What is a post-purchase upsell?

A post-purchase upsell is a marketing tactic where a business offers customers additional products or services after they have already made the initial purchase.

This is typically either done in the form of an offer on the checkout page or via an automated email in the days following the purchase. Post-purchase upsells can be beneficial for businesses as it increases average order value, repeat purchases, and revenue.

Two types of post-purchase upsell

Post-purchase upsells can be divided into two primary categories:

Post-checkout upsells: The upsell is placed on the final page of the checkout after completing a purchase, offering shoppers the option to upgrade to a higher-value bundle or add other items to their order. These can be powerful tools for increasing AOV and reducing fulfillment costs, as additional upsell products will be bundled into the original order.

Marketing automation upsells: This type of upsell occurs in the hours and days after a customer has completed the order. Typically delivered through email or SMS, the role of these tactics is to get customers excited about their order and tempt them back to the store, website, or app to grab another product.

Benefits of post-purchase upsells

Post-purchase upsells are popular strategies for marketers. They help:

Increase customer retention: Offering additional items or services following a purchase helps to build relationships with customers, resulting in improved customer retention and loyalty.

Drive additional revenue: Upselling encourages customers to spend more by adding extra items to their orders, increasing overall sales and ROI. This is particularly beneficial for customers acquired via paid channels.

Enhance the customer experience: By offering relevant and timely post-purchase offers, businesses can help make the entire buying process faster, simpler, and more enjoyable for customers.

Generate higher Average Order Values (AOVs): With post-purchase upsells, businesses can offer premium products or services at discounted prices — an incentive that can significantly increase order values.

Best practices for post-purchase upsells

Here are a few best practices businesses should keep in mind when implementing post-purchase upsells:

Make sure your offers are relevant: Tailor the upsell to the customer’s purchase history and make sure it is relevant and provides value.

Keep it simple: Post-purchase upsell offers should be clear, actionable and take minimal effort for customers to complete.

Be transparent: Ensure that customers know exactly what they are getting when they accept post-purchase offers, such as pricing or discounts.

A/B test: Don’t stick with one static offer. Rotate and trial different discounts and incentives, and product combinations to see what works best.

Post-purchase upsells with Emarsys

Emarsys helps leading brands like PUMA, Pizza Hut, and Nike to grab their customers’ attention and drive all-important second purchases with the power of personalized, relevant post-purchase upsell marketing campaigns.