When building a home, there are so many things one needs to look after. From furniture to furnishings, you’d want every corner of your home to be tweaked as per your taste. And let’s face it, this can be a daunting task. However, Schmidt, France’s leading manufacturer of luxurious home living solutions, allows you to do just that with the help of 3D product configurators.
A 3D product configurator allows homeowners to design their kitchen that aligns with their personal aesthetics, which would be challenging, if not impossible, in 2D images. This is because, with the help of the configurator, customers can not only view the product from every angle but also design it as per their own needs and preferences.
In fact, 3D product configurators also save your customers from the trouble of physically going to brick-and-mortar stores to select products required to assemble the kitchen. And Schmidt is a prime example of a brand that has successfully delivered outstanding results using the tool. Stats show that there has been a 66% increase in the conversion rate. With the 3D product configurator, Schmidt also became the second most visited website for homeowners looking to build their kitchens.
Like Schmidt, several brands are exploring the online space to increase their customer base. This has created the need for an interactive website to engage potential customers. The 3D configurator is a powerful interactive tool that provides a 360 view of the products on their screens. With an immersive experience, 3D configurators can transform how customers perceive a brand.
A Nielsen IQ survey reported that nearly 51% of consumers are willing to shop on websites with 3D configurators as they can create and view the exact version of their product from every dimension. Consumers can personalise their products by choosing from a wide variety of features and creating products that meet their needs from the comfort of their homes.
As the digital world continues to gain momentum in every sphere, retailers from different industrial sectors are incorporating 3D configurators to offer personalised experiences. Retailers leave no stone unturned to keep up with this advanced technology to engage and convert consumers successfully.
How do 3D Configurators help Retailers?
It is often said that the customer is king. And with the onset of modernisation, keeping up with the changing tides of customer demands is not only necessary for brands but also challenging. 3D configurators can play a crucial role in helping retailers overcome these challenges:
Customer Engagement
3D configurators give customers a sense of ownership and control over their purchasing decisions. They allow customers to personalise and design their products, making them feel more invested in the process. This ensures that they are more likely to make a purchase. 3D configurators can enhance the shopping experience by providing customers with a more immersive and interactive experience. Customers can visualise and preview their designs in real-time, allowing them to experiment and iterate until they find the perfect configuration. All these aspects can significantly increase customer engagement.
Reducing Customer Complaints and Returns
3D configurators provide customers with a clear understanding of what they are purchasing. With the ability to co-create and view the product from all angles, customers can better visualise how the product will look and function in real life. This can prevent misunderstandings and unrealistic expectations, leading to complaints and returns. 3D configurators can help customers identify potential issues with their customisation choices before purchasing. For instance, if a customer chooses a feature that is incompatible with the rest of the product, the configurator can alert the customer and prevent them from proceeding with the order. This can reduce the likelihood of returns and customer complaints after the purchase.
Streamline sales
3D product configurators can help reduce the time taken to complete a sale. With a more interactive experience, customers can make quicker purchase decisions, leading to shorter sales cycles. 3D product configurators can help sales teams improve their efficiency by providing them with an easier way to create product proposals and communicate effectively with customers. They can also help increase sales by allowing customers to explore various product features and configurations. This can lead to upselling and cross-selling opportunities that would not be available with a static product catalogue. 3D configurators can provide valuable data insights to sales teams, such as popular product configurations and customer preferences. This information can help sales representatives make data-driven decisions, improving overall sales efficiency.
Measure Customer Satisfaction
With 3D product configurators, customers can personalise their desired product from start to finish. This provides manufacturers valuable insights into what sells and what modifications can be made to improve their products. The customisation options available through the configurator also help manufacturers keep up with customer demand, leading to new and improved product launches that cater to the specific needs of their target audience. Manufacturers can use data from the 3D configurator to measure the success of their product modifications and gauge customer preferences. This enables them to decide which features to incorporate into their regular model lineup and which to remove. By retaining popular features and eliminating those that perform poorly, companies can save valuable research resources that can be better utilised elsewhere. By providing customers the ability to customise their products fully and providing manufacturers with customer data, 3D product configurators play an important role in improving customer satisfaction and driving business growth.
Advantages Of 3D Product Configurators For Retailers
A 3D product configurator is a game-changing technology that provides a competitive advantage to retailers and helps them stand out in the market. Retailers can leverage their powerful advantages and scale their businesses. Their advantages include the following:
Improve Marketing ROI
Buying paid ads can be an effective way to drive traffic to the website, but they have their limitations. If visitors do not spend much time on the website, it can severely reduce returns on investments. Focusing on optimising the customer experience and keeping visitors engaged is crucial to benefit from paid advertising fully. One way of doing this is by incorporating a 3D configurator. Not only does this provide a fun and engaging experience for visitors, but it also provides a wealth of data that can be used to create improved marketing strategies. With privacy concerns on the rise, it’s important to find creative ways to incentivise website visitors to share their insights and behaviours. 3D configurators also offer an interactive approach that can capture visitors’ attention and encourage them to spend more time on the website.
For instance, Ferrari allows customers to design its various models using a 3D configurator. From the paintwork to the colour of the seatbelt, customers can pick and choose various attributes that suit their tastes and preferences. To top it off, the brand offers the option to view the car in both daylight and nighttime, which helps customers get a better understanding of the car's look and feel during those times.
Reduce Costs
Customisation is becoming increasingly popular in the retail industry, but it often comes with high costs associated with producing and shipping prototypes of customised goods to customers. Retailers can reduce these costs by incorporating 3D product configurators into their online platforms. Since customers can visualise 3D models of their customised products online in real-time with 3D product configurators, it eliminates the need for shipping prototypes. This not only saves shipping costs but also reduces the amount of waste generated from producing physical prototypes.
Brand loyalty
Empowering customers with the ability to design their products to meet specific needs and preferences can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business. Customers who are satisfied with the services are more likely to recommend the brand to others. The level of customisation that 3D product configurators provide can create a stronger emotional connection between the customer and the brand, leading to increased loyalty. It also reduces interaction with customer services, thereby increasing trust in the product as well as the brand.
Wrapping it up
As the world is becoming increasingly digital, 3D configurators can help retailers build their businesses and gain a strong foothold in the online space. By integrating this tool, retailers can capture their attention and cultivate it to their advantage. The configurators are a blessing for customers who want to design their own products tailored to their needs.
There is no doubt that in the future, 3D configurators will dominate the retail industry as an increasing number of retailers line up to embed it in their websites. If you are a retailer looking to improve your website’s visibility and increase your customer base, then you should check out Exhibit 360. We provide 3D product configurators that will transform your website and improve your returns on investment. Contact us today.
