Setting up the Checkout Upsell

Suggest products at checkout with an optional progress bar — push AOV with cart value, item count, or free shipping thresholds

May 7, 2026

The Checkout Upsell

The Checkout Upsell suggests products to shoppers at checkout, usually with a progress bar that nudges them to spend more (e.g. "Spend $20 more to get free shipping!"). Use it to drive AOV, push specific products, or hit a free shipping threshold.

Step 1: Create a new Checkout Upsell

Go to Convert > Extensions in the left sidebar. Click the purple Add Extension button in the top-right and select Upsell from the dropdown.

Step 2: Fill in the general settings

• Internal Name — for your reference (e.g. "Free Shipping Upsell"). Customers don't see it.
• Component Placement — pick Standalone (its own block) or Inside Shipping Method (embedded in a specific shipping option).

Step 3: Choose your threshold type

Under Minimum Threshold Type:

• Cart Value — progress based on cart total (e.g. spend $100 to unlock free shipping).
• Item Count — progress based on number of items in cart (e.g. add 2 items to unlock a gift). Turn on Only count items added via this upsell if you only want items added through the widget to count.
• No Threshold — no progress bar. Shows products under a heading like "You might also like."

Step 4: Set up your goals (Cart Value or Item Count only)

Click the Goals tab. This is where you tell the upsell what shoppers are working toward.

Appearance — how the bar displays with multiple goals:

• Sequential — one bar at a time, switching after each goal is reached.
• Inline — all goals shown as small segments side by side.
• Single Bar — one bar with icons for each goal. Toggle Show Previous Goals As Pills to display badges for goals already unlocked.

Setting up a goal:

1. Click + Add Threshold inside Goal 1.
2. Pick the country. For the US, click the checkbox twice to select all 62 states and territories.
3. Enter the threshold amount (e.g. 100 for $100, 2 for 2 items) and pick the currency.
4. Choose an Offer Type — Free Shipping, Coupon, or Product.
5. Edit Display Text When Goal Is Not Met — what the bar says while shoppers work toward it. Keep {amount-left} in the text so it updates dynamically (e.g. "Spend {amount-left} more, get Free Shipping!").
6. Edit Display Text When Goal Is Met — shown once the goal is reached (e.g. "You might also like").

For multiple goals, click + Add Goal. Each goal must have a higher threshold than the one before it.

Step 5: Choose which products to show

Click the Product Selection tab.

Audience targeting:

• Any Products — show the same products to every shopper. Right for most setups.
• Smart Selection — show different products to different shoppers based on cart contents, customer order history, or cart value. Add multiple rule groups, each with its own product set.

Selection method:

• Automatic — Shopify's Search & Discovery app picks products based on shopper behavior.
• Manual — hand-pick products. Click Add products and search by name or SKU. Only active (published) products can be added.
• Smart — products are pulled dynamically by rule (same product tag, same collection, same SKU prefix).

Important toggles:

• In-Stock Products Only — on by default. Keep it on so you don't surface unavailable items.
• Hide Products Already In Cart — on by default. Keeps the upsell relevant.
• Max items to display — around 10 is a good default.
• If no items available — set to Hide Section so the upsell disappears cleanly when nothing matches.

Display style:

• Carousel — horizontal scrollable row of product cards.
• List — vertical list.
• Compact — one product at a time, minimal.
• Don't Display — only the progress bar, no products.

Step 6: Add a countdown timer (optional)

Click the Timer tab and toggle Enable Countdown Timer on.

• Timer Duration — e.g. 5 minutes.
• Time Format — Digital (01:30) or Compact (1m 30s).
• Placement — Inline Bar (message banner below the progress bar — edit the text in Messages, include {countdown}), Badge (small countdown near the threshold bar), or In Goal Message (timer appears inside the goal text — add {countdown} directly into your goal message on the Goals tab).
• Expiration — Show Expired Message (keeps the upsell visible) or Hide Upsell (removes it).

Step 7: Set display conditions (optional)

Click the Display Conditions tab. To restrict the upsell to specific shoppers, products, or cart scenarios, click + Add Rule Group and set your conditions. Leave it empty to show to everyone.

Step 8: Save and connect to Shopify

Click Save in the top-right. Go back to the Settings tab — at the top you'll see the Token for Shopify section. Click the clipboard icon to copy your token.

In Shopify:

1. Go to Settings > Checkout and click into the checkout you want to use.
2. Click Add block and place the PDQ Upsell block where you want it in the checkout flow.
3. With the block selected, paste your token into the Upsell Token field.
4. Click Save in Shopify.

Use Preview In Shopify from inside PDQ to see exactly how it'll look before customers do.

Tips

• For multi-goal Single Bar, sort thresholds tightest-to-widest. Shoppers respond to "almost there" — the first goal should feel reachable.
• The {amount-left} placeholder is non-negotiable in the not-met message. Without it, the bar's a static line, not a motivator.
• For Smart Selection, build the rule groups around real shopper segments you've already validated (e.g. cart value bands you've seen convert).
• "Don't Display" for product style is a real option. Sometimes the progress bar alone — with no clutter — converts highest.
• Make sure you have a delivery method that's only available above a certain cart size, otherwise the widget can't suggest products to push shoppers above the threshold.

Happy upselling! 🙂 Reach out to support@prettydamnquick.com if you need help.