How to Use Product Recommendations on Shopify to Double Profits

In this article, we’ll unravel the benefits of utilizing product recommendations on Shopify, provide tangible product recommendation examples, and dive into the significance of incorporating product reviews on your online storefront.

Key Takeaways

• Personalized product recommendations improve the shopping experience by tailoring suggestions to each shopper’s preferences and history.
• Strategies to increase sales with recommendations include showcasing complementary products, displaying recently viewed items, and highlighting trending products.
• Wiser is a Shopify app that offers various recommendation widgets to enhance the shopping experience.
• Recommendations can boost average order value, reduce bounce rates, strengthen customer loyalty, and improve conversion rates.

What are personalized product recommendations?

Personalized product recommendations refer to the practice of suggesting products to users based on their individual preferences, behaviors, and previous interactions with a platform or service. These recommendations aim to increase customer engagement, sales, and satisfaction by providing a tailored shopping experience for the user.

The main goal? To make your shopping journey more enjoyable and relevant. 

By offering products that truly resonate with your tastes and needs, stores not only enhance your shopping experience but also foster a sense of trust and loyalty. 

How product recommendations work

These recommendations use a combination of:

• Historical Data: This includes a user’s past purchases, viewed products, and other interactions with the website or app.
• Collaborative Filtering: This method identifies users with similar behaviors and preferences. For example, if User A and User B both bought a particular item, and User A also bought another item, the system might recommend that second item to User B.
• Content-based Filtering: This focuses on the attributes of items and gives you recommendations based on the similarity between them. For instance, if a user often buys mystery novels, they might be recommended other books from that genre.
• Hybrid Methods: Many recommendation systems use a combination of both collaborative and content-based filtering to optimize their suggestions.
• Real-time Data & Context: Some advanced recommendation engines also take into account real-time actions of a user, such as current browsing behavior or items added to the cart, as well as context like location, time of day, or device used.

8 ways to use product recommendations to boost sales

Personalized product recommendations can make a world of difference. Let’s delve deeper into how you can harness their potential to boost your sales:

1. Showcase Complementary Products:

When a customer is looking at a specific product, why not suggest items that complement it? For instance, if they’re browsing dresses, you can recommend matching shoes or accessories. 

This simple approach introduces customers to more options and enhances their shopping experience, similar to having a helpful shop assistant suggesting perfect pairings.

2. Display Recently Viewed Products:

Customers often jump between products during online shopping. To help them find products they were interested in but didn’t purchase, consider displaying a ‘Recently Viewed’ section. This way, customers can easily revisit items they previously considered, reducing the chances of missed sales opportunities.

3. Show Recommendations Based on Shopping Behavior:

Here’s a personalized approach. The system looks at what a user has been looking at, clicking on, reviewing, or buying. Then, it recommends products similar to their interests. Since the user has shown interest before, they’re likely to do it again. It’s like having a smart assistant that learns your preferences. 

This is done using a technique called “collaborative filtering,” which groups similar items together and recommends products based on what the user has already shown interest in.

4. Implement Cart Recommendations:

When a customer adds a product to their cart, consider displaying recommendations for complementary products or items frequently bought together. This can encourage customers to add more items to their cart, increasing their overall purchase value.

5. Recommend Newly Arrived Products:

While best-sellers are great, don’t forget to showcase newly arrived products. These are the fresh additions to your store that customers might not be aware of. Recommending these new products on your homepage or product pages can generate awareness and potentially boost sales, especially for products that are just launching or have recently been restocked.

6. Showcase Related Products on the Product Page:

Some shoppers land directly on your product pages when searching for specific items. Take the opportunity to showcase related products based on categories, tags, and other parameters. This helps customers explore more options within the range they’re interested in and can also increase your average order value through upselling.

7. Inspired by Browsing History:

If a customer has been browsing a particular category, consider nudging them toward a purchase. For example, if someone has been checking out beach hats but hasn’t made a purchase, showing them a collection of beach hats based on their browsing history can encourage them to make a purchase.

8. Suggest Trending Products:

Highlight products that are currently popular among other customers. These are often referred to as “trending” products. This strategy can create a sense of urgency and excitement, encouraging shoppers to join the trend and make a purchase. It can also be effective in combating the fear of missing out (FOMO).

Our Product Recommendation Suggestion: Wiser

In the modern eCommerce arena, personalizing a shopper’s experience is more than just a trend—it’s a necessity. One such tool making waves in this sphere is the Wiser app for Shopify. 

So, what makes Wiser stand out in the crowded landscape of Shopify apps?

Wiser isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it offers a suite of six distinct widgets, each catering to a unique aspect of product recommendations:

• Handpicked Recommendations: As the owner of your store, you understand your products like no other. Wiser lets you channel this expertise. By manually selecting products, you can present them as ‘recommended products’ throughout your online shop, giving a personal touch to the shopping experience.
• Related Products or ‘You May Also Like’: Dive deeper into the customer’s current interest by suggesting products that align with their browsing patterns. This feature showcases items similar to the ones customers are currently viewing, whether that similarity is based on collections, tags, or product type.
• Frequently Bought Together: There’s power in numbers. By analyzing previous purchases, Wiser identifies products that customers tend to buy together. This not only enhances the user’s shopping experience but also encourages larger cart sizes.
• Recently Viewed Products: A gentle nudge can often lead to a sale. The ‘Recently Viewed Products’ widget serves as that nudge, reminding shoppers of items they browsed during their session. It’s a way to subtly rekindle their initial interest.
• Top Selling Products: Let the numbers do the talking. By displaying products that are trending and experiencing high sales, you tap into the shoppers’ desire to have the best or be part of a popular trend.
• Featured Products: Every store has its stars. With the ‘Featured Products’ widget, you can shine a spotlight on specific items, whether they’re new arrivals or a select range you wish to promote. It’s a direct way to guide customer attention.

