It’s November, and you know what that means: Singles’ Day is coming. As the world’s biggest shopping holiday, Singles’ Day presents a huge opportunity for ecommerce businesses to drive sales. But rather than only focusing on scoring more transactions, smart merchants use Singles’ Day to increase average order value (AOV) through strategic upselling.
Boosting AOV lifts your revenue without you having to acquire new customers. And with the right upsell tactics, you can get existing buyers to add more items or higher-priced products to their carts during Singles’ Day.
In this post, we’ll explore proven upsell strategies to maximize customer value for Singles’ Day. You’ll discover tips on:
Structuring enticing upsell offers
Optimizing your signup flow for upsells
Using product recommendations to encourage add-ons
Personalizing the post-purchase experience
Retargeting previous buyers with new upsell deals
Testing limited-time flash upsell promotions
Building urgency and scarcity with countdown timers
Segmenting customers for tailored upsell offers
Tracking metrics to continually refine your upsell approach
Let’s dig into these techniques to help you upsell like a pro this Singles’ Day!
Craft Compelling Upsell Offers
The first step is structuring upsell offers that pique customer interest. You want deals that provide enough added value to convince shoppers to spend more.
When designing your upsell promotions, consider:
Product bundles - Group complementary products into discounted bundles to increase cart size. For example, “Add this mobile tripod for only $19.99 when you buy any selfie stick!”
Higher-tier options - Give customers the choice to upgrade for premium features or capabilities. “For only $50 more, upgrade to our heavy-duty outdoor model with extended battery life.”
Volume discounts - Offer tiered savings for buying multiple quantities of an item. “Buy 2, get 10% off. Buy 3, get 15% off.”
Free gifts - Sweeten the deal with free gifts or bonuses. “Get a free carrying case when you purchase any pair of headphones today.”
Free shipping - Offer free shipping above a higher order threshold to encourage customers to add more in order to qualify.
Next-purchase discounts - Incentivize reorders with offers like “15% off your next purchase within 30 days.”
Cross-sells - Suggest complementary products from other categories to increase overall basket size.
Post-purchase discounts - Provide coupons or promo codes redeemable on the next order when they complete their initial purchase.
Get creative with combines and bundles that provide a compelling reason for customers to spend more. The extra value you build into the upsell deals is key.
Optimize Your Signup Flow
When someone lands on your site to create an account, that signup flow is a prime opportunity to start upselling. You can bake upsell offers right into the initial onboarding process.
Some ideas to build upsells into your signup flow:
Multi-tiered pricing - Present new users with a choice of account levels (Free, Pro, Premium) with clear features and incentives for upgrading.
Added services - After they enter their basic info, offer extra services or features available as add-ons.
Bundle deal - Provide a discounted bundle deal if they purchase an annual plan rather than monthly.
Limited-time offer - Show a special promo discount or bonus gift only for users who sign up now.
Progress bar - Display their checkout progress and dynamically recommend add-ons before they complete signup.
Conditional offers - If they select certain features or preferences, display relevant upsell offers personalized to those choices.
Referral deal - Encourage sharing your site by offering a reward for referring others who sign up.
The signup flow marks the beginning of your relationship with customers. Get it right, and you can set the tone for upsells that provide value each step of the way.
Harness Product Recommendations
Product recommendations are one of the highest-converting upsell tactics. These are algorithmically generated suggestions that appear onsite while customers are browsing or adding items to their carts.
Strategically placed recommendations influence behavior at key moments:
On product pages - “58% of customers buy this tripod ball head to go with this tripod”
During checkout - “Customers who bought this pumpkin carving kit also added these carving tools”
On cart page - “Don’t forget batteries! Add this AA 4-pack to your order.”
Post-purchase - “Customers also bought this protective case for their new tablets”
The data-driven nature of recommendations lends credibility. And tying suggestions directly to other customers’ purchasing behavior increases their persuasiveness.
Ensure you have recommendation engines set up across your site. Then use data and testing to continually refine which upsell suggestions are most effective.
Personalize the Post-Purchase Experience
Follow-up communication after the initial purchase represents a prime chance for upsells. You have a captive audience of proven buyers.
Now’s the time to provide personalized product suggestions tailored to what they just bought.
Some post-purchase upsell tactics include:
Confirmation email - Round out their purchase with recommendations for accessories or related products.
Unboxing experience - Insert customized product suggestions inside shipment boxes or bags.
Product usage guide - If you include instructions or tips with purchases, work complementary recommendations into the content.
Review request follow-up - After requesting a review, include an exclusive discount offer or bonus for their next purchase.
Loyalty program - Offer enrollment in a loyalty program after their first purchase to incentivize repeat orders.
Replenishment reminders - Proactively notify customers when it’s time to reorder consumable or disposable products.
Win-back offers - For customers who haven’t purchased lately, send special deals and discounts to re-engage them.
Social media ads - Run customized product recommendations on social channels based on their purchase history.
