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Widget Types: Which One Should I Use?

Compare Grid, Carousel, List, and Product Add-Ons widgets to choose the best one for your needs

Tom Nipravsky avatar
Written by Tom Nipravsky
Updated over a month ago

Triom offers four widget types, each designed for different use cases and placements. You can create widgets from scratch or use pre-configured templates for common use cases.

Grid Widget

Best for: Product pages, collection pages, homepage sections

A Grid widget displays products in rows and columns. It's the most versatile option and works well in most situations.

When to use Grid:

  • You want to show multiple products at once

  • You have space for a larger widget

  • You want customers to see all options without scrolling

Settings you can customize:

  • Number of columns per device (mobile, tablet, desktop)

  • Maximum number of rows

  • Product card style and spacing

Carousel Widget

Best for: Narrow sections, mobile-friendly browsing, homepage features

A Carousel widget displays products in a horizontal scrollable row. Customers swipe or click arrows to see more products.

When to use Carousel:

  • You have limited vertical space

  • You want an interactive browsing experience

  • You're displaying on mobile where horizontal swiping feels natural

Settings you can customize:

  • Number of visible products per device

  • Navigation arrows and dot indicators

  • Auto-scroll behavior

List Widget

Best for: Sidebars, compact displays, mobile layouts

A List widget stacks products vertically in a single column. It's ideal for narrow spaces where a grid wouldn't fit.

When to use List:

  • You're adding recommendations to a sidebar

  • You want a compact, scannable display

  • You're optimizing for mobile-first design

Settings you can customize:

  • Spacing between items

  • Product card layout

  • Maximum number of products

Product Add-Ons Widget

Best for: Pre-checkout suggestions, accessories, complementary items

A Product Add-Ons widget suggests relevant add-ons customers can include with their purchase. It can be embedded on a page or shown as a popup when customers click checkout.

When to use Product Add-Ons:

  • You sell products with accessories (phone cases, chargers, etc.)

  • You want to catch customers at high-intent moments before checkout

  • You want to increase basket size without being intrusive

Display options:

  • Embed - Display inline on any page (cart page recommended)

  • Popup - Triggered when customer clicks checkout (also called "Pre-Purchase Popup")

Layout types:

  • List, Carousel, or Grid

  • Checkbox positioning (left or right)

  • Classic or Compact style

Quick Comparison

Feature

Grid

Carousel

List

Product Add-Ons

Best placement

Product pages, homepage

Homepage, narrow sections

Sidebars

Cart page, checkout

Space needed

Medium to large

Medium

Small

Embed or Overlay

Interaction

Click to view

Swipe/arrows

Scroll

Select and add

Products visible

Many at once

Few at a time

One column

3-6 typically

Recommendations by Page Type

Homepage

  • Use a Carousel for "Featured Products" or "New Arrivals"

  • Use a Grid for "Best Sellers" sections

Product Pages

  • Use a Grid or Carousel for "Related Products"

  • Use a List in a sidebar for "Recently Viewed"

Cart Page

  • Use Product Add-Ons (Embed) for last-minute suggestions

  • Use a Carousel for "You May Also Like"

Checkout

  • Use Product Add-Ons (Popup) to catch customers before they complete purchase

Collection Pages

  • Use a Grid for "Popular in This Category"

  • Use a Carousel at the bottom for cross-category recommendations

Next Steps

Once you've chosen a widget type:

  1. Create a new widget and select your type (or choose a template)

  2. Connect a Data Rule to determine which products appear

  3. Customize the design to match your store (or use a Theme)

  4. Add the widget to your store using the theme editor

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