How to add related products in Woo

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How to add related products in Woo

How to add related products in WooCommerce

Have you ever noticed the Related products or You might also like section on a product page? If you’re wondering how to display it on your own Woo store, you’ve come to the right place.

Whether you want Woo to create it automatically or handpick the items yourself, this article will guide you step-by-step on how to add Woo related products.

Before we begin the tutorial, it’s important to know that there are three ways related products are shown in Woo.

Up-sells

The purpose is to show higher-end alternatives to the product that a customer is currently viewing, encouraging them to consider the more expensive item instead.

For instance, showing a trench coat under a medium coat product page can subtly persuade customers to buy the more expensive product.

WooCommerce product page showing upsells related product

Cross-sells

Cross-sell items complement the product in a customer’s shopping cart page. This type of related product can increase the order value by encouraging customers to check out additional items at the last minute.

Using the same medium coat example, you can add beanies as complementary accessories in cold weather.

WooCommerce cart page showing two cross-sells related products

Related products

Unlike up-sells and cross-sells that require manual setup in Woo, related products can be automatically pulled from your store’s WordPress taxonomy.

By default, Woo’s Related Products section displays other items with the same categories or tags. Therefore, organizing similar products in one group can result in more accurate recommendations.

WooCommerce product page showing default related products

You can set up related products in Woo automatically and manually by following these steps:

Add product categories and tags

Setting up product categories and tags in Woo will automatically determine the items shown in the Related Products section:

  1. Add the categories by going to ProductsCategories from your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Enter the category name and slug in the respective fields. If you’re creating a subcategory, don’t forget to assign the parent category from the drop-down.
  3. Hit Add new category, and you’ll see it as a new addition to the product categories list.
WooCommerce Product categories interface
  1. Once all the categories are added, go to ProductsAdd new product
  2. Enter all the product details and check the relevant Product categories in the right column of the product page editor.
Product categories section in WooCommerce product page editor interface
  1. Add any product tags you see fit. Otherwise, grouping products according to the category would suffice.
Product tags section in WooCommerce product page editor interface
  1. Click the Publish button.

In case you’ve added uncategorized products before, you can group them into a category in one go using the bulk editing feature:

  1. Go to ProductsAll Products.
  2. Check the items you want to put in the same category.
  3. Select Edit from the Bulk actions drop-down menu, and hit Apply
WooCommerce Products list showing Edit bulk action option
  1. Check the Product categories to group the selected items. 
  2. Click Update to apply the changes.
Product categories section in WooCommerce products bulk edit feature

Alternatively, you can assign product categories individually by hovering over a product and clicking Quick Edit. Check the relevant Product categories, then hit the Update button.

Product categories section in WooCommerce product's Quick Edit section

Set up the linked products

By entering the linked product details in Woo, you can manually select products to upsell or cross-sell:

  1. Go to ProductsAll Products
  2. Hover over a product and click Edit.
  3. Scroll down to the Product data section, where you can find the Linked Products tab.
  4. Enter the product names you want to up-sell or cross-sell in the respective fields. You can add as many products as you want.
The Linked Products tab in WooCommerce product page editor's Product data section
  1. Scroll back up to find the Publish section and hit Update to apply the changes.
Update button in WooCommerce product page editor's Publish section

Pro tip

Your chosen Woo product type will determine the fields available in the Linked Products tab. For instance, if you select an External/affiliate product type, you’ll only see the Upsells field. Once you switch to Simple product, both Up-sells and Cross-sells fields will appear.

Displaying related products in your eCommerce store gives you the opportunity to increase profit. A study by Barilliance highlights the effectiveness of product recommendations in driving additional sales and conversions.

While the benefit to your revenue is clear, there are other advantages of showing related products in WooCommerce:

Enhanced user experience

Offering related products helps customers discover more items they may be interested in. This creates a more personalized and engaging shopping experience, encouraging them to explore more of your store.

Better product visibility

Related products increase the visibility of items your customers might not have noticed before. Showcasing these products, especially if they are new or less popular, can increase their chances of getting more recognition.

Enhanced inventory management

Featuring related products can help you promote overstocked items. By displaying these products alongside popular items, you can clear inventory more efficiently.

Strengthened brand loyalty

Offering tailored suggestions shows customers that your store understands their needs, which can build trust and encourage repeat purchases.

Make the most of your Woo Related Products section by implementing these best practices:

  • Prioritize relevance – display products that highly complement or enhance the main item. Irrelevant recommendations can confuse your customers and discourage them from exploring.
  • Tailor your product recommendations – handpick related products for better accuracy and to your specific customer’s needs, especially for the most popular items on your online store.
  • Keep it minimal – avoid overwhelming customers with too many options. Highlight only the most relevant items to maintain their interest.
  • Keep the display visually engaging – to increase engagement, showcase related products in a slider or grid with clean layouts, consistent styling, and high-resolution images.
  • Do your research – use sales and customer behavior data to identify frequently bought-together items and optimize your recommendations accordingly.
  • Monitor performance – regularly review the sales generated from related products and adjust them if needed.

Using a plugin is the easiest way to make advanced customization to your online store’s Related Products section. These are some of the best Woo plugins for related products:

Related Products for Woo

The Related Products for WooCommerce plugin banner

Activating this plugin lets you create product recommendation rules that aren’t just limited to categories or tags. You can also display related products in a slider and customize the section’s appearance. To help you quickly add related products to any page, the plugin also supports WooCommerce shortcode.

YITH WooCommerce Frequently Bought Together

The YITH WooCommerce Frequently Bought Together plugin banner

This plugin lets you configure product suggestions, customize the Related Products section’s title, and edit add-to-cart buttons. Upgrading to the premium version unlocks discounts on combined purchases and other options for a more tailored upselling strategy.

WPB WooCommerce Related Products Slider

The WPB WooCommerce Related Products Slider plugin banner

This Woo related products plugin replaces the default section with a dynamic, responsive slider. It offers two pre-made design themes that can seamlessly integrate into your eCommerce store. The premium version offers advanced customization options, including manual selection of related products, up-sell and cross-sell sliders, and style adjustments.

Conclusion

Adding related products to your Woo store is an effective way to increase sales and personalize your customers’ shopping experience. With Woo’s built-in functionality, you can add related products through:

  1. Adding product categories and tag 
  2. Setting up linked products

You can also use a plugin to customize and control your related products section further.

We hope this article helps you improve your eCommerce store in a meaningful way. Good luck!

What do related products mean?

In Woo, related products are recommended items shown alongside the product a customer is currently viewing.

What is an example of a related product?

If someone visits a laptop product page, related products might include a laptop sleeve, a wireless mouse, or a cooling pad – all of which complement the main product.

Is there a limit to the number of related products I can add?

There’s no strict limit on how many related products you can add. However, your theme or plugin settings may influence the maximum number of related products displayed.

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