Two Ways to Grow Sales
There are really only two ways to grow revenue: bring in more customers (new traffic), or get your current customers to spend a little more (higher average order value). Ads to attract new customers cost money, but suggesting one more item to someone who's already opened their wallet costs almost nothing. That's the power of upselling and cross-selling.
Upsell vs Cross-sell
- Upsell: Offering a better (pricier) version of the same item. E.g. "Go large for +$1", "Upgrade to the premium course"
- Cross-sell: Offering a complementary item. E.g. "Add a drink?", "Socks that match this shirt"
McDonald's famous "Would you like fries with that?" is the classic cross-sell.
Weaving It In Online
- Product detail page: Add a "Frequently bought together" section below the item
- Cart page: Nudges like "Free shipping over $50 — you're only $8 away!"
- At checkout: Offer low-cost add-ons (dessert, sides, accessories) as simple checkboxes
- Korean restaurant online ordering: After the main, auto-show "add rice, drink or banchan" options
Too Much Backfires
Too many suggestions actually get in the way of checkout. Stick to 2–3 highly relevant items and keep it pressure-free. It should feel like help, not a hard sell.
Small, well-placed suggestions can lift your average order value by 10–20%. PICKTECH can build upsell and cross-sell features naturally into your online store and ordering system — feel free to get in touch.