Consumers are more tech-savvy than ever before and having a customization tool for visitors to your site reflects that you understand what modern customers want and need. A customization tool can be as simple as being able to add different colors to a 3D model of a bed or couch all the way to being able to offer your customers full abilities to create their own product. 3D customization tools are often referred to as 3D product configurators and there are numerous benefits to implementing this type of service on your website.
What is a 3D Product Configurator?
A 3D configurator lets customers create a custom-configured product digitally. Once the customer chooses the options, they can view the finished product and then use the configurator to order them online. This 3D customization can also be programmed to guide the customer through the process so they don’t choose incompatible items or items that are out of stock.
Benefits of 3D configurators
Emulate the In-Store Shopping Experience
High-quality 3D customization tools can replicate the experience of being in a retail store by allowing the user to put complex components together and see how the finished product looks. There are some that will even allow the consumer to create a room similar to theirs so they can see how their item will look in their home. For some, this may not seem like a benefit, but if a company can reduce its overhead by having all of its items online and getting rid of a lease, then it can pass those savings on to its customers.
Entertain Customers With an Interactive Experience
One certainty in retail is that the longer the customer is in the store, the better the chance they will purchase something before they leave. The same holds true of an online experience where they can use a configurator to create different options in products and get a great idea of how they will look. 3D customization tools are easy to use and a lot of fun and chances are, the longer the customer plays with it, the better the chance they will hit the buy button.
Sell What’s in Stock
The product configurations generated on your website can be programmed to use only the materials that are available so there are never any issues with backorders or discontinued items. The configurator can connect with the inventory of your business so when the customer is building their product, only materials that are available can be used and anything not in stock can be marked as unavailable. This helps reduce existing inventory and tells the system to order more of whatever is not available. It also means that a discontinued product won’t inadvertently be sold.
Get the Order Right the First Time
The configurator can generate an accurate receipt of materials when the customer completes their order that can then be shared with the manufacturing teams. The teams can see exactly what is needed according to the specifications and eliminate any room for error. When the system works seamlessly and customers get exactly what they want, then customer satisfaction goes up as well as word-of-mouth business and repeat sales.
Customer Loyalty Increases
When your customers know they can rely on you to give them the right products, without error and in record time, they are more likely to come back and even better, spread the good word on social media. The great thing about online shops is you can reach a wider clientele than a local brick-and-mortar store and with the help of happy customers on social media, you can increase your sales by reaching people you ordinarily wouldn’t be able to.
There are several companies that can help design this type of customization tool for your shop such as:
- Woocommerce product customizer – this configuration product allows your customers to design their items according to their needs and increase customer satisfaction.
- Shopify product customizer – the product configurations available with Shopify product customization will allow your customers to create their perfect product using items that are in stock and compatible so there is no chance of ordering mismatched items or waiting for a back-ordered product.
- SAP e-commerce – this platform provides you with a business-to-business storefront, catalogs, easy checkout, and the ability to create customer accounts.
When you are looking at ways to take your shop online successfully, a 3D product customization tool will increase your customer’s satisfaction, keep them shopping for longer, and help you sell what is in stock. It is the perfect tool for your online shop.