Today’s shoppers have more options than at any other time in human history. Try typing “paper clips” into the Amazon search bar, and you’ll see 38,000 results. For paper clips!
Whether they need it or not (and really, who needs 38,000 variations on the paperclip?), consumers are inundated with options. In other words, if you want your products to stand out, you need to create a top-notch customer experience.
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How do you improve your eCommerce Customer Experience (CX)? Well, there are the obvious methods—having a usable website, solid customer service, and a seamless returns process. You should definitely be doing all those things, but what about the way you market the products themselves? If you sell a suite of highly customizable products, you can greatly improve your Customer Experience with product visualizers.
We’ll go into detail about how visual product configurators (along with Augmented Reality or AR) can improve your CX, but first things first…
What is Customer Experience and why does it matter for eCommerce companies?
Customer Experience is the perception customers have of your brand. In eCommerce, CX is shaped by everything from your website’s design (i.e., User Experience or UX), the purchase experience, delivery (can customers track the shipment? Will it arrive on time?), how they feel about the product once it arrives, how difficult it is to return products, and how helpful your Customer Support staff is when your customers need them.
If you’re at all involved in product marketing for an eCommerce company, then you know how presentation greatly influences CX. Not only does it affect whether a customer clicks on a thumbnail and orders a product, but it influences their overall level of satisfaction once they receive the item.
One way to maximize the product marketing side of CX is to present your product in the best possible light. With that in mind, here are three ways product visualization can help you create a powerful eCommerce customer experience.
1. Limit the Fear of Buyer’s Remorse
Buyer’s remorse is the worst, and one study found that American shoppers start to regret what they’ve placed in their shopping cart just 22 seconds after clicking the “Add to Cart” button. That explains why U.S. shoppers abandon 58% of their online shopping carts in the end.
The simple fact is that eCommerce marketers are in a constant battle to reduce buyer’s remorse, and the best way to do that is to make sure customers know exactly what they’re getting. Of course, that can be challenging when you’re selling products with lots of different customizable parts.
Take, for example, this Pendant Wooden Chandelier from Hangout Lighting. This online retailer offers a range of options for different:
- Wood types
- Wood stains
- Cord Colors
- Socket types
- Bulb types
- Cord lengths
In fact, some of those decision points (e.g., socket type, bulb type) allow customers to choose between more than 40 different options, creating a unique lighting fixture that is equal parts appliance and work of art.
The struggle for product marketers? With so many options, it’s impossible to take photographs of every possible configuration (many of their product lines would require 90,000+ photographs to display every possible variation).
Instead, Hangout Lighting uses Threekit’s 3D product visualization software, empowering shoppers to click on different variations and customize a virtual representation of the product to their heart’s content.
The alternative would be to have customers use their imaginations, hoping they’ll successfully envision the customized product with all the component parts they selected. Then, the product marketers would cross their fingers and hope that shoppers don’t back out of the purchase for fear of buyer’s remorse. 3D product visualization shows shoppers exactly what they’re getting, so they can stop abandoning those shopping carts and buy with confidence.
Take a look at our post showcasing 10 brands that are using 3D product visualization effectively—all satisfied Threekit customers.
2. Reduce Returns
The natural result of giving customers exactly what they expect is that it reduces returns, and product visualization software does just that. The alternative is to hope and pray that customers won’t end up disappointed and issue a return, meaning you’ll miss out on the sale and end up paying dearly for shipping, handling, and restocking.
In fact, returns are twice as common in eCommerce as they are for brick-and-mortar shops, according to Shopify. The good news is that product visualization software has been shown to reduce returns by up to 50%! That’s not just better for your bottom line, it’s also better for the environment.
Augmented Reality (AR): Finding the Perfect Fit
We’ve already covered the power of product visualization to virtually customize a product that has lots of different components, but we have yet to dive into the benefits of AR. Augmented reality reduces returns by helping shoppers see what big ticket items (such as sofas, desk, tables, and other pieces of furniture) will look like in their homes.
How does Augmented Reality work? When a customer finds and customizes a piece of furniture they like, they can use their phone’s camera to project the item onto the room in their home where they’re thinking of placing the item. That way they can instantly see if the piece clashes with their style or gels perfectly with their other decor.
Reducing returns on heavy, expensive products like furniture has an even bigger impact, not only on your bottom line but on customer satisfaction. And Threekit’s product visualization software features state-of-the-art Augmented Reality tools.
3. Increase Customer Engagement
It may sound ridiculous, you can’t discount the “cool” factor when it comes to influencing buying decisions. 3D visualization tools are stunning, and the evidence shows that the technology increases customer engagement and leads to greater conversions.
Here are some facts and figures:
- 83% of customers cite product visuals as the most compelling reason for purchasing a product—more so than reviews or descriptions
- Threekit customers experience a 40% increase in conversion rates
- Threekit customers also see a 20% increase in average order value
Want to see more proof? Dive into the data on our page explaining how product visuals drive conversions.
Curious to Learn More about Product Visualization?
Product visualization can revolutionize your customer experience when it comes to product presentation and marketing. Limiting buyer’s remorse, reducing returns, and increasing customer engagement all lead to greater customer satisfaction, more referrals, and more repeat business—helping online retailers thrive.
Ready to learn more about Threekit’s state-of-the-art product visualization software? Book a demo today.
