How to Effectively Use Product Recommendations

Content Manager

Product recommendations are essential to the overall shopping experience. Consumers want merchandise selected based on their own shopping habits. Customers can find product recommendations in an email marketing campaign or on the product page of the website, among other places.

[Related:Recommendations, Ratings and Reviews]

Chris Smith, vice president of ecommerce catalog and interactive at apparel retailer Jockey International, said product recommendations are primarily used off the product page and in triggered email campaigns for the shopping cart, browse and search abandons.

Smith said product recommendations are combined with personalization through its triggered campaigns; the company is in the midst of driving personalization throughout the entire experience. Smith said product recommendations have increased the customer’s time on site through certain segments.

“For example, a ‘shopper’ who does not quite know what they are looking for will have longer sessions due to both recommendations and reviews,” said Smith. “A ‘laser’ or replenishment buyer is getting a streamlined, reduced-friction path.”

Ian MacDonald, director of ecommerce at Silver Star Brands, said that in addition to displaying product recommendations on the product detail page, his multi-title company also displays them on almost every page on its websites.

“Off the product page, we display recommendations in emails and in our retargeting banner ads,” said MacDonald.