# Upselling and Cross-Selling: Order Bumps, One-Click Upsells and Downsells

> Upselling and cross-selling explained for creators: the difference, where order bumps, one-click upsells and downsells fit, examples, and tips that work.

By Uyi Abraham (Founder and CEO, Vonza). Published 2023-12-10, updated 2026-11-07. Category: Business and creator economy. 4 min read.
Canonical: https://vonza.com/blog/upselling-and-cross-selling

Finding a new customer is the hardest part of selling. Selling a little more to someone who is already buying is the easiest. That is what upselling and cross-selling are for, and for creators, coaches and small online sellers they come down to three moments in a purchase: on the checkout, right after payment, and after a "no".

## What is upselling?

Upselling is offering a bigger or better version of what the buyer is about to buy, or the next step after it. The advanced programme after the beginner course. One-to-one coaching on top of a group programme. The annual plan instead of the monthly one.

An upsell works when it is clearly the buyer’s next step, not a bigger number for its own sake.

## What is cross-selling?

Cross-selling is offering something that goes with what the buyer is buying. A workbook with a course. The recordings with a live workshop. An accessory with a physical product.

A cross-sell works when it makes the main item more useful straight away.

## Upselling vs cross-selling

| | Upselling | Cross-selling |
| --- | --- | --- |
| What you offer | A bigger, better or next version | Something that goes with the purchase |
| Example | Advanced course after the beginner one | Workbook with the course |
| Usual price | Often more than the first item | Usually much less than the first item |
| Best moment | Right after payment | On the checkout, before paying |

## Where each one fits in a purchase

### On the checkout: the order bump

An [order bump](https://vonza.com/order-bumps) is a small extra the buyer ticks on the checkout before paying, charged in the same payment. It is the natural home of the cross-sell: the buyer is already entering their details, and a related extra for a fraction of the price is an easy yes. See [10 order bump examples](https://vonza.com/blog/order-bump-examples) for ideas.

### Right after payment: the one-click upsell

A [one-click upsell](https://vonza.com/one-click-upsell) is an offer shown right after the buyer pays, taken with one click because the card is already on file for that purchase. This is the natural home of the upsell: the decision to buy is made, and the next step can be offered while the buyer is most engaged.

### After a "no": the downsell

A downsell is the smaller offer shown when the upsell is declined: the self-paced version of a coaching programme, or one module instead of the full course. It keeps the conversation going without asking the buyer to reverse a decision they just made.

## Upselling and cross-selling examples

- **Course creator:** a workbook as an order bump; a live Q&A call as the one-click upsell; the recordings-only version as the downsell.
- **Coach:** session recordings as a bump on a group programme; a one-to-one call right after payment.
- **Community owner:** a starter course as a bump on the membership; an annual plan offered after the first payment.
- **Product seller:** a matching accessory as a bump, with its shipping in the same order; a bundle after payment.

## Tips that work

1. **Offer what the buyer needs next.** Relevance beats discount. Ask what a buyer of this item usually wants after it.
2. **Keep the cross-sell small.** A bump is decided in seconds; price it well below the main item.
3. **Explain it in one line.** A title, one sentence and a price is all the room there is on a checkout.
4. **Time it.** Cross-sell before payment, upsell after it. Mixing them up makes the checkout longer and the upsell weaker.
5. **Do not trick the buyer.** Pre-ticked extras can backfire, and in the EU a buyer charged for a pre-ticked extra they did not choose is entitled to a refund. Let buyers choose.
6. **Never sell them what they own.** Offering a buyer something they already bought loses trust fast.
7. **Have a downsell ready.** A "no" to the big offer is often a "yes" to a smaller one.
8. **Follow up.** A buyer who declines an offer or leaves the checkout can still be reached by email later.
9. **Test one change at a time.** Change the offer, the price or the line, not all three at once, and watch the sales.
10. **Look after buyers after the sale.** Good support and onboarding make the next purchase likely.

## How to upsell and cross-sell on Vonza

On a Vonza [checkout](https://vonza.com/checkout):

- **Order bumps:** switch on "Show bump offers at checkout" and add up to 5. Each one is something you sell, given to the buyer the moment they pay, or a custom line you deliver yourself.
- **One-click upsell:** switch on "Offer one more thing" in After payment. A buyer who paid by card through Stripe, or with Paystack, takes it with one click on the card they just used. If the card is declined, the payment form shows.
- **No double sales:** Vonza will not charge a buyer for an item they already own, and skips the offer for it.

In a [sales funnel](https://vonza.com/sales-funnel), the checkout step takes up to 5 order bumps, and Upsell and Downsell steps can each take a one-click purchase. An automation can follow up when an offer is declined. Everything else in the new checkout is in [what’s new in Vonza Checkouts](https://vonza.com/blog/whats-new-in-vonza-checkouts).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between upselling and cross-selling?

Upselling offers a bigger or better version of what the buyer is buying, such as the advanced programme instead of the beginner one. Cross-selling offers something that goes with it, such as a workbook with a course.

### Is an order bump an upsell or a cross-sell?

Usually a cross-sell: a small related extra the buyer ticks on the checkout before paying. A one-click upsell is shown after payment, on its own screen.

### Can I upsell and cross-sell on Vonza?

Yes. A Vonza checkout can carry up to 5 order bumps and one offer after payment that buyers take with one click on the card they just used. Funnels add upsell and downsell steps.