Global Research Trends in Cross-selling Marketing Strategies: A Bibliometric Perspective

Description

Athira Sugathan and Kumari V. K. Shyni (PG Department of Commerce and Research Centre, Iqbal College, Peringammala, Thirvandrum)

Cross-selling has emerged as a critical marketing strategy for enhancing customer lifetime value, fostering brand loyalty, and driving revenue growth across diverse industries. Despite its increasing relevance in practice, the academic landscape of cross-selling research remains fragmented, with limited synthesis of its evolution, thematic patterns, and emerging directions. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global research trends in cross-selling marketing strategies, utilizing data retrieved from the Web of Science database for the period 1995-2025. Biblioshiny, an R-based interface of the Bibliometrix package, was employed to conduct descriptive performance analysis, co-authorship and co-word network mapping, and thematic evolution tracking. The analysis reveals publication growth trajectories, identifies prolific authors, influential journals, and leading contributing countries and institutions, and maps the intellectual and conceptual structure of the field. Thematic mapping highlights core, niche, and emerging themes, while temporal evolution analysis uncovers the shift from transactional perspectives to data-driven, personalized, and sustainability-oriented cross-selling strategies. Findings not only chart the historical development of the field but also pinpoint research gaps, offering actionable insights for scholars and practitioners aiming to advance theory and practice in cross-selling marketing.