Cross Selling: Best strategies for Shopify stores (+ Examples)

Ever ordered a coffee, and the barista asked if you'd like a muffin with it? With that simple question, they were engaging in a clever tactic known as cross-selling. These strategies have been around long before the advent of the internet.

Cross-selling is a popular strategy used by stores to increase organic sales and average order value and encourage customers to purchase additional items.

Cross-selling is not just a widget, it's the architecture for a purchase journey. It navigates the shoppers from “I like this” to “I’m ready to check out” with everything included.

In this article, we will look at what cross-selling is and the best strategies to use it in your Shopify store.

What is cross selling?

In digital marketing, cross-selling is a technique merchants use to increase cart value by offering customers additional items at a discount or items that pair well with the product in their cart.

Cross-selling is about recommending related or complementary products, sometimes at discounted prices that go well with what the customer is buying. Think of it like suggesting a phone case when someone buys a new phone, or offering socks with a pair of shoes.

Cross selling has the following benefits:

• Increase in cart value: It encourages customers to add more items to their cart.

• Increase in average order value: It helps you earn more revenue from each order.

• Customer happiness: It helps customers discover products that fit their needs better.

• Lower customer acquisition costs: It increases revenue per customer without spending more on ads.

• Inventory cleaning: It helps you sell slow-moving products faster.

Best cross-sell strategies to use in Shopify

There are several smart ways to encourage customers to spend more in your Shopify store by suggesting related products. 

You can get creative, mix these strategies, adjust them to your own branding and style:

Strategy 1: Classic product bundles

Classic product bundles are a type of widget when you create a set of products, offer a discount for the whole set.

Create bundles that combine products people often use together. Keep the bundle small (2–4 items) and offer fixed or percentage discounts for the full set.

To choose the right products for a bundle in your Shopify store:

• Start with what customers already buy together (check your order history and do Product Affinity Analysis (basket analysis)).

• Bundle a main item + its “must-have” add-ons (the things people need to use it).

• Group products with the same use-case (e.g., “weekend hike kit,” not random items).

• Pick items with good margins so the bundle stays profitable.

• Use slow-moving products as a bonus, not the main attraction.

• Keep it simple: 2–4 items per bundle is usually enough.

For example, this store bundles two items together and offer them at discount. The logic is that when a parent wants to buy a baby crib, then he or he is also interested in the dresser set.

• App used: MBC Bundles

• On Shopify: MBC Mix and Match Bundles App

• Learn how to create classic product bundles

👉 Consider one of our Shopify merchants, VOXY. By including matching product bundles, they generated an additional £50,000 in sales.

Strategy 2: Buy X, Get Y promotions

Use promotions like “Buy 2, get X at 10% off.”

This is another type of bundling, but instead of discounting the full bundle, you let the shopper add a specific product at a discounted price.

These offers create a sense of reward and help increase order size. Buy X, Get Y promotions work especially well for high-margin products.

For example, on the camera product detail page, offer a memory card or camera case at a discounted price.

This store offers additional items at discounted price:

• Recommended app: MBC Builder

• On Shopify: MBC Bundle Builder BYOB

• Learn how to create BYOB (Build Your Own Box)

Strategy 3: Checkout page cross-selling

Once customers reach the checkout page, they are ready to pay and complete the order.

This is where you can suggest relevant add-ons that complement what’s already in the cart.

For example, if someone is buying skincare products, you could recommend another item that will help shoppers to see results faster or add to their care routine, like this store does:

Strategy 4: Related products popups

When shoppers are on a product page, you can use popups to recommend related products.

Show the offer at the right moment, like when a shopper stays on the page for X seconds or scrolls a certain percentage.

Keep it small and non-invasive, so it doesn’t block the page or annoy shoppers, just like this store displays:

Strategy 5: Thank you page cross-selling

Even after the sale is complete, you can continue selling because customers are still in buying mode and more open to adding something extra while the purchase feels fresh.

You can use the thank you page to recommend 1–3 extra items that complement the customer's purchase right after checkout.

For example, you can add a section like “Complete your order” with small add-ons and a “Add to my next order” or “Buy now” button.

Strategy 6: Build the look section

Use a “Build the look” section to help shoppers add matching items in one flow, right on the product page.

