Upsells and Downsells Explained for Affiliate Beginners
You find a product that looks useful, check the price and decide to buy. Then, before you reach your download, another offer appears. And perhaps another after that.
If you have ever wondered, “Do I need these extras for the thing I just bought to work?”, you are asking a sensible question.
These extra offers are often called upsells and downsells. They can give buyers useful choices and may increase an affiliate’s commission. But a good recommendation starts with understanding what the customer actually needs, what the basic purchase includes, and what is genuinely optional.
What are upsells and downsells?
An upsell invites a customer to buy a more expensive version, higher plan or additional upgrade. It can appear before checkout, during checkout or after the original purchase.
For example, someone buying a basic design tool might be offered a higher plan with more export options and a larger asset library.
A downsell is a cheaper alternative offered when someone declines an offer. It might include fewer features, a smaller package or different payment terms.
Think of it as the seller saying, “If that option is more than you need, would this smaller one suit you?”
A lower initial payment does not always mean a lower total cost. Check whether the alternative introduces instalments, a subscription or different limitations.
Two other terms you may come across
- Cross-sell: a related product, rather than an upgraded version of the original. Someone buying website hosting might also be offered a backup service.
- Order bump: a small extra offered at checkout, often through a tick box. It could be a template pack or another related resource.
The labels are less important than the practical question: what does the buyer get, and what will it cost?
Who controls the offers in an affiliate funnel?
A funnel is simply the sequence of pages and offers someone moves through.
As an affiliate, you usually recommend a product and send the reader to the seller through your tracking link. The seller normally controls checkout, upgrade pages, prices and delivery.
You may be able to earn a commission on additional purchases, but you should check the programme’s terms. Do not assume every offer is commissionable, pays the same percentage or will be attributed to you.
Your role is to understand the buying journey well enough to explain it honestly. You can control the quality of your recommendation even when you do not control the seller’s pages.
How extra offers can affect your commission
Here is a hypothetical example using a 50% commission rate on each eligible purchase:
| Buyer’s choice | Total purchase cost | Possible commission |
|---|---|---|
| £20 basic product only | £20 | £10 |
| £20 basic product plus a £60 upgrade | £80 | £40 |
| £20 basic product plus a £30 downsell after declining the upgrade | £50 | £25 |
In this example, the buyer chooses either the upgrade or its downsell alternative. You would not add both commissions together.
These figures explain the arithmetic, not expected earnings. Actual payments depend on the affiliate terms, tracking, eligible purchases and any refunds or cancellations.
A bigger possible commission is useful to understand. It should never replace the question of whether the purchase makes sense for your reader.
The most important check: does the basic product do its job?
Before recommending a low-priced offer, find out whether it delivers the result advertised on its own.
If someone buys a tool to create and export videos, for example, can they actually export a usable video with the basic purchase? Or does that require another paid upgrade?
There is a meaningful difference between an extra that adds convenience and an extra needed to complete the advertised task.
Look for clear answers to these questions:
- What can a buyer complete with the basic product?
- Which features, usage allowances or export options are limited?
- Are there watermarks or restrictions on commercial use?
- Does it require another paid service to work?
- Is the price one-off, recurring or introductory?
- What changes if the buyer declines every upgrade?
If you cannot establish the answers, explain that uncertainty rather than presenting the product as a complete solution.
What makes an upgrade worthwhile?
A useful upgrade solves a specific need that the buyer actually has.
That might be more capacity for someone who has reached their limit, additional licences for a business serving clients, or a feature that removes a genuine bottleneck.
For a beginner doing a small amount of work, those same extras may be unnecessary.
Buy for the work you need to do now. You can consider additional features when you have a clear reason to use them.
Before suggesting an upgrade, ask:
- What practical benefit does it add?
- Who would use that benefit regularly?
- What cheaper or simpler option could meet the same need?
- Can the customer upgrade later, and on what terms?
A downsell deserves the same attention. A reduced price is only helpful if the smaller package still does what the buyer needs.
How to explain upgrades without pressuring your readers
You do not need to repeat every sales claim on the seller’s page. Explain the options in ordinary language.
A helpful review could say:
“The basic package includes [verified features]. After checkout, you may see optional upgrades. The [upgrade name] adds [verified benefit], which may suit [specific type of user]. If you only need [basic task], check whether the standard package already covers it before spending more.”
Replace the brackets with details you have checked. If you have tested the product, describe your experience. If your information comes from the seller’s documentation, make that clear.
A review page or bridge page can help readers understand the offer before visiting the seller. It does not need to be elaborate. Clear information about the product, costs, limitations and next step is enough to make it useful.
Also explain your affiliate relationship clearly, so readers know you may receive a commission from eligible purchases through your links.
A simple checklist before promoting a funnel
You do not need to become an expert in every funnel tool. Start by checking the offer itself:
- Understand the basic product. Write down what it includes and the task it helps someone complete.
- Review the extra offers. Check available seller documentation, demonstrations and affiliate resources. Mark anything you have not verified.
- Check the full cost. Include necessary extras, renewal charges and any other services required.
- Read the commission terms. Check which purchases qualify, payment conditions and refund handling.
- Match it to your audience. Decide who it suits and who should probably leave it alone.
- Explain the choices. Help readers distinguish essential costs from optional additions.
- Check your links. Make sure they lead to the intended offer and follow the programme’s rules.
You can keep these notes in a simple document. Buying another tool is not a requirement for doing careful research.
Measure what you receive, not just what the funnel promises
A seller may highlight a large potential commission across several offers. That does not tell you what your own readers will buy.
Use the information your affiliate dashboard provides to review clicks, purchases, credited commissions and reversals. Where possible, distinguish the basic purchase from additional offers.
If you pay for advertising, include that cost in your assessment.
For example, if 100 clicks cost £30 and produce £24 in commission after refunds, that leaves a £6 loss before other expenses. The presence of an expensive upgrade does not change those results.
You can also calculate commission per click by dividing credited commission, after relevant reversals, by the number of clicks over the same period. This can help you compare performance, provided you use consistent figures.
Give purchases time to pass through any applicable refund or approval period. A few early sales are not enough to establish a reliable pattern.
If you are just starting, keep the foundations simple
It is easy to get drawn into funnel diagrams and commission percentages before you have decided who you want to help.
Start there. Choose a real problem, find a suitable solution and create content that helps someone make an informed decision.
If you would like help putting the basics in order, my Business Essentials Guide explains what an online business needs and why. It is a practical starting point for understanding your next steps before adding more tools and costs.
Request my free Business Essentials Guide here.
Useful choices build a better buying experience
Upsells and downsells can give customers worthwhile options and may increase the commission from a referral. Their value depends on what they offer and whether the buyer needs it.
For me, the sensible approach is to explain the basic purchase clearly, make extra costs visible and help people decide which options fit their circumstances.
A reader should leave your review understanding more than they did when they arrived—even if they decide not to buy.
That is a good foundation for recommendations you can feel comfortable making.