upsell

1 of 2

verb

up·​sell ˈəp-ˈsel 

variants or up-sell

upsold ˈəp-ˈsōld  or up-sold; upselling or up-selling; upsells or up-sells

transitive verb

: to try to convince (a customer) to purchase something additional or at a higher cost

With a strong correlation between the amount of video consumed and the Internet speed that consumers think they need, providers could possibly upsell customers on costlier broadband packages.

—Makeda Easter

They start upselling you before you book your vacation by offering upgrades to a higher-class cabin …

—Christopher Elliott

upselling noun

or up-selling

Counter clerks, paid on commission, are typically instructed to pitch more expensive cars, a tank of gas, a damage waiver … It's called "up-selling" in the trade, and can account for as much as 20% of the revenue of some car-rental companies …

—Joni James

upsell

2 of 2

noun

plural upsells

: an attempt to convince a customer to purchase something additional or more costly : the act or an instance of upselling

We passed on the products they had used during the massage, which were for sale. Almost every activity, it would turn out, ended with a gentle upsell.

—Dan Saltzstein

I tend to avoid server upsells because I usually suspect they're trying to push a high margin or past-its-prime menu item.

—Michael Nagrant

Examples of upsell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Yes, several pressure points will encourage an Apple Store employee to upsell you to the next iPhone in the portfolio, but if the experience is similar, why not take advantage of that? —Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025

The pharmacists themselves are often trained to give personalized advice, not just upsell you on aesthetic packaging. —Annie Blackman, Allure, 5 May 2025

Noun

Consider tiered pricing to reach different audience segments—offering a low-commitment entry point and a premium upsell for those who can invest more. —Cynthia Pong, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

Innovative pricing strategies, such as bundling, premium upsells, and dynamic digital menu boards, are deployed to optimize average ticket sizes without alienating value-conscious consumers. —Gary Occhiogrosso, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1972, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1976, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for upsell

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel