Upselling and cross-selling in wholesale: strategies to sell more

If you sell wholesale, you probably already know that acquiring a new customer costs 5 to 7 times more than selling to an existing one. However, many wholesalers focus almost exclusively on attracting new buyers and neglect one of the most powerful growth levers: increasing the value of each order from the customers they already have.

That is where upselling and cross-selling come in: two techniques that, when properly applied in the wholesale context, can increase your average ticket by 15% to 35%.

What is upselling in the wholesale context

Upselling consists of offering the buyer a superior version, larger quantity, or better quality of the product they are about to purchase. In the wholesale world, this has very concrete applications:

• Higher volume with better pricing: "If you take 20 boxes instead of 10, the unit price drops by 12%." This is the classic wholesale upsell and it works because it appeals to the buyer's economic logic.
• Premium product version: A cosmetics distributor can offer the professional line instead of the standard one, with higher margin for both parties.
• Complete pack vs. individual units: Offering the complete product display instead of individual units, with a volume discount that benefits both sides.

What is cross-selling in wholesale sales

Cross-selling is the sale of complementary products to what the customer is already buying. In the wholesale world, where buyers typically have predictable needs, cross-selling is extraordinarily effective:

• Direct complementary products: If a hardware store buys paint, they probably need rollers, masking tape, and thinner. Offering them together is a service to the buyer, not just a sales tactic.
• Products in the same category: A convenience store buying sweet cookies probably also wants savory crackers from the same brand.
• Related seasonal products: If summer is approaching and your customer buys beverages, suggesting disposable cups, ice, or napkins is a natural cross-selling opportunity.

How to implement upselling and cross-selling in your B2B portal

The advantage of having a digital wholesale sales portal is that you can automate these techniques to work 24 hours a day, without depending on each salesperson remembering to suggest the right product. Here are the most effective ways to implement them:

Suggestions on the product page

When a buyer views a product on your portal, display a section below showing "Other customers also bought" or "Related products." VentasxMayor allows you to configure these suggestions manually (you define the associations) or automatically (based on the purchase history of similar customers).

Tiered volume discounts

Clearly display tiered pricing scales in the cart. If the buyer has 8 boxes in the cart and a discount kicks in at 10, show them how much they would save by adding 2 more boxes. This type of visual upselling is extremely effective because the buyer makes the decision autonomously based on concrete data.

Wholesale bundles and combos

Create predefined packages that combine frequently purchased products together with a special price. For example, a "Season Starter Kit" for a clothing store that includes hangers, bags, tags, and a display, all with a 10% discount over individual purchase.

Strategies for the sales team

The portal automates, but the salesperson amplifies. These are the techniques that the best wholesale sales teams apply to maximize upselling and cross-selling:

• Review history before each visit: With a portal like VentasxMayor, your salesperson can see what each customer bought in recent months and spot opportunities. If a customer always buys product A but never the complementary B, that is a clear cross-selling opportunity.
• Use the 25% rule: Never suggest an upsell that exceeds 25% of the original order value. If the customer was going to spend $100,000, a suggestion of $125,000 is reasonable; one for $200,000 generates rejection.
• Focus on the buyer's benefit: Do not say "buy more." Say "at this volume, your unit cost drops by 15% and your resale margin improves." Wholesalers buy with calculator in hand.
• Offer samples of new products: Including a free sample of a new product in the regular order is the most effective form of cross-selling. If it works for the customer, they will add it in the next order.

Financial impact: the numbers behind upselling and cross-selling

To understand the real impact, let us look at a concrete example. A food wholesaler with 200 active customers, an average ticket of $150,000 per order, and an average of 3 monthly orders per customer:

25% more revenue without acquiring a single new customer.

The best part: with a B2B portal that automates suggestions, much of this increase is generated without additional effort from the sales team.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Suggesting too many products: Showing 20 related products overwhelms the buyer. Limit suggestions to 3-4 relevant products.
• Ignoring the buyer's context: Do not suggest luxury products to a budget segment buyer. Personalize suggestions based on the customer profile.
• Not measuring results: If you do not measure the conversion rate of your upselling and cross-selling suggestions, you will not be able to optimize them. Use your platform's reports to understand what works and what does not.
• Excessive pressure: In the wholesale world, relationships are long-term. A forced sale today can cost a customer tomorrow. Suggestions should be helpful, not invasive.

Upselling and cross-selling are not aggressive sales tactics: they are intelligent customer service strategies. When you suggest the right product at the right time, you are helping your buyer make better purchasing decisions. And that generates loyalty, higher average tickets, and sustainable growth for your wholesale business.

Checklist to apply this week

• Define 3-4 related products for each main product, by hand or from purchase history.
• Show quantity price tiers in the cart and how much the customer saves by reaching the next tier.
• Build a bundle of products that are bought together with a special price.
• Review each customer's history before the visit to spot the complementary product they never buy.
• Keep every suggestion below 25% of the original order value.
• Include a free sample of a new product in the regular order.
• Measure the conversion rate of suggestions in the reports and adjust.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between upselling and cross-selling in wholesale?+

Upselling offers a superior version, larger quantity or better quality of the same product: 20 boxes instead of 10 at a lower unit price, the professional line instead of the standard one, the full display instead of loose units. Cross-selling offers products that complement what the customer already buys: rollers and tape with the paint, savory crackers with the sweet cookies, cups and ice with the beverages.

How many related products should a B2B portal show?+

Between 3 and 4 relevant products. Showing 20 overwhelms the buyer. Suggestions also need to match the customer's profile: no luxury products for a budget-segment buyer.

How much can upselling and cross-selling raise the average ticket?+

Properly applied in wholesale, between 15% and 35%. In the article's example, a food wholesaler with 200 customers and a $150,000 ticket goes from $90,000,000 to $112,500,000 a month by combining 15% upselling and 10% cross-selling: 25% more without adding new customers.

Next step

Turn on suggestions and volume tiers in your B2B portal

In VentasxMayor you set up related products (by hand or from purchase history), show price tiers in the cart and use the reports to measure which suggestions convert.

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