The furniture industry has been a bit slow to embrace online selling. However, as internet technology advances and customers gain access to the detailed information and visuals they need, the industry is starting to catch up.
Today, different product configurator tools are transforming eCommerce by replicating the in-store experience through 3D models and augmented reality.
The results are impressive. With a 3D furniture configurator, online retailers can offer a shopping experience that goes beyond what’s possible in a physical store, giving customers confidence and satisfaction with their online purchases.
How 3D Configurators Elevate the Online Furniture Purchasing Experience
Selling furniture online is a great way to cut costs and make shopping more convenient. However, accurately representing a piece of furniture on a website has always been a challenge.
Enter the 3D furniture configurator. This tool goes beyond static images and product descriptions to offer customers high-quality, interactive visuals and customization options.
Here’s how it works: a 3D product configurator integrates smoothly with popular eCommerce platforms, launching an interactive 3D experience right from your web pages. Instead of just a few static photos, customers get modular images and can rotate and zoom to examine every detail.
With a furniture configurator, shoppers can customize their furniture in real time and even see how it looks in their own space virtually.
Why 3D Configurators Make Online Furniture Purchasing Better Than In-Person
There’s no doubt that 3D configuration enhances the online shopping experience. But can it actually offer a better experience than shopping in person?
Absolutely!
A 3D furniture configurator can deliver photorealistic images and detailed descriptions that:
- With high-quality visuals, shoppers can see exactly what they’re getting.
- It addresses issues like uncertainty and lack of product information.
- By giving a clearer picture of the product, it helps customers make more informed decisions.
Here’s how it works.
Say Goodbye to Shopping Hassles
Furniture shopping can be a real chore. If you’re not lucky enough to live near a variety of showrooms, you might find yourself driving all over town just to compare different pieces and find what you want.
Online shopping changes the game. With the ability to browse thousands of items from the comfort of your home, you can take your time and make a well-informed decision without any rush.
A furniture configurator takes this convenience a step further. It provides detailed, high-quality visuals, letting customers examine every aspect of a piece as closely as they would in a physical store. Plus, with customization options, customers can have their furniture made to order exactly how they want it.
And let’s not forget about shipping. With convenient delivery options, there’s no need for customers to worry about moving bulky items themselves.
Embrace Customization
When it comes to furniture, details like colors, materials, and fabric types aren’t just about looks—they impact the durability and overall quality of the piece. When customers can customize their furniture and see the results instantly, they develop a stronger connection to the product.
Whether for personal or commercial use, buying furniture is a significant investment. A 3D furniture configurator lets customers tailor every aspect of their furniture, with real-time updates showing how each change affects the final look and price.
With augmented reality, customers can even see how their customized piece fits into their actual space.
For homeowners, being able to choose child- or pet-friendly fabrics can be a game-changer for their living rooms.
For businesses, customization can include:
- Colors that align with company branding.
- Designs that look uniform across different sites.
- Features that ensure long-lasting use.
By allowing real-time customization, a 3D configurator ensures that products are tailored precisely to the customer’s needs and shipped on time without delays.
Boost Customer Confidence
Seeing is believing, and product configuration gives online retailers a powerful way to showcase furniture.
Why does this matter? Because 65% of people are visual learners who grasp images better than text.
Virtual photography provides images from every angle, highlighting every detail and customization option. When you combine these photorealistic images with 3D configuration and augmented reality, customers can see the complete product without leaving home.
Imagine your customers being able to view 360-degree angles of a piece of furniture and then using AR to place it in their own space. This level of detail allows them to shop with confidence, significantly reducing the worry about returns.
For online retailers, boosting customer confidence isn’t just about increasing sales—it’s about minimizing returns. Returns are a significant challenge in eCommerce, particularly in the furniture industry. Bulky items are costly to ship and returned furniture often can’t be resold.
By providing a detailed and interactive shopping experience, you can help your customers make informed decisions and reduce the likelihood of returns, benefiting both your business and your customers.
Free Trials
In-person furniture shopping lets customers view a piece from every angle, but they also want to see how it will look in their home.
With a configurator, customers can use any Android or iOS mobile device to virtually place the item in their space before even adding it to their shopping cart.
Just like trying on clothes makes a purchase more certain, giving your customers the ability to visualize your furniture in their homes helps them feel it’s the perfect fit. AR allows customers to customize a product and then virtually place it in their space to ensure the size and style are just right.
In short, your customers can redecorate with their smartphones and instantly see how much they love your products.
Shared Experiences
When shopping for furniture, getting a second opinion is often essential, whether it’s for a home or a business. A 3D furniture configurator lets shoppers customize an item and virtually place it in their space to gather feedback from others.
The option to save and share designs makes it even easier. Shoppers can post their creations on social media or send them directly to friends, family, or colleagues for input. Whether it’s deciding on the right color for the family couch or getting a supervisor’s approval before a big purchase, including others in the decision-making process has never been simpler.
Online furniture shopping already has the potential to be more convenient than in-store purchases. With a 3D furniture configurator, customers can configure furniture from any device, making the eCommerce experience superior to in-person shopping in every way.
