# How to Use Related Product Recommendations > Show a useful next choice beside the product the buyer is viewing. Show an alternative when the item is not quite right, or a complementary item that works with it. Keep the suggestions accurate, available, and separate from the main buying choice. - Type: Merchant guide - Level: Intermediate - Reading time: About 4 minutes - Audience: Written for store owners, builders, and designers refining high-performance ecommerce stores. - Last updated: 2026-11-04 - Canonical page: https://academy.getzenbasket.com/merchant-questions/how-to-use-related-product-recommendations/ - Part of: [Merchant Questions](https://academy.getzenbasket.com/merchant-questions/) on ZenBasket Academy --- ## What you need to know ### Related products or recommended products? “Related” can mean another option or another similar product. “Recommended” may mean that you picked it or your store selected it automatically. The buyer mainly cares whether the connection makes sense. You can handpick a gift box for a product page. If software selects items automatically, check that it does not recommend an unrelated or sold-out product. ### What is cross-selling? Cross-selling means offering an extra item that goes with the one the buyer is considering. For example, suggest a care kit or accessory to someone looking at a product. The kit should actually be useful for that product, with its own price and details. ### What is upselling? Upselling means offering another version, such as a larger size, that might suit the buyer better. You can show a larger size alongside the small one, explaining the size difference. Do not claim the larger version is better for everyone. ### When should you show each kind? An alternative can help while the buyer is still deciding. A complementary item may be more useful after they have chosen the main product or added it to the cart. Test whether suggestions interrupt the product choice. The product’s name, price, size and Add to Cart control should remain clear. ### How many recommendations should appear? Start with a few different suggestions and watch whether buyers use them. Filling the page with near-identical products can bury the product they came to see. Manual suggestions give you more control; automated ones can change with the catalog. Either way, review relevance, availability, and labels. --- ## Frequently asked questions ### Is an alternative the same as a cross-sell? No. Another lavender candle is an alternative to the current one. A care kit that works with the chosen candle is a cross-sell. ### Should recommendations always be personalized? No. A well-chosen item based on product use can help without using personal data. Explain any personalization clearly when it affects the experience. ## Related articles - **What Makes a Good Ecommerce Product Page?** - **Product Bundles vs Kits** - **How to Merchandise Products Online** - [ZenBasket Build Guide](https://help.getzenbasket.com/zenbasket-builder/)