upsell
UP-sel
/ˈʌpsɛl/
To persuade a customer to buy something more expensive or additional to what they were originally planning to purchase.
Upselling is often confused with 'cross-selling'. Upselling is getting them to buy a better version of the same thing; cross-selling is getting them to buy a different related item.
The story behind the word. A relatively modern marketing term that emerged in the mid-20th century as retail and sales strategies became more formalized. It literally means to sell 'up' the price ladder.
Word relationships
- upgrade: Upgrade is the result (getting the better version); upsell is the sales action taken to achieve it.
- downsell: Downselling is offering a cheaper alternative when a customer is about to walk away from a sale.
Commonly confused with
- cross-sell: Upsell is a more expensive version of the same product; cross-sell is a different, complementary product (e.g., selling socks with shoes).
Word family
- upselling (noun): The practice of persuading customers to buy more expensive items.
Collocations
- upsell opportunity
- try to upsell
- successful upsell
- upsell strategy
Example sentences
- "The waiter tried to upsell us by suggesting the premium wine pairing with our steaks." A common retail scenario.
- "Our primary goal this quarter is to upsell existing subscribers to the 'Pro' plan." Strategy for increasing revenue per customer.
Memory hook
The word itself tells you: Sell 'UP' to a higher price. Sell higher, sell more.
When not to use
Do not use 'upsell' if you are simply fulfilling a customer's original request without adding anything extra.
Fun facts
- The classic 'Would you like to super-size that?' is perhaps the most famous upsell in history.
Explore more words
upskill, upcycle, differentiation, copywriting, supersede, overbook
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