How to Choose the Right Product Bundling Strategy

Upsell, Cross-Sell, or Clear Dead Stock: Which Product Bundling Strategy Do You Need?

Posted 7 months ago by Arina Khokhlova

Who could resist a桂deal where you receive more for桂less? If桂you�셶e ever indulged in桂a桂combo offer at桂a桂fast-food chain, you�셶e seen the桂art of桂product bundling. This strategic approach merges two or桂more items into a桂single package, typically at桂a桂reduced price.

Product bundling can offer numerous benefits to桂your business, aiding in桂various objectives, such as桂boosting your average order value (AOV) and桂introducing new products.

In桂this article, we桂will explore different product bundling strategies and桂what you can achieve with each. Since each business has its own flair, think of桂it桂as桂a桂spark of桂inspiration rather than a桂strict rulebook.

Product Bundling Strategies: Examples and桂Benefits

There are plenty of桂different product bundling strategies that you can implement in桂your store. These strategies can cater to桂various customer preferences and桂enhance your marketing efforts.

By桂the桂way, 붚죕쳔 sellers can simplify the桂process of桂product bundling using the桂Product Bundles: Combine Items and桂Sell More app to桂create bundles effortlessly. Simply select the桂products for桂a桂bundle and桂specify the桂discount amount.

Here are some of桂the桂most common product bundle strategies:

Pure Bundles

Pure bundles are a桂set of桂products that cannot be桂sold separately. They are only available as桂a桂package.

This bundling strategy works best for桂products designed to桂be桂used together, such as桂a桂DIY box or桂a桂meal kit delivery.

It桂may not be桂a桂good idea to桂create a桂pure bundle out of桂products that are not directly connected to桂one another.

Benefits for桂a桂business: Offering pure bundles is桂a桂quick method to桂boost average order value, as桂customers are compelled to桂buy the桂complete package even if桂they need only a桂few items.

Pure bundles (when created thoughtfully) also help you get the桂most out of桂seasonal events, such as桂Christmas or桂Halloween. At桂these times, customers might be桂looking for桂a桂package of桂products tailored for桂a桂specific occasion.

Examples of桂pure bundles: Blue Apron is桂a桂meal-kit delivery service where customers select their preferred menu type and桂receive all the桂ingredients along with a桂recipe for桂a桂delicious dish.

Another example is桂the桂Dyson Airwrap which comes with attachments:

Also, these kids�� sewing kits include fabrics, filling, and桂threads:

Same Product Bundles

Same-product bundles are packages that contain more than one item of桂the桂same product at桂a桂discounted price. Such bundles help customers to桂save money and桂reduce mental load.

This bundling strategy works best for桂products that can be桂used in桂large quantities or桂have a桂long shelf-life, such as桂personal care products.

Think of桂products that are used permanently or桂repetitively. Oral care products, which are used every day, can make a桂great same-product bundle.

Pro tip: use order history to桂identify what products your customers buy more than once.

Benefits for桂a桂business: Same-product bundles help reduce inventory costs by桂moving more products in桂a桂single transaction.

They also decrease marketing and桂distribution costs, as桂it桂is桂more cost-effective to桂sell multiple items to桂a桂single customer than to桂sell them separately. Bundles are also a桂more sustainable way to桂sell and桂buy convenience goods.

Examples of桂same product bundles: This 12桂Pack of桂Lemonade from Sprecher Brewery:

Or, 4-gallon shampoo sets for桂fitness clubs:

Mixed Products Bundles

Mixed product bundles are packages that contain two or桂more different products sold together at桂a桂lower price. Unlike products in桂pure bundles, mixed product bundles can be桂purchased separately.

This bundling strategy works best for桂products that can be桂used together, such as桂a桂fast-food combo or桂a桂gift set.

Benefits for桂a桂business: This type of桂bundle is桂a桂great help when it桂comes to桂slow-moving inventory or桂the桂least popular products. Combine one less popular product with one or桂more bestsellers to桂motivate customers to桂buy them all.

Mixed product bundles make it桂easier to桂launch new products and桂stand out from competitors. For instance, you can create a桂bundle from your bestseller and桂a桂new product.

Mixed product bundles also help increase AOV by桂encouraging customers to桂purchase more items than initially planned.

Examples of桂mixed product bundles: A桂classic one is桂Big Mac McDonald�셲 Combo Meal, a桂burger served with fries and桂a桂drink.

Colourpop value makeup sets are another great example:

Or, this car cleaning kit from ArmorAll, which includes cleaning wipes, a桂car wash, glass cleaner, and桂other cleaning tools:

Mix-and-Match Bundles

Mix-and-match bundles allow customers to桂create different bundles from a桂selected list of桂products. It桂invites customers to桂be桂creative and桂provides more freedom to桂choose what they want.

This bundling strategy works best for桂products with multiple variations, such as桂clothing or桂accessories.

It桂is桂safer to桂give a桂customer the桂chance to桂choose from different items at桂the桂same cost. For example, you let your customers choose from various flavors of桂the桂same drinks.

Benefits for桂a桂business: Mix-and-match bundles provide a桂personalized customer experience, which can increase customer loyalty.

They also decrease marketing and桂distribution costs by桂allowing customers to桂select items already in桂inventory.

Another positive side effect is桂that you can see the桂most and桂the桂least popular product variations after some time and桂consider this information when restocking.

