---
title: Manage recommendation slots
slug: oaih0265
canonical_url: https://docs.coveo.com/en/oaih0265/
collection: coveo-merchandising-hub
source_format: adoc
---
# Manage recommendation slots
Recommendation slots are specific locations within a webpage or application where personalized [product recommendations](https://docs.coveo.com/en/3132/) are shown to [visitors](https://docs.coveo.com/en/nbub9475/).
These slots are strategically placed across Coveo-powered commerce [storefronts](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p33g0410/) to enhance the visitor experience, drive engagement, and increase sales by suggesting products relevant to the visitor's preferences, context, and journey.
Merchandisers can create and manage recommendation slots using the [Recommendations manager](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p65f5021/) in the [Coveo Merchandising Hub (CMH)](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o5290573/).
> **Note**
>
> It's possible to create recommendation slots using the [Commerce API](https://docs.coveo.com/en/103#tag/Recommendations), which can be a time-saving option for users managing multiple [properties](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p4ue0547/) or [storefronts](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p33g0410/).
## Recommendation slot locations
In the Recommendations manager, recommendation slot locations (or slot types) refer to specific locations within a webpage or application where personalized recommendations are displayed.
They help the merchandiser identifying the purpose of the slot within a storefront, ensuring they're relevant and contextually appropriate.
Recommendation slots are found on:
* The **home page**: Recommendations displayed on the home page, often in a scrolling carousel format.
* A **[product listing page (PLP)](https://docs.coveo.com/en/m1sf3187/)**: Recommendations displayed alongside the list of products, helping users discover additional items that match their preferences.
* A **search page**: Personalized recommendations embedded within or alongside the search page to help users find relevant products faster.
* A **[product detail page (PDP)](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n8ad7392/)**: Recommendations appear on the page where users view detailed information about a product.
These suggestions can include related items, frequently bought together products, or alternative options.
* The **Cart** page: Recommendations that appear on the shopping cart page, often focusing on upselling or promoting complementary items to the ones already in the cart.
* The **Confirmation** page: Recommendations presented during the checkout process, encouraging last-minute additions before the purchase is finalized.
* **Other** pages: Recommendations that appear in other locations not explicitly defined in the above categories.
## Product recommendation strategies
Merchandisers can use product recommendation strategies to define the logic behind the product recommendations displayed in a recommendation slot.
Each strategy available in the Recommendations manager is designed to optimize the relevance of the recommendations for specific slot locations, they're the following:
* **Viewed together**: This strategy recommends products that are frequently viewed together with the product(s) currently being viewed by a visitor.
It's optimal for product detail pages (PDPs), cart pages, and confirmation pages.
This is a [seeded strategy](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o9ge0347/), meaning your recommendation request to the Commerce API must include one or more [seed products](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n5jg0219/).
* **Purchased together**: This strategy recommends products that are frequently purchased together with the product(s) currently being viewed by a visitor.
It's optimal for product detail pages (PDPs), cart pages, and confirmation pages.
This is a [seeded strategy](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o9ge0347/), meaning your recommendation request to the Commerce API must include one or more [seed products](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n5jg0219/).
* **Intent-aware**: This strategy recommends products based on a visitor's real-time actions and the product they're viewing.
The intent-aware strategy is based on the [Session-Based Product Recommendations (SBPR)](https://docs.coveo.com/en/m5rd0471/) ML model.
This is a [seeded strategy](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o9ge0347/), meaning your recommendation request to the Commerce API must include one or more [seed products](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n5jg0219/).
> **Important**
>
> Contact your Coveo representative to enable SBPR in your [Coveo organization](https://docs.coveo.com/en/185/).
* **Most viewed**: This strategy recommends the products that are the most frequently viewed by visitors of the storefront.
It's optimal for locations where you want to show generic recommendations, such as the home page.
This strategy is popularity-based, meaning that recommendations are generated without the need for [seed products](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n5jg0219/).
* **Most purchased**: This strategy recommends the products that are the most frequently purchased by visitors of the storefront.
It's optimal for locations where you want to show generic recommendations, such as the home page.
This strategy is popularity-based, meaning that recommendations are generated without the need for [seed products](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n5jg0219/).
* **Recently viewed**: This strategy recommends the products that have been recently viewed by visitors of the storefront.
It's optimal for locations where you want to show generic recommendations, such as the home page.
This strategy is based on a visitor's behavior, meaning that recommendations are generated without the need for [seed products](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n5jg0219/).
* **Recently purchased**: This strategy recommends the latest products that a visitor has bought, analyzing the visitor's recent purchase history to generate recommendations.
It's optimal for post-purchase areas of a site, such as order history pages or confirmation pages.
This strategy is based on a visitor's behavior, meaning that recommendations are generated without the need for [seed products](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n5jg0219/).
* **Purchased with recently purchased**: This strategy recommends products that are most frequently purchased with the latest products a visitor has bought.
It's optimal for post-purchase recommendations, such as purchase confirmation pages.
This strategy is based on a visitor's behavior, meaning that recommendations are generated without the need for [seed products](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n5jg0219/).
* **Buy again**: This strategy recommends products that a visitor has previously purchased and might want to buy again.
This strategy is based on a visitor's behavior, meaning that recommendations are generated without the need for [seed products](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n5jg0219/).