Why include product recommendations on your store?

Every store owner has to make decisions about where to invest time and money. With various tools and strategies available, one might wonder if integrating product recommendations is truly worth the effort. Here’s a breakdown of why it’s a definitive ‘yes’.

• Boost Your Average Order Value (AOV): Increasing your store’s sales doesn’t always mean you need a horde of new customers. Sometimes, it’s about getting existing customers to spend a bit more. Enter Average Order Value (AOV) – a vital metric that represents the typical spend of a customer per purchase. By smartly integrating product recommendations, you encourage shoppers to add more to their carts than they initially planned, driving up your AOV and, by extension, your overall sales.
• Decrease Bounce Rate: A high bounce rate can spell trouble for an online store. It essentially means visitors leave without exploring much. One reason? They might not find what they want swiftly. Here, product recommendations can be a game-changer. By presenting potential customers with items they might like, you entice them to stay, explore, and hopefully, buy. This can significantly reduce your bounce rate.
• Tailor the Shopping Experience: Today’s consumers aren’t just looking for a product; they’re seeking an experience. And personalized shopping ranks high on their list of desires. Product recommendations give you the power to curate a shopping experience that feels individual to each visitor, catering to their unique preferences and tastes.
• Strengthen Customer Loyalty and Retention: Imagine a store that always seems to know just what you want – you’d likely go back. That’s the power of well-executed product recommendations. When customers feel their needs are anticipated and met seamlessly, they’re more likely to return, fostering loyalty and ensuring repeat sales.
• Boost Conversion Rates: Turning a visitor into a buyer is the core of eCommerce, but it’s not always straightforward. Product recommendations can be the bridge that closes this gap. By making it simpler for visitors to find and discover products that resonate with them, the chances of them making a purchase go up. An improved conversion rate can not only drive sales but can also positively influence how your website is ranked on search engines, including the giant, Google.

Getting started with Wiser product recommendations 

1. Setting Up Your Wiser Account: Begin by creating a Wiser account. As you set it up, ensure your account settings resonate with your business objectives and preferences. It’s the foundation on which everything else will stand, so be thorough.
2. Install the Wiser App: Head over to the Shopify App Store and search for the Wiser app. Once found, proceed with its installation. This app serves as the essential link, connecting your Shopify store to Wiser’s powerful recommendation features.
3. Connect Wiser to Shopify: Upon app installation, follow the step-by-step instructions provided to connect your Wiser account to Shopify. This connection paves the way for personalized recommendations to flow into your store.
4. Personalize Recommendations: With the connection secure, delve into the aesthetics. Customize how the recommendations appear, ensuring they blend seamlessly with your store’s branding. It’s about giving your customers a unified shopping experience.
5. Fine-Tune Settings for Best Performance: For the best results, take time to adjust the recommendation settings. Decide on factors like how many product suggestions should appear, which algorithm best suits your needs, and whether you need any specific filters or exclusions in place.
6. Test, Test, and Test!: Before going live, run multiple tests. Check to see if the recommendations are popping up as they should and verify their relevance. It’s always better to catch any glitches now rather than later.
7. Monitor and Optimize with Analytics: The integration doesn’t end once you’re live. Regularly consult the Wiser analytics dashboard to understand how your recommendations are performing. With data on click-through and conversion rates at your fingertips, you’ll be well-equipped to make informed adjustments. Fine-tuning based on these insights can boost their effectiveness over time.

How do I add product recommendations on Shopify?

1. Access the App: Navigate to the Shopify Search & Discovery app.
2. Go to Product Recommendations: Once inside the app, click on “Product recommendations”. Then, select “Add recommendations”.
3. Choose Your Product: Now, pick the product for which you’d like to customize the recommendations.
4. Complementary Products: You have the option to select up to 10 complementary products that pair well with the primary product.
5. Related Product Recommendations: Apart from complementary products, you can also pick up to 10 related products to suggest. Moreover, decide if you’d like to display only these custom recommendations or if you’d prefer to show a mix of both custom and automatically generated recommendations.
6. Finalize the Recommendations: Once satisfied with your choices, click “Save” to implement these recommendations on the product page.

How do I turn off product recommendations on Shopify?

1. Access Your Theme: From your Shopify admin dashboard, go to “Online Store” and then click on “Theme”.
2. Customize Theme: For the theme currently active, click “Customize” to enter the theme editor.
3. Select a Product Page: Within the theme editor, navigate to any product page by selecting a product.
4. Locate Product Recommendations: Once you’re on the product page, locate and click on the “Product recommendation” section.
5. Hide Recommendations: You will spot an ‘eye’ icon. Clicking this icon will hide the product recommendation feature from the product page.
6. Save Changes: Always remember to save your changes to ensure they’re applied to your live store.

Do you really need to show personalized product recommendations?

In today’s e-commerce landscape, personalization is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity. With competitors vying for customer attention, offering a tailored shopping experience can set you apart. By using tools like the product recommendation quiz Shopify merchants can adopt, you can make your online store more interactive, engaging, and user-centric.

Final Words

In the ever-evolving world of e-commerce, staying relevant and proactive is crucial. As businesses adapt and grow, the importance of understanding and catering to customer needs cannot be overstated. Personalized product recommendations are not just a fleeting trend but a testament to the future of online shopping. They underscore the symbiotic relationship between user experience and business growth.