How to Add Shopify Recently Viewed Products to Boost Repeat Purchases

When customers browse an online store, they often view multiple products before making a purchase decision. However, many shoppers leave a product page and struggle to find the same item again, leading to frustration and missed sales opportunities. This is where Shopify recently viewed products can make a significant difference. By displaying items that customers have previously explored, you can create a smoother shopping experience, improve product discovery, and encourage visitors to return to products they were interested in.

This simple yet powerful feature helps increase customer engagement, boost repeat purchases, and improve conversion rates. In this guide, you'll learn how to add Shopify recently viewed products and optimize them for maximum results.

What Are Shopify Recently Viewed Products and How Do They Work?

Shopify recently viewed products are a personalized product recommendation feature that displays items a customer has previously browsed while visiting your online store. These products are typically shown on product pages, collection pages, the shopping cart page, or even the homepage, allowing shoppers to quickly revisit products they have already explored. This feature helps eliminate the need for customers to manually search for items they viewed earlier, creating a more convenient and seamless shopping experience.

The recently viewed products feature works by tracking a visitor's browsing activity through browser cookies, local storage, or app-based tracking systems. Whenever a customer opens a product page, the product information is automatically recorded. As the customer continues browsing, the list is updated to include the latest products viewed. When they return to another page, Shopify displays these previously viewed items in a dedicated section, making it easy for shoppers to continue their buying journey.

Many Shopify themes include basic support for recently viewed products, while dedicated Shopify apps provide advanced customization options, analytics, and personalized recommendations. By reminding customers of products they have already shown interest in, this feature increases the likelihood of repeat visits, product reconsideration, and completed purchases.

Benefits of Adding Recently Viewed Products to Shopify

Here are some of the key benefits of adding recently viewed products to your Shopify store.

1. Improves Customer Shopping Experience: Recently viewed products help shoppers quickly return to items they explored earlier, reducing navigation effort and creating a smoother, more convenient, and user-friendly shopping experience.
2. Increases Product Engagement: Displaying previously viewed products reminds customers of items they liked, encouraging them to revisit product pages and spend more time interacting with your store.
3. Boosts Conversion Rates: Customers can easily find products they were considering, reducing purchase hesitation and increasing the likelihood of completing a transaction.
4. Reduces Product Search Time: Instead of searching through collections again, shoppers can instantly access products they recently viewed, making the buying process faster and easier.
5. Increases Average Order Value: Customers often reconsider multiple viewed products, leading to additional purchases and helping merchants generate higher revenue per order.
6. Creates a Personalized Experience: Recently viewed products are tailored to each shopper's browsing behavior, making recommendations more relevant and improving overall customer satisfaction.
7. Encourages Repeat Purchases: By making favorite products easy to rediscover, recently  viewed sections keep customers engaged and increase the chances of future purchases.

By leveraging these benefits, Shopify merchants can create a more personalized and convenient shopping journey that keeps customers engaged, improves conversions, and drives long-term business growth.

Methods to Add Recently Viewed Products in Shopify

There are two primary ways to add recently viewed products to Shopify. The first method involves using a Shopify theme that already includes this functionality, while the second method uses a dedicated Shopify app. Both approaches are effective, and the best option depends on your store's design requirements, budget, and customization needs.

Method 1: Using Shopify Theme Features

One of the easiest ways to add recently viewed products to your Shopify store is by choosing a premium Shopify theme that includes this feature by default. Today, there are hundreds of premium Shopify themes available on the Shopify Theme Store, and many of them come with built-in sections designed to improve user engagement and conversions. Recently viewed products are among the most popular built-in features offered by modern Shopify themes.

The biggest advantage of using a theme with a built-in recently viewed products section is that you don't need to install any additional apps or modify your store's code. The feature is already integrated into the theme and designed to match the overall appearance of your website. This results in a seamless user experience while keeping your store lightweight and fast-loading.

Many premium themes display recently viewed products on the single product page, allowing customers to easily revisit products they explored earlier. Some themes also support displaying these products on the homepage, giving returning visitors quick access to their browsing history immediately after landing on your website.

Vowel Web offers premium Shopify themes that include this functionality by default. Popular options include the Flaunt Fashion Shopify Theme and the Renovate Furniture Shopify Theme. These themes are professionally designed, mobile responsive, and optimized for modern eCommerce stores. Since the recently viewed products feature is already built into the theme, merchants can start using it immediately after setting up the store.

Benefits of Using Theme-Based Recently Viewed Products

• No third-party app installation required.
• Faster website performance.
• Seamless integration with theme design.
• Mobile-responsive layouts.
• No additional monthly subscription fees.
• Easier store management.
• Consistent customer experience.

