Upselling Definition

Upselling is a sales technique in which a seller attempts to convince a buyer to purchase a more expensive product or upgrade by emphasizing the value of the additional item.

The goal of upselling is to increase the order value without increasing the number of items purchased. This can be accomplished by convincing the customer that the more expensive item is worth the extra cost, or by bundle pricing in which multiple items are offered at a discount if purchased together.

For example, a salesperson might attempt to upsell a customer from an economy car to a luxury car by stressing features such as leather seats, more powerful engines, and better safety features. Or, a retailer might try to upsell a customer from a basic cell phone to a smartphone with features like email, internet browsing, and GPS capability.