How to Create a Frequently Bought Together Section on Shopify? (No App Needed)

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Did you know that cross-selling can boost sales by 20% and profits by 30%, according to McKinsey? HubSpot’s 2023 research also found that 21% of company revenue comes from cross-selling. This strategy is powerful, and one of the easiest ways to apply it to your Shopify store is by adding a Shopify frequently bought together section.

In this guide, you’ll learn 2 ways to create an FBT (Frequently bought together) section:

• Without an app – using Shopify’s built-in theme features.
• With an app – for an automated, hassle-free setup.

Plus, we’ll share expert tips to maximize conversions and fix common issues like low engagement or slow page speed. Let’s dive in!

1. What is Frequently Bought Together and Why Does It Matter?

Frequently Bought Together is a feature suggesting products customers purchase concurrently with other items. This technique presents complementary products under the product description or at checkout to enable one-time purchasing of necessary items instead of making customers search.  

“Frequently Bought Together” sections can also appear in the product image carousel, sidebar or widget, or cart pages as a final nudge before purchase.

This strategy goes by different names, such as:

• Customers Also Bought
• Recommended Add-ons
• Bundle & Save
• Complete Your Purchase
• Popular Pairings
• You May Also Like
• Shop the Set

No matter what it’s called, the goal is the same: increase the average order value (AOV) by encouraging customers to buy related products in one transaction.

Real-Life Example: Velotric

Just have a look. The Frequently Bought Together function allows Velotric to deliver valuable product bundle deals to customers. Their system implies items such as a front basket, a phone mount, and a water bottle & cage for automatic recommendation while users browse for e-bikes. Customers will find these selected products reinforce riding experience since they do not contain random items.

Velotric offers attractive deals on combined packages to enhance customer value. Someone who chooses not to purchase the entire bundle might end up buying additional accessories, which increases their total purchase value. Through this smart approach, the brand generated higher sales and improved shopping simplicity and customer satisfaction.

So Why is FBT Important for Shopify Merchants?

For Shopify merchants, increasing AOV is one of the most effective ways to boost revenue without constantly spending more on acquiring new customers. Since digital advertising costs continue to rise, it’s crucial to make every transaction count.

The Shopify analytics app LittleData did a comprehensive survey of Shopify stores’ conversion rates and found the average conversion rate for Shopify stores is 1.4%. This means for 1000 visitors to your store, 14 of them will actually spend money. If your AOV (Average order value) is 30$, you are probably going to earn around 420$.

Now, with an effective “Frequently Bought Together” strategy, customers are encouraged to add relevant products to their cart. If the AOV increases to $50, total revenue jumps to $700, without increasing traffic or marketing spend.

This strategy works because Shopify Frequently Bought Together naturally encourages customers to buy more than they originally planned. When shoppers see useful add-ons that complement their purchase, they are more likely to include them in their order – especially when the recommendations appear at the right time. Instead of pushing random products, “Frequently Bought Together” section presents items that are practical, relevant, and valuable, making the decision to buy easier.

Beyond revenue growth, the “Frequently Bought Together” section also improves customer satisfaction by simplifying the shopping experience. Instead of leaving the store to search for accessories elsewhere, customers can complete their purchase in one go, saving time and effort.

💡 You might also want to read: Best Shopify Apps To Increase Sales & Conversions

2. How to Create a Frequently Bought Together Section on Shopify Without an App?

You can add a Shopify Frequently Bought Together section without having to install a third-party app by leveraging Shopify’s built-in features and the Search & Discovery app. The process consists of 2 main steps:

• Step 1: Adding the product recommendations section to your product page using the Theme Editor
• Step 2: Customizing the recommended products using the Search & Discovery app

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Step 1: Add the Product Recommendations Section Using Shopify’s Theme Editor

First, you need to check whether your theme supports product recommendations. Many Shopify themes, such as Dawn, Sense, Warehouse, Impulse, and Broadcast, include this feature by default.

To add the section to your product page, follow these steps:

Step 1: Log into Shopify and go to the Sales Channels section in the left sidebar.

Step 2: Click “Customize” next to your theme to open the Shopify Theme Editor.

Step 3: Use the dropdown menu at the top to select the default product page template.

Step 4: Check the left sidebar for the Related Products – Automatically suggested similar items, and then adjust settings if needed.

