Upselling is one of the most effective ways for attractions and entertainment venues to boost revenue and enhance the guest experience. Gone are the days of solely relying on face-to-face upselling at the checkout counter. With today’s smart software solutions, upselling can be automated, personalized, and integrated seamlessly into the online booking process, allowing you to drive more revenue without extra manual effort.
Read on to learn why upselling is essential and how to make it a streamlined part of your sales strategy.
Benefits of upselling
Upselling does more than increase sales—it boosts the lifetime value of your customers and offers them a richer experience. Research shows that upselling to existing customers is both more effective and less costly than seeking new ones– existing customers are 50% more likely to try new products and tend to spend 31% more than new visitors.
Offering carefully chosen add-ons, premium packages, or exclusive experiences enhances your guests’ visit while leveraging their loyalty. Adding items like jump socks at a trampoline park or animal encounters at a wildlife park feels like a natural extension of the experience, making it less of a hard sell.
Studies from the hospitality industry also show that a consistent omni-channel approach—where guests see the same add-ons online, on mobile, and in-person—creates a seamless experience. Consistent upsells across channels allow guests to plan their day fully and avoid missing out on valuable upgrades.
How to upsell effectively
Effective upselling doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right strategy, upsells can feel natural and rewarding for your guests, giving them the opportunity to enhance their visit while you increase revenue. Here are some proven upselling strategies for attraction operators across different types of venues.
Cart add-ons and bundles
Cart add-ons and packages are an easy way to increase average spend. By offering items that complement a guest’s main purchase—like meal packages, souvenirs, or special experiences—you allow guests to customize their day according to their preferences.
- Theme parks and water parks: Popular add-ons include photo packages for ride memories or fast-track passes to skip lines. Meal deals bundled with admission can also encourage guests to stay longer.
- Family Entertainment Centers (FECs) and trampoline parks: Add-ons like arcade tokens, premium access to trampoline zones, or birthday packages with private rooms create more options for families and groups.
- Wildlife parks and zoos: Animal encounters or guided tours are popular add-ons, giving guests a more immersive experience while increasing revenue.
- Roller rinks: Offer skate rentals, premium roller skates, or fun add-ons like themed socks to enhance the skating experience. Snack and drink bundles or offering locker rentals for personal items can also increase average spend.
ROLLER’s POS and online checkout make it easy to display these add-on options during booking, allowing guests to add products and experiences with just a click.
Learn more: How to Increase Online Cart Size with Add-Ons
Discounts on upgrades
Offering a small discount on premium experiences can encourage guests to “level up” their visit. Even a modest discount can make a high-value package feel like a smart choice rather than an extra expense. Presenting bundles as offering value makes it easy for guests to see the added benefit.
- Theme parks: Offering a discount on VIP passes or all-access tickets encourages more guests to choose these premium options, especially during busy periods.
- FECs and trampoline parks: Discounts on extended playtime or party room upgrades give groups a reason to extend their stay.
- Wildlife parks and zoos: Small discounts on unique experiences, like behind-the-scenes tours, offer guests a memorable visit at an appealing price.
- Roller rinks: Offering discounts on skate rentals for larger groups, family packages or upgrades to premium skates can add value to a customer’s visit.
ROLLER’s platform allows you to configure these upgrades and discounts seamlessly within the checkout process, so guests can make their selections without interrupting the flow.
Read more: 10 Package Ideas That Will Increase Spend-Per-Head
Limited-time deals
Limited-time deals create a sense of urgency that encourages guests to act quickly, increasing upsells at the point of purchase. Adding these deals as time-sensitive offers during checkout can drive conversions.
- Theme parks and water parks: Early bird pricing on cabana rentals or seasonal family packages can encourage early bookings.
- FECs and trampoline parks: Special early discounts for weekends or holiday activities appeal to families who want to plan ahead.
- Wildlife parks and zoos: Holiday-themed animal encounters or educational workshops as limited-time offers can drive last-minute purchases.
- Roller rinks: Discounts on themed events or holiday skate passes encourage guests to act quickly.
ROLLER’s POS and ticketing system make it easy to set up these limited-time offers, displaying them during checkout so guests can add these experiences on the spot.
Tips for maximizing upsells
For upselling to be effective, it’s important to keep the experience relevant, simple, and well-timed. Here are a few ways to maximize the effectiveness of your add-ons and upsells:
- Relevance: Make sure the add-ons relate to the guest’s main purchase. For example, offering jump socks at a trampoline park or a guided animal encounter at a zoo creates a seamless upsell experience. Irrelevant offers disrupt the checkout process.
- Timing: Present add-ons after ticket selection but before payment to make them feel like a natural extension of the booking, rather than a pushy sales tactic.
- Highlight the value: Use compelling descriptions that communicate the benefit of each add-on, like added convenience, savings, or unique experiences.
- Consistency. An omni-channel approach, where upsell options are consistent across online and offline channels, ensures guests encounter the same offers whether they’re booking online, via email, or on-site.
Use guest feedback to maximize upselling opportunities
Refining your upselling strategy starts with understanding your guests’ preferences. With guest feedback tools like ROLLER’s GX Score, you can gather real-time insights into what your guests want more or less of. This feedback allows you to adjust and personalize your upsell offerings, increasing the chances that guests will see real value in the upgrades.
For example, if feedback shows a strong demand for interactive experiences, you could focus on upselling options like behind-the-scenes tours or animal encounters, knowing these resonate with your audience. By continually refining your upsells based on guest insights, you not only enhance satisfaction but also drive higher sales.
Real-world examples of successful upselling
Upselling is a proven strategy driving real results for attractions worldwide. Here are two examples of how attractions have used ROLLER’s platform to boost sales.
Case study 1: How THE LUME Grew Online Revenue by 7% with Add-On Experiences
When the world’s largest digital art gallery, THE LUME, switched to ROLLER in 2023 they were able to gain flexibility over their product offerings. By focusing on adding value rather than discounting tickets, THE LUME tested add-on experiences like food and beverage packages and found that these enhanced the guest experience without the need to reduce prices. This strategy resulted in a 7% increase in online revenue as more guests opted to purchase add-ons during the checkout process.
Almost one in ten people booking online are buying an upsell.
Josh Ogilvie
General Manager, THE LUME
Case study 2: How Oakvale Wildlife Park Increased Animal Encounter Sales by 300% in Six Months
Oakvale Wildlife Park, a family-operated wildlife park in Australia, transformed its approach to selling tickets and animal encounters with ROLLER. Prior to ROLLER, animal encounters were only available via phone bookings, limiting sales. Now, with ROLLER’s online booking system, Oakvale can easily manage and market these experiences, which include close-up interactions with animals like koalas and meerkats. Since moving to ROLLER, Oakvale’s animal encounter sales have grown significantly. This success has allowed Oakvale to expand their encounter offerings, boosting both guest satisfaction and revenue.
Our wildlife encounters were up 300% in the first six months.
Elyss Larkham
Business Development Manager, Oakvale Wildlife Park
Smart upselling with smart systems
Upselling is a powerful tool that can increase revenue, improve guest satisfaction, and deepen loyalty. With software-driven upselling, you eliminate the need for face-to-face sales and allow guests to customize their experience seamlessly.
ROLLER’s POS system, GX Score, and flexible online booking platform enable you to create personalized upsell options that align with guest preferences, resulting in higher spend per visit and more memorable guest experiences. By making upselling part of your guest journey, you’re not just increasing sales—you’re crafting moments that guests will remember and want to return to.
Ready to see how ROLLER can help your venue thrive? Book a demo today to discover the possibilities.
