> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.atomcommerce.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cart Upsells

> Atom cart upsells show shoppers how close they are to qualifying for a deal — and what to add or spend to get there. Learn what they are, what triggers them, and how to turn them on.

When a shopper's cart is close to qualifying for an offer, Atom can show them a message explaining exactly what to add or spend. These messages appear in the cart drawer or cart page, in real time, as the shopper updates their cart.

***

## Where it appears in Shopify

Cart upsells appear in two places:

* **Cart drawer** — the slide-out panel that opens when a shopper adds an item
* **Cart page** — the full `/cart` page

Both are enabled together by the **Enable Upsells** setting in the Atom Commerce Connector theme block.

<Info>
  The upsell messages are controlled through your Shopify theme editor, not the Atom dashboard. Go to **Online Store → Themes → Customize → Atom Commerce Connector** to configure them.
</Info>

***

## What shoppers see

Upsell messages appear in one of two layouts, depending on how you configure the block.

### Inline

The message appears directly below the cart line that relates to the offer. Best for offers tied to a specific product.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/atomcommerce/gFb8RjMEeZ7dpMR-/images/upsell-inline.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=gFb8RjMEeZ7dpMR-&q=85&s=8254a27088d81150246d17ac4ab61056" alt="Inline upsell pill appearing below a cart line item" width="380" height="440" data-path="images/upsell-inline.png" />

### Accordion

All active upsells are grouped together in a collapsible section at the top of the cart. Best when your store runs several offers at once.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/atomcommerce/gFb8RjMEeZ7dpMR-/images/upsell-accordion.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=gFb8RjMEeZ7dpMR-&q=85&s=7d3964a5980b78c2c1b200dea7a66ac7" alt="Accordion section at the top of the cart drawer showing grouped upsell offers" width="380" height="689" data-path="images/upsell-accordion.png" />

### Completed state

When a shopper qualifies for an offer, Atom can show a confirmation message. This is off by default — turn it on with **Show Completed Upsells**.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/atomcommerce/gFb8RjMEeZ7dpMR-/images/upsell-completed.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=gFb8RjMEeZ7dpMR-&q=85&s=03fe0e3923796ce84f5d331bff3281b2" alt="Completed upsell showing success message and free item added to cart" width="380" height="518" data-path="images/upsell-completed.png" />

***

## What triggers an upsell

Atom evaluates every active offer against the cart on each update. When the cart is within qualifying range, an upsell fires. There are five trigger types:

| Trigger                      | When it fires                                                           | Example message                                    |
| ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| **Add more qualifier items** | Shopper has some but not all required items                             | "Add 2 more to unlock Buy 3 Get 1 Free"            |
| **Add target items**         | Shopper has met the qualifier, but hasn't added the discounted item yet | "You qualify — add 1 more item to get it free"     |
| **Spend more**               | Cart total is below the spend threshold                                 | "Spend \$15 more to unlock 10% off"                |
| **Complete a bundle**        | Shopper has started a bundle but hasn't finished it                     | "Add 1 more item to complete your bundle and save" |
| **Reach the next tier**      | Shopper has unlocked one tier and is close to the next                  | "Add 2 more items to reach tier 3"                 |

Atom selects the message type automatically based on the offer structure and what's already in the cart. You don't configure this per offer.

***

## How to enable

Turning on upsells requires two steps.

**Step 1 — Enable closeness qualifiers on the offer**

In the Atom dashboard, open the offer you want to show upsells for. Make sure **Closeness Qualifiers** (also called upsell nudges) are enabled for that offer. If this is off, Atom won't generate upsell messages for that offer even if the theme block is on.

**Step 2 — Enable upsells in the theme block**

In Shopify, go to **Online Store → Themes → Customize → Atom Commerce Connector** and turn on **Enable Upsells**.

Both steps are required. The theme block controls whether upsells are displayed — the offer setting controls whether they're generated.

***

## Next steps

* **Set up layout, messages, and styling** → [Cart Upsell Settings](/upsells/settings)
* **Add a free shipping progress bar** → [Free Shipping Bar](/upsells/free-shipping-bar)