Implementing an Upsell Offer for your Product or Service

In e-commerce, both pre-checkout and post-checkout upsell offers can significantly boost average order value (AOV) and customer lifetime value (CLTV), but their effectiveness depends on the context, customer psychology, and your overall sales funnel strategy.

Here's an expert breakdown of the best use cases and decision criteria for choosing between them:

💡 Pre-Checkout Upsell Offers

Shown before the customer completes their purchase — typically on the product page, cart page, or during checkout flow.

✅ Best Use Cases

Complementary Products or Add-Ons
- Example: “Add a lens cleaning kit for 25% off” when buying a camera.
- Effective when the additional product logically enhances the primary purchase.
Bundling or Tiered Offers
- Example: “Upgrade to the Pro Kit for $20 more and get 3 extra tools.”
- Appeals to customers wanting a more complete solution or higher perceived value.
Volume Discounts
- Example: “Buy 2, get 1 free” or “Add another and save 15%.”
- Encourages quantity increases at the moment of purchase intent.
Limited-Time Incentives
- Example: “Add this to your order now and get free shipping.”
- Creates urgency and pushes indecisive shoppers to act.

🎯 Key Advantages

Captures customer attention when purchase intent is at its peak.
Enhances perceived value and experience before the transaction is committed.
Can be tested easily with A/B tools and cart abandonment data.

🚫 Watch Out

Too many pre-checkout offers can cause friction or distract from the primary CTA (i.e., completing the purchase).
Can increase cart abandonment if poorly timed or irrelevant.

🛍️ Post-Checkout Upsell Offers

Triggered immediately after the customer has completed the initial purchase, often on the confirmation or thank-you page.

✅ Best Use Cases

Premium Upgrades or Cross-Sells
- Example: “You just bought a tent — want to add a matching sleeping bag for 20% off?”
- Works well because buyer’s remorse hasn’t kicked in yet — and they've already committed to a transaction.
Subscription Conversions
- Example: “Turn this one-time purchase into a subscription and save 10% monthly.”
- Ideal for consumables or replenishable products.
One-Time Offers (OTOs)
- Example: “For the next 15 minutes, add this exclusive item at a discounted rate.”
- Creates a sense of scarcity and exclusivity.
Digital Products or Services
- Example: “Add a 1-year extended warranty or digital training guide.”
- Frictionless because it doesn’t affect shipping or existing fulfillment.

🎯 Key Advantages

No disruption to the conversion flow — order is already placed.
Higher chance of emotional impulse buy due to post-purchase dopamine.
Reduces checkout friction and gives a second opportunity to increase AOV.

🚫 Watch Out

Requires a seamless back-end integration to avoid double charges or fulfillment errors.
Timing is critical — it must feel like a “bonus” rather than a bait-and-switch.

🔍 Choosing the Right Upsell Strategy: Decision Factors

Factor	Pre-Checkout Upsell	Post-Checkout Upsell

Factor	Pre-Checkout Upsell	Post-Checkout Upsell
Customer Intent	High but fragile	Confirmed and committed
Product Type	Complementary, accessories, bundles	Digital, services, premium add-ons
Friction Tolerance	Low – too much = cart abandonment risk	Higher – purchase already completed
Urgency Tactics	Scarcity, free shipping, bundle savings	Scarcity, exclusivity, time-limited OTOs
AOV Goal	Moderate increase via bundles/add-ons	Big spikes via high-margin cross-sells
Technical Setup	Requires smart cart logic	Needs post-purchase funnel tools

🧠 Pro Tip:

Use both strategically.
For example:

Pre-checkout: Offer a bundle or upgrade.
Post-checkout: Offer a complementary product or subscription with a discount.

This layered approach maximizes revenue without damaging conversion rates.

Creating Upsell Offers Before and After Checkout in UltraCart

Creating upsell offers can significantly increase your average order value (AOV) and customer lifetime value (CLTV). UltraCart provides various methods to implement upsell offers both before and after checkout. Below are detailed steps and considerations for each scenario.

