Immerse, Customize, and Conquer: The Future of Retail through 3D Virtualisation.

P-XR AG was invited to speak on 3D visualisation and virtualisation at the 10 Marketing Ideas in 90 Minutes event last week, which was organised by the Association of Swiss Retailers (Handelsverband.swiss) in Zürich.

We express our heartfelt thanks to the organising team of Handelsverband.swiss CEO, Bernhard Egger, and Nadine Baeriswyl for allowing P-XR AG to present at this event.

Gloria Mark, Chancellor’s professor in the Department of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine, asserts that human attention spans have decreased from 2.5 minutes to 40 seconds over the past 20 years as users focus their attention online. 

This decline becomes even more pronounced during online shopping due to distractions. Consumers now prioritise quick satisfaction, enjoyment, exploration, and constant connectivity. 

The surge in online sales has prompted consumers to conduct thorough research and read reviews before making purchases, underscoring the importance of a captivating online presence for retailers. 

Failing to meet these expectations can lead to disengagement and the loss of potential customers. 

Retailers face further challenges in managing costs, necessitating uniform engagement across all sales channels and reductions in product returns and inventory costs.

Addressing such complex issues requires a vision, a roadmap with a set of projects, and a proper execution strategy. 

We examine human psychology to tackle one aspect of this problem: capturing consumers’ attention and maintaining engagement. 

When a newborn begins to learn, it instinctively interacts with objects, exploring their texture, shape, and taste to develop an understanding of the world. Research indicates that the human mind perceives 3D objects more effectively than 2D images. Incorporating exploration methods such as rotation and zooming enhances perception. 

Like playing with Legos, constructing with building blocks fosters engagement, enjoyment, and connectivity. Just as children learn from their parents and surroundings through animation, adults also benefit from visual demonstrations.

Utilising 3D products can better capture consumers’ fleeting attention spans. According to Shopify, e-commerce sites integrating 3D visuals and augmented reality achieve a 94% higher conversion rate than those relying solely on 2D photographs. 

Various software applications enable retailers to create 3D products based on photographs, including 360-degree products, 3D spins, and 3D models. 

While 360-degree and 3D spins facilitate rotation along single or multiple axes for objects of varying weights, 3D models offer the highest quality by accurately representing dimensions, textures, materials, and lighting. Building 3D models requires specialised skills.

3D animation effectively showcases product features visually and is more understandable to consumers than textual descriptions. 

Interactive animations further engage users and aid in discovering product features. However, it is essential to ensure accuracy, consider background imagery, select appropriate animation techniques, and optimise performance for a seamless user experience. 

Annotations, which provide product information through text, images, videos, and hyperlinks, enhance the user experience by offering insights into product details and structures.

According to The Digital Bunch, 3D configurators engage users and reduce unsuitable purchases by 80%. They enable retailers to shorten lead times and provide a competitive advantage through personalised buying experiences. 

Virtual try-ons allow consumers to test products virtually, reducing returns and bolstering consumer confidence. 

Virtual placements enable consumers to visualise and customise products in real environments. 

Virtual stores transition brick-and-mortar stores into digital realms, offering various product categories and sections where users can engage with 3D product visuals and try-on before making purchases.

Technology solutions span a wide range, necessitating the identification of a vision and the development of a roadmap for integrating these solutions incrementally while closely monitoring sales, consumer satisfaction, and production cost metrics. 

P-XR AG assists retailers in crafting roadmaps, planning technology rollout strategies, and executing them with internal and third-party solution developers worldwide.