20 Best Product Upsell Examples & Ideas to Inspire You

Upselling is a common sales technique to persuade your buyers to upgrade their current order or purchase a premium product.

It’s an effective way to improve your customer’s shopping experience and increase the value of your order at the same time. 

There’re tons of ways you can upsell to your buyers. It could be anything from offering expert service at a higher rate or selling product protection as an additional feature.

You can even provide a discount for a large order. 

If you’re looking for inspiration, I have shared the 20 best products’ real-time upsell examples to help you brainstorm ideas.

Explore them and find out what tricks and tips popular brands are using to raise their item prices.

1. Grammarly

Grammarly is a writing assistant software that edits and proofreads text to help you refine your content. Since it’s a free app and anyone can avail themselves of its services without paying extra charges, Grammarly generates revenues by upselling its premium products.

When you download the free extension to your browser, Grammarly gives you access to basic editing functions. Every time you proofread your content, it highlights an advanced edition urging you to make your writing even more effective by unlocking premium features.

It’s a highly successful upselling technique that has worked remarkably well for the company.

Takeaway

Attract customers with free products to build trust. Once you have a solid following, start upselling premium services.  

2. KFC

Fast-food giant KFC employs an add-on upselling method to increase its order value. When you click on its product page, it will offer you several add-ons to change the order to suit your taste buds.

For instance, check its UAE product.

Here, KFC allows customers to include cheese, tomato, and lettuce to add flavor to the burger.

Naturally, they would have to pay extra for the addition. 

The more options you pick, the higher KFC charges. It’s how the fast-food chain generates more income from its sales.

Takeaway

You can get more value out of each order by offering customization at the time of checkout. 

3. CloudApp

ClouldApp is a screen recording app that lets you capture images, add annotations, and download the edited version for free. It upsells its premium services on its free account by hitting its target market painpoints, which are time and convenience.

CloudApp’s business model allows customers to take as many screenshots as they want, but it puts a limit on the number of images they can keep at a time. Once you reach the limit, you may have to delete the previous ones to create a space. 

It hooks its users with a free plan and later presents its premium subscription as a better option.

Takeaway 

Make your product and services so irresistible that customers would willingly upgrade their order.

4. Vista Create

Graphic designing software Vista Create leverages its weekly newsletters to upsell its products. Every time it upgrades its features, it instantly sends emails to its customers, persuading them to go pro to unlock the latest functions.

My above email screenshot can give you a glimpse of how it influences its buyer’s decision. 

In the recent newsletter I received, Vista Create announced its new pro Resize feature and used influencing copy and powerful visuals to nudge me towards its premium plan.

Takeaway

Newsletters are a great way to nurture your existing and potential customers. Capitalize on this marketing channel to upsell your products and services.

5. Apple Card

Apple is well-known for its cross-selling strategies. It has an established ecosystem that makes it easier for Apple to recommend related products to its customers.

Remarkably enough, the very same ecosystem also allows it to upsell its services.

Take its card, for example.

When you add the item to the shopping cart, you get the option to either pay directly from your account or through an Apple card. The card works similar to a credit card, where you can shop now and pay later for your purchase.

While it’s designed to facilitate buyers, Apple benefits from its more.

Takeaway

Offer services that make your customer’s shopping process easy.

6. HP

HP is a tech company that’s mainly popular for its laptops and computers. It has an interesting upselling model that increases its order’s worth and drives customer satisfaction.

When you shop any item (say, a laptop) from HP, it lets you change certain specs to upgrade your laptop’s specifications.

You can alter cover color, install Windows, add your choice of memory card, and much more. It also offers after-sales technical support for a little extra charge.

These personalized services make its products highly appealing to its audience.

Takeaway

A shopping cart add-on is a classic upselling technique that can be molded to suit any business. Regardless of your product niche, you can always offer incentives to increase your order value.

7. OptinMonster

OptinMonster is a SaaS platform that helps its clients capture leads through pop-ups and forms. It uses a common B2B upselling strategy to increase its order value—comparison.

OptinMonster offers multiple plans to target different company sizes. To drive buyers toward its high-priced product, it presents all its plans parallel to each other to show the visible comparison in the price and specifications. 

It allows OptinMonster to present its premium plans as a better choice and generate more sales.

Takeaway

Adopt a comparison upselling model to let your customers know what they’ll get by upgrading their plan. 

8. ActiveCampagin

Market automation software Active Campaign’s upselling strategy is similar to OptinMonster. But it takes one step further and practically points out the best product to its customers.

Look at its pricing page. 

You’ll notice Active Campaigns has underscored the third plan by altering its color scheme and stressing its popularity. It employs visuals and persuasive copy to subtly nudge its potential buyers towards the plan it wants them to purchase. 

Takeaway

Leverage your copywriting to grab your audience’s attention. It will help you effectively upsell your desired products.

9. Proflowers

Proflowers is a US-based online florist store that delivers fresh and seasonal bouquets for special occasions. It uses product personalization as an upselling strategy to increase its order’s value.

As you pick out your bouquet for delivery, Proflowers will let you tailor your product, allowing you to add more stems or alter the arrangement of your flowers.

While it doesn’t provide versatile options, the limited customization still makes its buyers feel happy with their order. 

Takeaway

You don’t have to offer complex product upgrade features to attract customers. People also love basic personalization and would willingly pay more for it.

10. Edraw

Edraw sells a suite of infographic products under one umbrella to help customers get everything they need for their presentations in one place. This provides Edraw with great upselling opportunities to generate more income.

One of its most preferred upselling methods is seasonal discounts. It periodically publishes discount offers on its subscription and sends emails to persuade users to upgrade their plans.

