Realistic 3D product modeling helps ecommerce sellers avoid a burning problem — high return rate. Which refuse to drop despite brands’ best efforts!  As Invescpro reports, at least 30% of products purchased in online stores are bound to be sent back. 

To handle so many returns, sellers have to take serious measures. They expand their warehouses — to have extra room for returned goods. As well, they hire more employees for dealing with the complications of reverse logistics. Needless to say, this requires much time and money, so the returns become a real headache for Manufacturers.

To prevent this problem, it’s essential to understand its cause. What makes people send back so many goods from online stores, while the return rate of brick-and-mortar shops is three times less? There are many factors, but “product turned out to be different than it looked on the website” is top of the list. Invescpro informs that 22% of those who send back online purchases mention this very reason. Moreover, 19% of buyers intentionally order multiple versions of the same item to choose the best one at home and send others back to the seller. 

What these facts mean is that ecommerce stores do not give buyers a full picture of goods. But how to solve this problem? Descriptions naturally have a limited impact — they are long to read don’t give a clear visual picture. As for photos, they are way too costly to get enough of them and take forever to produce.

The answer is to use realistic 3D modeling and rendering. It is way faster and more affordable than photography and gives product brands lots of new opportunities for representing the products online. How so? Let’s see!

While shopping online, people lack the possibility to hold a product in hands so that they could turn it around and examine closer. Which is why customers often don’t realize what they are buying until they get it — hence the problems. By looking at 2-3 photos, viewers can easily miss on what the item looks like in a side view, or on some decorative detailing that will impact the item’s aesthetics.

How can realistic 3D product modeling change the situation? By providing the very experience online shoppers miss — the possibility to thoroughly examine the piece. One option is to get close-up 3D renders, highlighting the textures, patterns and detailing of the product. The same function can be performed by 3D animations, offering a close view on the item. But best of all, brands can use interactive 360 models. These allow viewers to see the product from any side, from top to bottom, and also take a closer look at small details and material textures. Just like in an offline store! This way, buyers get a comprehensive understanding of what they are about to acquire and can be absolutely sure they chose well.

It happens that shoppers have no time or wish to read long descriptions. In such a case, they might just take a glance at the pictures, decide that the piece looks okay, and click the “Buy” button. As a result, one might accidentally order a product that does not meet their needs.

For instance, a person who thinks that spring mattresses are too rigid and uncomfortable might find out that the mattress bought online has a box spring inside — after the delivery. All because the customer didn’t read the text on the website! As a result, he will send the product back to the store.

A great way to prevent such situations is to use 3D cutouts. This type of realistic 3D product modeling shows a product in section, letting viewers instantly see its internals in detail. No need to read anything! The buyers will know for sure what’s inside the item that they order and will choose wisely.

Using realistic 3D product modeling services, the seller can present every configuration of an item. In such a way, product visualization for manufacturers prevents the situation when a shopper orders several versions of the product to choose the one they like best and to send back the rest. In fact, people do so just because they cannot see all the options available. Many product pages show an item in one configuration and write something like “also available in green and grey”. This way, Manufacturers save money on photo sessions, that’s for sure. But this also leads to product returns, for it’s impossible for the shopper to guess the exact hue and understand what this particular version will look like.

But with realistic 3D product modeling, brands can get materials on budget and prevent returns as well. In fact, to show an item in different variations, 3D Artist makes just one 3D model and then applies any number of colors and textures to it. This way, the seller gets images for every version of the product for their ecommerce store — and for a reasonable price. And with all the options presented on the page, buyers choose easily. So, they order only one version that they like, and happily keep it.

It’s not always easy to understand the real dimensions of the product when shopping online. It happens that customers just don’t read the descriptions, and even if they do, they might not imagine the size of a product accurately based on figures. That’s why people often order things that don’t fit. For instance, a stylish coffee table ordered at an e-commerce store might turn out to be too bulky for a shopper`s small living room. Hence the reason to return it to the seller.

Realistic 3D product modeling provides an elegant solution to this problem. A skilled 3D Artist can make stunning lifestyle 3D images that allow understanding an item’s dimensions by showing it in context. As the viewers look at the coffee table in the interior, they can see its size in relation to other furniture pieces and decor elements. In such a way, they understand if it is a good idea to buy this table before it’s delivered to their home. So, realistic CGI gives sellers an opportunity to reduce return rates without costly product photo sessions. In fact, to prepare a whole set of beautiful lifestyle pictures, 3D Artist needs to make only one 3D model. Then they put it into a custom or ready scene, and voila — a fancy product image is ready.

Even if a product is shown in full detail on a webpage, the buyers might still lack the possibility to  interact with it directly. And augmented reality apps provide just that. AR technology, which is based on the art of 3D modeling, is the true future of online shopping. As Factory.hr blog reports, 61% of shoppers already prefer AR ecommerce stores to regular online shops. And 40% are even ready to pay more for products if a shop offers AR functions. 

A reason for this is that AR brings to life opportunities that could hardly be imagined before. For instance, AR allows to virtually try on realistic 3D models of shoes or clothes, or to see how a 3D decor element, such as a vase, will look in a particular apartment. In fact, using AR shopping apps is similar to visiting a store or a showroom, but without the need to leave home. With AR, there are almost zero chances for the buyers to find out that a product is not what they expected. 

Realistic 3D product modeling can significantly decrease ecommerce return rates. Digital models fill the gap between online and offline shopping, letting customers thoroughly examine items from every side, explore them in detail, see in section, understand product dimensions and see it in context. And together with cutting edge technologies such as AR, realistic 3D modeling opens new horizons for buyers, allowing to directly interact with the potential purchases through special apps. In such a way, the shoppers clearly see what the product looks like and how it works. So, they will choose something they will be happy with! 

Need prime-quality product visuals? Contact us for professional 3D modeling services — and get materials that show your product in photorealistic quality!