Flaunt Fashion Shopify Theme

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The Flaunt clothing Shopify Theme is designed specifically for fashion, apparel, accessories, and lifestyle brands. The theme includes a built-in recently viewed products section on product pages, allowing shoppers to revisit products they previously explored without leaving the current page. This helps fashion shoppers compare products more effectively and increases engagement throughout the buying process.

The theme's modern design, advanced filtering options, quick-view functionality, and integrated recently viewed products section work together to create a personalized shopping experience. Since fashion customers often browse multiple products before making a purchase, this feature can significantly improve conversions.

Renovate Furniture Shopify Theme

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The Renovate Shopify Theme is designed for furniture stores, home décor brands, interior design businesses, and home improvement retailers. Furniture purchases usually involve extensive research and comparison, making recently viewed products particularly valuable.

The built-in recently viewed products section helps customers quickly return to products they previously considered, compare specifications, and continue their purchase journey without frustration. Because the feature is already integrated into the theme, store owners don't need additional plugins or coding knowledge to activate it.

How to Add Recently Viewed Products Using a Premium Shopify Theme

The setup process is extremely simple when using a premium theme that already includes the feature.

Step 1: Purchase a Premium Shopify Theme

Choose a Shopify theme that supports recently viewed products. Themes such as Flaunt and Renovate already include this functionality as part of their design framework.

Step 2: Install and Publish the Theme

After purchasing the theme, upload it to your Shopify store and complete the standard theme installation process. Once activated, all built-in features become available.

Step 3: Configure Store Settings

Customize colors, typography, product layouts, navigation menus, banners, and other theme settings according to your brand identity.

Step 4: Verify Recently Viewed Products Section

Open a product page and check whether the recently viewed products section is enabled. In most premium themes, the feature is already active and ready to use.

Step 5: Test Customer Experience

Browse several products and verify that previously viewed items appear correctly. Ensure that the section functions properly across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.

Why Choose the Theme Method?

For most Shopify merchants, using a theme with built-in recently viewed products is the simplest and most efficient solution. It eliminates the need for extra apps, reduces maintenance, improves performance, and ensures visual consistency throughout the store.

Method 2: Using Shopify Apps

If your current Shopify theme does not include a recently viewed products feature, installing a Shopify app is the best alternative. The Shopify App Store contains hundreds of apps that can add recently viewed products functionality to your store with minimal effort.

These apps are specifically designed to track customer browsing behavior and automatically display recently viewed products on key pages. Most apps offer flexible placement options, allowing store owners to display products on product pages, cart pages, homepages, collection pages, and other areas of the website.

Many recently viewed products apps also include advanced features such as responsive layouts, multilingual support, analytics, customization options, and compatibility with multiple Shopify themes.

Popular Shopify Recently Viewed Products Apps

EL Recently Viewed Products

Features:

• Displays recently viewed products automatically.
• Enhances customer browsing experience.
• Easy installation process.
• Mobile responsive design.
• Free plan available.

Ultimate Recently Viewed

Features:

• Responsive recently viewed products widget.
• Multiple placement options.
• Supports multiple currencies.
• Multi-language compatibility.
• Highly customizable layouts.
• Easy integration with Shopify themes.

Recently Viewed

Features:

• Tracks customer browsing history.
• Product recommendation support.
• Mobile optimized design.
• Boosts customer engagement.
• Free trial available.

Tipo Related Products, Upsell

Features:

• Recently viewed products.
• Frequently bought together products.
• Upsell recommendations.
• Cross-selling functionality.
• Revenue optimization tools.

Talon Recently Viewed Items

Features:

• Reminds customers about viewed products.
• Encourages repeat visits.
• Easy installation process.
• Customizable layouts.
• Free trial available.

MLV Recently Viewed Products

Features:

• Simplifies product rediscovery.
• Mobile responsive interface.
• Fast loading speed.
• Easy implementation.
• Customer-focused design.

Why Ultimate Recently Viewed Is a Popular Choice

Among the various options available, Ultimate Recently Viewed is one of the most popular recently viewed product apps on Shopify. The app is specifically designed to help merchants increase customer engagement and improve conversions by displaying products shoppers have already explored.

The app offers a clean and responsive design that works well across different devices and screen sizes. It also supports multiple currencies and languages, making it suitable for international Shopify stores.

1. Pricing
2. Free Plan

Features:

• Available for Shopify Staff Stores.
• Available for Shopify Partner Stores.
• Ideal for testing and development.

Ultimate Plan – $4.99 per Month

Features:

• Fully customizable responsive design.
• Multi-currency support.
• Multi-language support.
• Professional integration.
• 24/7 email support.

Step-by-Step Setup Process Using Ultimate Recently Viewed

Setting up Ultimate Recently Viewed is straightforward and requires very little technical knowledge.

