Why 360-Degree Product Viewers Will Soon Be the eCommerce Standard
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a 360-degree product image is priceless. Media is in the midst of a paradigm shift. Where we once relied on TV and radio for news and advertising, we now rely on the internet and smartphones. All the information we hope to get is delivered to the palm of our hands.
Key Takeaways
- A 360° product viewer enables consumers to fully visualize an item from the comfort of their home, creating a better-than-in-store experience.
- With 360° product imagery, brands can increase user trust, engagement, and conversions, while decreasing product return rates.
- This technology is especially good for complex products, luxury brands, new brands, and online-only brands.
The Big Picture
Today, the product image is the dominant digital asset for online sales. In the past few years, 360-degree images for ecommerce have become a popular alternative to standard product images and for good reason.
The fact is, consumers don’t shop at stores anymore—they’re after the convenience of online shopping in the comfort of their homes. Businesses that can’t keep up will suffer a massive blow to their bottom line. With commerce largely digital, now is the perfect time to switch to a 360° product viewer.
Let’s take a look at what this is, and go over three of the most well-known brands that have adopted 360° product viewers and have aced their ecommerce game.
What is a 360° Product Viewer?
A 360° product viewer is any digital view of a product which shows it from all sides and angles. It can be an interactive image, a GIF, or even a video. This can be done through a software application that runs on your computer’s browser and engages customers with an interactive experience.
If you’re using a 360° product viewer on your website, you’ll have an HTML code, which loads the 360° view software. The viewer then loads the individual product image frames, and both the image and the viewer live on your web browser. Built-in functionality settings control how the 360° image is displayed and how users interact with your product.
A 360° product viewer with zoom-in capability empowers consumers to inspect product details from every angle. This aligns expectations, resulting in fewer product returns. For some industries, this enables a level of inspection that buyers can't even get in brick-and-mortar stores.
Benefits of a 360° Product Viewer
Replicating the In-Store Experience
In the physical world, consumers see, touch, and inspect products before making a purchase. Online, that’s not an option. Today, customers prefer to see as many pictures of a product as possible before making a purchase.
That’s why the 360-degree spin video for ecommerce became a trend in online shopping. According to Adobe’s study, 91% of medium-to-heavy online consumers believe a 360-degree product viewer is a must-have.
Improved Customer Satisfaction
A 360° product viewer enhances the overall shopping experience by giving online visitors a chance to interact with the product simply by using their cursor.
All it takes is a click and a drag to view the product from every angle, making inspection more accessible than ever. This gives potential customers a sense of control, which increases overall customer satisfaction.
Fewer Product Returns
A 360° product viewer can dramatically reduce product returns for online businesses. As any online business knows, product returns can be costly and cause problems for both the customer and vendor. A 360° product viewer gives the customer more confidence in the product their purchasing.
In addition to damaging your business, unnecessary product returns have a negative impact on the environment. A 360° product viewer can ensure accuracy of your product and reduce returns by nearly 50%, saving time, money, and environmental damage for both you and your customers.
Higher Conversion Rates
Brands have seen a 22% increase in conversion rates when using 360° product viewers, and studies show that 63% of shoppers prefer a 360° view of a product before purchasing it.
It’s also proven that a better visual product experience can drive up to 40% more conversions.
Better Product Representation
If your products are multi-dimensional, consumers would likely prefer to get a full look from every side and to have a chance to engage with its features. That’s what makes a 360° product viewer well worth the investment.
Improved SEO for Visibility
Search engines like Google prioritize websites with relevant and engaging material, such as 360° product imagery. This means implementing the technology can enhance your search engine optimization (SEO) and helps your search rankings, making it easier for potential buyers to find your business.
Reduced Time-To-Market
With a 360° product viewer, you can also reach the market more quickly. Most viewers start with 3D models, rather than actual photography. This means that you can feature a product before it’s even manufactured. A 360° product viewer will allow you to go from product concept to in-market presentation as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Improved Engagement
With a 360° product viewer, you can engage and excite your customers and website visitors like never before. It gives your customers an active role in the experience through product customization, while introducing them to a new way to shop. It also enhances trust, with increased transparency into the details of your products. When customers feel they’re a part of the experience, they’re more likely to buy leading to overall revenue increases.
3 Brands Using 360-Degree Product Viewers
You have a lot of 360° product viewers to choose from. However, many have limits on customizations and features, while operating on limited devices. When implementing a 360° product viewer, look for an option that allows you to customize the experience to match the look and feel of your websites. Also be sure to select a viewer that's efficient enough to operate on all devices and browsers.
Here are three great examples of brands that are using 360° product viewers their visitors love to use.
1. Apple
Apple is without a doubt the pioneer of implementing 360° visualization of their products in nearly all of their marketing. Most notably, their iPhone launch videos, which feature phones that are nearly entirely 3D rendered. The video teases the viewer with extreme close-ups and makes beautiful use of lighting to showcase the stunning design.
Apple is also a master of the x-ray view, giving customers a sneak peek inside the device to see how it has been packed with the latest technology.

