The Future of E-commerce is AR 3D! Are you Prepared?  

At a glance:
- Introduction
- What is 3D product rendering?
- 3D product rendering vs. product photography
- How to create 3D product images?
- Benefits of 3D product rendering
- Best practices for 3D product rendering
- Conclusion
- About ARitize3D Configurator by Nextech3D.ai


In today's highly competitive e-commerce landscape, capturing the attention of online shoppers can be quite challenging. While numerous factors influence a customer’s buying journey, one popular trend that has revolutionized this process is undoubtedly 3D product images.

When it comes to groundbreaking technology, few things can match the pure “gee-whiz” factor of holograms. Ever since Princess Leia’s flickering form appeared imploring Obi-Wan Kenobi for help in Star Wars, people have been fascinated by the technology. More recently, supergroup ABBA has produced ABBA Voyage, a “live” concert with digital avatars of the band’s members singing and dancing for fans’ delight. 

Consumers have now downloaded nearly 5 billion augmented reality (AR) applications, a substantial jump from just 340 million in 2016. What's more, the booming market is expected to be valued at $198 billion by 2025, an exponential increase from roughly 6 billion in 2018. 

Shopify product customizers are becoming more and more popular. But why? Here’s an example to illustrate why a 3D product configurator is so necessary and beneficial for both business and customers alike. 

Imagine you’re a furniture business on Shopify and are ready to display a new couch that came in. Customers can choose from a variety of color swatches as well as different design patterns for this single product, so it’s important to provide visuals to help them decide which is best to match their existing décor. The last thing you want is for a high return rate on this product if you’re unable to properly visually show off the variations you’re offering. 

Studies show that consumers demand high-quality visualizations, as they expect an average of 6 images per product so, we’re most likely looking at 50+ photos just in this imaginary scenario alone. More products will understandably have even more customization and personalization options, and we’re quickly seeing how it’s not practical to photograph all these options. Costs quickly rack up as you set up studio space, a photographer, and rent equipment to meet the demand for engaging visuals. 

A Shopify product configurator and customizer is your best friend while running your Shopify store. As a busy vendor, you’ve got plenty on your plate and this type of app is low effort with high rewards! Instead of high photography costs, you can start with a single 3D model to display all your possible variations. 

Higher ecommerce sales — but high returns. Will this shirt in a medium size fit me? Or should I go with the large? Better get both and take advantage of a free return. How do I know that this blue couch will work with the color scheme of my living room? The increase in online shopping reflects what Gartner research finds are consumers with lowered confidence. Not towards the businesses they’re considering, but rather towards themselves and “their ability to make good buying decisions.” 

How can a business instill confidence in their customers? Those who provide the right information will reduce buyer’s remorse, the culprit behind reduced customer loyalty and advocacy.  

The global pandemic has proven traditional shopping experiences won’t fly anymore. Consumers are in control and they’re expecting innovative and intuitive digital experiences that make life easier to justify purchases they’re considering. 

We have just what you need to digitally transform your Shopify website and finish the sale: A Shopify 3D and AR model creation app with a robust set of comprehensive ecommerce add-ons to provide customers with the information they need, as 66% of shoppers say augmented reality increases their confidence that they’re choosing the right product for their needs. 

Let’s look at 5 ways 3D and Augmented Reality (AR) content can not only boost customer confidence to convert visits into sales, but also how it’ll get you in good grace with the right crowd. 

2020 might not be over yet, but it's already pretty clear that it has been the year of ecommerce. In all fairness though, it's been the year of online everything due to the global health crisis. And while the pandemic continues to spread, online shopping is expected to soar this holiday season. 

As the world continues to adapt to the new normal, consumers are now doing much of their shopping online rather than in-person. In March 2020, online retail categories saw as much as a 74% uptick in sales when compared to March 2018.

AR, VR and MR are all acronyms used to describe digital experiences that allow people to feel as though they are part of a virtual world at different levels. With immersive technologies developing so fast, and thanks to the acronyms, many people are becoming confused as to how each differs. Hopefully the following information will clear up some of the confusion for you.