Step 1: Install the App

The first step is to install the Ultimate Recently Viewed app from the Shopify App Store. Simply search for the app, review its features and pricing plans, and click the install button. Shopify will ask you to approve the required permissions so the app can access your store and track product browsing activity.

Once the installation is complete, the app will automatically appear within your Shopify Admin Dashboard. From there, you can access all configuration settings, placement options, and customization tools. The installation process usually takes only a few minutes, making it one of the quickest ways to add recently viewed products functionality to your store.

Step 2: Access Theme Integration Settings

After installation, the app provides dedicated setup shortcuts that simplify the integration process. Instead of manually editing theme files or inserting custom code, the app connects directly with Shopify's Theme Editor.

These shortcuts are designed to help merchants place recently viewed products in strategic locations throughout their store. The dashboard typically includes separate setup options for product pages, cart pages, and homepages. Each option can be configured independently, giving store owners greater flexibility over where customers see their browsing history.

This integration method significantly reduces setup time and eliminates the need for technical expertise.

Step 3: Configure Default Product Page

The product page is one of the most effective locations for displaying recently viewed products because shoppers are actively evaluating items and comparing options. Within the Ultimate Recently Viewed dashboard, locate the Default Product section and click the Set Up button.

The app will automatically redirect you to Shopify's Theme Customizer. Here, you can add the recently viewed products widget to your preferred location on the product page. Many merchants place it below the product description, beneath customer reviews, or near related product recommendations.

Once the widget is positioned correctly, save your changes and preview the product page to ensure the section appears as expected. This placement helps customers revisit products they explored earlier without leaving the page they are currently viewing.

Step 4: Configure Cart Page

The cart page is another valuable location for recently viewed products because customers are often deciding whether to proceed with their purchase or continue shopping. Adding browsing history here can encourage shoppers to revisit products they considered earlier and potentially add more items to their cart.

Within the app dashboard, locate the Cart Page option and click the Set Up button. Similar to the previous step, Shopify's Theme Editor will open automatically. You can then select where the recently viewed products widget should appear within the cart page layout.

After positioning the widget, save the changes and test the cart page. Proper placement can help increase average order value by reminding customers about products they viewed but did not purchase.

Step 5: Configure Home Page

Adding recently viewed products to the homepage creates a personalized experience for returning visitors. When customers revisit your store, they can instantly access products they previously explored without searching through collections again.

To enable this feature, locate the Home Page setup option within the Ultimate Recently Viewed dashboard and click Set Up. The Shopify Theme Customizer will open, allowing you to add the widget to any section of the homepage.

Many merchants position recently viewed products below featured collections, promotional banners, or best-selling product sections. Once the placement is finalized, save your changes and preview the homepage.

This setup is particularly useful for encouraging returning visitors to continue their shopping journey where they left off.

Step 6: Test the Widget

After configuring all desired placements, it is important to test the recently viewed products widget thoroughly. Visit your storefront and browse multiple product pages to generate viewing history. Then navigate between the product page, cart page, and homepage to confirm that the widget is displaying products correctly.

Testing ensures that the app is tracking customer activity properly and that the widget appears consistently across all devices. It also helps identify any design or placement adjustments that may be needed before launching the feature to customers.

A final review can help guarantee a seamless user experience and maximize the effectiveness of your recently viewed products section. Once these steps are completed, your Ultimate Recently Viewed setup is fully functional and ready to help customers rediscover products, improve engagement, and boost repeat purchases across your Shopify store.

Matching the Widget Design With Your Theme

Although the app successfully adds recently viewed products functionality, the widget's default design may not perfectly match your store's theme styling. Differences in fonts, spacing, colors, buttons, borders, and product card layouts can make the widget appear visually inconsistent.

To create a seamless experience, many merchants customize the widget using CSS.

Elements Commonly Customized

• Product card design.
• Button styling.
• Typography.
• Product title appearance.
• Product pricing display.
• Section spacing.
• Border styles.
• Hover effects.
• Mobile responsiveness.

Shopify's Custom CSS section makes it easy to apply styling changes without modifying core theme files. By adding custom CSS, you can make the recently viewed products section blend naturally with your store's existing design language.

Conclusion

Adding Shopify recently viewed products is a simple yet highly effective way to improve customer experience, increase product engagement, and boost repeat purchases. Whether you choose a premium Shopify theme with built-in functionality or use a dedicated app like Ultimate Recently Viewed, this feature helps shoppers quickly rediscover products they have already shown interest in. It reduces browsing friction, supports personalized shopping experiences, and can positively impact conversion rates and average order value.

If you want a hassle-free solution without worrying about app integrations, styling adjustments, or additional setup, consider using premium Shopify themes like Flaunt for fashion stores or Renovate for furniture and home décor businesses. These themes come with a built-in recently viewed products section, helping you create a professional and conversion-focused store experience right from the start.