To Up Sell Or Not To Up Sell?

15 years ago

Do it..

Upsells just plain work, period. IMHO

But be aware of your niche and their wants, needs and desires.. tailor an upsell to this and be considerate..

Peace

Jay

p.s. I LOVE seeing the upsell.. it makes me smile with glee..I EXPECT to be marketed to.. it's part of the game..

Thanks

Signature

Bare Murkage.........

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[230933].message }}

blogonator

15 years ago

I think when the fad 1st started, it did very well..but now..it seems to be fading.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Hasta la WinVista, Baby!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[230939].message }}

Sean A McAlister 15 years ago

They work.,...

But...it is the "DownSell" that i think does not work....and will overtime ruin the effect of the "Upsell" I realize that there is "all of this testing" out there that will support otherwise....but all you have to do is think about it.

The fact that it works now is only setting everyone up for a future decline.

The more marketers that offer downsells, the more customers will catch on.

It will get to the point that the upsell will generate less results once it catches on that there is more than likely "Downsale" coming.

Sean
- Thanks
- 1 reply
Signature

New Product Launches, Affiliate Marketplace

Need More Sales? More Affiliates? LaunchBoards.com
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[230949].message }}
- DaveFromDownUnder 15 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by The IM Reporter
  
  It will get to the point that the upsell will generate less results once it catches on that there is more than likely "Downsale" coming.
  
  Sean
  
  Very valid point...
  
  Thanks
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[230972].message }}

lakshaybehl

15 years ago

To upsell...

Each extra dollar helps...

besides, i am not ashamed to admit that 25% of my earnings come from upsells... Why would you not have upsells if they add to the bottomline.

Look you are nmot in this business to please anyone... You are here to market. AGGRESSIVELY yet SOFTLY. A balance is required.

Soft selling in emails and hard selling via large complicated funnels is what has been working well for me.

-Lakshay

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

WARNING EXPLICIT: This is ugly... and this is the distilled truth

~~Website || Book || Facebook~~

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[230943].message }}

Sean A McAlister

15 years ago

Originally Posted by lakshaybehl

Look you are nmot in this business to please anyone... You are here to market. AGGRESSIVELY yet SOFTLY
-Lakshay

That is a bit scary.

Then that means the next time I go to buy a car....it does not matter if it comes with the engine? The guy selling me and the owner of the business aren't here to ensure I am happy with their product...they just want me in the door to sell me a piece of shit?

That is the worst thing That I Think I have ever heard....and quite frankly I take offense to it.

This type of advice is what CONTINUES TO GIVE THE INTERNET MARKETING Platform a bad name.

You pretty much told people that you do not care if they are happy with your product or service just so long as they give you the money....and that for those who are marketing should not care either.

This reminds me of a rogue Insurance Salesman who is stealing money from the elderly.
What sense does that make?

Sean

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

New Product Launches, Affiliate Marketplace

Need More Sales? More Affiliates? LaunchBoards.com

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231010].message }}

lakshaybehl

15 years ago

Sean!

If you take offense to that, don't.

The only duty I haver in this business is to satisfy my CUSTOMERS and not anyone else. I take it that way. My customers like it when I have more time for them... rather than other people whom I am trying to get into the funnel.

Did I say sell crap and don't care? I don't think so!

What I mean is I do not care about the pleasure business of the people who do not want to go through the upsells and so on. Poeople might find them annoying... But I continue to use them. Why? they bring in more money > PERIOD.

I will continue to build funnels to get people in... I will continue to hire copywriters to convince those people, and I will keep on doing more front ends, backends, upsells and downsells as long as they work. They day they don't work, I know what to do next... BIN THEM. And move on to what works... Even if that does not please my website visitors.

Ultimately YOU decide what you do for your business... You might want your visitors to be pleased with your website, I would prefer to please them with my customer service and quality products... Bin their displeasure over my website... they are still giving more money to me than ever.

-Lakshay

Originally Posted by The IM Reporter

That is a bit scary.

Then that means the next time I go to buy a car....it does not matter if it comes with the engine? The guy selling me and the owner of the business aren't here to ensure I am happy with their product...they just want me in the door to sell me a piece of shit?

That is the worst thing That I Think I have ever heard....and quite frankly I take offense to it.

This type of advice is what CONTINUES TO GIVE THE INTERNET MARKETING Platform a bad name.

