Key Takeaways:
For creative professionals, upselling is one of the most effective ways to boost their portfolio store’s revenue. By leveraging strategies such as:
- Product bundles
- Personalized offers
- Automated reminders, and
- Gallery-based upsells
You can increase average order value (AOV) and cause more prospects to convert, without relying on website traffic. Tools like Pixpa can help you boost AOVs so your business can thrive.
A portfolio store isn’t merely a platform to showcase your work. It is a way to turn your creativity into a sustainable income. Whether you are a photographer, an artist or a designer, maximizing every sale is the stepping stone to true success, and you know it.
So instead of directing all your energy towards attracting new traffic, which to be fair can be very costly, why don’t you try out e-commerce upsell techniques? They might not be commonly used in the world of art, but they can make a huge difference to your year-end sales reports, filling it with the kind of numbers you want to see.
By offering your core buyers extra value through bundles and gentle nudges through targeted offers and reminders, you too can achieve the coveted title of “best-selling artist” in your field. As long as your aim is to increase average order value (AOV) with these techniques.
In this blog, we will show you how you can do just that with the help of amazingly intuitive tools Pixpa that can make these upsells easy to design and implement for your store. So let’s begin with our 4 proven upsell strategies tailored exclusively for creative portfolio stores.
Why Upselling Matters More For Portfolio Stores
Unlike run-off-the-mill consumer goods which sell like hot-cakes due to their rather affordable price tags and daily-use nature, products offered by creative professionals fall in the category of one-time (or rather infrequent) purchases.
That, in itself, makes upselling necessary if you want your portfolio store to thrive.
But let’s explore other reasons too.
Challenges of selling creative products online
Like we said, mass-produced goods sell way more easily than niche, creative goods. That is because their target audience sizes are vastly different. With a smaller audience to cater to, it can be difficult for you to sell your creations via a portfolio store.
In fact, customer acquisition is also a problem as it can be quite expensive. Research shows acquiring new customers can be 5x to 7x more expensive than retaining an existing one. No wonder then that every sale, every transaction counts.
How upsell tactics increase revenue without new traffic
The beauty of upsell is that it maximizes your chances of earning revenue from the audience you have already built. No new acquisitions or constant traffic growth required. All you have to do is use simple upsell strategies and watch your AOV increase by 10% to 30%.
For example, 35% of Amazon’s revenue can be credited to their upselling and cross-selling initiatives, as per a report issued by McKinsey. This clearly shows how powerful upselling can be.
For creatives like you, upselling could involve selling frames alongside prints or recommended premium-sized additions when your customers are about to check out.
Benefits for photographers, artists, and designers using portfolio stores
For creative professionals such as yourself, the benefits of upselling are many:
- For photographers, upselling can help them sell add-ons such as frames, albums, and retouched versions of photos.
- Artists can use upselling to encourage buyers to opt for larger canvases, limited editions or gift wrapping.
- Designers can upsell digital files with print versions to earn handsomely during each transaction.
We know that integrating upsells into your website can feel like a daunting task.
??That’s why at Pixpa, we help store owners turn their galleries and storefronts into powerful revenue drivers by enabling seamless upselling—without extra costs or complexity.
4 E-commerce Upsell Techniques for Portfolio Stores
Before diving into specific strategies, let’s start with one of the most effective ways to boost order value and customer satisfaction.
Technique #1 – Product Bundles & Packages
Sometimes the simplest portfolio upsell strategies work. If you place yourself in a shopper’s shoes, you will realize that nothing beats the feeling of getting “more for less”. That holds true for your core clientele as well. In fact, it is the very foundation of the product bundling technique.
For creative professionals, bundling, while being a great way to increase revenue, is also about making your offerings seem more complete and compelling to your buyers.
- How bundling boosts perceived value
Thoughtfully curated bundles have the power to make your clients feel that they are indulging in a unique experience rather than a one-off purchase. However, it only achieves its desired effect if you build bundles with items that complement each other, and of course, ship them together in a reliable manner.
This can be tricky but package conveyors can help. Industry uses of package conveyors extend to cover e-commerce logistics too. You can use these machines for effective packaging and order fulfilment. This, in turn, will guarantee your products reach your customers in a quick and reliable manner, thus encouraging repeat purchases.
Example — Print + Frame, Digital + Physical Copy
Let’s say, you are a photographer with an online store. A great example of a valuable bundle would be the inclusion of the digital copy of the ordered image along with a physical framed print. Artists can use the same technique and pair a canvas print with its smaller postcard counterpart. Such bundles will nudge your customers to spend a little extra to get more.
- Setting smart bundle discounts
If you need a little inspiration, take a look at Apple. Their bundles are smart and come with an added discount that feels like a reward rather than a giveaway.
For example, they frequently promote their iPad + Apple Pencil + Smart Keyboard bundle to which they add AppleCare as a logical upsell. When customers see the savings on their updated cart, they are automatically persuaded to complete the purchase.
Setting similar smart product bundles for your website is easy with Pixpa’s e-commerce galleries. We are all about creating a seamless shopping experience for your customers while reinforcing your brand’s values.
Technique #2 – Personalized & Targeted Upsell Offers
While building an attractive website is critical to get traffic, remember: every single one of your customers is unique and will go through an equally unique journey with your brand.
So if you want to nudge them to buy more, you have to resort to personalization. Using analytics to ascertain buyer behavior can help you transform generic sales to tailored recommendations that make your customers click “buy”.
