To upsell in WooCommerce, you offer a more expensive or better version of the product a customer is viewing. To cross-sell, you suggest related products that go with what is already in their cart. WooCommerce has both built in through the Linked Products tab on every product, and plugins add bundles, order bumps and automatic recommendations on top.
Upselling and cross-selling: the difference
What upselling is
An upsell moves the shopper up. They look at a 128 GB phone and you show the 256 GB version. They look at a basic yoga mat and you show the thicker one. The offer replaces the product they are looking at, so it belongs on the product page, before the decision is made.
What cross-selling is
A cross-sell adds to the order. They put a camera in the cart and you suggest a memory card and a bag. The offer sits beside the original item, so it belongs in the cart or at checkout, when the customer has already decided to buy.
Why both matter
Getting a new visitor costs time or ad spend. Selling more to someone who is already buying costs almost nothing. A well-chosen suggestion also helps the customer: it shows the accessory they would otherwise forget, or the version that suits them better. The test for every offer is simple. Would a helpful shop assistant say the same thing at the counter?
Use the built-in WooCommerce tools first
WooCommerce includes upsells and cross-sells in core. You need no plugin to start, and they work with any well-built theme.
Where to set them
- Edit a product.
- In the Product data box, open the Linked Products tab.
- Type product names into the Upsells field and the Cross-sells field.
- Update the product.
Where they appear
Upsells show on the single product page, usually in a block of suggested products under the description. Cross-sells show on the cart page, below or beside the cart items. Your theme controls the exact look and position, and the block-based cart has its own cross-sells block you can place in the editor.
What the core tools do not do
You choose each link by hand. There is no rule such as “show accessories for every camera”, no discount attached to the offer, and no tracking of which suggestions worked. For a small catalogue, manual links are fine. For a large one, plugins take over the repetitive work.
Related products are different
WooCommerce also shows “Related products” on the product page, picked automatically from shared categories and tags. These are not upsells. Tidy your categories and tags and the related block gets better with no extra work.
Upsell ideas that work
- A better version. Show a higher-capacity, larger or premium model next to the product they are viewing.
- A bigger pack. Offer a three-pack or refill bundle for consumables.
- An extended service. Offer a warranty, a setup service or priority delivery as a separate product.
- A subscription option. For goods people reorder, offer a repeat delivery version. See our recurring payments plugins guide.
Keep the step up small. A shopper who came for a modest item rarely accepts an offer far above their plan. Show the difference in plain words: what they get extra, not just the higher number.
Cross-sell ideas that work
- Accessories that complete the product, such as cases, cables, filters or batteries.
- Consumables used with it, such as ink, cleaning kits or refills.
- Complementary items that suit the same occasion, such as a gift wrap with a gift.
- Small add-ons near the total, such as a low-priced extra the customer can add in one click.
Suggest only things that make sense. A random product at checkout reads as noise, and it can distract a shopper from paying.
Timing and placement
| Moment | Best offer | Where it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Viewing a product | Upsell: a better version | Product page |
| Added to cart | Cross-sell: accessories | Cart page or added-to-cart popup |
| Checkout | Small add-on or order bump | Checkout page |
| After purchase | Follow-up offer | Thank-you page or email |
Do not stack too many offers in one place. One clear suggestion beats a wall of products. If you add a pop-up when an item is added to the cart, see our guide to added-to-cart popup plugins.
Plugins for upsells and cross-sells
Plugins add what core lacks: rules, bundles, one-click offers and recommendation engines. Pick by the job you need done.
Product recommendations
WooCommerce Product Recommendations is an official paid extension that shows recommendations based on rules and shopper behaviour. It suits stores with many products where manual links would take too long.
Bundles and frequently bought together
WPC Product Bundles for WooCommerce lets you sell products as a bundle. YITH Frequently Bought Together for WooCommerce adds a “frequently bought together” block to the product page so shoppers can add related items together. Both have free versions on WordPress.org. Our roundup of cross-selling and product bundle plugins compares more of them.
Offers, order bumps and funnels
Upsell Funnel Builder for WooCommerce covers upsells, cross-sells, order bumps and popups. FunnelKit and CartFlows are funnel builders that add checkout offers and post-purchase upsells. Use these when you want to design the whole sales path. For a longer list, see our upsell plugins guide.
How to choose
- A few products and a clear pairing: use the core fields.
- Many products with set accessories: use a bundle or frequently-bought-together plugin.
- A focus on average order value at checkout: use an order bump or funnel plugin.