You pretty much told people that you do not care if they are happy with your product or service just so long as they give you the money....and that for those who are marketing should not care either.

This reminds me of a rogue Insurance Salesman who is stealing money from the elderly.
What sense does that make?

Sean

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

WARNING EXPLICIT: This is ugly... and this is the distilled truth

~~Website || Book || Facebook~~

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231034].message }}

Sean A McAlister

15 years ago

Thank you for clarifying your position.

Thanks
2 replies

Signature

New Product Launches, Affiliate Marketplace

Need More Sales? More Affiliates? LaunchBoards.com

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231038].message }}

Shannon Herod

15 years ago

upsell's simply work.

The better your upsell is related to the initial offer of the better it will convert.

You'd be amazed at the conversions you can get on an upsell.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231044].message }}

lakshaybehl

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Shannon Herod

upsell's simply work.

The better your upsell is related to the initial offer of the better it will convert.

You'd be amazed at the conversions you can get on an upsell.

Exactly... Some of the upsels have done over 50% for me...AAnd over 70% for some other marketers I know. How can anyone afford to miss them? That's a valuable place to put your offer on.

-Lakshay

Thanks

Signature

WARNING EXPLICIT: This is ugly... and this is the distilled truth

~~Website || Book || Facebook~~

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231053].message }}

lakshaybehl

15 years ago

Originally Posted by The IM Reporter

Thank you for clarifying your position.

Sean, I think you mean clarifying my stance on the issue.

The way you looked at it was that...

"Sell whatever and make a quick buck and move on without bothering about the quality of your support or product"

Where I meant this...

"Use upsells even if that means annoying someone as that would bring in more money for you. Provide them with something that would compliment, or supplement your front end... And you should be happy. And take care of your customers thereafter."

-Lakshay

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

WARNING EXPLICIT: This is ugly... and this is the distilled truth

~~Website || Book || Facebook~~

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231051].message }}

Sean A McAlister

15 years ago

Originally Posted by lakshaybehl

Sean, I think you mean clarifying my stance on the issue.

The way you looked at it was that...

"Sell whatever and make a quick buck and move on without bothering about the quality of your support or product"

Where I meant this...

"Use upsells even if that means annoying someone as that would bring in more money for you. Provide them with something that would compliment, or supplement you front end... And you should be happy. And take care of your customers thereafter."

-Lakshay

I looked at it.... as black and white as it was.....and how you wrote it.

You clearly stated a position of....not being in the IM business to please anyone...but rather market aggresively yet softly.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

New Product Launches, Affiliate Marketplace

Need More Sales? More Affiliates? LaunchBoards.com

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231055].message }}

lakshaybehl

15 years ago

Originally Posted by The IM Reporter

I looked at it.... as black and white as it was.....and how you wrote it.

You clearly stated a position of....not being in the IM business to please anyone...but rather market aggresively yet softly.

Is it any different for you? Or for anyone else for that matter?

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

WARNING EXPLICIT: This is ugly... and this is the distilled truth

~~Website || Book || Facebook~~

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231069].message }}

Sean A McAlister 15 years ago

Originally Posted by lakshaybehl

Is it any different for you? Or for anyone else for that matter?

As I replied earlier, you provided clarification.

Yes it is different for me. After many years of being in business you learn that you "Cannot Please Everyone"
....but that doesn't mean that you should go about "Not Trying To please" everyone.
- Thanks
Signature

New Product Launches, Affiliate Marketplace

Need More Sales? More Affiliates? LaunchBoards.com
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231081].message }}

Leanne King

15 years ago

Upsells annoy me.... but THEY WORK!

Leanne

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

COUPON CRUSHER WSO - TRAFFIC GRAB CHEAT SHEETWP Mini Money Makers - XFACTOR WP THEME -
Optimize Press WordPress Theme Review |
HTML Sites to WordPress | WordPress Security |WP Twin Review | Nanacast Fast Start

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[230948].message }}

dljmktg1

15 years ago

Upsells are fine, and they do work. Just don't overdo it.

Sometimes, I get to a site to make a purchase or become a member, and have to go through five or six upsells before getting to what I'm there for. In cases like this, I just leave the site and never go back. I think many people do this, too.

Also, just because I buy a product from you, I'm not giving permission to you to send me three sales letters every day.

The big question is this... Are you in business for a few quick sales before you lose the customer and have to find a new ones? Or, are you in business to build a base of lifelong customers?

