Product bundles are a simple way for Shopify merchants to encourage customers to purchase multiple products together. Instead of asking shoppers to search for complementary products themselves, a bundle can present relevant items in one place.
For example, a store selling cameras could create a bundle containing a camera, memory card, and camera bag. A customer can see the recommended products together and decide whether to purchase them as a group.
In this guide, we'll explain how to create your first manual product bundle on Shopify, how to choose the right products, and how to use bundle apps to make the process easier.
What Is a Manual Product Bundle?
A manual product bundle is a group of products that a merchant selects specifically to be recommended together.
Unlike automated recommendations, the merchant decides exactly which products should appear in the bundle.
For example:
- Main Product: Running Shoes
- Bundle Products:
- Running Socks
- Sports Bottle
- Running Cap
The merchant manually selects these products because they complement the main product.
Manual bundles are particularly useful when you already know which products customers are likely to purchase together.
Step 1: Choose Your Main Product
The first step is to select the product around which you want to build your bundle.
It's usually a good idea to start with:
- Best-selling products
- Products with high traffic
- Popular products
- Products with natural accessories
- Products that customers commonly purchase with other items For example, if you sell electronics, you could start with a popular laptop.
Main Product: Laptop
Then think about what the customer may need after purchasing it.
Possible complementary products could include:
- Wireless mouse
- Laptop bag
- Keyboard
- USB hub The goal is to identify products that add value to the original purchase.
Step 2: Find Complementary Products
The next step is to choose products that naturally work with your main product.
Ask yourself:
"What would a customer reasonably need or want after buying this product?"
For example:
Smartphone
→ Phone case
→ Screen protector
→ Charger
Camera
→ Memory card
→ Camera bag
→ Tripod
Dress
→ Handbag
→ Jewelry
→ Shoes
Coffee Machine
→ Coffee beans
→ Milk frother
→ Cleaning kit
The stronger the relationship between the products, the more useful the bundle is likely to be.
Step 3: Decide How Many Products to Include
You don't necessarily need a large number of products in every bundle.
A simple bundle might contain:
1 main product + 2–4 complementary products
For example:
- Running Shoes
- Running Socks
- Sports Bottle
- Running Cap Too many products can make the offer difficult to understand. Start small and test which combinations perform best.
Step 4: Choose a Bundle Discount
A discount isn't mandatory, but it can give customers an additional reason to purchase multiple products.
Common bundle incentives include:
- 5% off
- 10% off
- Fixed amount discount
- Free shipping
- Free product
For example:
- Running Shoes: $80
- Running Socks: $15
- Sports Bottle: $20
- Individual total:$115
- Bundle price:$105
The customer saves $10 while the store increases the potential order value.
The discount should be large enough to be attractive but still make financial sense for the business.
Step 5: Add the Bundle to Your Shopify Store
Shopify merchants can use dedicated bundle and product recommendation apps to create manual product bundles.
One option is Frequently Bought Together IA, which allows merchants to manually select products for frequently bought together bundles and recommendations.
A typical workflow is:
- Select the main product.
- Choose the products that should be recommended with it.
- Set the bundle offer or discount.
- Customize how the recommendation appears.
- Save the bundle.
- Preview it on the storefront. The exact interface can vary depending on the app and Shopify theme.
Step 6: Customize the Bundle Message
The wording around your bundle can influence whether customers notice it.
Instead of simply writing:
Recommended Products
you can use more descriptive messaging such as:
- Frequently Bought Together
- Complete Your Setup
- Customers Also Bought
- Complete the Look
- Build Your Bundle
- Add These Essentials
- Save When You Buy Together
The best wording depends on your product category and brand style.
Step 7: Make Sure the Products Are Relevant
Before publishing the bundle, check it from the customer's perspective.
Ask:
Does this product genuinely complement the main product?
For example:
Laptop → Laptop Bag
makes sense.
But:
Laptop → Kitchen Organizer
doesn't.
A manual bundle gives you control, so use that control to prioritize relevance rather than simply promoting products with high margins.
Step 8: Test the Bundle on Your Storefront
Before sending customers to the product page, test the bundle yourself.
Check:
- Does the bundle appear correctly?
- Are all products displayed?
- Are prices correct?
- Does the discount calculate correctly?
- Can customers add the products to their cart?
- Does the bundle work properly on mobile?
- Does the design match your Shopify theme?
Testing is particularly important when using a third-party bundle app because theme settings and app widgets can interact differently across stores.
Step 9: Track Performance
Creating a bundle is only the beginning.
Once it is live, monitor how customers interact with it.
Useful metrics include:
- Bundle views
- Recommendation clicks
- Add-to-cart rate
- Bundle conversion rate
- Average order value
- Revenue from bundled products For example, if customers frequently view your bundle but rarely add the recommended products, you may need to change the product combination, offer, placement, or messaging.
Manual Bundles vs. Automated Recommendations
Manual bundles and automated recommendations serve different purposes.
Manual bundles give merchants complete control over which products are displayed.
Automated recommendations use predefined algorithms or product data to determine which products may be relevant.
Manual bundles are particularly useful when you already know that certain products work well together.
For example:
Camera → Memory Card → Camera Bag
You don't need an algorithm to determine that these products have a natural relationship.
For large catalogs, merchants can also combine manual bundles with global or automated recommendations to cover products that don't have specific bundle rules.
Final Thoughts
Creating a manual product bundle on Shopify doesn't have to be complicated.
Start with one popular product, identify two or three complementary products, decide whether a bundle discount makes sense, and display the offer prominently on the product page.
The biggest advantage of manual bundles is control. You decide exactly which products customers see together, making it possible to create highly relevant combinations based on your products and customer behavior.
For merchants who want to simplify the process, Frequently Bought Together IA provides tools for creating manual bundles as well as cross-sells, upsells, global recommendations, product filtering, and bundle discounts.
A well-planned bundle doesn't just encourage customers to buy more. It can also help customers discover products that make their original purchase more useful.
Top comments (0)