Want to sell more online? Then you need to showcase your products in a way that impresses and convinces your customers. Just having a good product description and a reasonable price is not enough. You must also use real-time 3D to create an interactive and realistic experience for your customers. Real-time 3D is the technology that allows you to display and manipulate 3D models in real time on your website. It is not only a way to make your website more attractive, but also a powerful tool to increase your sales and build long-term customer relationships.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the key benefits of real-time 3D for e-commerce, and give you some tips on how to use it effectively.
Why is real-time 3D important for e-commerce?
When you shop online, you cannot see, touch or try the product in real life. You have to trust the information the website gives you. It is therefore crucial that this information is as clear, accurate and convincing as possible.
Real-time 3D helps you achieve that by
Improve product understanding: Real-time 3D allows you to showcase your products from different angles, zoom in on details, demonstrate how they work and how they look in different environments. This makes it easier for customers to get a clear picture of what they are buying, and what they can expect from the product.
Increase trust: When customers can see and interact with the product in real time, they feel more confident that it will meet their expectations. They become less worried about being cheated or disappointed, and more likely to take action. It also reduces the risk of returns, saving you time and money.
Enabling customization: Using real-time 3D, you can let customers customize the product according to their own wishes and needs. This is especially true for products that can be configured in different ways, such as clothing, furniture or electronics. For example, you can let customers choose colors, sizes, materials, accessories or other features, and show them what the product looks like in real time.
Create engagement: Real-time 3D creates a more interactive and immersive experience for users, who can explore and interact with the 3D models in real time. It allows you to showcase products, environments or characters in a more vivid and engaging way.
Reduce the return rate: When customers have a clear and realistic picture of the product before they buy it, they are less likely to regret or be dissatisfied when they receive it at home. This leads to fewer returns, which is good for you and the environment.
Improve user experience: A website that uses real-time 3D provides a better user experience. It makes it more fun and easier for customers to navigate, search and shop on your website. It also gives a professional and serious impression of your brand.
Facilitate product search: Real-time 3D makes it easier for customers to find and identify the products they are interested in. They can quickly scan through your product pages and compare different options. They can also use 3D search to find similar products or be inspired by other customers’ purchases.
Increase shareability and viral marketing: Real-time 3D creates more attractive and memorable products and images, which are more likely to be shared on social media, which can increase your brand awareness and attract new customers. For example, you can create interactive 3D models that customers can share with their friends, or use influencer marketing to spread your message.
Increase conversion rates: Real-time 3D can lead to higher conversion rates, as customers who have a clear and realistic view of the product are more likely to complete the purchase. This is especially true for products that are visually oriented, such as fashion, art or design.
How can you use real-time 3D effectively for e-commerce?
Now that you know why real-time 3D is important for e-commerce, it’s time to learn how to make the best use of it. Here are some tips on how to optimize your real-time 3D to get the most out of your products:
Use high quality 3D models: It is important that your 3D models are detailed, realistic and optimized. They should also be adapted for the web so that they load quickly and smoothly. You should also have several 3D models per product, showing it from different angles and in different situations.
Use interactivity and animation: To make your real-time 3D more engaging and fun, you can use interactivity and animation. For example, you can let customers drag, click, swipe or touch your 3D models to see different effects or features. You can also use animation to create movement, transitions or highlights on your 3D models.
Use customization and personalization: To make your real-time 3D more relevant and attractive to each customer, you can use customization and personalization. For example, you can let customers change the color, size, material or other aspects of the product, and show them how the product looks in real time. You can also use data on customers’ behavior, preferences or history to show them products that suit their tastes or needs.
Use social proof and reviews: To increase the trust and credibility of your products, you can use social proof and reviews. For example, you can show how many people have bought, liked or recommended the product, or how many stars it has been rated. You can also display customer reviews, images or videos showing how other customers have experienced the product in 3D.
To reach as many customers as possible, you can use platform neutrality and compatibility. This means that your real-time 3D works on all devices, browsers and operating systems, without requiring any download or installation. For example, you can use web-based solutions like WebGL or WebXR to showcase your real-time 3D.
