11 Cross Selling Examples

Do you want to increase sales and customer satisfaction?

Cross selling is the magic strategy you need to equip yourself with.

In this post, we’ll take a look at 11 cross selling examples from big brands that have used this technique to recommend related products and make more money.

Cross selling is a sales strategy used by businesses when they offer additional products or services to a customer who is already buying.

The key is to offer items that complement the original product so the customer gets more out of their purchase and is more satisfied. This adds more value to the customer and more revenue overall.

Unlike upselling, which is when you try to get the customer to buy a more expensive version of the product they are considering, cross selling is all about complementary products.

For example, if a customer is buying a laptop, suggesting a laptop bag or antivirus software would be cross selling. This way the customer gets more out of their purchase and continues to stay loyal to the brand.

Here are some easily comparable real-life cross selling examples in action to help you grasp how it works.

By implementing cross selling strategies, businesses can significantly boost their sales and provide customers with a more complete and satisfying shopping experience.

Cross selling has many benefits for your business:

Now that we’ve covered the why, let’s see some online store examples to inspire you. Here are 11 of the best cross selling examples from businesses that know what they're doing.

Amazon nails cross selling by integrating recommendations everywhere. Whether you’re browsing or buying, Amazon suggests related products based on what you’re looking at or what you’ve bought before.

This goes beyond individual product pages. They feature cross-sell suggestions right on the homepage. For example, when you’re looking at a laptop, Amazon might suggest a mouse, laptop bag, or antivirus software and make it easy to add to your cart.

Zappos is great at cross selling by suggesting related products to enhance the shopping experience. When you browse shoes on Zappos you’re often shown recommendations for socks, shoe care products, or other related items that go with your shoe choice.

For example on the Cloudmonster shoes for women product page, Zappos has a “Wear It With” section that shows pants, t-shirts, handbags, and socks that go with the shoes so you can buy the whole outfit in one go.

Best Buy is great at cross selling by offering additional warranties, accessories, and related electronics to devices and appliances.

For example, on the Lenovo Legion laptop product page, they have a “Complete your purchase” section that shows add-ons like Microsoft 360 Office, a gamepad and a wireless mouse. This section not only suggests related products but also makes it easy to add multiple items to the cart at once with a clear breakdown of the total cost.

Verizon cross sells by offering additional services and bundles to their mobile customers. Beyond mobile plans Verizon promotes home internet, TV packages, and device protection plans, to increase the overall value proposition for their customers.

For example, on the pricing page for their mobile plans, Verizon breaks down the monthly cost and features for each add-on, including discounts on popular streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ as part of bundled offerings.

UnitedHealthcare cross sells by presenting related plans to customers based on their first choice. For example, when you add a hospital and surgical plan to your cart UnitedHealthcare offers a pop up to suggest additional coverage like dental.

These pop ups provide a full plan breakdown and allow you to add the suggested plans to your cart instantly. Plus links to brochures and more info are embedded so customers have all the information at your fingertips.

Toyota sells more products and services to the customer using cross selling techniques that enhance the customer experience and increase sales. When a customer buys a vehicle from Toyota, the dealer often offers extended warranties, maintenance packages, and various accessories.

This could be upgraded sound systems, custom floor mats, and paint protection to go with the vehicle purchase. This way, customers have access to products that can boost the vehicle’s functionality, appearance, and longevity.

Apple are great at cross selling by suggesting accessories, AppleCare and related products when you buy an iPhone, iPad, or MacBook. These premium products are exclusive to the Apple brand and operating system and make for a compelling cross sell.

For example when you buy an iPhone, Apple will suggest AirPods, cases and chargers, and AppleCare for extended warranty and ongoing support. This not only enhances the user experience but also builds brand loyalty by offering a cohesive product ecosystem.

Etsy does cross selling by suggesting related handmade items, supplies or personalized recommendations based on your browsing and purchase history.

This includes not only products from shops or small businesses you’ve bought from before but also from other sellers who offer similar items. This makes the user experience more personalized and customer-centric.

Expedia sells travel insurance, airport transfers and local tours when customers book flights or hotels. By bundling these extras into the booking process Expedia makes the overall travel experience better for its customers.

The use of text like “No, I'm willing to risk my $304.68 stay booking” creates a sense of urgency and is a great built-in CTA while still giving the customer the final decision.

Chase Bank does a great job of cross selling by offering other financial products when you sign up for a checking account. 

For example, they offer savings accounts with checking accounts.

This gives the customer a full financial solution and a better banking experience. They break down the monthly service fees and show you the different options to keep the monthly balance so you know what you’re getting into.

Coursera cross sells by offering specializations or certificate programs related to the course you’re currently in or planning to get into. This adds to the learning experience by encouraging you to learn more in related areas.

For example, if you’re in an AI analytics course, Coursera might recommend courses on machine learning or data visualization or even a full data science specialization. 

This adds value to your educational journey and keeps you more engaged with the platform.

Cross selling can be an incredibly effective marketing strategy to boost sales, customer satisfaction, and bring in more revenue.

We’ve looked at cross selling examples examples from top brands sales tactics and how product recommendations can lead to a richer customer experience and more sales. 

Here are the key pointers to keep in mind from them all:

It's a given that by offering more products and services, you’ll sell more and give your new and existing customers more value. 

Implement the ideas from these cross selling examples today and you’ll see higher customer loyalty, bigger order values, and a bigger bottom line.

Get cross selling campaigns into your overall sales strategy now!