Most new Shopify stores try to grow revenue by getting more traffic. I look at it differently.
Traffic matters, but your profit often improves faster when you increase the value of each order. A shopper who reaches the checkout already trusts your product enough to buy. Now it's your job to make these shoppers complete the payment.
A Shopify checkout upsell strategy has helped merchants show an offer at the checkout page. A post-purchase upsell helps you show an offer after the payment is complete. Both can increase AOV, but they do not work the same way.
In this blog, I will help you understand the difference between the two with data-driven insights.
The first insight I would get into is upselling in general. Shopify’s upselling guide says the probability of selling to an existing customer is 60% to 70%, compared with 5% to 20% for selling to a new customer.
What is the Shopify checkout upsell?
A Shopify checkout page upsell is an offer shown during the checkout process before the buyer places the order.
The customer has already added products to the cart. They are entering shipping, contact, or payment details. At this stage, the Shopify checkout upsell page needs to be quick, relevant, and easy to accept.
Source: SellMore App Demo
I use apps like SellMore to customize the checkout pages. It’s important to note that only Plus stores can customize checkout pages.
I use Shopify checkout upsell apps like SellMore to customize my checkout page with:
- Gift wrap
- Shipping protection
- Product warranty
- Priority delivery
- Add-on product
- Limited-time checkout offer
For example, if a customer buys a skincare product, a checkout upsell can offer a travel-size version, refill pack, or applicator. If a customer buys electronics, the offer can be a case, charger, or extended warranty.
Shopify ROI stats for checkout upsells
- The average documented ecommerce cart abandonment rate is 70.22%, so any Shopify checkout upsell should protect checkout clarity first and increase AOV without adding friction.
- Shopify checkout upsell can increase AOV because they appear when buying intent is high. One benchmark puts checkout upsell boosts around 6% to 14% [Source: Zipchat]
- Shopify upsell at checkout also carries conversion risk. Insights estimates a possible 3% to 8% conversion drop when checkout offers create friction [Source: Zipchat]
- Across ecommerce upsell funnels, one benchmark reports an average ecommerce upsell conversion rate of 19.8% and an average order value increase of 31.4%. But stores should treat this as a broad upsell benchmark rather than a checkout-only number.
What is Shopify post purchase upsell?
A Shopify post-purchase upsell is an offer shown after the customer completes payment.
The original order is already placed. The buyer does not need to restart checkout. In many post-purchase flows, the buyer can accept the offer with one click. Merchants also call this a thank-you page upsell.
This is what I regularly include in post purchase upsell.
- Upgrade to a bundle
- Refills & subscription
- Add a limited-time second product
- Add accessories related to the first order
For example, if a customer buys protein powder, the post-purchase offer can be a shaker bottle. If a customer buys pet food, the offer can be treats or a repeat delivery pack. If a customer buys a dress, the offer can be matching jewelry or a handbag.
Shopify insights for post purchase upsell
- Shopify stores like Kettle & Fire saw a 41% increase in average revenue per customer after using post-purchase upsells and cross-sells.
- Vogue Business reported that retailers saw up to 40% increase in ROI from post-purchase tech.
- The insights are not just related to shopping flow. Post-purchase emails are a strong upsell channel as well. Shopify reports an average 61.68% open rate, 3.97% click rate, and 0.54% placed order rate for post-purchase email campaigns.
- Shopify also reports that first-time buyers are 27% likely to return, but after a second or third purchase, the return probability grows to 54%. A relevant post-purchase upsell can help move customers toward that second purchase faster.
Overview of Shopify upsell at checkout & post-purchase
| Upsell Type | Best For | Pros | Cons |
| Checkout Upsell | Shopify Plus stores, brands selling small add-ons, accessories, warranties, gift wrap, shipping protection, bundles, and product upgrades. | High purchase intent because the buyer is already at checkout. Good for increasing AOV before payment. Works well for simple add-ons that support the main product. | Can distract buyers before payment. Too many offers can make checkout complicated. Advanced checkout upsell control may need Shopify Plus. |
| Post-Purchase Upsell | New Shopify stores, consumable products, refills, bundles, accessories, beauty, skincare, supplements, food and beverage, pet products, and repeat-purchase products. | Does not interrupt the original checkout. Safer for testing because the first order is already placed. Works well for one-click offers, bundles, refills, and second-product discounts. | Some buyers may ignore offers after payment. Needs strong product matching to convert. Heavy discounts can reduce profit margin. |
Go with the best Shopify ROI insights for upselling
If you are just starting your store in 2026, I would start with post-purchase upsells. They are easier to test, safer for conversion, and useful for learning which products buyers want after the first purchase.
If your store has strong checkout traffic and access to deeper checkout customization, a Shopify checkout upsell is a better option.
My simple rule as a Shopify expert for stores in 2026 is this:
Keep checkout and post-purchase pages simple and track ROI by profit, not just upsell revenue.
FAQs
1. Can I customize my checkout with basic Shopify plans?
Yes. But with limits. Basic Shopify merchants can use some Checkout Blocks features on the Thank You and Order Status pages, while placing blocks directly on checkout pages requires Shopify Plus.
2. Should I choose upsells at post purchase or checkout at Shopify?
For a new Shopify store, I would start with post-purchase upsells because the original order is already completed. Checkout upsells work better when your offer is small, relevant, and does not distract buyers before payment.
3. Can upsells at checkout give me profits?
Yes. Checkout upsells can increase profit when the add-on has a strong margin. I would track AOV lift, checkout conversion rate, product margin, and refund rate together instead of looking only at upsell revenue.
4. Which are the best apps for Shopify checkout and post purchase upsells?
I have two choices here. Checkout Blocks and SellMore. Both apps are tried and tested and can help you customize your checkout and post-purchase pages.
About the author
Vineet Nair
Vineet is an experienced content strategist with expertise in the ecommerce domain and a keen interest in Shopify. He aims to help Shopify merchants thrive in this competitive environment with technical solutions and thoughtfully structured content.