Cross-sell
A Cross-sell campaign recommends add-on products when the cart contains a trigger (a product, collection, tag, vendor, product type, or any product) and, optionally, discounts only those add-ons. Customers add them with one tap from the product page or the cart.
Updated October 7, 2026
What Is It?
A Cross-sell campaign recommends add-on products when the cart contains a trigger (a product, collection, tag, vendor, product type, or any product) and, optionally, discounts only those add-ons. Customers add them with one tap from the product page or the cart.
The trigger itself is never discounted. The discount applies only to the offered items, and only while the trigger is in the cart.
📸 [SCREENSHOT: Product page "Frequently bought together" cross-sell row with three add-ons and 10% badges]
How It Works
A cross-sell has four parts:
| Part | Question it answers |
|---|---|
| Trigger (When the cart contains) | What has to be in the cart? Any product, specific products, a collection, tag, vendor or product type, with an optional minimum quantity and minimum spend |
| Offer (Recommend) | What do we suggest? Manual picks (up to 6), a Pool (collection, tag, vendor, product type, ranked by 90-day units sold), or Smart suggestions (Ultimate) |
| Offer discount | What do they get? No discount, % off, $ off, or a New price, with a Max discounted units cap |
| Placement | Where is it shown? Product page, Cart, Both, or Don't show it |
Reward types
| Reward | Meaning |
|---|---|
| No discount | Recommendation only. The widget suggests items and adds them at full price. Nothing is applied at checkout. You still get impressions, adds and attach rate per offer in analytics |
| % off | A percentage off each discounted add-on unit |
| $ off | A fixed amount off each discounted add-on unit |
| New price | A fixed price for each discounted add-on unit |
Apply when
- Trigger and add-on both in cart: the discount applies whenever both are in the cart, however the add-on got there.
- Only if added from the widget: the line is tagged
_prime_xsell(like BOGO rewards) and only those lines are discounted. Use this for a context-specific price.
Smart behavior
- The widget never offers the product being viewed, or something already in the cart.
- Duplicate variants of the same product are grouped into one tile with a variant selector.
- The live preview in the builder shows each offer with price and stock, and an Exclude button on every row.
At a Glance
| Cross-sell | Product Bundle | Upsell | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cart result | Trigger plus add-on | A completed set | Trigger replaced by a better version |
| Discount goes to | The add-on only | The whole set | The upgraded line (optional) |
| Needs | A trigger | Every slot filled | A trigger product |
| Best for | Accessories, "goes well with" | Kits and outfits | Premium alternatives, bigger sizes |
When to Use It
| Goal | Example |
|---|---|
| Frequently bought together | Camera body → battery, card, strap, 10% off each |
| Checkout counter add-on | Any cart → $3 sample pack, only from the cart card |
| Recommendation without a discount | Decanter → matching glasses, No discount |
| B2B reorder reminder | Vendor orders over $300 → consumables 8% off, stacked on wholesale |
Step-by-Step: Create a Cross-sell Campaign
Scenario Used in This Guide
Goal: When a customer has a camera body in the cart, suggest a spare battery, a memory card and a strap, each 10% off, one unit each. Type: Cross-sell, Manual picks, % off, Product page.
Step 1: Go to Create Campaign
From the sidebar, click Campaigns → Create Campaign.
Step 2: Choose Campaign Type
Click the Cross-sell card (Bundles, Cross-sell, Gifts & Upsell section).
📸 [SCREENSHOT: Campaign type grid with "Cross-sell" card highlighted]
Step 3: Pick a Scenario (Optional)
| Scenario | Pre-fills |
|---|---|
| Frequently bought together | Specific-product trigger, Manual picks, 10% off, Product page (this guide) |
| Complete it with an add-on | Any trigger, accessory offers, Cart placement |
| Pairs well with | Collection pool, recommendation only |
| Reorder essentials | Vendor trigger, min spend, Stack on top of other discounts |
| Smart suggestions | AI-ranked offers from your orders (Ultimate) |
Step 4: Name the Campaign and Set the Offer Title
Enter a Campaign name and an Offer title (storefront) such as Frequently bought together.
Step 5: Set the Trigger
Under When the cart contains choose Trigger (Any product, Specific products, Collection, Product tag, Vendor, Product type), then Min quantity and Min spend (optional), and pick the products or rule.
