How to Display Frequently Bought Together Products in WooCommerce

| March 13, 2025 | affoweb
How to Display Frequently Bought Together Products in WooCommerce

Introduction

Success in e-commerce is not just about bringing in customers but also about converting each visitor into a sale. One of the best methods to increase your WooCommerce store’s revenue is by showing Frequently Bought Together (FBT) products. This tactic nudges customers to buy more complementary products, which raises the average order value (AOV) and improves user experience.

In WooCommerce, showing related products purchased more often can increase sales through cross-selling and upselling methods. Customers purchase complementary products more often when they see appropriate suggestions. This method is followed by online giants such as Amazon, and hence it’s a tested way to enhance customer happiness and conversion.

Using frequently purchased together product suggestions also minimizes the effort customers must exert in making decisions. If a customer notices an intuitive list of products that tend to be purchased together, it makes their buying decision easier, leading to a better shopping experience. This practice serves customers as well as businesses by maximizing profits through best-bundling and targeted selling methods.

Additionally, strategies like How to Convert Your WooCommerce Customers into Brand Affiliates can further enhance customer retention and brand loyalty. This tutorial will discuss all that you should know about showing bought together products most often purchased in WooCommerce, from the advantages to the main features and step-by-step application using plugins and coding. Whether you are a newcomer or a seasoned WooCommerce store owner, applying this feature can result in significant growth for your business.

Characteristics of Frequently Bought Together Products in WooCommerce

Displaying frequently bought together products effectively requires certain key characteristics to enhance customer engagement and drive sales. These include:

  • Relevance – The recommended products should be directly related to the main product, such as accessories, bundles, or complementary items.
  • Dynamic Recommendations – The system should dynamically suggest frequently bought together items based on customer purchase behavior.
  • Customizability – Store owners should be able to manually add or adjust frequently bought together products.
  • Seamless Integration – The feature should blend naturally within the product page design without disrupting user experience.
  • Easy Add-to-Cart Options – Customers should be able to add all suggested products with a single click.
  • Discount or Bundle Offers – Offering special discounts for bundled purchases encourages customers to buy multiple items at once.
  • Responsive Design – The feature should work well across all devices, including mobile, tablet, and desktop.
  • Performance Tracking – Store owners should be able to analyze how frequently bought together recommendations influence conversions and sales trends.

Importance of Displaying Frequently Bought Together Products

Implementing frequently bought together product recommendations in WooCommerce is crucial for several reasons:

1. Increases Average Order Value (AOV)

  • Motivates customers to buy complementary products, increasing overall sales.
  • Helps generate more revenue from each sale.
  • By showcasing related products that complement the main item, businesses can encourage customers to spend more per transaction.

2. Enhances Customer Experience

  • Provides helpful product recommendations based on what other buyers have purchased.
  • Saves customers time by showing relevant add-ons and accessories.
  • Helps customers make informed buying decisions by showing products that are often used together.

3. Boosts Sales Through Cross-Selling

  • Encourages customers to buy related products, increasing overall sales.
  • Creates opportunities to showcase complementary items.
  • Allows businesses to sell slow-moving stock by strategically pairing them with best-sellers.

4. Reduces Cart Abandonment Rate

  • Offering discounts on bundled products can encourage customers to complete their purchases.
  • Helps prevent decision fatigue by simplifying the buying process.
  • Increases the likelihood of conversion by presenting additional value to the customer.

5. Improves Customer Satisfaction

  • Providing relevant recommendations makes the shopping experience smoother.
  • Helps customers discover useful products they may have overlooked.
  • Builds trust by demonstrating an understanding of customer needs and preferences.

6. Leverages Customer Data for Better Marketing

  • Analyzing frequently bought together products helps in understanding customer preferences.
  • Can be used to personalize marketing campaigns and email recommendations.
  • Helps in segmenting customers based on their purchasing behavior.

Advantages of Using Frequently Bought Together Products

1. Higher Conversion Rates

  • Showing customers relevant product suggestions increases the likelihood of additional purchases.
  • Reduces browsing time, leading to quicker decision-making and checkout processes.

2. Increased Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

  • Encouraging repeat purchases through better recommendations improves long-term revenue.
  • Strengthens customer loyalty by providing a personalized shopping experience.

3. Maximizes Profit Margins

  • By promoting higher-margin products as frequently bought together, businesses can improve profitability.
  • Helps move inventory faster by strategically pairing slow-selling items with popular ones.

4. Competitive Edge

  • Stores using effective upselling and cross-selling techniques stand out in the competitive e-commerce space.
  • Allows smaller businesses to compete with larger e-commerce stores by adopting similar sales strategies.

5. Personalized Shopping Experience

  • Machine-learning-based recommendations create a personalized shopping experience, increasing customer engagement.
  • Improves user satisfaction by catering to individual shopping habits and preferences.

6. Works for Any Industry

  • Whether selling electronics, fashion, groceries, or digital products, this feature can be adapted for all WooCommerce stores.
  • Customizable for different business models, including B2B and B2C e-commerce setups.

How to Display Frequently Bought Together Products in WooCommerce

Method 1: Using WooCommerce Plugins

The easiest way to display frequently bought together products in WooCommerce is by using plugins. Some top plugins to enhance functionality include:

1. YITH WooCommerce Frequently Bought Together

  • Allows you to customize product recommendations manually or automatically.
  • Enables discounts on bundled products.
  • Provides a seamless shopping experience with an add-to-cart button.

2. WPC Frequently Bought Together for WooCommerce

  • Auto-suggests products based on past customer purchases.
  • Includes customization options for layout and product display.
  • Supports bundle discounts and upselling.

3. WooCommerce Frequently Bought Together by Premmerce

  • Provides AI-based product recommendations.
  • Allows you to set discounts and bundle offers.
  • Mobile-friendly and easy to use.

Method 2: Manually Adding Related Products

If you don’t want to use a plugin, you can manually set frequently bought together products within WooCommerce:

  1. Go to WooCommerce Dashboard → Navigate to Products → Edit a Product.
  2. Scroll down to Linked Products.
  3. Add Upsells and Cross-sells manually.
  4. Save changes, and the related products will now appear on the product page.

Method 3: Using Custom Code

For developers or store owners who prefer custom solutions, you can add frequently bought together products using WooCommerce hooks and filters.

  1. Open your theme’s functions.php file.
  2. Add the following code snippet to display frequently bought together products:
add_action( 'woocommerce_after_single_product_summary', 'custom_fbt_products', 15 );
function custom_fbt_products() {
    global $product;
    $related_ids = wc_get_related_products( $product->get_id(), 3 );
    if ( $related_ids ) {
        echo '<h3>Frequently Bought Together</h3><ul class="products">';
        foreach ( $related_ids as $related_id ) {
            $post_object = get_post( $related_id );
            setup_postdata( $GLOBALS['post'] =& $post_object );
            wc_get_template_part( 'content', 'product' );
        }
        echo '</ul>';
        wp_reset_postdata();
    }
}

3. Save the file and check your WooCommerce product pages to see the new section.

How Frequently Bought Together (FBT) products are beneficial 

Displaying Frequently Bought Together (FBT) products in WooCommerce is highly beneficial for both store owners and customers. Here’s how it helps:

For Store Owners:

  1. Increases Sales & Revenue – Encourages customers to buy more by showcasing related or complementary products.
  2. Boosts Average Order Value (AOV) – Customers are more likely to purchase multiple items, increasing the total cart value.
  3. Enhances Cross-Selling & Upselling – Helps promote accessories, add-ons, or premium alternatives.
  4. Reduces Cart Abandonment – Bundled discounts or product suggestions create a stronger purchase intent.
  5. Improves Conversion Rates – Personalized recommendations make customers more likely to buy additional products.
  6. Provides Customer Insights – Helps analyze purchasing patterns and refine marketing strategies.

For Customers:

  1. Saves Time – Customers don’t have to search for complementary products manually.
  2. Enhances Shopping Experience – Makes purchasing decisions easier by showing relevant products.
  3. Encourages Smart Purchases – Recommends useful add-ons or accessories they might need.
  4. Helps Save Money – Bundled offers and discounts encourage cost-effective buying.

By integrating frequently bought together products, WooCommerce stores can increase profitability, improve user experience, and build customer loyalty effortlessly

Conclusion

Showing related products that are often purchased together in WooCommerce is an effective way to boost sales, enhance customer satisfaction, and maximize conversion rates. Regardless of whether you utilize plugins, manual configuration, or custom code, the application of this feature can dramatically influence your store’s performance.

By displaying pertinent product suggestions, you not only increase revenue but also provide a streamlined and personalized shopping experience for your users. This functionality allows WooCommerce store owners to drive their marketing efforts to the fullest, enhance inventory management, and maximize product visibility. Also, with the help of advanced analytics, companies can monitor what works best among combinations and adapt accordingly.

For better site functionality, consider checking out Exploring the Latest WordPress Themes Released and How Businesses Succeed with WordPress. Additionally, if you’re looking to implement advanced features like subscription-based shopping, Creating Membership Sites with WordPress can be an excellent resource. To track and analyze your WooCommerce store’s performance, you can refer to A Beginner’s Guide to Installing Google Analytics on WordPress.