2 tips to optimise upselling & cross-selling in an omnichannel context
Upselling and cross-selling are two sales techniques as old as commerce itself. The fact that they’re still used today proves their effectiveness – and these sales opportunities are multiplied for omnichannel businesses: for every shopping channel, there are opportunities for upselling or cross-selling.
Whether in a physical shop or online, they can boost sales if used intelligently.
1. Capitalise on your shop network to upsell and cross-sell
When shopping online, offers of more expensive alternatives or complementary items at checkout have become so standard that customers are no longer surprised by them. In physical stores, this experience can be less frequent (even if the fashion industry is particularly inclined to do this).
The major difference between online and in-person shopping is the salespeople. It is up to the sales team to suggest items related to the one initially chosen by the customer. This requires an in-depth knowledge of the product catalogue to engage in relevant conversations with customers and offer expert advice.
In addition, being in-store allows customers to try on, touch, and even just better see the new products being offered. This is a real advantage compared to online, as these sensory experiences increase the possibility of influencing a purchase.
To support store associates in upselling and cross-selling, retailers can equip them with specific omnichannel solutions such as:
In-store appointments: When booking an appointment, the customer is able to provide details on the purpose of their shop. Your advisors can then present products relevant to the initial search with information on hand to more successfully upsell, as well as being prepared to cross-sell products that complement them.
Reserve & collect: The same logic applies here. Your advisors know that the customer is coming into the store for a specific item – their objective is not just to close the sale but to offer additional items (for example, a rod when buying new curtains).
2. To optimise upselling and cross-selling, opt for the Order Management System
The implementation of an Order Management System allows you to offer more services to customers (such as Click and Collect and In-Store Returns) and in turn offers more opportunities to make sales. Having control over your sales channels allows you to then coordinate and capitalise on the strengths of each one.
For example, one of your customers has ordered a phone online for Click and Collect. When picking up their new device in-store, the sales associate can recommend a case, screen protector, or even headphones in addition to their original purchase. This enables the retailer to increase its cross-sell rate.
In another example, the same customer comes back to the shop to return the phone they bought online because they don’t like it. The sales associate takes the device back, but rather than simply letting the customer leave, offers them another model with superior features to the one that has been returned. This is a good example of upselling, while also reducing the rate of returns.
Numerous scenarios like this become possible with the implementation of an Order Management System and associated omnichannel solutions.
To improve your upsell and cross-sell potential, contact us today.