Dan

Thanks
2 replies

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[230973].message }}

Sean A McAlister 15 years ago

Originally Posted by dljmktg1

Or, are you in business to build a base of lifelong customers?

Dan

That's the key to longevity
- Thanks
Signature

New Product Launches, Affiliate Marketplace

Need More Sales? More Affiliates? LaunchBoards.com
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[230986].message }}

lakshaybehl

15 years ago

Originally Posted by dljmktg1

The big question is this... Are you in business for a few quick sales before you lose the customer and have to find a new ones? Or, are you in business to build a base of lifelong customers?

Dan

Look... Sending three promotions a day is not same as having an upsell... They are different issues altogether.

Can you tell me the ultimate lifetime value of a visitor to your website? (Not pointing to you specifically?) Can you even tell a formula to calculate that? NO.

Upsells will not have an effect on credibility as much as customer service and quality of your product will. The displeasure of having to go mthrough an upsell is MOMENTARY... Gone the instant you order or quit.

The displeasure over poor customer support is another thing. I hope you understand that it lasts FOREVER. Customers do not go away when you are up-selling.... they go away when you do not deliver your promises.

-Lakshay

Thanks

Signature

WARNING EXPLICIT: This is ugly... and this is the distilled truth

~~Website || Book || Facebook~~

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231043].message }}

waken

15 years ago

I don't favorite upsell as I wish to be presented everything from upfront and make my choice from there rather than to be presented with the upsell after the first payment has been made. Simply because it's consumers right and most of the time, the initial product don't really worth it if not getting the other upsell version of it.

However, it works.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

*** Providing Quality PLR & MRR Since 2006 > Click Here to test Drive for FREE < For a LIMITED Time Only ***

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[230963].message }}

lpstoops

15 years ago

Originally Posted by waken

I don't favorite upsell as I wish to be presented everything from upfront and make my choice from there rather than to be presented with the upsell after the first payment has been made. Simply because it's consumers right and most of the time, the initial product don't really worth it if not getting the other upsell version of it.

However, it works.

First of all, it's not the consumers rights to your stuff. If you have a solid product that stands alone (which you should have if you selling it to a consumer), then they will do just fine with that. No rights involved to an advanced version. It would be like saying, "I just bought this computer with 1 gig of memory, but that model has 2 gigs! It's my right to have 2 gigs because I can." Just doesn't fly.

If you've spent extra time creating additional content for your buyers, charge an additional price. If you want to list multiple packages on the sales page, go for it. The conversions aren't as good as the up sell. It's like having a foot in the door.

Sorry to hear you don't like them...I think they're great.

Thanks

Signature

See any website's Adwords keywords while browsing Google in real-time. Get it FREE here!
* Free Training Videos: Increase Your Internet Marketing Sales OVERNIGHT *
Follow me on Twitter
FREE APPLE COMPUTER

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[232608].message }}

richpeck

15 years ago

Forget the nay-sayers.

An upsell is simply an opportunity to provide them with yet more products which they are going to be interested in.

If you don't upsell, you're missing out on VALUABLE opportunities which could easily double your turnover.

The only advice I have is if you *do* decide to upsell, then give the customer a big button saying "SKIP" because if u put a little tiny link at the botton, THAT is when it gets annoying

Rich

Thanks

Signature

New review site store - $15 each.

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[230996].message }}

John Piteo

15 years ago

Personally, I don't like upsells at all especially when there is more than one. I would much rather have the sales letter lay everything out upfront so I know exactly what I'm getting into. My second choice would be to sell me the front end product and after I consume it then send me an upsell after your product has proven to me that you sell good quality stuff.

Unfortunately, upsells really do work, here's why I think so.

When people read a sales letter they have an amount in their mind that they are willing to spend. They think to them self as they are reading, "if this is not more that $47 I might buy it." They get to the end of the sales letter and they are delighted to see the product is only $37.

Well since they were prepared to spend $47 it's a no brainer to buy it. Now after they enter their credit card number and pay they are hit with an upsell. It says your product will work ok without this, but if you buy the upsell it will be 100 times easier or faster. You just need to pay another $47.

Now they are already sold on the solution because they just spent $37. After they are sold on the solution it's easy to get them to spend more money to make things easier and faster; however if they were told upfront that the price for everything is $84. They probably wouldn't have purchased anything.