📸 [SCREENSHOT: Trigger card: Trigger, Min quantity, Min spend on one row, product picker below]
Rule triggers (collection, tag, vendor, type) update live as products move in and out.
Step 6: Set the Offer
Under Recommend, choose the source:
- Manual picks: search or Browse products (up to 6). Best when add-ons must match a specific model.
- Pool: pick a pool type (Collection, Tag, Vendor, Product type) and the pool. Add Exclusions and set Items to show (1 to 6). The list is ranked by 90-day units sold.
- Smart suggestions (Ultimate): ranked from your order history, with pin and dismiss controls. New shops start from catalog signals and switch to order signals as orders come in.
The Preview of offer list shows the real products with price and stock. Use Exclude on any row.
📸 [SCREENSHOT: Offer card with Manual picks and the preview list]
Step 7: Set the Offer Discount
Pick No discount, % off, $ off or New price, then set:
- Discount value
- Max discounted units (how many units of an offer line get the discount)
- Apply when (Trigger and add-on both in cart, or Only if added from the widget)
For this guide: % off, 10, max units 1, both in cart.
📸 [SCREENSHOT: Offer discount card with % off 10, Max discounted units 1, Apply when]
When you choose No discount, max units and apply-when are hidden, because nothing is applied at checkout.
Step 8: Choose How It Combines
Under Combinations & overlap pick Best deal wins (default) or Stack on product discounts (typical for wholesale, where the add-on discount sits on top of the account's wholesale price).
Step 9: Choose Placement
Pick Product page, Cart, Both, or Don't show it (discount only). Use Manage widget settings for text and colors (see Cross-sell Widget).
Step 10: Schedule & Save
Set dates if needed and click Save.
Step-by-Step: Verify the Campaign Works
Test Scenario
Campaign: Camera body in cart → battery ($49) at 10% off, 1 unit. Expected discount on the battery: −$4.90.
Verification Table
| Cart | Expected |
|---|---|
| Camera body only | Widget shows the 3 offers at 10% off |
| Camera body + battery | Battery −$4.90, camera at full price |
| Camera body + 2 batteries (max units 1) | Discount on 1 battery only |
| Battery without a camera body | Full price, no discount |
| Battery added by URL, Apply when = Only from widget | Full price |
Step 1: Open the Trigger Product Page
Confirm the cross-sell block shows your offers, not the product you're viewing.
Step 2: Add an Offer
Tap Add on one offer. The button changes to the added text and the line shows the discount in the cart.
📸 [SCREENSHOT: Cart with the battery line showing the 10% saving]
Step 3: Test the Cap
Raise the add-on quantity above your Max discounted units and confirm only that many units are discounted.
Step 4: Remove the Trigger
Remove the camera body. The add-on goes back to full price.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- Trigger items are never discounted. The saving is on the add-ons only.
- Use Manual picks for model-specific add-ons. A pool from an Accessories collection may offer the wrong battery.
- Keep Max discounted units low on cheap accessories so a nudge doesn't become a volume discount.
- "Only if added from the widget" means a customer who finds the add-on elsewhere pays full price. That is what makes a cart-only price possible.
- Wholesale? Use Stack on product discounts. Best deal wins would compare your add-on discount with the standing wholesale price and the add-on would show no extra saving.
- Review manual picks after discontinuing a product. The preview flags it, but the edit is manual.
- No discount is a valid cross-sell. If your margin is thin and the only gap is visibility, use recommendation only.
Mini FAQ
Does the cross-sell discount the product in the cart that triggered it?
No. Trigger items are never discounted.
What happens if the add-on is already in the cart?
It isn't offered again, and only the capped number of units get the discount.
Which plan do I need?
Cross-sell is on Prime and above. Smart suggestions need Ultimate.
Can I recommend products with no discount?
Yes. Choose No discount. It's recommendation only, tracked in analytics.
Best for: Retail & DTC stores with clear companion products; wholesale stores adding reorder reminders.
Related Campaigns
- Product Bundle: require a complete set
- Upsell: replace the item with a better one
- Buy X Get Y (BOGO)
- Cross-sell Widget
Need a Hand?
Our support team is here to help, reach out anytime at support@aspedan.dev, or use in-app chat.
Last updated: October 2026