3D e-commerce product images

3D e-commerce product images take the online industry to a whole other level.

And it doesn’t just lend itself to online shopping retailers or clothing departments. The construction industry with 3D building renderings has gained significant progress in the last decade, science and the medical world have come leaps and bounds as the internal structures and compositions of complex structures are more visible and more accessible.

It only makes sense that the 3D world will help elevate brands and companies to a whole new ball game. Sales and revenues have shown progressive positives since the implementation of 3D models and creating your product can now be as close to true-life-realistic visuals that will connect with the customer and massively influence purchasing and decision-making.

To get you started if it all seems a little overwhelming, get in touch with us at Glorify and our expert graphic design team will be with you every step of the way as your visions and dreams become a design reality.

Check out, in this article, why 3D product visualization is paving the way for the e-commerce industry, and it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

2D vs 3D product images

The ever-constant debate about which is better, 2D or 3D? And, while the answer may seem simple with everyone jumping to 3D imagery immediately, considering the product type and situational use, then 2D may be more appropriate. Let’s see why each is unique and what each brings to the table for a more informed decision.

3D as a first option, and why;

• Increased interaction with the product. When customers have an opportunity to engage with an item, albeit, without the sense of touch or smell, they feel more involved. They connect with the item, which is our ultimate goal when looking at e-commerce shopping, making the customer feel an emotional attachment, and this overall drives them to look further into the item features.
• A better all-around understanding. A potential customer relishes the act of being able to zoom in and out at their leisure. When a customer can get up close and personal with an online product, can view it from all sides and various angles they have a sense of control. This has a significantly positive impact on purchasing decisions.
• Personalized shopping experience. When 3D product modeling is as close to reality as you can get customers can feel how it would be to the touch were they to own this product. It evokes a sense of emotional memory and could take them back to a nostalgic moment which led them to search for the product initially. Their sensory experience is heightened for the better.
• Easy implementation. Too often brands require up to 10 images of the product from all views and angles which can end up costing more than they would like, with a 3D rendering your customer can enjoy the item from an angle that suits them. A 3D model is much simpler to integrate.

When 2D is the better choice;

• Consistency. When it comes to efficacy brands and companies must get their message across, with the simplistic design of 2D this is a quick and easy way to get the job done.
• Advertising. It is an efficient means of advertising by brands implementing the 2D animations in a more cost-effective means and saving funds to splurge elsewhere.
• Flexibility. The adaptability a 2D image brings to the table when promoting products is highly welcomed, not only is it easier on the eye, but with a minimalist approach consumers have an easier time consuming and comprehending the message.

Ideally, a combination of the two dimensions would always work to your advantage with both offering something a little bespoke from the other, but it also depends on the product and where it will be marketed.

Advantages of 3D product images

• 3D product images provide a more engaging and interactive experience for customers, allowing them to see the product from different angles and get a better sense of its features.
• 3D product images can also help customers better understand the size, scale, and proportions of a product, which can be difficult to convey in 2D images.
• Additionally, 3D product images can be used to create more immersive product experiences, such as virtual try-ons or interactive product tours.
• By providing a more detailed and interactive view of products, 3D images can help increase customer confidence in their purchase decisions and reduce the likelihood of returns.
• Finally, 3D product images can help e-commerce businesses stand out from competitors by offering a more innovative and engaging shopping experience.

There are many perks to 3D product visualization.

A fully immersive product image catches the audience’s attention without having to do too much work until the customer gets a little closer. If you are looking to take your e-commerce store, website, and brand to the next level, then 3D visualizations are the solution you have been waiting for, here are our top 5 reasons why;

1. An engaged shopping experience

For too long the design world was essentially ‘stuck’ to an extent with flat, simple product photography, and trying to connect to customers on an emotional level was tough, if not impossible. Now with customization at the forefront, zoom-in capabilities so you can see right up to a product stitch line makes the customer feel more involved. They have the opportunity to see the product not only from different angles, no longer needing to guess what the other side looks like, and with increased engagement comes hot conversation which ultimately leads to customer loyalty.

