3D Modeling in E-commerce: How to Make Your Online Shopping Experiences Better
Today, online shoppers aren’t impressed by convenience. That’s a given.
They aren’t impressed by a high-resolution photo of your product, either. That’s a given, too.
How 3D Product Modeling Gives Your Business a Competitive Edge
In today’s day and age, every scroll reveals another brand, another product, another “must have.”
With so much going on in every industry, how do you stand out?
We asked ourselves that question not long ago, and it led us somewhere unexpected: 3D product modeling.
What Are the Benefits of 3D Modeling for Businesses?
We’ve said it before, but we don’t mind saying it again – we’ve been working with some of the most prominent furniture manufacturers in the region for years now.
Some days, it feels like we’ve lived a few lifetimes.
But these collaborations revealed a new potential for us – 3D modeling. We have a whole blog post about why we, a marketing agency, started 3D modeling, something that’s not obviously marketing (but it very much is). Despite the production and sales process getting digitalized left, right, and center, we still get probed about the time we spend 3D modeling furniture and how that’s helped our clients.
So let’s talk about why we do it and what it’s done for us.
The Great Things About 3D Modeling
We get it, it’s a new(ish) concept, and you’re skeptical. But we’ll keep on doing it because:
It Saves Time
Does your team still build an entire product, cross their fingers, and then realize it’s a dud? That may not be horrible if you’re working with small products. But, if you’re in the furniture industry, it can set your production and launch back months. With 3D modeling, we can tweak and twirl things and slash the time it takes to get the perfect design. Plus, you’ll virtually eliminate those trial-and-error headaches. You’re welcome.
It Makes Fantastic Prototypes
It just makes sense, doesn’t it? You can visualize your creation before spending a dime on manufacturing. It’s like you can see the future – the bed would be too bulky, the chair wouldn’t go with that dining table in a set, etc. With 3D modeling, your business won’t have to invest in creating costly physical prototypes – it’s all digital. Maybe it’s time to add ‘manufactures furniture’ to the CV…
It Saves Money
We know you business owners will love this one! If your agency can prototype and experiment with your product digitally, you won’t have to shell out big bucks for physical trials. Traditional prototyping involves not only the cost of materials but also the labor-intensive process of physically building the product. 3D modeling won’t make your accountant sweat bullets because the development process is leaner, faster, and cheaper.
It Allows for Customization
We’ve heard it loud and clear from our clients – generic solutions are out. Nowadays, every business wants tailor-made solutions and custom features to stand out. Well, 3D modeling can do just that – offer you a customized solution with a few clicks. Imagine you’ve got a design on the screen, and something doesn’t quite sit right. With 3D modeling, you’re not stuck with a ‘take it or leave it’ scenario. You can change it. And then you can change it again. Sure, it might test the patience of the designer, but they knew what they signed up for, right?
It Makes for a Great Online Presentation
As we said, a good 3D render can show the product from multiple angles. This experience mimics the way a buyer would inspect a product before purchasing it in the store. While they can’t touch it, they can see it in a dynamic environment – rotate it, zoom in, and scrutinize every detail. After all, you wouldn’t buy a shirt without checking if it has an open chain back, would you? That’s exactly how your customers feel when they can only see your product head-on. Digitally though, customers can visualize the product because the renders are exceptionally lifelike.
It Boosts Sales
A survey conducted by The Harris Poll reveals that 60% of online shoppers are more likely to buy a product if they see it in 3D or augmented reality (AR). Online shopping is quickly becoming our ‘default’, so visualizing the products you’re buying is crucial. This is a testament to the power of giving your consumers a closer look at your products without hauling them to your physical store. In the end, you must make the experience smooth. Don’t make your customers jump through hoops to buy your product. We’re all getting lazier anyway!
Why Our Marketing Agency Started 3D Modelling
You know, marketing agencies are a dime a dozen.
And more often than not, they’re all the same. With the same services, the same offers. Heck, even the same prices.
We could’ve stuck to the same-old, same-old, too. God knows it would’ve been easier.
But following the sheep is just not our thing. We’ve never been content with blending into the crowd. So, we made a decision to start doing something that no other agencies around us were – 3D modelling.
We raised a few eyebrows. But where’s the fun without it?
Ready to find out how this came to be?
Well, we’re telling you anyway.
What is 3D modelling?
Let’s break it down in the simplest terms possible.
3D modelling is digitally sculpting objects and spaces in three dimensions. If you want it even simpler, it’s when someone creates a visual representation of real-life items or scenes that allow you to rotate, zoom in, and interact with on a screen.
Now, if you’ve read a thing or two about our agency on this site, you’ll know that we’ve got long-standing working relationships with some of the best furniture manufacturers in the country. We create their marketing materials, run their online stores, and engage their customers. But from 2023, we started 3D modelling their furniture for easier visualization.
We got tired of calling it a day after a standard photoshoot of a chair or a table. We wanted potential customers to spin the furniture around, zoom in on it, and picture it in various settings.
Sounds intriguing? We thought so too. And that’s why we took a deep dive.
Why It Makes Sense for Our Agency
Why It Makes Sense for Our Agency
So, you know that we don’t play it safe. But there’s a method to our madness, and it all comes down to why 3D modeling made perfect sense for EON.
We Work With Furniture Manufacturers
Some of the most prominent furniture manufacturers in the country were our very first clients. After working with a few of them over the years, we saw the untapped potential in the industry. Online furniture shopping in the region was growing by the minute, but the customers still went in-store to see the products set up before buying.
We thought we could reduce the length of the process by helping buyers visualize their purchase in their space.
We Love a Challenge
Many associate 3D modeling with architects. But since we can’t legally claim to be ones, we had to settle for the next best thing – using our graphic design team. So, it wasn’t just about seizing a market opportunity.
For better or worse, we’re a bunch that thrives on challenges. We don’t accept limiting beliefs. The status quo? We don’t know her.
3D modeling pushed the boundaries of what was possible in marketing and what we thought we should be doing. It was too tempting, we couldn’t help but jump.
We See Potential for Growth
We’d go stir-crazy if we just stayed put. Our team saw the potential in 3D modeling to grow our skills and help the furniture manufacturing industry as a whole by cementing the importance of a webshop and digital visualization. It’s a dynamic, ever-evolving field and a playground for inspiration.
This is not your run-of-the-mill job. With a myriad of tools and innovations sprouting up year after year, it keeps our team on their toes and sustains our enthusiasm for longer.
3D modeling was the highlight of 2023.
Today, our 3D team consists of just a handful of people, but our doors are always open for young starry-eyed talents that can propel us even further. We love that 3D modeling has grown into a full-time position at EON and we’re ecstatic to see where it could lead us.
We promise we’re not switching industries. But we might be expanding…