- Using buyer behavior to suggest add-ons
Tracking customer actions on your website such as purchase history, browsing patterns, or time spent on product pages can help you gain a deeper understanding of their preferences, which you can use to recommend relevant bundles. For instance, if one of your customers adds a photo print to cart, you can upsell a matching frame along with it.
- Personalized recommendations for returning customers
You want to pay extra attention to your returning customers as they are your warmest leads. Continuously nurturing these leads should be a part of the plan. Personalized offers can help you with that. You could suggest exclusive limited editions, complementary designs or higher-resolution downloads as upsells that strengthen customer loyalty.
- Limited-time targeted upsells
Urgency might be one of the oldest tricks in the book but it’s a solid portfolio upsell strategy. Take for example, Amazon’s “Frequently Bought Together” and “Customers Also Bought” widgets. They are legendary for a reason!
Combining personalization with subtle urgency, these widgets inspire trust among consumers as the recommendations are based on actual user purchases. The result? Larger baskets and an increased average order value (AOV).
You can also do something similar for your portfolio store. You could offer limited-time bundle deals to nudge your customers in the right direction. Pixpa can help you integrate targeted upsells directly into your gallery or product pages, ensuring each recommendation is timely, relevant, and perfectly aligned with your buyer’s interests!
Technique #3 – Automated Reminders & Follow-Up Upsells
Let’s talk automated upsell reminders.
Not all of your customers will add your recommendations to cart during checkout. In fact, upselling can happen after their initial interaction with your brand as well. That’s where automated reminders come in. They give you a second chance to engage your customers and increase your revenue.
- Cart abandonment follow-ups with upsell incentives
Reports show that roughly 70% of all shopping carts are abandoned before a purchase is made. To prevent your cart from following suit, we recommend sending out automated cart abandonment emails. The twist? Suggest an upsell in your emails, like a frame at a discounted rate, to boost conversion.
- Post-purchase upsell emails
While a successful purchase might seem like the end of the customer journey, it’s not. You can turn them into repeat customers with well-crafted post-purchase emails that recommend attractive complementary products. Since your buyer is already satisfied with your product and service, they might be tempted to buy again if you time your reminders correctly.
- Subscription or repeat order reminders
For creative businesses that offer repeat-use products such as calendars, stationery or seasonal prints, automated reminders can be a great way to turn one-time customers into repeat buyers. You can also use these reminders as opportunities to upsell higher-value items such as subscriptions, larger packs or premium versions.
Take the famous fashion retail chain ASOS for example. You will find their abandoned cart emails littered with useful upsell prompts such as “Complete Your Outfit”, thus helping them sell matching accessories and shoes. With Pixpa’s integrated e-commerce tools, you can automate reminders for your portfolio store and re-engage your core customers just like ASOS does.
Technique #4 – Showcase Upsells in Galleries & Storefronts
Creative e-commerce galleries are more than just a display front. It’s your ultimate sales engine, which you can power-up with upsell opportunities baked directly into your storefront.
That’s the fastest way to make your audience discover premium options and add-ons.
- Visual storytelling with upsell placement
Subtle upsells have a charm of their own. If you weave yours into the creative narrative of your store, you elevate their chances of success. You should use your storefront to display high-value options, such as larger prints and frames, alongside your core products so your customers get a clear visual of what the upgrade looks like.
- Integrating upsells within portfolios
Etsy has mastered the art of integrating upsells within portfolios. One look at their product gallery will show you how they display related or premium options along their repertoire of products. What this does is make upselling a part of the browsing experience for your customer, thus increasing the chances of conversion.
- Using galleries to promote premium versions or add-ons
Photographers can use their galleries to promote high-resolution downloads or larger frames, while artists can use the same space to offer limited-edition signed prints. Such exclusive offerings are likely to convince your buyers to make high-value purchases.
Pixpa offers creative e-commerce galleries that you can use to naturally embed upsell options within your visual portfolio without compromising its aesthetics.
Best Practices To Maximize Upsell Success
Upselling works best when it feels natural, relevant, and valuable to your buyers. Forcing it is not going to work and is likely to cause a decrease in customer trust. However, a thoughtful approach to product bundling for online stores can help you maximize revenue and customer trust.
- Keep upsells relevant to the buyer journey
Relevance is key. Aligning upsells with what your customer wants or is considering feels natural, while suggesting unrelated products can seem intrusive.
- Avoid overloading with too many offers
When it comes to offers, less is truly more. Too many offers can overwhelm your buyers and lead to decision fatigue. However, a couple of well-placed offers can induce decisiveness.
- Always test copy, timing, and discount
A/B testing your upsell headlines, timings, and offers is the basis of finding a formula that sticks.
With platforms like Pixpa, you can implement best upselling practices seamlessly into your store to ensure they work while enhancing the overall shopping experience for your customers.
Conclusion
Restricting upselling to a sales tactic is a rather narrow approach. It is wise to consider it as a growth strategy for your portfolio store.
By implementing smart e-commerce upsell techniques such as product bundling, personalized offers, automated reminders, and gallery-integrated upsells, creative professionals can rake in higher incomes while delivering more value to their buyers.
The key is to maintain relevancy while keeping your audience engaged.
Platforms like Pixpa can help you there by effortlessly integrating these techniques into your portfolio store, so your passion can turn into your income.
====
Author’s Bio:
Dhruv, a specialized SEO Consultant, is an expert in boosting visibility for SaaS MarTech. In his free time, he enjoys writing about Marketing, E-commerce, and Customer Experience. He is also passionate about sharing tried and tested, as well as easy to implement, SaaS SEO and Marketing insights from Clickass.
