How Widget settings influence behaviour
How limits, layout and configuration shape the final recommendations
Overview
Widget settings control how recommendations look and behave on your storefront. While the engine decides which products to show, the widget settings decide how those products are presented. These settings influence layout, product counts, display style and how the widget adapts to different pages and devices.
This article explains each setting in simple terms and shows how they shape the final experience for shoppers.
Minimum and maximum product limits
Every widget has a minimum and maximum number of products it can display. These limits help keep the layout balanced and prevent empty or overcrowded blocks.
Minimum limits ensure the widget always feels complete.
Maximum limits prevent the block from becoming too long or overwhelming.
Limits control how many products the widget can show.
Display type
Display type controls how the widget appears on the page. This includes layouts such as grids or carousels. The display type affects how shoppers browse the recommendations but does not change which products are selected.
Grids work well for structured layouts.
Carousels work well when space is limited.
Display type controls layout, not product relevance.
Widget title and labels
Titles and labels help shoppers understand what the widget is showing. Clear titles set expectations and improve engagement.
Examples include:
- You may also like
- Recommended for you
- Trending now
A good title helps the widget feel purposeful.
Titles help shoppers understand the purpose of the widget.
Strategy selection
The strategy tells the engine what type of recommendations to prioritise. The widget setting determines which strategy is used, and the engine adapts the results accordingly.
Changing the strategy changes the behaviour of the widget without changing its placement or layout.
Strategy selection shapes the logic behind the recommendations.
Page type
The page type tells the engine where the widget will appear. This helps the engine understand shopper intent and choose the right type of relevance.
Examples:
- homepage
- product page
- collection page
- cart page
The same widget can behave differently depending on the page type.
Page type helps the engine understand shopper intent.
Device responsiveness
Widgets automatically adapt to different screen sizes. This ensures that recommendations remain easy to browse on desktop, tablet and mobile.
Responsive behaviour includes:
- adjusting product counts
- resizing images
- adapting spacing
- switching layout styles
This keeps the widget consistent across devices.
Widgets automatically adjust to different screen sizes.
Fallback behaviour
Fallback behaviour determines what happens when the widget cannot fill itself with eligible products. This setting ensures the widget never appears empty.
Fallback may use:
- broader product relationships
- general popularity signals
- store wide trends
Fallback never overrides exclusions or pinned items.
Fallback fills gaps when the eligible pool is too small.
How settings influence ranking
Widget settings do not change how the engine ranks products, but they influence how many ranked products can appear and how they are displayed.
For example:
- a higher maximum limit shows more ranked items
- a grid layout may show more items at once
- a carousel may highlight the top ranked items first
Settings shape presentation, not ranking logic.
Settings influence presentation, not ranking.
How settings support long term personalisation
Widget settings help you maintain a consistent, personalised experience across your store. Once configured, the engine continues to update the recommendations inside the widget as shopper behaviour evolves.
Settings support long term personalisation by:
- keeping layouts consistent
- supporting different strategies
- adapting to new and returning shoppers
- aligning with your merchandising goals
They provide stability while the engine provides intelligence.
Settings keep the widget stable while the engine keeps it smart.