Getting the post-purchase experience right will keep you top of mind for repeat business. Timely, relevant upsell suggestions maintain the relationship and dialogue.
Retarget Website Visitors
Retargeting or remarketing ads on social media and elsewhere online are a proven way to keep your brand in front of bouncing visitors. This helps capture sales from people who left without purchasing.
The same concept applies for upsells to prior customers. Retarget recent buyers with ads for discounts or exclusive deals on additional products tailored to their initial purchase.
Someone who just bought a tent, for example, could be shown Facebook ads for camping gear bundles or extras like sleeping bags and lanterns. People who purchased fitness trackers could get retargeted offers for wireless headphones or workout gear.
The key is keeping your brand visible to new customers when they’re most receptive to timely, relevant upsells that complement their original purchase. Just be sure your ads are personalized rather than overly promotional or pushy. Deliver value with your retargeting.
Run Limited-Time Flash Deals
Nothing creates urgency quite like scarcity. Limited-time flash deals build excitement and incentivize customers to act quickly.
These types of lightning offers are extremely effective for upsells if used judiciously. Some flash deal ideas include:
One-day only savings - Extra discounts or free gifts only for 24 hours drives impulse purchases.
Expiring coupons - Codes that must be used within a short window drive instant uptick in sales.
Ultra-limited quantities - Warning customers when you only have X items left in stock available at a reduced price.
Buy-one-get-one (BOGO) - A classic technique, limit the BOGO deal to a six-hour timeframe to prompt action.
Giveaway entry - For customers who buy a certain amount, enter them into a giveaway but only for a short window.
Happy hour deals - Pick a random hour each day to run surprise flash discounts to incentivize purchases.
The transient nature of flash deals taps into our fear of missing out. But be cautious - you don’t want to condition buyers to always wait for sales. Use them to give targeted bumps during slow periods.
Embed Urgency with Countdown Timers
Countdown timers are a staple on product pages during sales events like Black Friday for driving conversions. You can also leverage these real-time visual urgency prompts for upsells.
When customers have a product in-cart or are on a product page, display a ticking timer showing the deal’s expiration. This scarcity element prods them to add the product to their cart before time’s up.
Some best practices for countdown timer upsells:
Place next to Add to Cart buttons for maximum visibility
Keep durations short (15-30 minutes) to increase urgency without annoying customers
Make it graphic with a ticking clock icon that draws the eye
Reinforce the discount or bonus they’ll miss out on when time expires
Allow customers to claim additional time by sharing on social media, signing up for your email list, etc.
Segment Your Customers
Not all customers are the same. The upsells you present to a first-time buyer may differ greatly from what you’d offer a loyal repeat customer.
Make your upsells more relevant by segmenting customers into groups you can target differently:
New customers - Focus on starter kits, usage guides, and basics to complement their initial purchase.
Repeat customers - Offer volume discounts, loyalty bonuses, or early access to new arrivals based on their purchase history.
Big spenders - VIP perks and added services appeal to high-value customers who spend freely.
At-risk or churned - Win back disengaged customers with deeply discounted offers if they return and purchase again.
Product-specific - Show accessories and add-ons tailored to the specific product types each individual purchased in the past.
Demographics - Personalize based on location, age, gender, interests, or any other demographic data you capture.
Behavioral - Recommend products based on their onsite search terms, browsing activity, cart abandonment, and other behaviors.
Fine-tune your targeting to make your upsell messaging more individualized. The better the fit, the higher your uptake.
Monitor Metrics for Ongoing Improvement
To keep optimizing your Singles’ Day upsell strategy, you need to closely monitor performance data and metrics. Key numbers to track include:
Uptake rates - What percentage of customers take you up on each type of upsell offer?
AOV increase - How much does AOV grow when customers do purchase your upsells?
Top-converting products - Which upsell items get purchased the most often?
Channel/placement performance - Do upsells convert better onsite? In email? Social ads?
Opt-out rates - How many customers decline or dismiss your upsells?
Impact by customer segment - Are upsells more effective for new vs. returning customers? Big spenders?
Effects on retention - Do customers who purchase upsells purchase again more often?
Crunch the data to identify your best-performing upsell types, placements, products, segments, and channels. Double down on what works while phasing out underperformers.
Testing is critical too. Try different upsell timing, discounts, products, copywriting, and display formats. Let the data guide your optimization path.
Over to You
Upsells are a surefire way to lift AOV and revenue from existing buyers. Rather than chasing new customers, focus first on getting more from your current ones. Implementing the tactics above will help you upsell like a pro this Singles’ Day.
Now it’s time to start drafting your upsell content and creatives, setting up your targeting, and preparing promotions. Don’t leave additional revenue on the table. Follow the examples and guidance in this post to maximize customer value and boost your bottom line.
The sales will come pouring in if you provide genuine added value via strategic upselling. With smart segmentation, placement, and creative offers, you can supercharge your Singles’ Day performance.
So put these tips into action and start reaping the rewards. Happy selling! Let us know how your upcoming Singles’ Day goes.
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