Examples of桂mix-and-match bundles: Personalized Bath Experience is桂a桂5-piece gift box from Nectarlife. Customers can modify each of桂the桂products and桂choose the桂box�셲 color.

Lane�셲 BBQ offers its customers the桂option to桂choose four out of桂eleven seasonings and桂the桂size of桂the桂bags.

Cross-Sell Bundles

Cross-sell bundles are packages that include a桂complementary product offered as桂an桂addition to桂the桂initial choice.

This bundling strategy can be桂used for桂items with complementary products, such as桂fragrances and桂scented lotions.

When creating cross-sell bundles, keep in桂mind products that are often bought together. In桂붚죕쳔, you can show in桂the桂You May Also Like section on桂a桂product page and桂at桂checkout.

Benefits for桂a桂business: Cross-sell bundles can handle slow-moving inventory. You can use products that may not sell as桂well on桂their own as桂complementary.

They also can be桂helpful during the桂holiday season when people tend to桂buy more than they planned.

Examples of桂cross-sell bundles: This Fine Fragrance Victoria�셲 Secret set comes with perfume, body lotion, and桂mist.

The 혫A桂little something extra혬 section at桂the桂checkout on桂Asos is桂an桂excellent example of桂cross-selling strategy. These items can be桂combined to桂create a桂bundle.

Forever 21桂uses a桂similar approach with its 혫Complete the桂look혬 suggestion.

Upsell Bundles

Upsell bundles offer a桂product upgrade to桂the桂initial choice. The idea behind this strategy is桂to桂offer a桂customer a桂better version of桂a桂product for桂a桂reasonable price.

This bundling strategy is桂a桂perfect choice for桂products with premium options or桂add-ons, such as桂gift wrapping or桂premium subscriptions.

Benefits for桂a桂business: Upsell bundles increase AOV and桂customer satisfaction by桂offering premium options that improve the桂overall customer experience.

Examples of桂upsell bundles: Bands and桂loops for桂Apple Watch are offered when customers add watches to桂their carts.

Crocs allows their customers to桂add surprise accessories to桂their shoes.

Eyeglasses stores often offer additional lens protection, cases, and桂other ways to桂upgrade the桂initial purchase.

How to桂Choose a桂Product Bundling Strategy?

While each bundling strategy has advantages, it桂is桂important to桂choose those that best suit your business goals and桂your customers�� needs.

Here are some steps you can take to桂choose which bundling strategy you should try first:

Ensure the桂Bundle Offers Better Value Than Buying Items Separately

Before deciding on桂a桂bundle strategy, make sure that the桂bundled items offer a桂better value to桂customers than if桂they purchased the桂items separately.

If桂the桂bundle doesn�셳 provide a桂significant discount or桂doesn�셳 address a桂certain pain point, customers may not be桂inclined to桂purchase it, and桂it桂could negatively impact your sales.

Bundling a桂T-shirt and桂a桂scarf is桂probably not effective since these products are usually purchased separately in桂different seasons. Combining a桂matching scarf and桂hat, on桂the桂other hand, maybe a桂good idea.

Define Your Goals and桂How the桂Bundle Strategy Can Help Achieve Them

It桂is桂possible to桂have many business goals, but when choosing a桂product bundling strategy, focus on桂one or桂two.

Are you looking to桂increase AOV, reduce inventory costs, or桂launch new products?

Pure bundles will be桂perfect for桂an桂intense holiday season, but they won�셳 be桂as桂great at桂representing your customers�� preferences as桂mix-and-match bundles.

If桂some of桂your products take too long to桂sell, it桂might not be桂a桂good idea to桂sell them in桂the桂same product bundles. Consider including cross-sell or桂mixed product bundle strategies instead.

Once you�셶e identified your goals, you can review the桂list above and桂determine which bundle strategy is桂best for桂them.

Address Customer Pain Points and桂Solve Them with Your Bundles

Consider your customers�� pain points and桂how your bundles can address them. For example, if桂your customers often buy the桂same product, it桂can be桂convenient for桂them to桂buy in桂bulk.

Or桂you can put together a桂set where each product solves a桂different part of桂a桂complicated issue. Think of桂items like baby boxes or桂skincare beauty sets.

Test Different Combinations to桂Find the桂Best Fit for桂Your Store

Try different bundling combinations to桂see which ones work best for桂your store. You can experiment with different products, pricing, and桂discounts to桂determine what resonates with your customers.

For instance, you may find pure bundles not working for桂your business but notice a桂significant increase in桂sales with mix-and-match bundles.

Get Inspired by桂Effective Bundles of桂Other Businesses

Research big businesses that have implemented successful bundle strategies and桂see if桂you can adapt their strategy to桂your store.

Look at桂your competitors�� bundle offerings and桂see how you can differentiate yourself. Examples provided in桂this article can be桂a桂source of桂inspiration, too.

Implementing a桂successful bundle strategy can take your business to桂the桂next level and桂open new growth opportunities. Any of桂the桂six bundling strategies mentioned in桂this article can boost sales or桂introduce a桂new product.

The Product Bundles: Combine Items and桂Sell More app is桂a桂great help to桂any桂business owner adding bundles to桂their store. Feel free to桂experiment with different strategies, and桂always keep in桂mind both your goals and桂your customers�� needs.

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About The Author

Arina Khokhlova is a content writer at Simcase. She focuses on online marketing and ecommerce strategies to help businesses thrive in the digital world. When she's not writing, you can find her doing yoga or getting lost in a good book.

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