Think for a moment about how you approach any eCommerce website as a consumer. Do you browse to the exact location that you have in mind, according to your on-site search, or are you on the lookout for eye-catching, perhaps even interactive visuals that can showcase several aspects of a product that you are interested in?

This is the beauty of 3D product visualization: Being able to have online demonstrations for potential customers where they can rotate, flip or even do a 360-degree exploration of any product one could have possibly thought of. Just like you would take an item off a shopping rail to inspect it from all sides, or move around kitchenware items to get an idea of their designs, these 3D renders provide the ultimate motivation that can turn a simple browsing experience into one that converts into a sale.

The facts speak for themselves:

• According to Shopify, retailers who use 3D to create online shopping experiences have seen an uptick of 94% in sales.
• Forbes noted in a study that 3D marketing can boost conversions by 40%.
• A Salsify survey also noted that 360-degree photos could inspire discovery (based on 29% of respondents in their study).

So, how can you tap into this future-forward trend of creating immersive eCommerce retail experiences? In this article, we highlight some tactics that you can bring into your online marketing plan where customers can go beyond just browsing your website – all with the use of 3D models. 

Increasing your revenue with a robust 3D model library

Ready to convert website visitors to dedicated customers with 3D product images? Here are some considerations to get started with.

1. Create interactive 3D images with interchangeable colour variety

Often, potential buyers might be looking for more than one alternative for a product on an eCommerce website. This could be something as simple as a snapback cap, or a T-shirt with various colour panels. They will want to see what is on offer, and whether they have multiple options to choose from.

One way that will certainly enhance how a customer experiences your eCommerce website, is to create interactive features where potential buyers can switch to various product options with just a click of a button. They might view a peak cap in 3D and decide they would prefer one with a white back panel, then switch to an image that shows them how this will look.

The important part is that these potential customers can enjoy a 3D experience with every interaction – allowing them to get exactly the products that they are after. This is similar to that feeling of browsing store aisles, but, of course, with the ease of online browsing.

2. Layer 3D imagery over real-life images for 360-degree views

A key strategy for using 3D models for eCommerce is taking the 3D convenience even further by putting items in real-life scenarios. For instance: having a 3D render of a desk organizer already gives one an idea of its functionality. Now, when it is layered over a 3D 360-degree desk image in a realistic and cohesive way, a customer can explore the image to get an idea of how they can decorate their interiors to match the aspirational 3D image that they are looking at.

Using everyday scenarios adds to the impact of 3D visuals: A kettle is taken beyond just being a kettle, for instance. Instead, it is “placed” on a kitchen island where you can “walk” around the area to visualize how you would interact with it in a real-life kitchen. 

3. Use 3D modelling to demonstrate actual product size

Often, potential customers could be browsing a website to determine what the actual size of an item could be. A barbecue grill could have its dimensions listed on a product description, but having the 3D image displayed and positioned on a background to show how it would look in real-life can be a deal-breaker.

An important consideration when aiming to demonstrate the size of products with 3D rendering is to keep everything according to scale. This way, you can prevent any situation where a customer comes back after purchasing a product and leaving an online review that they did not receive what they expected at all when buying from your eCommerce store.

4. If you are new to 3D modelling, start with something as simple as drag to rotate

Fashion eCommerce is a good example of drag to rotate interactive visuals. Having a 3D render of a model that can move 360-degrees can allow a potential customer to see how an outfit could look from every angle – which is especially important if such outfits have different colour panels or interesting designs.

Once your customers have been introduced to this new functionality on your website, you can bring in backgrounds and other elements to make your products even more interesting. As mentioned above, remember to keep every render realistic, as too much “unrealistic” editing could distort how an image truly looks.

Give your eCommerce store the edge it deserves with 3D modelling

If you decide to work with a 3D model selling platform, bringing in 3D modelling into your eCommerce store will certainly give it a competitive advantage. Even more so, it will help you reduce product returns thanks to realistic photo imagery, and you can easily bump up your conversion rates with eye-catching photos.

Another layer of 3D modelling convenience is that you can use it for pre-launch sales too, where you introduce upcoming products to customers on a refreshing 3D platform. 3D visuals can help create curiosity and intrigue, which is exactly what you want to achieve when it comes to introducing new products.

If you are looking for custom 3D modelling jobs for your eCommerce business, why not contact our expert team today? Simply follow this link for more information. Alternatively, you can also reach out to us via our contact page details.