What is cross sell?

Cross sell is a sales and marketing technique where you encourage customers to buy additional, complementary products or services on top of what they already intend to purchase. In e-commerce and B2B, cross sell is one of the most efficient ways to increase average order value without raising traffic costs.

In practice, cross sell happens when you suggest related items at key moments in the journey, such as on the product page, in the cart, or in post purchase flows. For example, an online bike shop might cross sell a helmet, lock, or lights when someone buys a new bicycle. Done right, cross sell feels helpful instead of pushy because it solves extra problems for the customer.

Why cross sell matters for growth-focused teams

For Belgian and European businesses that invest in paid media and SEO, cross sell is a direct lever on profitability. You already paid to acquire the click, so every relevant cross sell increases revenue per session and makes your customer lifetime value stronger. This is especially powerful for brands with a conversion driven webshop, where margins and ad costs are closely monitored.

Cross sell is not just for classic retail. B2B companies can cross sell onboarding packages, training, support retainers, or strategic add ons around the core offer. The principle stays the same, whether you sell software, consulting, or physical products.

Examples of effective cross sell tactics

  • On site recommendations that show "Frequently bought together" bundles or accessories on product and cart pages.
  • Post purchase email flows that cross sell refills, upgrades, or related categories based on the last order.
  • Checkout add ons such as gift wrapping, extended warranties, or express delivery options.
  • Account manager playbooks in B2B that cross sell training, implementation, or reporting packages to existing clients.
  • Remarketing campaigns that promote complementary items to customers who recently bought a specific product line.

All of these tactics use cross sell to make the original purchase more complete, while lifting revenue per customer in a measurable way.

How to implement cross sell in your webshop or funnel

To make cross sell work at scale, you need data, structure, and a clear customer journey. First, map your product relationships or service tiers so you know what naturally fits together. Then add cross sell placements where customers still have buying intent, for example product detail pages, the shopping cart, and order confirmation pages.

For local retailers with a webshop, smart cross sell can turn one time buyers into higher value repeat customers. If that is your world, explore how 6th Man supports local businesses with a webshop or larger brands that are ready to scale their webshop. In both cases, cross sell should be tested like any other performance lever, with A/B experiments on placements, messaging, and bundles.

When cross sell is aligned with customer needs, it feels like good service rather than upselling pressure. That is when it becomes a reliable growth driver in your overall digital marketing strategy.