John

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231056].message }}

Junaid Gamieldien

15 years ago

Scenario:

-Cheap frontend product ('self liquidating offer')
-customer has just clicked the 'buy' button

From a 'cart abandonment' standpoint, is it better to upsell right there, or to upsell via an autoresponder series (very soon after initial sale).

I will actually face that situation soon for one of my non-IM niches.

Opinions?

Thanks

Signature

NukeThatFat -> How To Get Rid Of Fat
MuscleMassMastery -> Building Muscle Mass

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231057].message }}

Shaun OReilly

15 years ago

I don't mind AN upsell.

More than one upsell and I'll back out of your shopping
cart faster than a Hendrix riff.

And I'll take the money I would have spent with you
elsewhere.

Overall, from a purely bottom line perspective I'm sure
that many sellers would say that upsells work.

However, I choose to treat my customers the way I
want to be treated and wouldn't use any more than
ONE upsell in a sales process.

Am I leaving money on the table? Undoubtedly.

Do I care? Absolutely not.

My principles are more important than and extra
income from putting prospects through upsell hell.

I prefer to build solid realtionships with my prospects
and customers and let them see the value of what I
have to offer - over time.

Let them buy the first product and maybe an upsell
so they can consume and benefit from that first.

If I serve their needs, then they'll be back for more.

It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Best wishes,

Shaun

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

.

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231170].message }}

MaskedMarketer 15 years ago

Successful BUSINESSES have back end products. Upsell and do OTO with back end products. Some people make no money on the front end just to acquire a buying lead. They make boatloads of money on the backend sales of products. So always plan out your strategy and create a back end line and test, test ,test....
- Thanks
Signature

"One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor"

"I Pay Less Attention to What Men Say. I Just Watch What They Do."
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231181].message }}

ragnartm

15 years ago

I don't mind upsells and I take advantage of the good ones. And they work rather well for me.

Thanks

Signature

Ragnar.

Quality over quantity. Hire me to write highly shareable, user focused blog posts or articles.

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231176].message }}

cullenpowell

15 years ago

They work amazingly well, especially when used in a way that can't risk the original sale (ie. upselling POST-checkout)

Also, single-click upsell ordering as opposed to having the customer fill out another order form will increase conversions by over 40% alone.

I'd also like to touch on the point the OP made about becoming frustrated with so many upsells - I've done TONS of testing and the fact is after about the second or third upsell yes, people do generally become very annoyed - So Remember - two or three upsells max and you're sitting good. Let them cool down and hit em on the email list down the road.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

This backwoods redneck makes millions online

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231311].message }}

Andrew Stevens 15 years ago

They annoy me, but can be tempting. I'm sure many people that have the extra money and are interested give in.
- Thanks
Signature
Wholesale Sneakers - Wholesale Retro Jordans - Wholesale Yeezys
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231430].message }}

Business-Cards.com

15 years ago

I used to offer a discount on letterheads and envelopes if a client ordered business cards. After a few months of testing I found that users were abandoning their carts 2x as much as they did with no upsell. Revenue was pretty much the same with the upsell as without it.

I finally chose to abandon the upsell to gain more customer goodwill since it wasn't generating more income.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

$14.99 for 1000 business cards at prinly.com, warrior members only! Use coupon code "warrior1000"

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231455].message }}

cullenpowell

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Business-Cards.com

I used to offer a discount on letterheads and envelopes if a client ordered business cards. After a few months of testing I found that users were abandoning their carts 2x as much as they did with no upsell. Revenue was pretty much the same with the upsell as without it.

I finally chose to abandon the upsell to gain more customer goodwill since it wasn't generating more income.

I saw this same thing happen over and over again in virtually every market I tested in - which is why I came up with the "Risk-Free Upsell" solution which basically doesn't push the upsells until AFTER the customer checks out - thereby eliminating the risk of your customer abandoning the core sale, so you might want to look into that.

BTW, PM me if you're a 1ShoppingCart user, I've got a plugin that does it all for you.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

This backwoods redneck makes millions online

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231514].message }}

Business-Cards.com 15 years ago

That is a great idea, unfortunately I use a custom shopping cart, but thanks for the tip, I will have to try it.
- Thanks
- 1 reply
Signature

$14.99 for 1000 business cards at prinly.com, warrior members only! Use coupon code "warrior1000"
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231537].message }}
- jbsmith 15 years ago
  
  I've tested many variants on my sites and what works best for me is one upsell between sales page and order page - this could be for a bundled version of the your product, an upsell to a physical version an accompanying service (coaching, membership site, etc...) - all other back-ends are sold from the Thank you page or in follow on emails.
  