Refer to [Supported strategies by seed type](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o8880463#supported-strategies-by-seed-type) for more information.
### Product-based strategies
Product-based strategies enable merchandisers to determine how [seeded strategies](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o9ge0347/) influence the application of [product recommendation](https://docs.coveo.com/en/3132/) models.
* A _seeded_ strategy uses one or more products as a reference point to generate product recommendations.
* An _unseeded_ strategy uses other references, such as recent events or product popularity, to generate product recommendations.
A merchandiser may enable a product-based strategy by selecting the [product seed type](#product-seed-types) in the [slot creation process](#create-a-recommendation-slot).
While merchandisers don't directly control the seed products, they can influence recommendations based on the product data provided.
The following recommendations strategies are available in the Recommendations manager based on the seeded or unseeded format:
[%header,cols="2"]
|===
|Seeded strategies
|Unseeded strategies
a|* Purchased together
* Viewed together
* Intent-aware
a|* Most purchased
* Most viewed
* Recently viewed
* Recently purchased
* Purchased with recently purchased
* Buy again
|===
### Product seed types
Unseeded strategies don't require a seed product to generate recommendations, instead they use other factors, such as a visitor's history or popularity of products to recommend products, which is optimal for locations where you want to show generic recommendations, such as the home page.
Seeded strategies rely on three [seed product](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n5jg0219/) types, which influence the recommendation engine in a different way:
> **Note**
>
> When creating a recommendation slot, the slot location will impact which seed types are available.
* **Detail product**: The recommendation engine uses the products currently being viewed by the user on a product detail page (PDP) to generate recommendations.
This seed type is optimal for recommendation slots displayed on PDPs.
* **Cart product(s)**: The recommendation engine uses the product(s) currently in the user's cart to generate recommendations.
A visitor may have multiple products in their cart, which can be used as seeds to generate recommendations.
This seed type is ideal for cart-related areas, such as cart pages or overlays, regardless of where they're displayed on the site.
* **Purchased product(s)**: The recommendation engine uses the product(s) just purchased by the user to generate recommendations.
A visitor may have purchased multiple products, which can be used as seeds to generate recommendations.
This seed type is optimal for confirmation pages.
> **Important**
>
> Once a product-based strategy is selected during the recommendation slot creation process, you can't change it.
> You'll need to create a new slot to change these settings.
The system then leverages AI capabilities of Coveo to expand these seeds, identifying products with similar attributes, enhancing discoverability, and driving sales.
Refer to [Supported seed types by slot type](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o8880463#supported-seed-types-by-slot-type) for more information.
Additionally, merchandisers can apply [Conditional filtering and ranking rules](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o4nh0046#conditional-filter-and-ranking-rules) to further customize the recommendations based on the [seed products](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n5jg0219/).
### Use case examples
The following examples illustrate how product recommendation strategies can be used to enhance the visitor experience and drive sales through both seeded and unseeded strategies.
> **Important**
>
> Creating a recommendation slot in the Coveo Merchandising Hub doesn't automatically display recommendations to the visitor.
> Depending on the seed type you choose, [additional front-end development](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o8880413#recommendations-based-on-configured-strategy) is required to configure how the recommendations are displayed.
**Seeded strategy example**
Details
[discrete]
Scenario: On a Coveo-powered ecommerce site, a visitor adds a `Kayak` to their shopping cart.
[%header,cols="2"]
|===
| The merchandiser creates a slot
| The visitor sees the recommendations
a|. In the CMH Recommendations manager, a merchandiser creates a recommendation slot for the cart page.
. They enable the product-based strategies where the appropriate seed type for the slot location is pre-set to `Cart product(s)`.
. They select the `Purchased together` strategy, which leverages the `kayak` in the visitor's cart as the seed product and previews the recommended products.
. They set the display heading to `You might also be interested in these` to provide context for the recommendation slot.
. Optionally, the merchandiser might apply additional filter or ranking rules to fine-tune the recommendations by setting conditions based on product attributes.
a|. After having added a `Kayak` to their cart, the visitor reviews their cart before checkout and see a recommendation section beneath or alongside the cart summary.
. The visitor sees a list of `Paddles`, `Life jackets`, and `Waterproof bags` recommended based on the `Purchased together` strategy.
. The visitor can easily add these items to their cart by clicking the `Add to cart` button next to each product.
. The process feels seamless and personalized, enhancing the shopping experience without requiring any additional searches.
|===
Details
[discrete]
Scenario: A visitor lands on the home page of an e-commerce site and starts browsing for products.
[%header,cols="2"]
|===
| The merchandiser creates a slot
| The visitor sees the recommendations
a|. In the CMH Recommendations manager, a merchandiser creates a recommendation slot for the home page.
* By default, the product-based strategy isn't applied, as the slot location is optimal for unseeded strategies.
. They select the `Most purchased` strategy, which displays the most purchased products, by giving more importance to recent events.
. They set the display heading to `Hot items` to provide context for the recommendation slot.
. Optionally, the merchandiser might apply additional filter or ranking rules to fine-tune the recommendations by setting conditions based on product attributes.
a|. A visitor navigates to the home page of the Coveo-powered ecommerce site.
. At the bottom of the page, they see a list of products trending under the `Hot items` section based on the `Most purchased` strategy.
. The visitor selects an item from the list and adds it to their cart.
|===