Buyers of modern online retail businesses face an excessive number of choices, and it is causing decision fatigue — a condition that occurs when individuals are exposed to too many options. If overlooked, this can impact a company’s conversion capability eCommerce Sales. Most shoppers seek assistance from brands to help them select a product. They also expect this guidance to be personalized.
Businesses can meet this customer expectation by using a product recommendation engine ecommerce. These systems ensure that prospective buyers see products aligned with their interests from the moment they enter the purchasing journey until they leave. Recommendation engines present relevant items to users based on previous buying behavior or browsing habits. They depend on machine learning and AI to provide precise suggestions. A carefully selected recommendation can convert casual browsers into paying customers while raising the average order value.
eCommerce Product Recommendations Engine: Understanding Working and Benefits
A sophisticated product recommendation engine ecommerce generates curated product selections for each individual user based on their online activity and preferences. This engine can be connected with various e-commerce platforms to gather data needed to understand shopper behavior.
They collect first-party data (from both the current visitor and the wider customer base). This data includes the shopper’s interests, how they engage with the website, and what similar users prefer. Then, they predict what is most likely to appeal to each shopper next.
An ecommerce product recommendation engine typically delivers results using three forms of data filtering.
- Content-based filtering
- Collaborative filtering
- Hybrid filtering
A product suggestion engine is used to:
- Increase user engagement by displaying relevant products.
- Improve conversion rates by recommending items shoppers are more likely to purchase.
- Enhance customer journey by delivering a personalized shopping experience.
- Grow AOV through cross-selling and upselling methods.
Best Ways to Drive Sales Using a Product Recommendation Engine eCommerce
Customers can receive relevant suggestions through an ecommerce product recommendations engine in various ways. But carefully selecting the right placement for these suggestions is essential to ensure the success of personalized recommendations. They can be displayed across the buyer journey, as onsite and offsite recommendations to enhance the shopping experience and increase revenue.
Suggestions in onsite channels, such as a website or app, provide immediate product cues that support decision-making. Offsite suggestions through emails, push notifications, SMS, and WhatsApp reconnect with customers when they are not actively browsing.
Here are some effective ways to deliver product recommendations at different stages of the customer journey:
- Home Page and Product Page
A website’s home page can draw initial interest by highlighting new products and best sellers. When businesses provide tailored recommendations based on a customer’s interests, they have the potential to greatly enhance the effectiveness of their product recommendation engine ecommerce. Product pages can include information sections such as “Frequently purchased with this item,” which can lead to an increase in total purchases.
- Cart Page
Another important place to highlight recommendations of items that are typically purchased together is on the cart page, which can encourage customers to add to their purchase. These recommendations may be regularly sent to customers via email or push notifications, reminding customers of previous and/or complementary products. Businesses should strategically select these products to move the customer forward in their purchasing process and to enhance their overall experience and encourage repeat purchases.
- Pop-ups
Pop-ups capture attention and drive additional purchases by recommending related items. For example, when a shopper adds a product to the cart, a pop-up can display similar items to complete the purchase. This approach can reduce cart abandonment and raise average order value.
- Product Sliders
Product sliders actively showcase a range of items, supporting product discovery and maintaining user interest. Sliders can appear on product pages, home pages, category pages, and during checkout, helping users find what they need and improving the likelihood of additional purchases.
- Add-on Packages
Companies can offer suggestions as add-on packages through a ecommerce product recommendations engine, helping increase average order value (AOV) and customer satisfaction. By building on existing intent, these bundles allow shoppers to find everything in one place.
- In-app Suggestions
A product recommendation engine ecommerce can deliver personalized product suggestions directly within a mobile app, improving the overall experience and encouraging additional purchases. By monitoring in-app behavior such as browsing patterns and actions, these suggestions help users discover relevant products easily. In-app suggestions can appear in multiple areas of the app, including the home screen, product pages, and checkout section.
- Emails and Push Alerts
Businesses can frequently encourage customers to re-engage through their email and push notification channels via product recommendations customized to the customer’s historical activity on the site. Emails may also be sent containing detailed product information, including pricing, images, and highly customized calls to action.
Web push notifications reach users without requiring an app, function on both mobile and desktop, and can even target unknown visitors. They are triggered by actions such as cart abandonment, prompting users to return and complete their purchase.
- Text Messages
Connecting with customers on preferred channels like SMS and other messaging platforms using personalized product suggestions improves off-site engagement. An ecommerce product recommendations engine can insert sender and recipient names, relevant CTAs, and links into SMS messages. These messages reach both Android and iOS users, offering a broad reach and strong open rates.
Bottom Line
A product recommendation engine ecommerce plays a vital role in today’s online retail environment. New customers who receive accurate product suggestions can shop with confidence, while returning buyers remain engaged through personalized recommendations. Suggestions such as thoughtfully created bundles can motivate shoppers to spend more, increasing revenue for businesses.
These engines enable brands to improve how they interact with customers by converting raw user data into actionable insights. Companies can deliver a truly personalized experience that strengthens customer loyalty and satisfaction. Businesses can invest in robust recommendation engine solutions to gain these benefits, remain competitive, deepen customer relationships, and support sustained long-term growth.