This is different from the classic product bundle widget because the goal here is guidance, not a deal. Shoppers choose what fits, even without a discount.

Here's an example from ASOS:

Strategy 7: Mix & Match Discounts (Bundle Builder)

Use a Mix & Match offer to reward shoppers for building their own bundle. They can choose different products (or variants) and unlock a discount when they hit the required number of items.

Different from the classic product bundles or BOGO offers, mix and match discounts let shoppers build their own set by choosing the items they want, and unlock a discount once they reach a minimum quantity.

For example, show a section like: “Pick any 3 and save 15%” with a mixable product grid and a progress bar like “2/3 selected.”Once they reach 3 items, the discount applies automatically.

• App used: MBC Bundles

• On Shopify: MBC Mix and Match Bundles App

Strategy 8: Cart Drawer Cross-Sell

Cart drawers are another way to effectively use cross selling techniques. 

Use a cart drawer to show 1–3 add-ons while the shopper is still in “adding to cart” mode.

You can also reward strategy in the cart drawer. When shoppers add more to their carts, they will unlock free shipping, discounts, or free gifts.

For example, this store adds both cross-sell (jewelry box for the jewelry) and reward system:

• App used: Cartly

• On Shopify: Cartly Slide Cart Drawer

• Learn how to display reward bar in cart drawer

• Learn how to add cross sell product to the cart drawer

Strategy 9: Free Shipping Threshold

Around 62–66% of shoppers expect free shipping on every online order, and up to 48% will leave their cart if shipping costs feel too high. That’s why shoppers are often more likely to add extra items than pay for shipping, because they get something tangible for the money.

When a shopper is close to free shipping, show a small message and suggest a few low-cost items that fit the product(s) in their cart.

Cart drawers are powerful widgets for cross-selling and upselling. In the cart drawer, you can display: “Add $12 more to get free shipping” and show three small add-ons with quick Add buttons.

For example, this store below uses free shipping as a reward. Just by buying a $4 worth item, shoppers get free shipping:

• App used: Cartly

• On Shopify: Cartly Slide Cart Drawer

• Learn how to display reward bar (free shipping) in cart drawer

Strategy 10: Order and Shipping Confirmation emails

Order and shipping confirmation emails have high open rates.

These emails are a great place to recommend additional products, such as accessories. This works especially well in order confirmation emails because customers have just completed a purchase, so they’re still in a buying mindset. Plus, they just bought, so adding one more item feels easy and low-risk.

Keep it simple, and show only 1–3 items that match what they bought and complimentary to the product.

Using the cross sell strategy in these confirmation emails works well because it feels helpful, not pushy, and it supports what they already purchased.

Strategy 11: Show Reviews of Other Products

Show a few reviews or short testimonials about other products on the product detail page. It makes the extra product feel recommended by real people. Then, add the offered product near the review or testimonial.

Creating social proof for the other products in your store feels like a real customer tip, not a sales push. It also answers “what should I buy/use next?” in a natural way.

SafePaws does this perfectly on each of their product detail page:

Strategy 12: “Frequently Bought Together” Cross-Sell

Show a “Frequently Bought Together” section separately or as a bundled widget on the product page like this store does.

This product page shows a Frequently Bought Together section right under the main Add to Cart button. It lets shoppers add multiple related items at once, with a total bundle price and a clear “Add Selected to Cart” CTA.

This is another strategy that we like in SafePaws:

Strategy 13: Expert Advice Cross-Sell

Add a short “Expert recommends” section on the product page. Suggest one helpful add-on that improves results, and let shoppers add it with one click.

This strategy helps because it feels like guidance, not selling. Shoppers trust expert tips, so they’re more likely to add the extra item.

For example, this store that sells indoor house plants shows: “Our experts recommend:” with a related product (like a care tool or accessory) and a simple Add button:

For most e-commerce stores, increasing AOV isn’t a mystical thing. After all, it’s about how your product pages speak to shoppers and create a shopping experience similar to a retail store.

Further reading:

👉 How to Price Bundle Deals: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pricing Bundles

If you want to learn how to increase conversion rates in your Shopify store, you must definitely check out our free playbook: