@joshtCROWhy upsells matter on the product page specifically
The product page is where the shopper decides what goes in the basket, so an add-on shown there becomes part of that one decision instead of a second one later.
The trade-off is that anything extra near Add to Cart can slow or confuse the main purchase.
Measured results
Matched add-ons near Add to Cart
Alex Stoykov's Frequently Bought Together bundle for WedgeGuys added a one-click CTA near Add to Cart for the tape and solvent needed to fit a golf grip.
Over 16 days and 12,421 visitors it won +10.87% revenue per visitor and +8.09% conversion rate.
Before the test only 8.02% of sessions added to cart and AOV sat under the $75 free shipping line.
Dave Diederen tested two different upsell products in the same add-to-cart popup for a DTC supplement brand.
The winner gained +4.37% conversion rate, +7.80% RPV and +3.28% AOV.
Dave Diederen's rule: if you have to explain why they need it, it's the wrong product.
Upsells inside the selector
For a beauty brand, Dave Diederen rebuilt a bundle selector with one line of explanatory copy, separate included and optional add-on slots, and a trust line under Add to Cart.
It won +3.37% conversion rate, +8.66% RPV, +8.84% profit per visitor and +5.13% AOV.
Several things changed at once, so the add-on slot's share is unknown.
Discounts and recommendations
Ruben moved a brand's emailed 10% extra discount into a one-click banner above Add to Cart.
It won +28% RPV on 32k visitors and 1,000+ orders in one week.
Ruben plans to retest it, and is not yet sure whether urgency or price caused the lift.
Dave Diederen's Best Sellers section at the bottom of the product page is credited with +$488,000 in extra yearly revenue.
The aim is to catch browsers who are not convinced by the main product before they bounce.
@DaveDiederen@DaveDiederen@DaveDiederen
@stoykovallex1
@RubendgrfLosing or flat tests
None have been reported. The closest thing to a loss is inside Dave Diederen's product test: the weaker of the two upsells was a solid product that simply did not fit the moment, and it trailed by a clear margin.
Untested ideas
- Dave Diederen suggests moving upsells below Add to Cart, because upsells above it force a second decision and push the button down on mobile.
- Dave Diederen also suggests hand-picked complementary products instead of algorithmic ones, a "More in this color" carousel for fashion, and a tabbed Best Sellers / Sale / All section.
- Kasper Dolk suggests a "Complete the look" card with its own size picker under Add to Cart, an extended warranty offered after the standard guarantee, and cross-sells under the button.
- Josh Thompson claims AOV went from $49 to $97 and +$64K/month from upsells and bundles, but no test data was shown, so treat this as unverified.
Placement and design patterns that won
- Pick the product first. Two of the five wins came from choosing an add-on the buyer clearly needs.
- One click to add. Both the bundle and the discount banner worked with a single tap.
- Above or below Add to Cart is still open. Dave Diederen's winning selector put the add-on before the button, while Dave Diederen's own advice is to place upsells below it. Test both.
- Track AOV and profit per visitor, not only conversion rate.
Related tests elsewhere on the store
See cart upsell tests, checkout upsell tests, all upsell tests and bundle tests.
For the basics, read the guide to upselling.