You can choose complementary products for an individual Shopify product in Search & Discovery and display them through a compatible theme block. Keep these curated add-ons separate from related-product recommendations. A custom “Match With” section may use its own data, so inspect the section before assuming it reads Shopify’s recommendations.
Decide what each section should do
Complementary products are additions to the product being viewed: for example, socks and a cap alongside cycling shorts. Related products help someone compare alternatives. A heading such as “You May Also Like” does not tell you which recommendation source its theme code uses.
Configure one product first
- In Search & Discovery, open Product recommendations and add or edit recommendations for the source product.
- Select the intended complementary products and save. Configure related products separately if needed.
- In a theme preview, open the source product’s assigned template and add or enable the compatible complementary-products block.
- Check the public-facing result, including mobile presentation and what happens when an add-on is selected. Do not judge success only from the admin selection.
Shopify supports up to ten selections in each complementary/related list, but the theme can display fewer. Its setting, layout and eligibility filters still affect what appears.
A merchandising worksheet
This is an illustrative brief rather than a tested client case. For “Trail Shorts,” choose a cap and socks as complementary products; retain other shorts in the related-products section. For “Rain Jacket,” choose a compatible care product; keep alternative jackets as related items.
Record source product, exact add-ons, display order, section heading, recommendation source, mobile layout and out-of-stock behaviour. That gives a developer a concrete request if the theme cannot express the intended distinction.
If a selected product does not appear
Check the destination product’s eligibility, publication, stock and price, plus whether it is already in the cart. Complementary products require stock above zero; allowing backorders does not make an empty-stock item eligible for that complementary list. Then check the theme’s display limit and whether you are previewing the correct product template.
If Search & Discovery is configured but “Match With” remains unchanged, identify whether the section reads native recommendations, app data or a custom product-reference metafield. Rebuilding the whole product page is not the default fix. A configuration change or a small section connection may be enough.
Describe the required result
For product-page configuration or custom sections, send the source URL, chosen add-ons, theme name and screenshots of the two sections you want to keep separate. Include whether selection order and out-of-stock hiding matter. If a product itself cannot be purchased, investigate stock availability before adjusting recommendations.
Source: Shopify recommendation setup, eligibility and theme requirements.