What is a Product Configurator - Types and How it Works?

A 3D product configurator is an interactive tool that allows users to customize a product by choosing from a range of predefined options—such as size, color, material, components, or features.

When powered by 3D visualization, the configurator displays real-time updates to the product’s appearance as selections are made. In many cases, it also integrates with pricing rules to show live cost changes based on the configuration.

But a product configurator isn’t just a visual enhancement — it’s a rules-driven system that ensures only valid combinations are allowed, reducing errors, returns, and production delays.

Whether embedded on an ecommerce site for consumers or used by internal sales teams for complex B2B quoting, a configurator simplifies decision-making and accelerates the path to purchase.

Interactive product configurators aren’t one-size-fits-all. Depending on your business model and how complex your products are, the type of configuration you offer can vary widely. Let’s explore the major types of product configurations—from simple selections to advanced engineering.

• STO – Select-to-Order

Think of this as a “build-your-own” approach with total independence. Customers can select individual components from a menu of options, and each selection is independent of the others. No rules, no dependencies—just pure customization.

Use Case: Great for products with modular parts where every component is compatible with the rest.

• PTO – Pick-to-Order

This is one of the most straightforward forms of product configuration. Customers pick components on their own—without guidance from a configurator. There’s no logic engine checking for compatibility.

Use Case: Common in eCommerce, especially for simple bundles or kits where the buyer understands the product well.

• CTO – Configure-to-Order

CTO offers a guided experience where customers configure a product based on a set of predefined, interrelated components. The configurator ensures compatibility across all selections.

Example: Building a custom laptop where customers choose the processor, RAM, graphics card, and software—all within a rule-based framework.

Use Case: Ideal for businesses with modular product lines that need to ensure logical component combinations.

• ATO – Assemble-to-Order

ATO blends the efficiency of pre-manufactured parts with the flexibility of customization. Components are produced in advance based on forecasted demand, and final assembly happens once the customer places an order.

Use Case: Perfect for mid-level customization where speed is important but personalization still matters—like furniture or bicycles.

• MTO – Make-to-Order

With MTO, production starts only after the customer places an order. While some components may be stocked in advance, final assembly and customization happen post-purchase.

Use Case: Common in industries adopting Industry 4.0 strategies—ideal when automation meets individualized manufacturing needs.

• ETO – Engineer-to-Order

The most complex (and often most powerful) configuration type. ETO goes beyond choosing from pre-set components. It allows for entirely new parts and logic rules to be created during the configuration process—essentially co-engineering the product with the customer.

Use Case: High-involvement B2B industries like aerospace, industrial machinery, or large-scale construction where every order is unique and innovation is key.

A product configurator is more than just a customization tool—it’s an intelligent system that lets users personalize products in real time. Whether it’s choosing colors, materials, sizes, or add-ons, each selection updates the product instantly, offering a dynamic and interactive experience.

At the backend, it runs on a set of rules and logic that ensure only valid combinations are possible. So, if one option depends on another—like selecting a fabric type before choosing a sofa leg style—the configurator adjusts accordingly.

Modern configurators use advanced technologies like OpenUSD and generative AI to create high-fidelity 3D digital twins. These visuals are not just realistic—they’re immersive, giving users a near-physical preview of the final product.

Accessible through websites or apps, configurators help customers, designers, and sales teams collaborate better, visualize outcomes clearly, and make faster decisions. In short, it transforms the traditional buying journey into a smart, visual, and error-free experience.

One of the biggest challenges with customizable products isn’t just configuration—it’s pricing. When product combinations multiply, so do pricing variations. Without a dynamic pricing system, teams often resort to spreadsheets, manual quote generation, or worse—estimates that lead to costly mistakes.

A product pricing configurator solves this by automatically calculating costs as users make selections. It factors in material choices, production costs, regional pricing, shipping, and more—all in real time. This creates clarity for the buyer and control for the seller.

In enterprise environments, this isn’t just a UX upgrade—it’s a sales acceleration tool. It shortens quote times, increases order accuracy, and builds trust across teams.

Leading platforms like imagine.io are helping businesses bring these capabilities to life—without the complexity traditionally associated with 3D and configuration tools.

With 3D-first product configurators powered by real-time visualization, dynamic pricing logic, and compatibility rules, imagine.io enables brands to build interactive, scalable experiences for both their internal teams and end buyers.

From modular furniture to custom industrial equipment, companies can digitize their entire product line, define rule-based logic, connect it with pricing structures, and deliver it all through an intuitive, web-based configurator. All without writing a single line of code.

The result?

• Fewer errors
• Faster approvals
• Stronger sales pipelines
• And a consistent brand experience across every channel

In a world where buyers demand speed, personalization, and clarity—product pricing configurators aren’t just a “nice-to-have.” They’re a strategic advantage.

For businesses that deal with complex product lines, multiple configurations, or custom manufacturing, investing in the right configuration tool is a move toward operational efficiency and future-ready commerce.

Want to see how a 3D-powered pricing configurator could work for your business? Book a demo with imagine.io and explore how top brands are transforming the way they sell, quote, and build.