27 Feb
How to Cross-Sell in E-commerce: Strategies, Techniques, and Examples
Cross-selling in e-commerce is one of the most effective strategies for increasing sales and maximising the value of each customer, especially in an increasingly competitive online sales market.
Knowing how to offer complementary products before the shopping cart is closed can make the difference between a company that survives and one that thrives. This comprehensive guide will show you how to cross-sell professionally, increasing revenue without compromising the user experience.
Properly implementing e-commerce cross-selling techniques means understanding customer behaviour, using data intelligently, and offering real value through relevant suggestions.
It's not just about pushing more products, but about helping customers discover items that truly enhance their shopping experience.
When done well, cross-selling creates a win-win situation: the customer gets a more complete solution, while the online shop increases its turnover.
What is cross-selling and how does it differ from upselling?
Cross-selling is a sales technique that consists of offering customers products that complement or are related to what they are already purchasing. The aim is to enrich the shopping experience by offering items that naturally complement the main product. For example, if a customer buys a camera, cross-selling would suggest a memory card, a protective case or a tripod. These additional products do not replace the original purchase, but complement it.
The fundamental difference between cross-selling and upselling lies in the sales approach. While cross-selling offers different but complementary products, upselling aims to convince the customer to purchase a more expensive or premium version of the same product.
If a customer is looking at a £500 smartphone, upselling would suggest the £700 model with more memory and advanced features. Cross-selling, on the other hand, would suggest wireless earphones, a protective cover or a fast charger.
Both strategies are valuable for increasing e-commerce sales, but they require different approaches. Upselling works best in the early stages of the purchasing process, when the customer is still evaluating options. Cross-selling is most effective when the customer has already made a decision about the main product and is at the checkout stage or immediately after purchase. Understanding this distinction is key to applying the right strategy at the right time.
Advantages of Cross Selling for your e-commerce
The first and most obvious benefit of online cross-selling is the increase in average order value (AOV). When customers add complementary products to their cart, they naturally spend more on each transaction. This increase can be significant: studies show that well-implemented cross-selling can increase AOV by 10-30%. Considering that acquiring a new customer costs 5-25 times more than selling to an existing one, maximising the value of each order becomes an essential strategy for profitability.
The second benefit is improved customer loyalty and satisfaction. When you offer relevant and useful related e-commerce products, you demonstrate that you understand your customers' needs. A photographer buying a camera will appreciate the suggestion of a high-speed memory card because it solves a real need. This attention builds trust and increases the likelihood that the customer will return for future purchases, improving Customer Lifetime Value (CLV).
The third benefit is optimising customer acquisition costs. Because you are selling more products to the same customer during a single transaction, you reduce the cost per acquisition by spreading it across multiple items. In addition, cross-selling helps you better manage inventory by promoting slower-moving products by pairing them with bestsellers. Finally, it increases brand awareness: customers who purchase more products from your range discover the breadth of your catalogue and become more likely to consider you for future purchases in different categories.
If you are looking for an Italian solution that natively integrates all these features, Cuborio® is the B2B and B2C e-commerce platform designed to offer a complete and customisable cross-selling experience.
Thanks to its modular and open-source architecture, Cuborio allows you to configure product recommendations, bundles and smart suggestions at every stage of the customer journey, from the product page to post-purchase, without the limitations of third-party plugins. With a dedicated team of Italian engineers and the possibility of integration via RESTful API, Cuborio adapts to your business model and grows with you.
Whether you run an online store aimed at end consumers or a business-to-business activity, cross-selling logic adapts to both contexts. Cuborio's B2B and B2C eCommerce platform is designed to support advanced sales strategies in both channels, with native features for managing differentiated price lists, targeted promotions and personalised recommendations. This means that each cross-selling suggestion can be tailored to the type of customer — private or business — maximising the relevance of the offer and, consequently, the conversion rate.
Effective cross-selling strategies and techniques
One of the most effective cross-selling strategies is to implement an 'Often bought together' section on the product page. This technique, made famous by Amazon, uses historical purchase data to show combinations of products that other customers have bought together. The strength of this approach lies in social proof: if many others have found that combination useful, the new customer will be more likely to trust it. This section should be strategically placed below the main product description, with a button that allows all items to be added to the shopping cart with a single click.
Another powerful technique is the creation of bundles and discounted packages. Instead of selling individual products, offer pre-packaged combinations at a slightly reduced price compared to purchasing them separately. For example, a sports equipment shop could create a 'Complete Running Kit' that includes shoes, technical socks and a heart rate monitor at a price 15% lower than the sum of the individual items. This approach simplifies the purchasing decision and increases the perception of value, making the offer irresistible.
The 'Related Products' and 'Necessary Accessories' section is key to increasing average basket size. It shows items that complement or enhance the use of the main product. For a laptop, these could be wireless mice, laptop backpacks, or antivirus software. The key is to select truly useful products, not just random items from the same category. Finally, the "Recently viewed products" feature helps returning users find items of interest, creating cross-selling opportunities when they return to the site to complete a previously considered purchase.
Cross-selling in the shopping cart, checkout, and post-purchase
The shopping cart is a golden opportunity for cross-selling. When a customer adds a product to their cart, it's the perfect time to suggest complementary items before they proceed to checkout. Many e-commerce platforms display a pop-up or dedicated section with suggestions such as "Complete your purchase with these products". The important thing is to follow the 25% rule: e-commerce product suggestions should not increase the total order by more than 25%, to avoid discouraging the main purchase due to an overly high final price.
During checkout, cross-selling should be even more discreet and targeted. This phase is delicate: the customer has already decided to buy and any distraction could cause them to abandon their cart. However, small and relevant suggestions can work well. For example, for a clothing order, a simple "Add socks for only £5" can be effective. The key element is simplicity: just one click to add, without having to go back or interrupt the checkout flow.
The post-purchase is perhaps the most underrated moment for cross-selling. After the customer has completed their order, the thank you page can show related products with a special discount "as a thank you". Even more effective is email marketing: send personalised emails in the days following the purchase, suggesting products that complement the one purchased. For example, a week after purchasing a coffee machine, send an email with compatible capsules or cleaning accessories. This timing allows the customer to experience the product and recognise the need for the suggested accessories.