At this stage, the recommended products will be automatically generated by Shopify based on related items. However, you won’t have much control over which products are shown. If you want to manually choose specific products to be displayed in this section, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Adjust Recommended Products Using the Search & Discovery App

To have more control over the recommended products, Shopify provides the Search & Discovery app, which allows you to manually select items that appear in the Shopify Frequently Bought Together section. By default, every Shopify store will have this app installed.

To customize your recommendations, follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to Search & Discovery > Recommendations, click Add Recommendations, and select a product. similar items, and then adjust settings if needed. 

Step 2: Click Browse under Add complementary products and add up to 10 items.

Step 3: Click Browse under Related products, add up to 10 items, and check Hide auto-generated recommendations if needed.

Step 4: Click Save and View if needed. 

The biggest advantage of this app is its customization – unlike Shopify’s built-in settings, it lets you manually choose recommended products, giving more control over upsells. Plus, it’s free, no need downloading (already there when you go setting Shopify) and integrates smoothly with Shopify.

However, this method only works with themes that support product recommendations. Moreover, like Shopify’s default settings, it doesn’t support discounts, making it better for basic recommendations rather than advanced upselling strategy. Consider using a Shopify frequently bought together app if you need more advanced features ( I’ll take you through it now!). 

3. How to Create a Frequently Bought Together Section on Shopify With an App

The method above allows you to show product recommendations, but it has many limitations. Most importantly, Shopify does not allow you to create discounts for upselling products using its built-in theme features. 

As we all know, discounts are a key factor in encouraging customers to buy more, as many shoppers are more likely to add extra items when they see a special offer. Hence, you may struggle to maximize your upsell potential without being able to apply discounts.

If you want full control over the Shopify frequently bought together app, using an app like BOGOS Free Gift & Bundle is the best solution.

BOGOS.io lets you manually select products, apply discounts, customize the widget design, and track performance. Here’s how you can set up an FBT section using this app.

Step 1: Choose an Upsell Offer Type

• Open the app > Create Upsell > Upsell Offer.

• Choose Frequently Bought Together and click Create Upsell.

Step 2: Set Up the Upsell Information

• Upsell Name – Internal name for easy management.
• Widget Title – The headline customers will see (e.g., Frequently Bought Together).
• Widget Subtitle – A short explanation (e.g., Buy these items together and save 15%!).
• Start & End Time – Schedule the offer or leave it active indefinitely.

Step 3: Choose an Upsell Trigger

You can control where the FBT section appears:

• Always Display Upsell – Show it on all product pages.
• Selected Products – Display it only on specific products.
• Exclude Selected Products – Hide it from certain products.
• Apply to Specific Collections/Types/Vendors – Show it only for selected categories

Step 4: Select an Upsell Method

There are 3 ways to select the recommended products:

• Manual – Choose specific products to upsell.

• Auto (Requires Shopify Search & Discovery App) – Uses Shopify AI recommendations.

• Random – Selects upsell products from a chosen collection or category.

Step 5: Enable Discounts (Optional)

• Enable Discount to apply special pricing for FBT items.
• Set the minimum number of products required for the discount.
• Choose a discount type:
  • Percentage Discount (e.g., 20% off).
  • Fixed Amount Discount (e.g., $10 off).
  • Cheapest Item Free (Automatically applies to the lowest-priced item).

Step 6: Preview and Publish

• Check the Preview to see how the FBT widget looks.
• Make sure the product selections, discount settings, and triggers are correct.
• Click Publish to activate the FBT offer.

Step 7: Customize the FBT Widget

• Choose the widget layout (grid or stacked).
• Adjust colors, fonts, and button text to match your store’s branding.
• Modify the “Add to Cart” button text to make it more engaging.

Note: BOGOS.io’s Pricing Plans:

• $29.99/month: Basic plan for small stores.
• $49.99/month: Professional plan with advanced features.
• $69.99/month: Unlimited plan for large-scale operations.
• $99.99/month: Plus plan designed for Shopify Plus users.

4. Tips to Make “Frequently Bought Together” Section More Effective

A strategically placed Shopify Frequently Bought Together section drives sales and elevates AOV, yet implementing this feature alone will not yield results. The FBT section will produce maximum results when you optimize product selection, placement, design, and incentives. Here’s how to make your FBT section truly effective.

Selecting Complementary Products

A well-optimized Shopify Frequently Bought Together section isn’t just about showing extra products – it’s about offering the right recommendations that truly make sense to the customer. Relevance is key because when shoppers see items that naturally complement their purchase, they are more likely to buy more.

