Does boosting sales in your Shopify store by maximizing every single dollar spent on the shop sound rather surprising? Every Shopify store owner will try to ensure that profitability improves but it does not mean just increasing sales; it’s all about how to increase the worth of every single order.

Learning how to add product recommendations on Shopify can extremely elevate the entire shopping experience while making your average order value (AOV) surge. In actuality, this is as easy as the right strategy and tools.

Ready to level up? This guide will help you master product recommendations for maximum impact!

1. What are Shopify Product Recommendations?

1.1. Shopify Product Recommendation introduction 

Shopify-product recommendations serve as automatic suggestions that are triggered by the algorithm of Shopify. These recommendations help to increase sales by showing relevant products for each customer based on data-driven insights: they update dynamically, no adjustments required by store owners.

💡If you’re new to Shopify and want an affordable way to get started, consider trying Shopify for 1 dollar to explore its features at minimal cost.

1.2. Advantages of Product Recommendations 

• Boost sales and revenues: Prompt buying additional items by customers.
• Increase average order value (AOV): Suggest complementary products to increase value per order.
• Improves Customer Experience: Provides personalized recommendations which ease the shopping process.
• Improved Customer Retention: Keep customers coming back through relevant product recommendations.
• Save time and Energy: Keep recommending auto-updating, decreasing the amount of manual work.

1.3. Types of Product Recommendations on Shopify

✅ Complementary Products: These consist of items that complement the currently selected item, allowing customers to discover useful add-ons and increasing their cart size. For the best output with complementary recommendations, select products that are value-adding or complementary in functionality with the main item and are most frequently bought together at similar or lower price ranges.

✅ Related Products: These items are similar or belong to the same category or collection, which enables the customers to view more options. To have maximum usage of related product recommendations, ensure they are relative to the main product and then let Shopify suggest auto-generated ones that complement your own.

1.4. How Shopify Generates Product Recommendations

Shopify’s built-in recommendation engine automatically suggests products based on the following factors:

• Purchase history: Analyze past sales data to find items most commonly bought together in order to make a better guess as to which items should be recommended. 
• Descriptions of products: Based on keywords used in product descriptions as it is able to match similar products (for English storefronts only).
• Related collections: If purchase history and product descriptions aren’t everything you need to go about it.

‼️ Keeping this in mind: Neither your store recommendations nor the entire engine for recommendations can be edited by standard Shopify. You should either resort to the Shopify Search & Discovery app or go for third-party apps to customize product recommendations Shopify.

Now, let us take you through the steps on how to add recommended products to Shopify and optimize conversions effectively.

2. How to Add Product Recommendations on Shopify

2.1. Using Shopify Search & Discovery App

Shopify Search & Discovery app is basically for customer searches and product discovery to drive sales via personalized search filters and visibility into search performance.

2.1.1. Steps For a Single Product:

To customize product recommendations Shopify for a single product, follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Install the App: Go to the Shopify App Store search for Shopify Search & Discovery > click on the “Install” button to install the app in your store. 
2. Step 2: Access the Recommendations Feature: After that, open the app > go to the “Recommendations” tab to manage and customize product suggestions. 
3. Step 3: Choose a Product: View your product list on your store > click on the product you want to use. 

4. Step 4: Edit Complementary Products: In the Complementary Products tab, add all accessories and frequently bought together items relative to the offered main product. 
5. Step 5: Edit Related Products: In the Related Products section, choose similar products so customers can easily find other alternatives with more options.

Once done, your customized recommendations appear on product pages to enhance the shopping experience and trigger more sales.

2.1.2. Steps For Bulk Edits:

To save time and apply product recommendations to multiple items at once, follow these steps for bulk editing:

1. Step 1: Select Multiple Products:  Go to the Recommendations section > select a few products you want to add recommendations for. 
2. Step 2: Click “Bulk Edit”: After selection of product > click on Bulk edit to go to the interface for bulk editing. 

3. Step 3: Set Complementary & Related Products: Shopify Complementary products add may be similar with user added Related products for the first product. 
4. Step 4: Apply Settings To Others: Dragging the selected option across multiple products will apply similar recommendations efficiently.

2.1.3. Steps to Show Recommendations on Product Pages:

To ensure product recommendations appear on your product pages, follow these steps to add them through your theme settings:

1. Step 1: Go to Theme Settings: Navigate to “Online Store” > “Customize Theme” in your Shopify admin panel.
2. Step 2: Opening the Product Template: Choose Default Product Template, you should see the “Related Products” section.

3. Step 3: If Complementary Products do not appear: 
   • Go to the section “Product Information” then click on Add Block. 
   • Select Complementary Products to get that relevant suggestion.

Thus, by efficiently using the Shopify Search & Discovery app, a retailer may effectively optimize customer products to get more engagements and eventually boost sales. Consumers find it easy to identify the right products, thus improving the shopping experience. 

2.2. Using Third-Party Apps

Though free of charge, Shopify’s Search & Discovery app isn’t entirely out of limitations having only features such as product and cart-page recommendations, low customization options, and no AI personalization. These restrict the chances of optimizing product suggestions for conversion-related gains.

Third-party apps offer a more advanced solution with more control over positioning, design, and recommendation logic. There are such apps that have AI-driven suggestions, dynamic rules, and enhanced display options to maximize sales and improve the shopping experience.

