Upsell
An upsell is a better or dearer alternative suggested in place of the product a shopper is looking at, such as the next model up.
- Up-sell
- Upselling
What it means
An upsell offers something instead of the product in view, not as well as it. WooCommerce’s definition is products “you recommend instead of the currently viewed product”, which are “typically higher-quality or higher-priced alternatives”.1
Depending on the theme, WooCommerce shows up-sells on the product page below the description, and they are chosen by hand for each product.1 An import file can carry them too, in an Upsells column that takes a “Comma-separated list of product IDs or SKUs”.2
A good upsell is the same kind of product with a clear step up: more capacity, a better finish, a longer guarantee. The step only shows if both products describe it the same way.
Think of it like this
Picture a camera shop where, as you reach for one model, the assistant shows you the one above it: the same kind of thing, a step better and a step dearer.
For example
A shopper is looking at a Brackmore 1.5 litre kettle. The upsell is the Brackmore 1.7 litre model with a keep-warm setting, at a higher price. Both pages give capacity in litres, so the step up is plain at a glance.
Why it matters
An upsell is a comparison, and a comparison needs matching data. If one kettle says 1.5L and the other 1700 ml, the shopper has to do sums. If one leaves its features blank, the shopper cannot see what the extra money buys.
Not to be confused with
An upsell is different from a cross-sell. An upsell replaces the product in view, while a cross-sell is added alongside it, such as a case for a laptop.1
Sources
- WooCommerce documentation. Set up Related Products, Up-Sells and Cross-Sells.
- WooCommerce documentation. Product CSV Importer and Exporter.