For the past few years, the retail industry has been rapidly growing and updating. Brands and businesses are looking out for new techniques and technologies to stay ahead from their competitors and enhance shopping experiences for their users. The retails industry currently holds a very high competition in the market and businesses are going back & forth to retain their customers and provide them with extraordinary experiences.
One such experience is the use of 3D modeling and rendering & AR technology in the ecommerce sector. Companies like https://vertical3dtech.com/ are offering such services to the ecommerce sector. This technology and the services are offering customers an interactive shopping experience b y blurring the line between the real world and the virtual world. Most of the consumers prefer online shopping today and these 3D & AR technologies are making customers rely on certain brands for quick purchasing without visiting the store even once. Let us delve into the blog and learn more.
What is 3D & AR?
Before delving into the intricacies of 3D and AR technology in ecommerce, it’s essential to understand what these terms mean.
3D Technology: In ecommerce 3D technology is about creating real-time shopping experiences for the customers by creating 3D models and renders of the products. These products give realistic, life-like views to the customers by giving detailed views of products from all angels and in-depth zoom in visuals.
Augmented Reality (AR): Your consumers can zoom in, zoom out, take 360 views of the product all from their smartphone. Also, AR technology enables consumers to virtually place products in their physical environment, allowing them to see how the product would look and fit in real life.
Types of 3D & AR Technologies to Adapt into Ecommerce
Every ecommerce business is different and requires a different set of marketing techniques. 3D technologies have an array of services that can be chosen to adapt according to specific businesses. Here are some of them:
Interactive 3D Product Visualization
3D Renders are the most common and mostly suitable for all ecommerce businesses / websites. These Renders allow consumers to rotate, zoom in, and examine products from all angles, providing a more detailed view of the product’s features and design.
AR Try-On
Mostly suitable for beauty and eyewear industries, AR try-on technology offers customers to try the products virtually in real time. Your customers can check out how certain accessories will look on them, or how suitable the cosmetic shade is according to their skin type by virtually switching on their camera. This allows customers to view products and make instant purchase decisions with less returns expected.
AR Product Placement
Your users can simply see your products in their own space through Augmented Reality. This technology is best suited for furniture brands like Wayfair as your customers can just scan the product Code and then they will be able to visualize the furniture in their personal space. This allows customers to get a virtual view of products they are thinking of purchasing in real time, making them more confident about the product and less chances of abandoning the cart or return requests.
Virtual Showrooms
You can ask your customers to experience your store in the virtual world by digital walkthrough technology. Virtual showrooms create 3D environments where your customers can explore products as if they were in real time. This enhances the chances of more engagement and longer browsing sessions on your website that also increases sales opportunities.
3D Configurators
You have multiple customization options for your single product but displaying each product differently can be time consuming for you to produce as well as your customers to explore. Here comes 3D configurators for your escape. Have you seen such technology where customers can easily customize one product with various variations like color, height, dimensions, style, accessories & much more? 3D configurators allow customers to personalize and customize products according to their preferences. This allows customers to choose their products easily from N number of options within minutes in one single space. This gives a smooth shopping experience, simple navigation, sense of ownership and satisfaction, ultimately driving sales.
Benefits of 3D & AR Technologies in Boosting Sales
The integration of 3D and AR technology into ecommerce platforms offers a multitude of benefits for both businesses and consumers.
Enhanced Customer Engagement
Engaging 3D visuals and AR (Augmented Reality) applications draw consumer attention and keep them entertained as they explore products for extended periods. This active involvement, in turn, results in consumers knowing your brand and staying faithful to it.
Reduced Returns
The AR try-on technology enables consumers to virtually try on the products that they wish to purchase and reduces the probability of returns due to problems with seizure or style. Brands like Maybelline are already using this technology on their ecommerce site. This not only helps businesses in saving money on the return shipping or restocking charges but also improves the ultimate customer satisfaction.
Increased Conversion Rates
With 3D and AR technology giving consumers an engaging and believable purchasing environment, this type of technology can lead to a surge in conversion rate. When clients feel sure of their choice, they more frequently go forward with the deal.
Differentiation and Competitive Advantage
Companies who figure out how to utilize 3D and AR technology set themselves apart from competitors and emerge as the innovative manufacturers. This can thus bring in tech-savvy consumers who appreciate progressive shopping and are ready to spend extra money on brands that provide them such a shopping feel.
Future of Ecommerce
3D & AR holds a promising future for the ecommerce industry. As the technology is improving there are many advancements that can be seen transforming the ecommerce industry and how customers interact & shop on online websites. Some of the changes that can be seen with adapting 3D & AR in e-commerce are:
Personalized Shopping Experiences
AI-based recommendation systems together with AR technology will bring about highly specific and personalized shopping experiences adapted to the preferences of specific individuals and their browsing behavior. This level of personalization will certainly result in higher customer satisfaction and retention.
Integration with Social Media Platforms
As social media platforms concerns about augmented reality features become more widespread, we can also expect to see the smoother merging of social media and ecommerce. Consumers will be able to find products which they like and make their purchases through their preferred social media apps by using the AR technology.
Advancements in Wearable Technology
Revolution in the consumer behavior is guaranteed with the introduction of smart glasses as the AR wearables in the ecommerce realm. Picture yourself having products shown and available for purchase hands-free with virtual overlays over your vision.
Expanded Applications Across Industries
3D and AR technology have already made a great impact in the fashion and household items industries and soon there will be more applications depending on a given industry it can be automotive, healthcare, and education.
The combination of 3D and AR technology into ecommerce websites brings new meanings to online shopping, creating experiences that were only possible before in physical stores. While businesses are now embracing technologies and pushing the edge of the impossible, the future of e-commerce is becoming brighter and more thrilling than ever. Besides improved customer interactions among others, the sky’s the limit in terms of the possibilities. As we embark on this journey into the future of retail, one thing is clear: the dawn of 3D and AR-enabled shopping has just arrived!
