3D Models – The Future of eCommerce is Right Here

Introduction

Did you know that despite the looming global recession, Black Friday’s online sales surpassed a record-breaking $9 billion? To top it all off, Black Friday shoppers also broke a record for mobile orders, as 48% of online sales were made on smartphones. It’s through these instances that we’re reminded of how easy and convenient online shopping can be. The way we consume products has radically changed throughout the years as we are now buying online more than ever before… and that’s just Black Friday.

Cyber Monday, the biggest online shopping day, drove more than $11.2 billion in spending this year, an 8.5% increase over last year, per the latest Adobe Analytics figures. This can be explained by the fact that over the years, consumers discovered a hassle-free method to shop without facing the high street crowds. Need we say more?

Actually, we do. With this huge surge in eCommerce, brands and retailers have resorted to creating immersive experiences to keep up with the growing trends of online shopping. Enter 3D Models equipped with interactive functions that have revolutionized the shopping experience like never before. So, what’s a 3D Model? How does it work and how do brands and retailers benefit from it?

3D Models Explained

Let’s say you’re shopping for a couch online but can’t commit to buying it without evaluating every single side of it. Totally understandable, but thankfully, that’s a thing of the past now. The introduction of 3D models in online stores has brought consumers a worry-free solution to shop online, allowing them to view products from all sides, with just a click of a button. Pegged as one of the most important innovations of online shopping, studies have shown that brands and retailers that have adopted this technology enjoy higher engagement rates, increased conversion rates, and reduced return rates.

In numbers, this means 82% of consumers activated the 3D view and a whopping 95% of them prefer an interactive 3D representation. Not that shocking when you realize that it all comes down to trust and a true visual representation of a product.

But that’s not even the tip of the iceberg. Once you’ve created your 3D Models, there’s a myriad of possibilities that come within this umbrella, Augmented Reality (AR) being high on top of that list. Indeed, with 3D models, one can easily create an immersive experience by integrating them into a web-based AR solution or in-app. AR gives a more accurate representation of what the product is, showing customers or potential buyers what their product will look like on them or within their own space, before committing to buying them. Currently, more than 1 billion users are engaging with AR compared to only 100 million in 2020, and, according to a study by Shopify, products having AR visualization have a 94% higher conversion rate than those without AR. And lastly, 40% would pay more for a product that they could customize in AR.

Augmented Reality is, undeniably, a critical part of eCommerce as it helps consumers make better purchasing decisions through an immersive experience that allows them to visualize the product as they would in real life.

So, How Does it Work?

It’s quite simple. There are two main ways that allow brand owners or retailers to showcase 3D models on eCommerce sites - and you don’t even have to sweat about it. Allow us to break it down for you:

‍Method 1:Upload existing 3D product files to Designhubz platform for them to be processed into high-quality 3D models that can be integrated into AR on any website or in-app using Designhubz SDKs.

‍Method 2:Upload 2D images from every angle along with the dimensions of the product, at which point Designhubz artists will turn them into 3D models ready to be integrated into AR.

What are the Benefits of 3D Models?

While 3D eCommerce can provide an experience that replicates the physical one, there are also various benefits to it. 3D renders of products convey information to customers that are otherwise way more difficult to describe in 2D images. Furthermore, when integrated into AR, they allow customers to experience products before purchase, promoting higher conversions and lower return rates. Finally, they give businesses a competitive advantage to succeed in a fast-paced world that is quickly racing towards innovations.

Why is 3D Important for the Future of eCommerce?

The growth of eCommerce has prompted the emergence of groundbreaking multimedia marketing and sales. And realistically speaking, 3D and AR are the epitome of marketing in all its glory and are thus essential to the survival of other eCommerce platforms. Competition will always promote innovation and improvement, which makes 3D and AR a vital part of our future and the success of companies.