Give the recommendation one useful job.
An alternative should explain why the shopper might choose it instead: a warmer fabric, a larger capacity or a feature they need. A complementary product should help with the item they already chose. Price alone is a weak reason for either.
Use DYMR as a fictional example. An everyday tee may have a heavier alternative. A cap can complement the selected outfit. Another tee in the same category may simply be a related option. The customer should understand the difference without learning your product taxonomy.
| Type | DYMR example | What the customer decides |
|---|---|---|
| Upsell | Choose the heavier tee instead | Is this alternative better for me? |
| Cross-sell | Add a matching cap | Would this make my purchase more useful? |
| Related | Browse another tee | Would I prefer another option? |
Link the products, then check the place.
In the product editor, use Product data → Linked Products to choose upsells and cross-sells. Update the product. Related products use categories and tags; they are not a third manually selected list in that panel.
Now inspect the product template and cart layout. A saved selection does not create a missing block or theme section. On a block-based cart, check the intended product collection; on a classic theme, follow its WooCommerce display options.
When the recommendation is missing.
First confirm that you edited the correct parent product or variation context and saved the change. Then check the recommended item: is it published, visible and eligible under the collection filters? An item already in the basket is not a useful duplicate suggestion.
If all product data looks right but the whole section is absent, investigate the template. If the section is present but the wrong items appear, investigate the collection, categories and filters. These are different problems and need different fixes.
Judge the choice from the shopper’s side.
Try one ordinary basket on a phone. Can you tell what the extra is, what it costs and whether you are adding it or replacing something? Check variants, availability and the resulting order. Keep the original purchase easy to finish.
Review whether the suggestion is useful before adding more offers. A visible recommendation is not evidence of higher revenue. Measure the actual response against your own baseline, including returns and the effort needed to fulfil the combination.