Upsell Removes Original Product from Cart - How to Fix

Issue Overview

When setting up your first funnel in AppSell, you might notice that adding an upsell offer to the cart removes the original product. This behavior is actually working as intended, depending on your funnel configuration.

Why This Happens

The behavior you're experiencing occurs when you have the "Upsell" option selected for your funnel. This is designed to replace the original product in the cart with the upsell product, which is why the initial product gets removed when customers add the upsell offer.

The Solution

If you want customers to add the offer's product in addition to the original item—without removing the first product—you should use the "Cross Sell" option instead. Cross sell allows both products to remain together in the cart.

Understanding the Key Differences

Upsell Offers

• Purpose: Replace the original product with a higher-value alternative

• Cart Behavior: Removes the original product when the upsell is accepted

• Best Used For:

  • Encouraging customers to choose a premium version

  • Upgrading to a higher-tier product

  • Replacing a basic item with a deluxe version

Example: Customer adds a basic phone case → Upsell offers a premium leather case → If accepted, only the premium case remains in cart

Cross-sell Offers

• Purpose: Add complementary products alongside the original purchase

• Cart Behavior: Keeps both the original product and the additional offer in the cart

• Best Used For:

  • Adding accessories or complementary items

  • Bundling related products

  • Increasing overall order value with additional items

Example: Customer adds a phone case → Cross-sell offers a screen protector → If accepted, both the case and screen protector are in the cart

How to Fix Your Funnel

1. Navigate to the funnel table and click on the "Customize" button on the funnel you want to edit.

2. Look for the "Offer Settings" -> "Offer type" selection

3. Change from "Upsell" to "Cross Sell" if you want both products to remain in the cart

4. Save your changes

Best Practices

• Use Upsells when you want to encourage customers to choose a better version of what they're already buying

• Use Cross-sells when you want to add complementary products that enhance the original purchase

• Consider your customer's shopping experience and what makes most sense for your product offerings

Need More Help?

If you're still experiencing issues or need assistance with your funnel configuration, please contact our support team here or at support@appsell.io with details about your specific setup.

This article covers the fundamental differences between upsell and cross-sell functionality in AppSell and how to configure your funnels for the desired cart behavior.