{"id":63672,"date":"2023-04-14T17:30:29","date_gmt":"2023-04-14T17:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/glossary\/cross-selling\/"},"modified":"2026-10-06T22:34:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T22:34:18","slug":"cross-selling","status":"publish","type":"glossary","link":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/en\/glossary\/cross-selling\/","title":{"rendered":"Cross Selling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cross selling is the technique of offering customers products or services that complement what they have already bought or are about to buy.<\/strong> For example, a case and a screen protector for the phone they have just added to their cart.<\/p>\n\n

The goal is twofold: customers get everything they need, and the business increases the value of each sale. It works in physical stores, ecommerce, services and B2B companies.<\/p>\n\n

What does cross selling mean?<\/h2>\n\n

Cross selling<\/em> combines cross<\/em> and selling<\/em>. In Spanish it is known as venta cruzada<\/strong>. It is also written as cross-selling<\/em> or shortened to cross sell<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n

The idea is to “cross” products from different categories that are used together: the printer and the ink, the flight and the travel insurance, the software and the training.<\/p>\n\n

Cross selling examples<\/h2>\n\n

You have probably seen it many times, even if you didn’t call it that:<\/p>\n\n

Industry<\/th>Main purchase<\/th>Cross selling<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Fast food<\/td>A burger<\/td>Fries and a drink (“Would you like to make it a meal?”)<\/td><\/tr>
Online store<\/td>A phone<\/td>Case, charger and screen protector<\/td><\/tr>
Travel<\/td>A flight<\/td>Hotel, rental car and travel insurance<\/td><\/tr>
Banking<\/td>A checking account<\/td>Credit card or home insurance<\/td><\/tr>
Software<\/td>A license<\/td>Training, premium support or integrations<\/td><\/tr>
Fashion<\/td>A pair of trousers<\/td>A belt or a matching T-shirt<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Online stores very often show a “Frequently bought together” or “You may also like” block on the product page and in the cart.<\/p>\n\n

\"Cross<\/figure>\n\n

What is the difference between cross selling and upselling?<\/h2>\n\n

They are two techniques that are used together, but they are not the same:<\/p>\n\n

<\/th>Cross selling<\/th>Upselling<\/a><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
What it offers<\/td>A different product that complements the purchase<\/td>A higher-end version of the same product<\/td><\/tr>
Example<\/td>Buying a laptop and adding a mouse<\/td>Moving up from the 8 GB laptop to the 16 GB one<\/td><\/tr>
Goal<\/td>Getting the customer to buy more products<\/td>Getting the customer to buy a better product<\/td><\/tr>
When it works best<\/td>During and after the purchase<\/td>Before the customer decides<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

A good strategy combines both: first offer the right version, then the add-ons.<\/p>\n\n

Benefits of cross selling<\/h2>\n\n

It increases the average order value.<\/strong> Each customer spends more on the same purchase, without you needing more visits.<\/p>\n\n

It costs less than acquiring customers.<\/strong> Selling to someone who already trusts you is cheaper than convincing someone new.<\/p>\n\n

It improves the experience.<\/strong> If the recommendation is useful, customers appreciate not having to look for the add-ons on their own.<\/p>\n\n

It strengthens loyalty.<\/strong> A customer who uses several products from the same brand has more reasons to stay. That is why it helps with customer loyalty<\/a> and lowers the churn rate<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

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Sell more to your customers by email<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Mailrelay, segment by what each customer bought and send them the recommendation that fits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Create a free account<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Cross selling techniques<\/h2>\n\n

Bundles.<\/strong> Group products that are used together at a slightly lower price than buying them separately.<\/p>\n\n

Recommendations on the product page and in the cart.<\/strong> Show a few add-ons that are closely related to what the customer is looking at.<\/p>\n\n

Post-purchase offers.<\/strong> On the confirmation page or in the follow-up email, suggest what people who buy that product usually need.<\/p>\n\n

Free shipping above a minimum amount.<\/strong> If the customer is a few euros short of free shipping, suggest an add-on at that price.<\/p>\n\n

Personal recommendations.<\/strong> In a physical store or over the phone, a salesperson who knows the customer suggests what really suits them.<\/p>\n\n

How to apply cross selling step by step<\/h2>\n\n

1. Analyze what is bought together.<\/strong> Review your orders and look for products that often appear in the same purchase.<\/p>\n\n

2. Get to know your customer.<\/strong> Be clear about your buyer persona<\/a> and keep their purchase history in your CRM<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

3. Choose the right moment.<\/strong> In the cart, right after the purchase or when the product is running out.<\/p>\n\n

4. Keep it short and relevant.<\/strong> Two or three useful recommendations are more convincing than a long list.<\/p>\n\n

5. Measure and adjust.<\/strong> Compare the average order value and the conversion rate<\/a> of your offers and keep the ones that work.<\/p>\n\n

\"Cross<\/figure>\n\n

Cross selling with email marketing<\/h2>\n\n

Email is one of the best channels for this technique. It reaches customers once they have already bought from you:<\/p>\n\n

Email<\/th>When to send it<\/th>What to offer<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Order confirmation<\/td>Right after the purchase<\/td>An add-on with a limited-time discount<\/td><\/tr>
Post-purchase email<\/td>A few days after delivery<\/td>Accessories or usage tips with related products<\/td><\/tr>
Replenishment<\/td>When the product usually runs out<\/td>The same product and others that go with it<\/td><\/tr>
Segmented newsletter<\/td>In your regular send<\/td>New products based on what each customer bought<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

To make it work, use segmentation<\/a> based on purchase history and store the data in custom fields<\/a>. And don’t turn every transactional email<\/a> into advertising: the order information comes first.<\/p>\n\n

You’ll find more ideas for online stores in email marketing for ecommerce<\/a> and in our post on how to do up-selling and cross-selling with email marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Common mistakes<\/h2>\n\n

Offering unrelated items.<\/strong> If the recommendation doesn’t fit, the customer sees it as advertising.<\/p>\n\n

Being too pushy.<\/strong> One pop-up after another during checkout leads to abandoned carts.<\/p>\n\n

Recommending something more expensive than the main purchase.<\/strong> The add-on should cost much less than the product.<\/p>\n\n

Forgetting who has already bought it.<\/strong> Offering a product the customer already has makes a bad impression.<\/p>\n\n

How Mailrelay helps you<\/h2>\n\n

With Mailrelay you can segment your customers by what they bought and send each group the right recommendation. You can also automate<\/a> the post-purchase email and measure who opens and clicks on each product.<\/p>\n\n

The free account includes up to 80,000 emails a month and 20,000 contacts, with human support by chat, ticket and phone.<\/p>\n\n

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Send your newsletters with Mailrelay<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Up to 80,000 emails a month and 20,000 contacts for free, with human support on every plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Try Mailrelay for free<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n

These are the most common questions about this technique.<\/p>\n\n

What is cross selling in a nutshell?<\/h3>\n\n

It means offering customers products that complement what they are buying, such as batteries with a remote control.<\/p>\n\n

What is cross selling called in Spanish?<\/h3>\n\n

Venta cruzada. In the plural, ventas cruzadas.<\/p>\n\n

What is the difference between cross selling and upselling?<\/h3>\n\n

Cross selling offers a different product that complements the purchase. Upselling offers a better version of the same product.<\/p>\n\n

What is an example of cross selling?<\/h3>\n\n

When you buy a camera and the store offers you a memory card and a case.<\/p>\n\n

Does cross selling work in B2B?<\/h3>\n\n

Yes. A software company can offer training or integrations to those who already have the license, and a consulting firm can offer complementary services to an existing client.<\/p>\n\n

Related entries<\/h2>\n\n