Introduction
Product Imagery is the most important tool for how you promote and sell your products. It is the first thing a user will see when they come to your page. The first they’ll engage with, and the main reason they might purchase or leave your site in a hurry!
How you display your product allows your users to understand the textures, size and functionality within a second.
This is why it is the single most important aspect of any product display page!
However, it is not an area that has been innovated ever since catalogue shopping.
In this article, I’m going to go into why photorealistic 3D product displays are game-changing technology that not only captivates shoppers but also boosts conversion rates dramatically.
Grab a biscuit and brew and let's get into it…
Declining ROAS? Meta, Tiktok and X costs are becoming eye watering!
How much money do you spend driving traffic to your page? The money we spend on Meta ads, Google ads, TikTok and Influencers, it can be astronomical.
Already up on last year, the ad costs means ecommerce businesses need to consider how to keep cost of acquisition low and maximise their return on ad spend.
However, after paying to get the user to the site, brands & retailers face numerous challenges: high bounce rates, low engagement, and the constant struggle to showcase products effectively online. All this results in a lower Return on Ad spend and less profit.
The online experience destroying conversions
The online experience has an obvious disconnect from the in-store experience vs the online experience. Store conversion rates can be 20% to 40% vs online of 2% to 5%. If you can bring your store experience closer to the online experience and give a memorable experience, you’ll significantly reduce your CAC and ROAS!
So what tools are out there? Thousands. But the image is the best place to start. Any conversion optimisation agency will say the biggest wins are achieved through refining imagery. As such, in this article,we’ll focus on 3D.
3D for ecommerce?
To start there are several versions of 3D serving different purposes. Whether you want to offer an augmented reality experience, customisation or allow a user to inspect and view a product from every angle, as they would in a brick and mortar store.
We’ve written a complete article of the different types of 3D here. As such I won't go into this now. I want to focus on why 3D has yet to adopt on mass in ecommerce.
Traditional product renders produced through photogrammetry or even standard 3D renders often fall short due to:
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Slow Load Times: Heavy image files that slow down your website, increasing bounce rates.
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Lack of Interactivity: Static images that fail to capture the customer’s interest.
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High Production Costs: Time consuming and expensive production processes typically £500 to £3000 per 3D creation.
Image: Google Lighthouse score of a page with an All Axis 3D Photo.
These challenges can directly impact your bottom line, making it crucial to explore solutions that can both engage customers and streamline the buying process.
Knowing your audience is critical. If you’re selling a toy or an electrical device, a quick experience that accurately shows the product is crucial to engage your customer and differentiate your website from the 10 other competitors.
However, furniture retailers, it could be better to have the augmented experience to understand the fit of a product in a room. The additional load time will not be a problem for users in this experience.
How 3D Displays Increase Conversion Rates
Let’s break down exactly how 3D technology leads to higher conversion rates:
Instant Engagement
Shoppers today expect an engaging and interactive online experience. The display needs to be photorealistic 3D to reduce the buyer's anxiety. No one likes the crummy images you see on Temu!. When customers can rotate and zoom in on products effortlessly, they’re more likely to feel confident in their purchase decisions.
Reduced Bounce Rates
Fast load times are critical. Unlike bulky 3D renders that slow down your website, our lightweight solution ensures that your site loads quickly. A faster website keeps visitors engaged and reduces the likelihood of them leaving before they’ve even explored your product details.
Increased Trust
Imagine two shops, one with pictures of the product you want to buy, and the other with allowing you to move the product to view what you want. Which shop will you want to buy from? Feels like a silly and obvious example, but this what current online shopping can be like. This transparency not only builds trust but also decreases return rates, as buyers know exactly what to expect when the product arrives.
Measurable Impact on Revenue
We’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of 3D product displays. On average, our clients experience an increase in conversions of 30%. This is how you increase your ROAS and ultimately revenue! These aren’t just numbers—they’re proof that when customers can see products in a new light, they’re more willing to commit.
Real-World Case Study For a Shopify Store
Who did we see this with recently? A DTC medical brand, Kineon, increased monthly revenue by $83k by implementing the 3D on their page. We have a full, in-depth write up showing the Google Analytics results you can view here.
Image: Google Analytic results of Kineon AB test of using 3D on their page. Var A was the 3D image as position 1 in the gallery.
Conclusion: Use 3D!
In a highly competitive and over-crowded e-commerce space, you need to test and then leverage any advantage for customer experience. If you’re using PPC and SEO to drive your traffic, 3D on the product display page should be a serious consideration.
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