion)
- Breakdown by product and offer type
Where Upsells Work Best
The right placement depends on your products and customer behavior:
Pre-purchase opportunities:
- Product detail pages (subscription upgrades, bundles)
- Cart page (complementary products, quantity discounts)
- Checkout (last-chance add-ons, warranties)
Post-purchase opportunities:
- Thank you page (one-click upsells that append to the existing order)
- Order confirmation emails
- Shipping notification pages
Post-purchase offers eliminate conversion risk since the customer has already bought. But pre-purchase offers can significantly increase cart values before checkout.
Types of Upsell Platforms
Comprehensive upsell apps: Handle offers across multiple touchpoints (product pages, cart, checkout, post-purchase). Complete control over targeting rules and design.
Post-purchase specialists: Focus exclusively on offers shown after checkout. Zero risk to your conversion rate since the sale already happened.
Page builders with upsell capabilities: Let you create custom pages that include upsell elements. More design flexibility, but requires more setup work.
What to Look For
Integration depth: Your tool needs to work seamlessly with your eCommerce platform. Shopify apps that use native checkout integrations will always perform better than workarounds.
Targeting options: Can you show different offers based on cart contents, customer history, or purchase value? Generic recommendations underperform personalized ones.
Testing capabilities: A/B testing isn't optional. You need to know which offers work and which don't.
Analytics: Detailed reporting on acceptance rates, revenue generated, and impact on overall conversion.
Our Choices for the 3 Best Upsell/Cross-Sell Tools for eCommerce
We've selected three tools that represent different approaches to increasing average order value. BOLD Upsell gives you comprehensive control across multiple touchpoints. CartHook specializes in post-purchase offers that can't hurt your conversion rate. And Shogun lets you build custom pages with upsell elements baked in.
Read on to find out more,
BOLD Upsell
BOLD Upsell is one of the most established upsell platforms for Shopify, having served over 150,000 brands since 2012. It's a comprehensive solution that covers product pages, cart, checkout, and post-purchase touchpoints.
Tech Stack Type: Standalone Shopify app
Best for: Start Up / Mid-Sized / Enterprise
Pricing: See our listing about BOLD Upsell for pricing information
What Makes BOLD Upsell Great?
BOLD takes an AI-powered approach to recommendations. Instead of manually configuring every offer, the system analyzes your product catalog and suggests offers that are likely to convert. These smart offers improve over time as the system learns from customer behavior.
The funnel capabilities set BOLD apart from simpler tools. You can create multi-step offer sequences where declining one upsell triggers a different offer, a downsell at a lower price point or an alternative product. This adaptive approach captures revenue that would otherwise be lost.
Full design control means your offers match your store's look and feel. This matters more than most brands realize since generic-looking pop-ups feel intrusive while branded offers feel like helpful suggestions.
Key strengths:
- AI-powered smart offers that improve automatically
- Complex funnels with conditional logic
- Full design customization
- Integration with BOLD Subscriptions for subscribe-and-save offers
- Built for Shopify certification, ensuring reliable performance
The platform works best when you have a diverse product catalog with natural upsell and cross-sell relationships. Single-product stores will find fewer opportunities, though subscription upgrades remain valuable for nearly any brand.
AI Summary of Customer Reviews of BOLD Upsell
Users consistently praise BOLD Upsell for its ease of setup and the immediate impact on average order value. The AI recommendations receive positive feedback for reducing the manual work typically required to configure upsell offers. Some users note that the learning curve for advanced funnel building takes time, but the support team is responsive. Merchants appreciate the detailed analytics that show exactly which offers generate revenue and which need adjustment.
CartHook Post Purchase Offers
CartHook focuses exclusively on the post-purchase moment, showing offers on the thank you page after a customer has already completed their purchase. This specialization creates a risk-free upsell environment.
Tech Stack Type: Standalone post-purchase platform
Best for: Start Up / Mid-Sized
Pricing: See our listing about CartHook for pricing information
What Makes CartHook Great?
The post-purchase timing is CartHook's biggest advantage. Since the original order is already complete, there's zero chance of disrupting a conversion. Customers can add products to their existing order with one click; there is no need to re-enter payment or shipping information.