2. Logitech
Logitech has spent years making use of 360° product viewers for product launches. They’re known for their keyboard, mouse, and headset launch videos. They often feature explosive animation showing all the technology inside each individual keyboard key. This both entertains and educates the consumer.
They have a high-tech look and provide a helpful overview of any laptop or other device.

3. Nike
Nike is a clear leader of 360° product visualization technology for footwear. This sportswear powerhouse has a dedicated 3D strategy for maximizing its competitive advantage.
They even produce photorealistic 3D images, rather than physical prototypes, giving consumers access to more designs. They provide a clear view of the shoes from all angles so the customer is fully informed and engaged.

Who Benefits Most from 360-Degree Product Viewers?
Most businesses with an online presence can benefit from implementing 360° product viewers. Could yours?
Retailers of Highly Complex, Detailed Products
The first group who can benefit from implementing 360° product viewers is those who sell complex or detailed products. A few examples are automobiles, recreational vehicles, technology, and robotics.
Since these are relatively expensive products, their retailers would benefit from giving potential customers a closer look online.
Retailers Selling Products Exclusively Online
Several retailers are exclusively using online marketplaces for selling their products. It’s important for consumers to get a detailed look at products online, as they can’t physically hold or inspect the product. This has made selling products online logistically smart as well as cost-effective.
Growing Brands
New brands that are still growing and in search of more revenue with little investment are ideal candidates for 360° product viewers. The greatest benefit of putting products online is that it’s affordable. A 360° product viewer also makes it much easier for developing brands to attract new customers by giving them a full introduction to their products.
Brands Already Using 3D Models
If your brand is already using 3D models on the website, there’s good news: a 360° product viewer enables you to further enhance your 3D models to include every angle and side.
It also allows businesses to make 3D product visualization videos. Consumers can also customize the 3D models on your website by choosing different options like color, size, and dimensions.
Luxury Brands
High-end brands selling expensive items can benefit from a 360° product viewer, as it increases consumer trust in the product. With items that are a significant investment of funds, consumers are more hesitant to buy. Empowering them to fully inspect an item multiple times, from their own device, increases the likelihood of conversion. It also helps align your brand values and imagery, increasing engagement and brand loyalty.
Threekit for 360-Degree Product Views
Threekit is one of the most professional providers of immersive online product visualizations. We turn product visuals into the best possible customer experience. Threekit not only provides your business with a 360° product viewer, but also enhances the entire experience with customization capabilities.
Our 3D configurator enables users to build, customize, and interact with your product in real-time, right on your website. Photorealistic images are created by a virtual photographer to save time and costs, compared with traditional photography.
Our augmented reality (AR) capabilities lets users place products in their own environment to make sure everything is “just right”. Our powerful online customer experiences use photorealistic images, 3D configuration, and AR, all from a single design file.
What truly sets us apart is our AI Visual Discovery technology, which supports guided selling by giving consumers conversational prompts and showing personalized product recommendations. Our natural language processing backbone ensures the best products are suggested, even if the buyer doesn't know exactly what they're looking for. With visual matching, they can upload an image of what they want, and AI Visual Discovery will find the closest match possible.
Ready to get started? Schedule a demo with us today and our product visualization experts will walk you through the next steps.

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