Upselling vs. cross-selling: what’s the difference?

Upselling and cross-selling are sometimes misunderstood, yet there is a significant distinction between the two. Upselling focuses on boosting order value and encouraging a larger buy, whereas cross-selling entails giving a suggestion that is related to the original offering. So an upsell is a step up, whereas a cross-sell is a completely different buy (“Would you like fries with that?”).