Understanding Product Modules

Product modules control which products appear in an upsell strategy. Each module uses a different product source, such as a hand-picked product, a Shopify collection, a search query, Shopify Search & Discovery data, or a connected recommendation platform.

Use this guide to understand how modules work, which module to choose, and which settings apply across multiple module types.

How product modules work

When you create or edit an upsell strategy, the Product modules section is where you add product modules. You can add one module, or combine several modules in the same strategy.

Modules run in the order you arrange them. Products from the first module are shown first, followed by products from later modules. If the same product appears in more than one module, Order Editing only shows it once.

Tip: Start with one or two focused modules. A clear Collection or Single Product module often performs better than a long mixed list with no merchandising intent.

Product module types

Choosing the right module

Choose a module based on how much control you want and what data your store already has.

• Use Single Product, Group of Products, or Collection when you want direct merchandising control.
• Use Related Products or Complementary Products when Shopify Search & Discovery already has useful recommendation data.
• Use Keyword Search when you want a flexible product pool based on Shopify search syntax.
• Use Metafields when your catalog already stores product relationships.
• Use Nosto Recommendations, AthosCommerce (Searchspring), or Swish Wishlist when those integrations are part of your merchandising stack.
• Use Smart Recommendation as the default starting point for Free Shipping Upsell strategies.

Start with the product source, then choose the module

A good module choice starts with the answer to one question: where should the product recommendation come from?

Use fallback modules deliberately

Some modules depend on customer-specific data. They can be excellent when data exists, but empty when it doesn't.

Use a fallback module after customer-specific modules. A fallback should be broad, reliable, and still relevant.

Shared module settings

Offer Text

Most modules include Offer Text. This is the message customers see beside the recommended product. Keep it specific and action-focused.

You can use variables such as $productName, $productPrice, $productOffer, and $firstName. Order Editing replaces these with the real customer or product value when the offer appears.

Description

The description field is optional. Use it for supporting context, such as why the product is useful, what it pairs with, or why the offer is limited.

Recommended Quantity

Many modules let you set a recommended quantity. Customers can usually change this quantity before adding the product.

On Checkout Page and Free Shipping Upsell placements, the quantity selector only appears when Show quantity selector is enabled. On other placements, you can choose to hide the quantity selector.

Product filters

Some modules support module-level product filters. You can limit products by a maximum percentage of the cart subtotal, or by words included or excluded from the product title.

Smart Recommendation has a special Product scope setting. You can leave it blank to use all eligible products, or narrow the pool with a Shopify search query.

Module-level discounts

Some modules support a module-level discount. Use this when one product source needs a different discount from the rest of the strategy.

If you don't need a special discount, use the strategy-level discount instead. This keeps reporting and customer expectations simpler.

Hidden products and restrictions

Hidden Products settings apply after the module chooses products. If a module returns a hidden product, Order Editing skips that product.

Variant restrictions can also prevent specific variants from showing. When you select products manually, the app warns you if selected products or variants are restricted.

Note: Hidden Products controls which products can appear in upsells. Disable Upselling is different. It stops all upsells for an order when selected products are already in that order.

Page restrictions

Not every module is available on every placement. Order Editing only shows compatible modules in the module picker.

FAQ

Can I combine several modules in one strategy?

Yes. Add multiple modules when you want several product sources in one strategy. Arrange them in the order you want products to appear.

What happens if one module returns no products?

Order Editing skips that module and continues to the next module. If all modules return no products, the strategy's Product offer behavior setting decides what happens next.

Should every strategy have a fallback module?

Use a fallback module when the main module depends on customer-specific data. Recently Viewed, Swish Wishlist, Related Products, and Complementary Products can all return empty for some customers.