How 3D Configurators Boost eCommerce Sales

In eCommerce, the best way to increase your sales is often to focus on the customer. Give them a streamlined shopping experience with virtual hands-on access to any products they’re interested in, and you bring the fun of heading to the mall to the comfort of their home.

When you provide real-time customization options, customers can see the changes they make instantly reflected on the screen. That instant feedback can be incredibly satisfying, and in some ways “gamifies” the shopping experience - something they likely won’t experience every time they load up an eCommerce store to shop.

Beyond the enjoyment of playing around with products and modifying their characteristics to suit their preferences, consumers can also view them from different angles. Since not everyone has the same power of imagination when shopping, this use case of an online product configurator can be an invaluable asset in their decision-making process.

Real-life example:  Say you run a furniture business with an eCommerce store. With the best product configurator you can put all the key decisions into the hands of consumers in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming. They’re free to change fabrics, size, colors and other factors on products like sofas and chairs at their own leisure – without feeling pressured or rushed – which leads to higher conversion rates.

One of the biggest problems many eCommerce businesses face is how to reduce return rates and make sure customers are satisfied with their purchases.

Returns can represent a significant cost to your business, so it pays to address them. Introducing product configurator software can be a great way to lower the chances of returns, as consumers will have seen an accurate visual representation of what their final personalized product will look like.

When customers know exactly what they are purchasing, you can mitigate the risk of mismatched expectations. Data shows that companies using 3D product configurators are better positioned to reduce eCommerce returns. A study from Shopify found a 5% reduction in return rate with the ability to view products in 3D and a 40% increase in order conversion rate. 

(Source: Shopify)

The most likely explanation behind these figures is that consumers feel as if they are making informed purchases and as such aren’t as likely to feel blindsided by the product they receive.

If lengthy sales cycles have been a problem in your business, it’s likely because consumers spend a lot of time on the fence about a potential purchase. It’s possible that they aren’t sure if it’ll be exactly what they need, or whether it’ll live up to their expectations.

With 3D product configurators, you offer customers the ability to adjust products they like as they’re browsing, so there’s no need to request physical samples or go elsewhere to find what they’re looking for.

When consumers can instantly view a product they’ve customized through product configurator software, there’s little room for doubt in the decision-making process left and it becomes more of a binary - either they want it or they don’t.

Seeing the product in myriad ways also lessens uncertainty with purchase decisions, so the “Should I or shouldn’t I” doubts melt away and consumers can buy with conviction.

Not every online business can afford to hold a significant amount of inventory to cover the spectrum of products their customers might want to buy.

If you want to cut down on overhead costs and make do with fewer products in stock, implementing a scalable product configurator is an excellent way to stay lean while scaling up.

Product configurator software allows you to offer countless product variations to your customers without the need to increase your inventory.

Real-life example: You sell custom jewelry and you want to scale without stocking more individual pieces so you offer thousands of design combinations – which customers can view with the support of 3D configurator software – without holding physical stock for each variation. Each time a customer buys a piece of jewelry, they’re coming up with a unique combination and you assemble it from the individual components you have in stock.

It also becomes much easier to manage a product catalog with thousands of configurations when you have the ability to automate image generation.

The more customers can personalize and get hands-on with virtual versions of products, the more likely they are to be open to upsells which is an opportunity for you to improve on one of your key metrics: average order value (AOV).

3D product configurators are tailor-made for eCommerce platforms in most cases, so integrating them with any of the leading solutions such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento is pretty straightforward. But what does eCommerce integration actually do for your business?

Integrating with eCommerce platforms allows you to automate key backend processes such as order management and inventory updates to streamline the overall internal experience for your business while simultaneously improving the customer experience.

When choosing your 3D product configurator software, check for compatibility with various eCommerce channels so you can reach as many customers as possible. imagine.io seamlessly pairs with most popular eCommerce platforms, including Shopify and Woocommerce.

The future of 3D product configurators is exciting, as new technology will continue to evolve their utility and bring a heightened level of immersion to consumers.

Augmented reality: One such example is augmented reality (AR) integration, which promises to give customers a futuristic experience as they can visualize products they plan on buying in real environments such as their living room or kitchen. An augmented reality product configurator allows customers to take the virtual products home in essence, so they can pre-purchase the product in a way and see how it feels.

AI and Machine Learning: The rapidly evolving fields of generative AI and machine learning have opened up new possibilities for AI product configurators to analyze user behavior and provide personalized recommendations which should help brands boost sales through relevance. For example, a clothes brand’s AI algorithm might pick up on a consumer’s preference for the bohemian style, and recommend product configurations based on this.

There’s no limit for where product configurators can go with AI and AR developments, so watch this space for the latest trends that’ll help you offer the best eCommerce shopping experience around.