2.2.1. Top 3 Third-Party Product Recommendation Apps:

These are three of the best product recommendation apps that focus on different business aspects for Shopify:

1️⃣ Wiser

Wiser is an AI-powered recommendation engine that provides highly personalized product suggestions for Shopify merchants throughout their store. Using machine learning, it analyzes customer behavior and optimizes recommendations for sales.

💡Key Features:

• Increased AI capabilities in “Customers Also Bought” and “Frequently Bought Together” suggestions.
• Upselling and cross-selling widgets for product pages, cart pages, and checkout pages.
• Smart personalization based on visitors’ history, browsing, and purchase behavior.
• Analytics dashboard to improve performance and tune recommendations.

💡Best For: Store owners in search of developing and implementing AI-driven product recommendations that could trigger conversions and upselling strategies.

2️⃣ Upsell & Cross-Sell Kit

This app is being created to merchants who want to establish AOV or Average Order Value policy through upselling and cross-selling. It empowers you to create product bundles, discount offers, and customization of widgets without coding.

💡Key Features:

• Bundle deals featuring discount-up shelves help customers purchase more products.
• The recommendation widget allows users to customize it according to their store branding needs.
• Post-checkout sales methods that produce additional income flows.
• User-friendly drag-and-drop style interface.

💡Best For: Shopify stores that wish to boost earnings using bundled product offers and dynamic upsell and cross-selling recommendations.

3️⃣ Product Quiz by RevenueHunt

This app helps engage customers through interactive product quizzes that give shoppers guidance in choosing the correct product that fits their preferences. Mainly for brands looking to give an interactive shopping experience.

Key Features:

• AI-powered, quiz-based product recommendations.
• This tool enables users to capture leads and re-engage them through email marketing integration functions.
• The tool enables tracking and data analysis to measure how well the quiz converts users. 
• The quiz interface can be customized according to the design of your store.

Best For: Businesses that want to create improved customer interactions through their custom quiz questions and product suggestion comparisons.

💡  Looking to build a high-converting Shopify store from the ground up? Check out this guide on how to launch a Shopify store for expert insights and best practices. 

2.2.2. How to Add Product Recommendations with Upsell & Cross-Sell Kit

If you’re looking for an easy way to implement product recommendations, Upsell & Cross-Sell Kit is a great option. Below is a complete guide on how to set up recommended products on Shopify to help you make the most of it.

Step 1. Install the Upsell & Cross-Sell Kit

First, download the Upsell & Cross-Sell Kit from the Shopify App Store > navigate to your Shopify theme settings > turn on the app embed to enable the app features.

Step 2. Add an Offer

Open the app after installation and follow these steps to add your first product recommendation:

• Click “Add Offer” to start a new recommendation.
• Select any products to recommend, e.g. related or complementary.
• Set conditions for when offers should show up and where.

Step 3. Customize the Widget

Design the widget to match the rest of your store to ensure a seamless experience: 

• Setting the sizes and colors of your display text to that of your theme. 
• Activating the AI-based recommendations features for more intelligent product recommendations. 
• Preview how your widget looks at your storefront before you launch it.

Once everything is set up, save your changes and begin using product recommendations to enhance conversions.

👉🏻To ensure a seamless shopping experience, customize the widget’s design to match your store’s branding:

• Adjust the layout, colors, and text to fit your theme.
• Enable features like AI-powered recommendations for smarter product suggestions.
• Preview the widget to see how it will look on your storefront before publishing.

💡 Want to explore more upselling solutions? Here’s a curated list of the best Shopify upsell apps to help you maximize revenue with smart product recommendations.

3. Best Practices For Adding Product Recommendations For Your Store

Beside learning how to add product recommendations on Shopify, you should follow these proven strategies to maximize their effectiveness:

3.1. Strategic Placement of Product Recommendations

Recommendation placement seriously matters. “You May Also Like” sections within product pages are great for taking the customer further rather than losing action of browsing. Putting related products on the cart page also increases order value with last-minute purchases just before checkout.

3.2. Optimize for Mobile Responsiveness

Most people browse on their handheld devices. Ensure your recommendation widgets are mobile-friendly so that they can carry the same experience on all devices. This will engage better and, in turn, boost conversions. Test for different layouts regularly to improve the number of conversions and performance.

3.3. Use a Variety of Recommendation Types

Maximize recommendations by applying them in combination. For starters combine top-selling items with trending items and with personalized suggestions based on browsing. Seasonal recommendations-Winter Essentials or Back-to-School Must-Haves-bring those purchases through timely reminders. Leverage social proof using “Top Rated” or “Trending Now” products and attach reviews and ratings among recommendations to enhance trust and influence buying decisions.

3.4. List Recent Products for Return Visitors

Returning clients may not recall products they have seen before. By embedding “Recently Seen” on product pages, one can help them find things they liked as fast as possible, which contributes to improving their buy experience and increasing conversion chances.

3.5. Continuously Test and Optimize

A/B testing on different placements, types of recommendations, and product groupings makes it easier to identify what works best. Performance metrics such as click-through rates and conversions should be monitored to refine the strategy and maximize sales.

4. Conclusion

This wraps up how to add products recommendations on Shopify for better conversions and a seamless shopping experience. Whether with the built-in tools of Shopify itself or through advanced apps from a third-party, strategic product recommendations go a long way towards increasing user engagement and sales without straining too much effort.

For a more personalized, high-performance setup, eComStart provides expert solutions to help implement AI-driven recommendations and optimize your store on Shopify to be the maximum profitable.

5. FAQs