Shifting Gears in E-commerce: The rise of 3D product visualisation
Imagine this - you’re sitting in your living room and scrolling Instagram on Apple’s VisionPro. You come across an ad for a beautiful shoe on your feed. You tap on it and voila! the shoe comes to life in the form of an interactive, photorealistic 3D model that you can turn around and manipulate with your fingers as it’s suspended in the space in front of you. You follow the link to the online store and there too, you see this wonderful, interactive 3D model (nestled among pictures), that you can use to try on the shoes in your own living room. You can now see textures and folds - exponentially more realistic than an image can ever be. Buy now.
This is the future (and almost present) of how we experience the web, and of how we experience online retail.
As the $19 trillion e-commerce industry continues to evolve, so do the expectations of consumers - shoppers are increasingly seeking more immersive and informed purchasing experiences. But the biggest hurdle facing e-commerce companies from leveraging the full scope and power of new technologies is one thing: a legacy visualisation format i.e. 2D images.
In order to participate in the next generation of immersive media, retailers will need to turn their *entire* product catalogues into 3D. And this can get very expensive, very fast.
So what options do online retailers have? How can e-commerce companies evolve their businesses to embrace this inevitable media shift? and how can retailers benefit from 3D product visualisation *today*?
Why 3D product visualisation matters for e-commerce right now
Let’s start with the basics - why 3D at all?
As more and more businesses adopt this technology, having 3D product visualisations on your store can set it apart from competitors. One doesn’t need a VisionPro to experience the impact of 3D product visualisation in e-commerce, which has been proven to improve CX and increase sales across industries, geographies and devices.
So, let’s break down exactly why this works.
- Improved customer engagement with more information density: With the ability to view products from all angles, customers can make more informed decisions. This results in fewer returns and happier customers.
- Closer to real life: 3D visualisation provides an immersive shopping experience that rivals physical stores.
- Unified, immersive product experiences: Once a 3D model is created, it can be used across multiple platforms – from your e-commerce store to social media channels and marketing materials.
- Virtual try-ons: You simply cannot integrate VR/AR into your store without 3D models - a 2D image doesn’t work in a 3D space. Customers love being able to see objects in their space, leading to increased sales.
Transforming 2D into 3D: how can this be done?
All this sounds great. But how exactly can you create these magical 3D models?
Current processes for 3D modeling are extremely time-consuming, tedious and expensive. They require manual work, in-house expertise and costly software.
There are product visualisation services out there that offer traditional 3D modelling, but require products to be shipped to their premises for scanning and modeling. Aside from the high cost of the work itself, the logistics of such an effort can also be quite challenging, especially for products with high seasonality. And all this comes at the heels of already expensive product photoshoots.
So, what alternatives do retailers have?
graswald.ai uses a brand new AI-based technology that eliminates the manual work in 3D modeling. Using only simple product videos as input, the platform automatically creates photorealistic 3D output. These models can then be embedded anywhere on the web, like your online store.
And the other brilliant part? you can use these models to create product images - eliminating the need for product shoots altogether. And all this at a fraction of the cost of current methods.
photoreal, real-time 3D model generated with graswald.ai.
Wrapping-up: embracing the future of e-commerce with 3D product visualisation
By investing in 3D product visualisation, retailers can create more engaging and informed shopping experiences for their customers right now, and prepare for the inevitable future of media. From cost savings to competitive advantages, adopting 3D product visualisation at scale can insulate retailers from industry shocks and downturns.
Sounds too good to be true? Don’t take our word for it. Reach out to us and check it out for yourself.
FAQs
- How can e-commerce companies afford to implement 3D product visualisation given its perceived high cost?
- A: While traditional methods of creating 3D models can be costly, there are now more affordable options available, such as AI-based technology. These solutions offer cost-effective alternatives to manual modeling and can help retailers achieve high-quality 3D visuals at a fraction of the cost.
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of using AI-based technology like graswald.ai for creating 3D models compared to traditional methods?
- A: AI-based technologies, like graswald.ai, streamline the process of creating 3D models by eliminating manual work and reducing costs. They also offer scalability and consistency in quality.
- How can retailers ensure a seamless integration of 3D product visualisation across various platforms, including their online store, social media channels, and marketing materials?
- A: Yes, once 3D models are created, they can be easily integrated into various platforms, including online stores, social media channels, and marketing materials. Retailers should ensure compatibility with different platforms and optimise the models for each specific use case to provide a consistent and immersive experience for customers.