The email makes the experience personalized, influencing its customers to check out the new addition.

Takeaway

70% of people follow brands that offer discounts or coupons. Leverage this feature to upsell to buyers.

11. Stripe

Stripe is an online payment company that provides borderless accounts worldwide for business transactions. It has a unique pricing model that helps it upsell its services.

Stripe allows news users to open free accounts and pay a certain commission based on their transaction frequency. It follows a “pay as you go” pricing model where users would only have to pay for the services rendered. 

It’s a lucrative strategy that boosts Stripe’s revenues and satisfies its customers.

Takeaway

Structure your pricing model in such a way that offers more benefits to your buyers. It will help you gain future upsell opportunities. 

12. KitchenAid

Whirlpool’s subsidiary Kitchen Aid is a premium US brand that sells high-quality kitchen appliances and accessories. Since its product leaves little space for personalization, it adds more value to the order by offering paid installation services to its customers.

Take its microwave shopping experience, for example.

After you add the item to the cart, you can choose to get your microwave delivered and installed for an additional $139. KitchenAid will further facilitate you by discarding your old appliance for a small fee. 

These extra services are an upselling technique that raises KitchenAid’s Microwave price. 

Takeaway

You can increase your order amount by offering home delivery options and after-sales services.

13. NordStorm

NordStrom applies the same upselling technique that KitchenAid use, but its method is tailored to its product nature.

As a departmental chain, NordStorm sells a diverse range of apparel and accessories. It captures its customers with free shipping and later earns extra by charging for box personalization.

While the amount of the gift packaging may appear small to you, if your product price is low, it can significantly increase your order’s value.

Takeaway

Gift options are a good upselling strategy to boost customer engagement and attract traffic to your store. 

14. Dunkin’

Coffee house Dunkin’ Donuts’ upselling strategy is straightforward and traditional. It boosts its order value by simply offering different cup sizes to its customers.

When you place your coffee order, Dunkin’ allows you to tailor the amount of the coffee to meet your consumption needs. If you choose a small size, you’ll be charged less, and should you pick the taller cup, you’ll naturally have to pay slightly more for it.

That’s how Dunkin’ upsells to its customers without being pushy.

Takeaway

Discover your customer’s preferences and use that knowledge to create your customization options.

15. Zazzle

Zazzle is a print products marketplace that exhibits custom designs from independent artists and graphic designers.

It displays a classic “material quality” upselling strategy that printing companies typically use to increase their order value.

Zazzle gives its buyer the option to choose paper texture, shape, and color quality to personalize their prints.

It charges extra for each change, which ultimately boosts its order’s worth.

Takeaway

Provide different quality options to your customers. If they know they can get both average and better material from you, they would be more inclined to choose the premium item.

16. Neutrogena

Skincare brand Neutrogena sells a versatile range of face and hair items to its customers. Since its product prices are relatively low, it sells some of its items at a discounted rate to encourage buyers to place large orders.

Look at its acne bundle pack. 

Separately, both items may not attract customers because people rarely use both products together. But the 25% discount might persuade buyers to purchase the bundle pack.

Neutrogena capitalizes on discount psychology to upsell its products.

Takeaway

Discount is an effective upselling technique that can help you increase your order’s worth and gain a loyal customer.

17. BodyBuilding

Body Building is a health brand that offers power boosters and fitness apps to help customers strengthen their body muscles. It upsells its fitness membership on its protein drink product page using Neutrogena’s discounts tactic to urge people to join the community.

The above screenshot displays its membership upselling technique. Here, Body Building has offered discounted prices to those who have or will subscribe to its monthly plan. 

It is an amazing tactic that generates more income for Body Building and increases its customer base.

Takeaway

Communities are excellent places to find future upselling opportunities. And luckily, you don’t have to be in the service business to sell memberships. 

18. Huawei

Mobile brand Huawei’s upselling strategy involves offering a warranty as an extra product feature.

Smartphones are typically fragile in nature and everyone knows they’re vulnerable to breakage and malfunctions. Huawei uses that fear to sell product protection to its buyers.

It not only makes its customer feel confident about their purchase but also boosts Huawei’s average price value.

Takeaway

Target your customer’s painpoints and motivation in your upselling strategy. Buyers would be more willing to purchase extra services if it solves their problem.

19. Tesla

Tesla is an ideal example of product upselling.

The eco-friendly electric car brand leaves no opportunity to add value to its net price, offering customization, lease, after-sales services, and much more.

One of its best upselling techniques is the price comparison on its product page.

Tesla features two types of tires and lists the performance benefits you’ll get on your customization. The facts and figures help its customers make an informed decision.

Also, take a look at our case study on Tesla’s Marketing Strategies.

Takeaway

Educating your customers about why they should upgrade their order is the best way to persuade them to buy premium features.

20. Remington

Remington is a hair grooming brand that sells styling appliances and shaving accessories. It leverages social proof to offer more value to its customers.

Take a look at its product categories. 

You’ll notice the listed products delivers the same performance with only a slight change in specs.

However, what makes one item more appealing to another is not the premium feature but the social proof attached to them.

Remington deliberately displays its sales count and reviews under each item to subtly let its customers know its $40 straightener would be a much better choice than its $35 item.

Takeaway

Social proof helps you upsell your product and services more easily.

Conclusion

Upselling is a great way to increase the average value of each order and generate more income for your business.

It not only makes a significant impact on your yearly revenues but also helps you build long-term relationships with your customers. 

Go ahead and device the best product upsell using the above examples as inspiration.

Good luck!