How Do You Treat "Upsells"? Do You Really Like Them?

If the upsell is offering me value and actually helping me out, then i have no problem. They are offering me an opportunity. Its when upsells are used wrongly ( which is usually most of the time ), is where things turn sour.

I don't like upsells as a buyer or a seller. In my opinion it makes the original product that was purchased less valuable and as a buyer I usually regret making the purchase.

I think the reason is that someone might not want to pay for the whole package.

So they buy a product and then the upsell is something of higher value but costs more.

Maybe they only want the original product so they can decline the upsell.

Some people might want the higher value product and then they have the opportunity.

Sure, the whole thing could be packaged together - call it a bonus or whatever you want but that would make the price higher and the person that wanted the lower priced original product would not be able to get it at that price.

I think they are good if the upsell is a complimentary product or higher level of service or value.

It just gives people the opportunity to get some level of the product without going over their budget.

I do agree - all those screens with the upsells and downsells can make you dizzy!

Lee

OK - I think they are vile!

I get so irritated when I've bought something pricey, and then - wham - treated to a oage of hard sell AND THEN - if I decline - the offer is reduced.

Arrrggghhh - Doctor? Nurse? My medication please!

As a buyer, I don't like upsells as I like to get the whole package in once. As a seller, I love them because they just simply work as far as boosting your bottom line.

Some I like, some I don't. But they don't bother me, it's either something I want, or it isn't

It doesn't have to devalue the original product. Like if you're about to buy a script and are upsold a hosted version or installation service.

It doesn't matter if you like upsells or not. They'll continue to be used whether you like them or not.

Besides, it's incredibly difficult to have a complete product. Could you imagine a complete product on affiliate marketing, for example? It would contain thousands upon thousands of pages and DAYS (as opposed to mere hours) of video.

Information overload is a problem as it is

There are good and bad upsells, IMO.

Classic example of a bad upsell can be found when purchasing virtually any "how to make money online" product (especially the "underground, secret" ones).

The sales page says: "Buy this product to learn the secret to making lots of money online!"
Then, the upsell says: "Buy this upsell to learn the REAL secret to making lots of money online!"


A good upsell is when the two products are clearly different, but complimentary.
Example: The product teaches a particular strategy and the upsell is a tool that automates part of the process. As long as the sales-page didn't make it seem like you'd get such an automation tool as part of the initial deal, this makes sense as an upsell. It's a separate product, but complimentary to the original offer.

It depends how it's done...

When I get trapped in "Upsell Hell" by a marketer who throws upsell after upsell after downsell... it can get extremely annoying.

If they have a single upsell that, for example, offers a related product or a deluxe version of their product, it's less of a problem.

However, the best way to "upsell" is probably just by collecting the opt-in and using your list. That way, you annoy your customer less... and get the opportunity to upsell them on the back end repeatedly over time.

- John

I actually like offering upsells in non-IM niches. For example, what I like to do is offer a free report with an upsell to a product that sells for $5 (to pre-qualify him/her as a buyer). I'd then build a relationship with that subscriber and recommend affiliate products etc.

From a buying point of view, I don't buy upsells because I'm a marketer and I know the game plan!

Unless the upsell is of pure quality that can be combined with the product to make it easier or quicker to use.

Just my take.

Many times an upsell comes after hundreds or thousands of people buy and offer their feedback, suggestions and potential changes, making the product exponentially better after a revision, in that case I find it more than worth it. Sort of like buying a new edition of a book, both have great info, one is just working off the previous.

I find it very strange to read threads where "marketers" talk about not liking a tactic and/or approach of "marketing" that has been proven to boost sales volumes.

That being said; (dare I say) its not the upsell/downsell/cross-sell that you're hating, but rather the method in which that particular marketer is using the technique.

As mentioned in other posts to this thread, there is the good upsell (implementation) and the bad upsell (implementation); its all based on the experience of the marketer employing the tactic(s).

What many marketers do not understand; (and this goes with a myriad of marketing techniques); is that there IS NO "one size fits all" way to do anything in regards to selling online OR offline. If you're not crafting your marketing strategies based on your target demographic then you're pissing in the dark. Period.

There are different upsell techniques within the upsell model; unless the marketer understands this, they shouldn't even think about utilizing the model in any capacity, (IMHO).

There's the immediate upsell; which is what most people in this thread have eluded to disliking. (I think there's a flaw with this methodology when its used as the de facto method of employing upsells).

There's the semi-immediate upsell; which is the advanced version of the immediate upsell where the marketer actually takes the time to "explain" the upsell and why its being offered rather than just pushing it in the Customer's face.

There's the post-sale upsell; which is done through a series of communications post-sale for the purposes of convincing the Customer that the upsell is needed.

Whichever method you choose to employ, if you're not targeting the decision of which method to use to your demographic (for that sales funnel)... then you're setting yourself up for failure.

Just my 2¢
HTH
PLP,
tecHead