Pre-Checkout Upsells

Planning Your Pre-Checkout Upsell

Before creating a pre-checkout upsell, consider the following elements:

Trigger Conditions:
- Specific Items: Will the upsell trigger when certain products are added to the cart?
- Store-Wide: Should the offer apply no matter what items are in the cart?
- Tags & Categories: Consider using product tags or categories to streamline item selection.
Upsell Offer Details:
- What Will You Offer? Select the product(s) you want to promote in the upsell. These should complement the items customers are likely to buy.
- Pricing & Discounts: Will you offer a special discount or bundle deal? Decide this in advance to make setup faster.
Customer Experience:
- Timing & Frequency: How often should the offer appear? (e.g., only once per session or on every qualifying cart update).
- Offer Presentation: What layout and messaging will grab attention while keeping the experience smooth and intuitive?
Inventory & Availability:
- Ensure the items in your upsell have sufficient stock to avoid disappointing customers with unavailable products.

Setting Up Pre-Checkout Upsells

Navigate to the StoreFront:
- Go to StoreFront > Content > Upsells.
Add a New Upsell Path:
- Click Add Upsell Path in the top-right corner.
Configure as Pre-Checkout:
- By default, the new upsell is set as a post-checkout upsell.
- Click Edit on the upsell block.
- In the Upsell Path Editor, select Pre-Checkout (Upsell Modal) from the Location dropdown and click Save.
Create the Offer:
- Click the Plus Icon inside the upsell box.
- When prompted, leave the default setting as Offer and click OK.
General Offer Settings:
- Name the Offer: Enter a descriptive name for the upsell offer.
- Add Item IDs: Specify the item(s) that will be added to the cart when the customer accepts the upsell offer.
Choose an Offer Layout:
- Start with a default layout, such as one that displays the item, its options/variations, and buttons for accepting or rejecting the offer.

Best Use Cases for Pre-Checkout Upsells

Complementary Products or Add-Ons: Example: “Add a lens cleaning kit for 25% off” when buying a camera.
Bundling or Tiered Offers: Example: “Upgrade to the Pro Kit for $20 more and get 3 extra tools.”
Volume Discounts: Example: “Buy 2, get 1 free” or “Add another and save 15%.”
Limited-Time Incentives: Example: “Add this to your order now and get free shipping.”

Key Advantages

Captures customer attention when purchase intent is at its peak.
Enhances perceived value and experience before the transaction is committed.
Can be tested easily with A/B tools and cart abandonment data.

Watch Out

Too many pre-checkout offers can cause friction or distract from the primary CTA (i.e., completing the purchase).
Can increase cart abandonment if not implemented carefully.

Post-Checkout Upsells

Overview

Post-checkout upsells are presented to customers after they have clicked the finalize order button. These offers can include additional products that customers may have forgotten to add to their cart.

Steps to Set Up Post-Checkout Upsells

1. Navigate to Configuration

Go to Configuration (Checkout) > (Advanced view) Upsell After.

2. Add a New Upsell Offer

Click on the "new" button to the right of the Offers title.
You will be taken to the Upsell After Offer Editor screen.

3. Configure the Offer

Offer Name: Enter a descriptive name for the upsell offer.
Items Section:
- Upsell Item IDs: Add the item(s) that will be added to the cart when the customer accepts the upsell offer. You can add multiple items if desired.
- Downsell Item IDs: Optionally, add an item that will be added to the cart if the customer declines the upsell offer. This is typically a free or discounted item.
Options Section:
- Configure any options or variations for the upsell item(s).
Trigger/Suppression Section:
- Trigger Item: Specify the item(s) that will trigger the upsell offer. This can be based on the items already in the customer’s cart.
- Suppression Item: Specify the item(s) that will suppress the upsell offer if they are in the cart.
HTML Section:
- Customize the HTML content of the upsell offer. This includes the layout, messaging, and any graphics you want to include.
Using Graphics in your Before/After HTML:
- Storefront - New UI: Use the Visual Builder to customize the upsell’s content.
- Screen Branding Themes - Old UI: Customize the upsell offer using the old UI if you are using screen branding themes.

4. Preview the Offer

Click the preview button to see how the upsell will look during the checkout process.

5. Save the Offer

Once you are satisfied with the configuration, click Save to activate the upsell offer.

Best Practices

Keep it Simple: Ensure the upsell offer is clear and easy to understand. Avoid overwhelming the customer with too many options.
Relevance: Make sure the upsell items are relevant to the items already in the customer’s cart.
Timing: Consider the timing of the upsell offer. It should appear at a point where the customer is likely to be receptive to additional offers.

For more details on implementing Pre-checkout and Post Checkout Upsell Offers into your storefront theme, please review the following documentation:

StoreFront Upsells

Pre-Checkout Upsells | Formatting Pre Checkout Upsell Content