Virtual interactive content is not just a cool thing to look at or for the Marketing Director to brag about at conferences. For Amazon sellers, 3D and Augmented Reality (AR) content can provide concrete benefits, with Amazon reporting a:
- 2x increase in conversions for products which have 3D view or virtual try-on functionality.
- 9% increase in sales for products which customers can view virtually in situ.
- 20% lower return rate for products customers view virtually.
The View 360° 3D images have been around since 2018, and over the years we produced many for clients of varying complexity, for example, DB Method squat machine and Woof Pupsicle. However, as of December last year they were phased out by 3D models which give true 360° functionality, and we switched to the new functionality (for example Rewind Greens).
We love 3D content for our clients because anything that increases CVRs and sales not only increases revenue but has a knock-on effect on Amazon’s organic algorithm.
Amazon has been expanding the virtual image offering and now offer four types of 3D content:
1 – View in 3D
The simplest of the four experiences, this enables users to rotate a product and zoom in/out to see details and understand more about it. As mentioned, this replaces the legacy View 360° experience (those images will remain on any listings that already have them).
You can use his functionality for most products including shoes, eyewear, home & furniture, beauty, baby, sports, toys, pets, automotive and electronics, with only TVs, rugs & carpets, wall art and headphones excluded.
This is only currently available via the Amazon mobile app, with the functionality being added for mobile and desktop website browsers later in 2024.
NOTE: View in 3D improves upon the View 360° functionality because the old way only provided one angle of rotation and no zoom function, and the result were choppy because a full rotation was 24 images, vs a smooth and controllable true 3D image.
2 – View In Your Room
This experience allows customers using the Amazon mobile app to virtually see how the product will look within their living space, so they can check it will fit and that it looks right before buying.
Customers can find this option on the product detail page for products that sit on the floor or a table, or can be mounted to the wall (not the ceiling). This includes categories like furniture and certain kitchenware.
3 – Try It On
This is an AR virtual try-on for shoes and eyewear. It is available on the Amazon mobile app on the product detail page, and enables customers to:
- View shoes on your feet from above.
- See how eyewear will look on your face from the front and sides.
The shoe try-on can be implemented for most shoe styles including sneakers, formal men’s, flats and low-heeled shoes, slippers, slides, sports shoes, and some sandals (only high heels and some strappy shoes are excluded), and the eyewear try-on can be implemented for almost all product types.
4 – Amazon Beyond (Virtual Showroom)
This is the newest of Amazon’s virtual offerings and is currently in closed beta. This is a resource-heavy piece of 3D rendering performed by Amazon, which presents 3D images of your products in a 3D virtual showroom, which the user can navigate around like they were on Google Street View, and click upon hot-spots to access a ‘quick view’ and add to cart. There is even a map functionality and the ability to browse the products in the showroom.
This explanation and screen shot don’t do it justice, so just go ahead and have a play with this Star Wars example:
https://www.amazon.com/beyond?hm_store_id=NYDxDiHEKXd
In our opinion Amazon Beyond provides the opportunity to significantly increase conversions / sales because you are turning the noisy, and increasingly competitive, shopping process into a unique experience and enabling significant cross-sells. Watch this space for more information!
How to implement 3D & VR content
Amazon sellers* can create their own 3D/VR content and upload onto product detail pages via Seller Central. Rendering your own content can be time-consuming or expensive if using outside suppliers. However, now sellers can create 3D content by using Amazon’s mobile 3D scanning in the Amazon Seller app (iOS only). This is possible for the View in 3D, View in Your Room and Try It On functionality.
Brand-registered sellers will see “Create 3D Models” in the main menu of the Amazon Seller app. They can select the product to scan, and the app determines if it’s in a category which is eligible for the 3D experience. The images are taken using the phone and uploaded into the app – the whole process can take as little as 5-10 minutes. Amazon then creates the 3D model (within 24-72 hours) and uploads it into your product detail page.
Products which cannot be 3D modeled by Amazon’s software include transparent products, products with fur or hair, multiple objects (sets) and products with complex geometries or textures.
* NOTE: You need to be approved to use this functionality and the processing of images is only free for a limited time.
Implement 3D & VR as part of your content strategy
3D/VR content can enhance the customer shopping experience, but it must build on an attractive main image, thumbnail images which educate and inspire, A+ content which reflects the brand and appeal to the customers’ lifestyle, and videos (including UGC) which explains features and benefits, plus how to use the product.
3D/VR content allows customers to see your product and its features in a unique and detailed way, helping customers make informed decisions. This increases CVRs, sets customer expectations, thus reducing returns and improving customer satisfaction.
This content provides a differentiator and builds brand credibility vs competitors who only use 2D images. It enhances the overall shopping experience by allowing customers to interact with products in a more immersive way, and 94% of customers surveyed by Amazon said they would use Virtual Try-On again.
You can read more about Amazon’s 3D experiences in Seller Central (login required), or contact us to learn more.