1. More cost-effective

While many of us may have been forgiven for thinking that because 3D renders look so ultrarealistic it would break the bank to achieve that result, the opposite is true. 3D visualization is less labor intensive when compared to traditional 2D approaches, and products can now be showcased according to exact size dimensions so customers know exactly what they are purchasing.

And let’s be honest, we have all had those moments where we purchased a product with the assumption that what you see is what you get only to be delivered what looks like a sample size of the product you want. This way there are no more frustrating surprises.

1. Personalization becomes more real. A lot of us don’t mind paying a little extra if it means you are getting a bespoke, one-of-a-kind item. But when we design and customize a product according to our personal taste we want to see what it looks like in real-time, this is where 3D product visualization has blown its 2D counterpart out of the design waters as it were.
2. Customers are involved in the design process, they take control (and responsibility) for the final product, and there can be no stone left unturned with the ever-popular zoom-in feature.
3. Confidence. And as the old saying goes we know this is key. Customers gain confidence and instill their trust in your company, your product, and ultimately your brand when everything is on the table. Statistics have shown that when customers have visual access to all components of an item online before purchasing, it led to an increase in conversions by up to 40%, now there is something to think about.
4. Social commerce collaboration. It is no secret that when we see something we like we want to share it with our friends and family, and in today’s society on our social media platforms. When your product has rich visuals, engaging customization features, and 3D renderings that make it feel as realistic as possible, you can be sure others will want in on the action.
5. When you put the time and effort into creating aesthetically pleasing, professional-looking 3D product images you will more often than not see an increase in foot traffic to your site and ultimately more sales.

Create a 3D model from photos

3D model from a bunch of photos? Yes, it is possible.

Often we immerse ourselves in 3D worlds without thinking too much about how it was created, what does it take to see a product, image, or photograph from this specific tri-dimensional state? In simple terms a 3D image actually fools the eye into thinking it is seeing something other than how it actually looks, seeing the item from both a left and right eye perspective, something similar to 3D glasses used in cinemas or virtual reality.

If this sounds like something you want to try your hand at then take a moment to experiment with these handful of quick and easy-to-implement steps and take your graphic design skills a notch up and bring something new to your brand.

• Layering 2 images of the same product is a start. Take one photo as normal, and the second only slightly off from the first position, say one step to the side.
• Using your photo editing platform of choice open both images using an editing software, ideally one that has layering and color editing features.
• Copy one entire image, close the window tab, and paste it into the other image tab bringing up the layer editing toolbox which allows you to keep one image in the forefront and the other as the background layer.
• Disabling the left image’s red channel (leaving only green and blue), and then similarly disable the right images green and blue channels (leaving only red), and then slightly adjust to your 3D liking for the best result.
• Crop leftovers within the image box and save.

Best photogrammetry software

Finding the best photogrammetry software on the market can be daunting considering the vast range of choices available. Thankfully, we have narrowed down the top recommendations for you to peruse and experiment with.

• Before we jump in, what is photogrammetry? For those of us who can just about manage to pronounce the word correctly, a simplified explanation follows. It is the science behind the extraction of 3D information from photographs. To achieve a 3D or even in some cases a 2D model from a photo it involves layering and overlapping of images and capturing the various angles.

Ok, back to guidance and our top picks for your design and modeling adventures;

• Reality Capture - A great choice when large datasets need processing. It offers a wide range of filtering and aligning features including advanced texturing capabilities.
• 3DF Zephyr - Known to produce the highest-quality 3D models from photos. It exports in a variety of formats and includes tools for image filtering and meshing.
• Meshroom - A free, open-source software that is a great beginner’s platform offering the standard editing features and tools, and then some.
• Agisoft Metashape - One of the most popular and widely-used photogrammetry platforms. Both manual and automated workflows are supported and meshing and texturing features are highlighted in the high-quality results.

Final thoughts

Who doesn’t love a well-executed 3D model rendering if it means we get to see everything there is about a product, that is what you should be thinking when creating and designing for your customer database.

Your brand is ever-evolving, revolutionizing, and certainly improving, and 3D product visualizations will keep you one step ahead of the crowd, just the way we like it.