Amazon is a perfect example of how this strategy works. The retail giant doesn’t suggest products randomly; instead, it uses a data-driven recommendation system called “item-to-item collaborative filtering.” This system analyzes what customers have bought before, added to their cart, rated, or viewed, and matches them with similar purchasing behaviors from other shoppers. 

By integrating these recommendations throughout the shopping journey – from product discovery to checkout – Amazon saw a 29% increase in sales, growing from $9.9 billion to $12.83 billion in one fiscal quarter. (Source)

For Shopify merchants, the takeaway is clear: random recommendations don’t work. Instead of grouping unrelated products, focus on actual customer buying patterns. If you sell cameras, pair them with memory cards and bags, not just electronic accessories. 

Besides, use customer data and sales trends to identify the most frequently purchased combinations and adjust your FBT section accordingly. This way, your recommendations feel helpful rather than forced, leading to higher conversions and a better shopping experience.

Placing the Section Strategically

Where you display the FBT section affects how often customers engage with it. The best spot is usually below the product description on the product page since that’s when customers are considering their purchase. 

You can also test showing FBT recommendations on the cart page, especially for last-minute upsells before checkout. Avoid placing it too low where visitors might not see it, and make sure it doesn’t clutter the page.

Designing a Compelling Presentation

Use high-quality images, clear product names, and a layout that matches your store’s theme. Display the total price before and after discounts to emphasize savings. Buttons like “Add Selected Items” should be bold and visible. Shopify merchants who personalize their FBT widget – matching fonts, colors, and spacing – tend to see higher engagement and conversion rates.

Optimize for Mobile Users

Recently, mobile accessibility for the FBT section has become vital because smartphones deliver 78% of retail site traffic and 68% of online orders (Statista, Q4 2024). To prevent the page from becoming excessively long, a carousel layout with scroll functionality should replace vertical stacking. Ease of tapping buttons should complement fast and efficient image loading. Shopify themes typically perform well on mobile screens; however, you must examine a mobile preview through your app before making it live. 

5. Common Issues & How to Fix Them

Even with a well-placed Shopify Frequently Bought Together section, some store owners struggle with low engagement, slow loading times, or poor conversions. Here’s how to identify and fix common FBT issues.

5.1 Customers Overlooking the FBT Section

If customers aren’t noticing the FBT section, it’s likely due to poor placement or weak visibility. Many stores place it too low on the page, making it easy to miss. 

To fix this, position the FBT section right below the product description or near the “Add to Cart” button for better visibility. A bold heading like Frequently Bought Together – Save 15% can grab attention and encourage clicks. Also, ensure the widget matches your store’s design but still stands out visually. For better engagement, consider using a pop-up version of the FBT offer when customers add an item to their cart.

5.2 Page Loading Too Slowly

A slow-loading page can cause customers to leave before they even see the FBT section. The most common culprits are large images, excessive scripts, or unoptimized third-party apps. 

To improve speed, compress images to reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality. Also, limit the number of upsell products in the FBT section – 3 to 4 recommendations are enough. If you’re using an app for FBT, check its impact on page speed, as some apps can slow down your store. Shopify’s performance reports can help identify bottlenecks that may be affecting your page speed.

5.3 Low Conversion Rate

If customers see the FBT section but aren’t adding products, it could be because the recommendations aren’t relevant or valuable enough. 

A good FBT strategy pairs complementary products that make sense together – like a phone case with a smartphone or a charger with a laptop. Customers are also more likely to buy when they see clear savings, so show both the original and discounted prices to highlight the deal.

If possible, offer additional incentives like a limited-time discount or free shipping for bundled purchases. Sometimes, simply moving the FBT section higher up on the product page can also improve conversions.

5.4 Ineffective FBT for Highly Personalized Products

Shopify Frequently Bought Together might not be as effective for stores selling custom jewelry, engraved gifts, or made-to-order items. Since these products require individual customization, fixed product bundles may not appeal to customers. 

Instead of a standard FBT section, try offering related product suggestions that help customers explore similar styles or materials. Another alternative is a “Build Your Own Bundle” feature, where customers can select personalized items and receive a discount for buying multiple pieces. If your store sells fashion or accessories, a “Complete the Look” section may work better than traditional FBT recommendations.

6. Conclusion

I hope you find this post helpful in setting up your Shopify Frequently Bought Together section to increase sales and make shopping easier for customers. A well-placed FBT section with relevant products and incentives can boost conversions and improve customer experience. Choosing the right method and optimizing it for visibility and engagement will help maximize its impact on your store.

7. FAQs