Your company can benefit from a few things to strengthen its position but the only truly beneficial thing is getting more from e-commerce sales. The US e-commerce market is currently the second-largest in the world with an estimated revenue of $365 billion in 2019.
This figure is expected to rise in 2020 with the various isolation and social distancing measures put in place to curb the Covid-19 pandemic. This has also prompted many businesses to move their operations online to minimize contact with customers.
Takeaways
- One of the most effective e-commerce solutions available today is modern image visualization technology.
- Interactive solutions like 3D visualization, 3D product configurators, and 360-degree product rotations can help you sell more.
- These solutions can be added to your website or in several other ways.
How does e-commerce market work?
For customers, e-commerce is a system that lets them order products online and gets them delivered to their doorstep. For business owners, e-commerce is an important tool for boosting sales and maximizing their reach.
In both cases, the e-commerce process is simple. A merchant lists their products online along with a payment option and advertises their website to potential customers. Interested customers visit the website, pick out what they want, and pay for it.
However, the upsurge of new e-commerce businesses online has made it more difficult to get the attention of customers. This has made it necessary to adopt new e-commerce solutions to stand out from the crowd.
Below are three e-commerce solutions that can help you engage with your customers and increase sales.
Best e-commerce solutions to boost sales
There are many solutions out there but a few address a key aspect of traditional shopping experience missing in e-commerce. Thankfully, modern technology has given birth to the adoption of virtual reality in e-commerce as a way to engage customers.
You can take advantage of VR in e-commerce in the following ways:
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3D visualization
Many e-commerce stores make use of images, and sometimes videos to showcase their products. However, these types of media only show your product in two dimensions that may not communicate key aspects of your products.
Thanks to VR in e-commerce, it is now possible to take this a step further using 3D visualization e-commerce solutions. Unlike traditional 2D media, 3D visualization affords customers a realistic view of your products.
This allows potential customers to interact with products in greater depth before buying. This technology is especially useful when selling products that require some level of interaction. The possibilities of 3D visualization are endless. For example, the furniture giant IKEA has created digital representations using 3D visualization for every product in the catalog. This allows customers to see how each piece will look in their homes before buying.
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3D product configurator
The race to attract customers’ attention and increasing sales gave birth to 3D product configurators. Research shows that many customers are reluctant to buy expensive things without first checking out the product.
3D product configurators are modern visualization tools that allow customers to easily view a product’s appearance from all sides. They also allow customers to customize products according to their preferences and see the results in real-time.
This eliminates the need for traditional catalogs, saving your money in the long run. 3D product configurators are a competitive advantage that can help boost your conversion rates. They also help reduce the rate of product returns as customers can exactly see what they order.
You can find a good example of a 3D product configurator here and a visualizer in the field here.
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360-degree product rotation
What’s the best way to show all aspects of your awesome product off? 360-degree product rotation allows shoppers to digitally preview the product as if they were holding it and inspecting it.
Using this tool, you can increase engagement, reduce return costs, and increase confidence in your brand. The process for taking 360-degree product rotations involves taking a series of images in sequence and stitching them together.
The result is an interactive simulation that allows users to rotate and pan around the product. Some 360-degree product rotations also allow users to zoom into specific areas. This presents to customers a visually stimulating experience only found in stores.
Advantages of adopting virtual reality in e-commerce
- Increased engagement: realistic visualization is one of the most effective promotional techniques available today. This is because it allows shoppers to digitally preview your products, overcoming one of the biggest downfalls of e-commerce. In addition, you can also reduce customers’ fear of buying.
- Visually appealing: Most shoppers today are already used to the flat, unmoving nature of product images. Meaning that they don’t entice shoppers as much anymore. Using virtual reality in e-commerce is the best way to reach in-store levels of engagement.
- Boost sales: You can boost sales and reach more people by taking advantage of VR in technology. Businesses that use VR/AR solutions can give shoppers a better experience, thereby improving their converting rates.
- Establish your brand identity: The extra depth of visual information available in 3D visualization and 360-degree product rotations provides plenty of branding opportunities. It also gives customers increased confidence to make payments on your website.
- Reduce costs: VR e-commerce solutions can help you reduce the rate of product returns significantly. This is because they give customers better information about their purchase, reducing dissatisfaction with the final delivery.
Conclusion
The growing US e-commerce market has prompted business owners to adopt new and creative ways to engage with users. One of the most effective e-commerce solutions available today is VR technology.
Interactive solutions like 3D visualization, 3D product configurator, and 360-degree product rotations can help you sell more. These solutions can be added to your website or in several other ways.
Want to find out more?
See our case study on a VR fashion app and 360 videos here.