The drag-and-drop editor makes offer creation accessible without development resources. You design the offer page, set targeting conditions, and launch. The interface automatically matches your Shopify theme for a consistent experience.
Conditional logic lets you build smart offer sequences. Show different products based on what was just purchased. If the customer declines the first offer, present an alternative or a downsell. This approach maximizes acceptance rates by giving customers multiple relevant options.
A/B testing is built in, so you can compare different offers, price points, and page designs to find what works. The data tells you which combinations drive the highest acceptance rates and revenue.
Key strengths:
- Zero conversion risk since offers appear post-purchase
- One-click acceptance appends to the existing order
- Conditional upsell sequences based on cart contents
- Built-in A/B testing
- Automatic theme matching
CartHook works particularly well for consumable products where customers want to stock up, or for brands with accessories and add-ons that pair naturally with main products.
AI Summary of Customer Reviews of CartHook
Merchants highlight the simplicity of CartHook's interface and the measurable ROI from post-purchase offers. Many report significant increases in average order value within the first month. The one-click acceptance feature receives consistent praise for removing friction. Some users wish for more pre-purchase capabilities, though the post-purchase focus is intentional. Support responsiveness and the detailed analytics dashboard are frequently mentioned as standout features.
Shogun
Shogun is a drag-and-drop page builder that gives eCommerce merchants complete control over their store pages. While not a dedicated upsell tool, it enables the creation of high-converting product pages and landing pages that incorporate upsell and cross-sell elements.
Tech Stack Type: Page builder platform
Best for: Start Up / Mid-Sized
Pricing: See our listing about Shogun for pricing information
What Makes Shogun Great?
Shogun approaches upselling from a different angle. Instead of showing pop-up offers, you build product pages that naturally guide customers toward higher-value purchases. Bundle offers, quantity discounts, and subscription options become part of the page design itself.
The visual editor eliminates the need for developers. Choose from pre-built templates or create custom layouts from scratch. Pages pull in product information dynamically from your store, so updates happen automatically when you change inventory or pricing.
A/B testing capabilities let you compare different page versions. Test whether bundled offers outperform individual products, or whether subscription pitches work better above or below the fold. The data drives continuous improvement.
Native integrations mean your pages live on your domain, not a subdomain owned by the tool. If you ever stop using Shogun, the pages stay. This ownership model protects your investment in page design and SEO.
Key strengths:
- Complete design freedom without coding
- A/B testing for page optimization
- Dynamic product data integration
- Pages owned by you, not the platform
- Works with Shopify, BigCommerce, and more
Shogun works best when your upsell strategy requires custom page experiences. Product pages with built-in bundle options, landing pages for promotions, or dedicated pages for subscription programs all benefit from this approach.
AI Summary of Customer Reviews of Shogun
Users praise Shogun's ease of use and the speed at which they can launch new pages. The elimination of developer dependencies is a frequent highlight, with marketing teams appreciating the autonomy. A/B testing features receive positive feedback for driving conversion improvements. Some users note the learning curve for more complex layouts, though the template library provides a strong starting point. Support quality and documentation are consistently rated highly.
Find Your Perfect Upsell/Cross-Sell Tool
These are just our picks from hundreds of tech options out there. You can find lots more in our tech directory.
Quick decision guide:
Comprehensive upsell coverage: BOLD Upsell handles the full customer journey with AI-powered recommendations and complex funnel capabilities. Best for brands ready to invest in a complete upsell strategy across multiple touchpoints.
Risk-free post-purchase offers: CartHook specializes in the moment after checkout when you can't hurt conversions. Perfect for testing upsell strategies or for brands with products that lend themselves to impulse add-ons.
Custom page experiences: Shogun lets you build the pages where upsells happen. Ideal when your strategy requires unique page designs, bundle presentations, or landing pages with integrated offers.
Most brands don't need the most expensive option. They need the option that matches their current stage and specific goals. Start simple, prove it works, then scale up as your average order value grows.
If you're looking for a deal, check our Deals section, as there are often upsell/cross-sell tool offers available.
Plus, these blogs will offer you more advice on making the right choice:
Want to see your tech here? Get in touch.