  I do know of someone who is successful with an upsell to very high end package and then a downsell to medium priced version before the order page hits.
  
  I have tried a double upsell and see many people dropping off on that second upsell page - obviously frustrated with the process or just fishing.
  
  With the single upsell I get over 60% uptake.
  
  Jeff
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  Turn Your Knowledge Into High-Paying Digital Products To Sell Online
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[231559].message }}

DaveFromDownUnder

15 years ago

Thanks for the input.
I appreciate everyone's comments, and perspective.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[232328].message }}

affiliateppc

15 years ago

I upsell, downsell, cross-sell, heck, I'll even side-ways sell if someone can show me how :-)

Different strokes for different folks. I market aggressively. I have a list in one niche that receives 2 messages a day, every day for 300 days.

Do the math. How many times is the prospect exposed to my sales message? Times that by the number of subscribers. Thats how many views my sales message receives. Doing it this way, it will be easy for you to see that you DONT need to get more traffic. Just leverage your exisiting traffic better.

If they want to unsubscribe, let them go, they where'nt gonna buy anyway, their just taking up space on my list.

AffiliatePPC

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[232463].message }}

davezan 15 years ago

They work.

I get annoyed...if I let myself get annoyed.

Others have spoken.

On the side, look at how Go Daddy upsells.
- Thanks
Signature

David
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[232592].message }}

lpstoops

15 years ago

Originally Posted by DaveFromDownUnder

Hi Warriors.

I'd like to get a general consensus on up sells.
Do they work?
Do they annoy you?
What do the majority of you warriors feel when faced with them?

I recently joined a fairly well known membership "class" and could not believe the amount of up sells. I found myself going from an eager purchaser ready to dive in and get started. To being frustrated with having to go through page after page of options. By the end of the process, I'd lost the excitement and enthusiasm that I had when making the initial purchase.

I'd appreciate your thoughts on this..

Dave.

If you have someone who was willing to pay you once, then they're much more likely to pay you again. Especially if you offer something like "An exclusive, advance, 'look over my shoulder' strategy".

Thanks

Signature

See any website's Adwords keywords while browsing Google in real-time. Get it FREE here!
* Free Training Videos: Increase Your Internet Marketing Sales OVERNIGHT *
Follow me on Twitter
FREE APPLE COMPUTER

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[232604].message }}

Eric Johnson

15 years ago

You have three questions there and only ONE of them matters at all

Do they work?
Do they annoy you?
What do the majority of you warriors feel when faced with them?

The answer is, yes, they do work. Obviously it depends on how well you present it and what the offer is but they do work.

As for whether they annoy you and how we feel when faced with them? Who cares. Your job is to make as much money as you can per customer and upsells are a big part of that.

Do them.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[232632].message }}

DaveFromDownUnder

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Eric Johnson

You have three questions there and only ONE of them matters at all

As for whether they annoy you and how we feel when faced with them? Who cares.

Do them.

I care Eric..

I like to know what people like, dislike, etc. Not ONLY what works.
Understanding as much as i can about my customers is important to my campaigns.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[232798].message }}

lakshaybehl

15 years ago

Originally Posted by DaveFromDownUnder

I care Eric..

I like to know what people like, dislike, etc. Not ONLY what works.
Understanding as much as i can about my customers is important to my campaigns.

Buddy, if they are so bad, they would stop working and everyone would stop using them. Apparently, that's not happening.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

WARNING EXPLICIT: This is ugly... and this is the distilled truth

~~Website || Book || Facebook~~

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[233094].message }}

DaveFromDownUnder 15 years ago

Originally Posted by lakshaybehl

Buddy, if they are so bad, they would stop working and everyone would stop using them. Apparently, that's not happening.

Buddy,

I'm not sure why you'd be quoting me with reference to that statement..
I made no mention of up-sells being bad.

All I was looking to achieve was to get an idea of how members of this forum feel when dealing with up-sells.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[233213].message }}

To Up Sell Or Not To Up Sell?

Trending Topics

Newbie

How did you turn it all around?

A healthy fascination for Hollywood...

Any thoughts on golf's latest phenom...Scottie Scheffler??

best high quality crypto traffic.