- A big catalogue: use a recommendation plugin driven by rules.
Whatever you install, check it against your theme and your payment gateway, and run a test order. Offers at checkout touch the most sensitive page in your store.
Strategy: make the offer help the customer
Match the offer to the product
Relevance beats cleverness. An offer that fits the product feels like advice. One that does not fit feels like a sales trick.
Keep price steps reasonable
Suggest items close to the price of what the customer already chose, or small add-ons that cost little compared with the main item.
Show the benefit
Use a short line that says why the item helps: “Fits this model”, “Protects the screen”, “Lasts twice as long”. Product images and clear names do most of the work.
Use social proof where you have it
Customer reviews on the offered product help shoppers decide. See our guide to customer review plugins.
Add offers to emails
Order confirmation and follow-up emails can carry a related product. Our email customizer plugins guide shows how to edit those emails.
Do not hide the main path
The customer who just wants to pay should be able to do it with one click. Make the offer optional and easy to dismiss.
A simple plan for your first week
Day one: pick your anchor products
Open your order history and list the ten products that sell most. These are your anchor products. Every shopper who sees them is a candidate for an offer, so a good link here repays the effort fastest.
Day two: find what sells together
Look through recent orders that contain an anchor product. Note which other items appear in the same order. Those pairs are your first cross-sells. They are proven by real buying, which is better than a guess.
Day three: choose one step up for each anchor
For each anchor product, pick one better version that is close in price. Add it to the Upsells field. Keep it to one or two links. A long list turns a helpful suggestion into a catalogue.
Day four: check the display
Open the product page and the cart page as a customer. Do the suggestions look clear on a phone? Are the images sharp and the names readable? Is the Add to cart button still the most obvious thing on the page? If not, change the theme settings or the number of offers.
Day five onward: review and adjust
After a few weeks, compare average order value and the share of orders that include a suggested item. Remove weak links and add new ones. Treat the linked fields as a living list, not a one-time task.
Upsell and cross-sell ideas by store type
Fashion and accessories
Cross-sell items that complete an outfit, such as a belt with trousers. Upsell a higher-quality fabric or a different cut. Show sizes and colours clearly so the offer is easy to read.
Electronics
Cross-sell the cases, chargers and cables that suit the model. Upsell the version with more storage or a longer warranty. Mention compatibility in the product name, since a wrong accessory causes returns.
Food and consumables
Upsell larger packs and cross-sell items that go together, such as a sauce with pasta. Offer a repeat delivery option for items people use up.
Digital products and courses
Upsell a bundle that includes more lessons or files. Cross-sell a template pack or a support option. Keep the checkout short for digital goods, as the shopper is usually ready to pay quickly.
Measure what works
Track your average order value and the share of orders that include a suggested product. Change one thing at a time: the offer, the placement or the wording. Give each change enough orders to show a pattern before judging it. Drop offers that nobody takes, and keep the ones that do. Look at returns as well. An upsell that sells well but gets returned often is not working.
Mistakes to avoid
- Too many offers on one page.
- Unrelated products picked at random.
- Offers that push the price far above the shopper’s budget.
- Pop-ups that block the Add to cart or Checkout button.
- Never reviewing links after you add, remove or rename products. Dead or out-of-stock suggestions look careless.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between upsells and cross-sells in WooCommerce?
Upsells offer a better or pricier alternative on the product page. Cross-sells suggest extra items in the cart. Each has its own field in the Linked Products tab of a product.
Where do WooCommerce upsells appear?
Upsells appear on the single product page. The exact position depends on your theme.
Where do cross-sells appear?
Cross-sells appear on the cart page. The block-based cart includes a cross-sells block that you can place in the page editor.
Do I need a plugin for upselling in WooCommerce?
No. The Linked Products tab works with no extra plugin. Add a plugin when you need rules, bundles, order bumps or automatic recommendations.
Can upsells and cross-sells hurt conversion?
They can if the offers are irrelevant or too many. Keep suggestions few and useful, and test the effect on your own orders.
Are order bumps the same as cross-sells?
An order bump is a small add-on shown at checkout, so it works like a cross-sell placed later in the flow. Funnel plugins usually provide it.
How do I choose which products to link?
Start with your best sellers and the accessories people already buy with them. Check your order history for items that often appear together.
Next step
Start with the Linked Products tab on your five best sellers, then add a plugin only where manual links fall short. If you want to see how a WooCommerce store can look in a full theme, try the live demos.