The decision
Today: which in-stock product to fall back on when a product is about to run out, and whether to approve it as the primary fallback.
Upsell intelligenceIn development
Upsell suggestions are not built yet. Like-for-like substitutes for products about to run out are.
Upsell intelligence is in development and is not available today: Zerqano does not suggest a better or higher-priced alternative. What exists is the groundwork: Product Relationships finds products that can stand in for each other, buyers propose a fallback for a product about to run out, an admin approves it, and on a sales order a short line can be offered an in-stock substitute that a person confirms.
Real screen · sample data
Sample data. Today Zerqano finds like-for-like substitutes for products about to run out: 2 of 4 at-risk products are covered, and the camp stove has none. Upsell suggestions are not built.
In plain words
The decision, the evidence, the outcome.
When a product is short or a better option exists, sellers want a suggestion they can trust and explain, backed by real stock, price and buying patterns.
The evidence
- Each at-risk product’s restock tier and days of cover, next to its best substitute with similarity, price difference and stock on hand.
- Sample data: the Harbor Dome Tent (5.0 days of cover) is covered by the Fieldshade Camp Canopy, 86% similar, 18.8% cheaper, 14 on hand.
- A clear "No substitute" where nothing qualifies, such as the out-of-stock Two-Burner Camp Stove in the sample.
- A status for every row: shown in the Restock plan, manually governed, automated match, or no substitute.
The outcome
A reviewed list of approved fallbacks for at-risk products, shown in the Restock plan. Not a set of upsell offers.
The problem
Where it goes wrong today.
A useful alternative needs accurate product data, current stock and price, and a reason a seller can repeat to the customer.
The wrong alternative costs trust
Offering a camp mug when a tent is out of stock, or a second tent as an add-on, tells the customer the suggestion was not thought through.
Sellers need the reason, not just the name
A suggestion is only usable when the seller can say why it fits: same category, similar product, in stock, a similar price.
Stock and price change daily
An alternative that is itself about to run out, or priced far from what the customer agreed, causes a second problem.
How it works
From your data to a decision you can check.
What it does
- Available today: Product Relationships separates products bought together from products that can replace each other.
- Available today: for each product at risk in the Restock plan, the best in-stock substitute, with its similarity, price difference and stock.
- Available today: team members propose a substitute as a fallback; an admin approves it, and it then shows beside the product in the Restock plan.
- Available today: on a sales order line that will be short, eligible substitutes in the same category, within your price parity band and with enough free stock, for a person to preview and confirm.
- Not built: suggesting a better or higher-priced alternative to increase the sale.
- Today: open Product Relationships and the Substitutes tab to see each at-risk product and its best substitute.
- Today: propose or approve a fallback, so it shows in the Restock plan.
- Today: on a short sales order line, preview a substitute and confirm it if the customer agrees.
- Planned, not built: suggest a better alternative with the reason it fits. No date is set.
Fit and trust
Who it is for, and what you can rely on.
Who it is for
Sales and merchandising teams who want to know what Zerqano can suggest today when the product a customer wants is short, and what is still planned.
What you can rely on
- No order line is changed until a person previews and confirms the change, and the change is logged.
Not built yet
Planned: suggest a better alternative with the reason it fits, built on the product relationships, prices and stock Zerqano already holds. No date is set.
The story page
See which products sell together, and use it to decide what to bundle, stock and offer.
See which products sell together in your own order history, and use it to decide what to bundle, stock and offer.
Questions
What people ask about upsell intelligence.
Is Upsell Intelligence available today?
No. Zerqano does not suggest a better or higher-priced alternative today, and no date is set. What exists is substitute finding for products about to run out, in Product Relationships and on sales orders, plus add-on suggestions on sales orders. This page describes those so you can judge them for yourself.
What is the difference between a substitute and an upsell?
A substitute replaces a product the customer wanted when it is short: same category, similar product, similar price. An upsell offers something better or more expensive instead. Zerqano finds substitutes today; it does not look for upsells.
How does Zerqano decide a product is a substitute?
In Product Relationships, two products are a substitute pair when they are in the same category, their catalog descriptions are at least 75% similar, their prices are within 30% of each other, and they are not bought together more than chance (lift below 1.2). Pairs bought together often are treated as complements instead. The rules are fixed and no AI model invents the pairs.
What does the Substitutes tab show?
Every product in the Restock plan that is out of stock, to order now or to order this week, with its best substitute, how similar it is, the price difference and the substitute’s stock. Each row has a status: shown in the Restock plan, manually governed, automated match, or no substitute. Unprotected out-of-stock products are listed first.
Who can approve a fallback?
Workspace owners and admins. A team member sees "Propose as fallback", which saves a draft for an admin to review. Once an admin approves a substitute as the primary fallback and turns on syncing, it appears beside the product in the Restock plan.
What happens on a sales order line that will be short?
Zerqano lists substitutes for that line and says why each one is or is not eligible: it must be in the same category, within your price parity band (10% by default, set in your margin policy) and have enough uncommitted stock to cover the shortfall. A product that only has a similar name is shown for reference and never marked eligible.
Does Zerqano swap a product on an order by itself?
No. A substitute is a proposal. A person opens a preview of the exact change, confirms it, and the change is written to the order’s audit log. Zerqano does not contact the customer.
What would upsell suggestions use when they are built?
The same data Zerqano already holds: your product records, prices, costs, stock and the relationships found in your own order history. It is planned to explain why each alternative fits. There is no design approved and no date set, so please do not plan around it yet.
Tell us what you need from it.
Sample data · a fictional outdoor-gear store · not a customer’s results