Best Practices: Building a 3D Product Configurator

Realizing the need for a 3D product configurator for your eCommerce store or sales team, you're likely wondering how to build one. A powerful online tool that allows customers to configure and visualize 3D models of your custom products in real-time. Using 3D configuration for product customization can definitely enhance the customer experience and streamline the sales process.

However, the question remains: how do you go about building one? There are several approaches to consider, each with its own set of pros and cons. So, if you're ready to embark on this exciting journey, let's dive in and explore the steps involved in bringing your vision to life.

How a Product Configurator Works

A product configurator is essentially a sophisticated software tool that allows users to customize products according to their preferences. Whether it's choosing colors, materials, features, or dimensions, a configurator enables customers to tailor products to their exact specifications. Here's a breakdown of the typical process involved in using a product configurator:

• User Interaction: The user begins by accessing the product configurator, usually through a website or application interface. They are presented with a 3D model or visual representation of the product they wish to customize.
• Customization Options: The configurator presents various customization options, such as colors, textures, patterns, sizes, and features. Users can interact with intuitive controls, sliders, or dropdown menus to make their selections.
• Real-time Rendering: As users make changes to their customizations, the configurator dynamically updates the 3D model in real-time. This allows users to visualize the impact of their choices and see how the final product will look.
• Configuration Validation: Depending on the product and customization options, the configurator may perform validation checks to ensure that the selected configurations are feasible and compatible. For example, it may prevent users from selecting incompatible features or configurations that violate manufacturing constraints.
• Pricing Calculation: The configurator calculates the pricing of the customized product based on the selected options. This may involve complex algorithms that consider factors such as materials, labor, and additional features.
• Visual CPQ: Once the user is satisfied with their customizations, the configurator provides a quote or estimate for the final product. Users may have the option to save their configurations for future reference or proceed to order the product directly through the configurator interface.

3D Product Configurator Back-End

Behind the user-friendly interface of a product configurator lies a complex system of technologies and processes that enable its functionality:

• 3D Modelling and Rendering: The configurator utilizes 3D modelling techniques and rendering engines to generate realistic representations of the customizable products. This involves creating 3D models of various components and textures, as well as rendering them with lighting and shading effects to achieve realism.
• Data Management: Integrating a 3D configurator into your tech stack involves managing extensive data concerning product configurations, pricing, inventory, and user preferences. Typically, this data resides in databases and is accessed via APIs, facilitating real-time updates and smooth integration with other systems.
• Integration with eCommerce Platforms: In many cases, product configurators are integrated with popular eCommerce platforms like Shopify, Magento or WooCommerce to enable seamless purchasing and order processing. This integration requires communication between the configurator and the eCommerce system to transfer product configurations, pricing information, and order details.
• Analytics and Reporting: Product configurators often include embedded analytics that track user interactions, capture data on customer preferences, and generate reports for business analysis. This data helps businesses understand customer behaviour, identify trends, and optimize their product offerings.

Now that you understand how a product configurator works and the technical complexity involved in its development and implementation, let's explore the building options.

Making a Product Configurator in Excel

Creating a product configurator with Excel can be a practical starting point, leveraging the familiarity and versatility of spreadsheet software like Excel or Google Sheets. These tools have been foundational in many business operations, offering functionalities for data organization, calculations, and basic inventory management.

When considering Excel for configuring products, it's important to recognize its capabilities as a basic CPQ (configure price quote) solution. You can set up formulas to calculate prices based on user selections, manage inventory levels, and even generate customer quotes.

While these spreadsheets can handle basic calculations and data management tasks, they need more sophisticated customization options of dedicated configurator software. As your product offerings become more complex or your customer base expands, the constraints of spreadsheets become apparent.

One significant drawback is the need for ongoing maintenance. Updating and maintaining the spreadsheet can become time-consuming and error-prone as your product catalog evolves or pricing structures change.

Additionally, spreadsheets are not designed for seamless integration with other systems or processes, making it challenging to synchronize data across different platforms or automate workflows.

Compared to interactive 3D visualizations or intuitive interfaces, navigating a complex Excel sheet can be difficult for your sales team, leading to frustration and potential errors in configuration. Additionally, if your business is undergoing a transformation, a well-planned rebranding strategy can align your new product configurator with your updated brand identity.

The Do It Yourself (DIY) Product Configurator

You may consider developing a product configurator in-house if you have a skilled IT team. While this approach offers flexibility and potentially lower upfront costs, it comes with additional responsibilities.

Your team must provide ongoing maintenance and support and handle system management, testing, and change management. The complexity of custom software and the need for integration can strain your team's capabilities and lead to increased costs.

While a DIY solution is feasible, it requires in-depth technical expertise and a significant amount of time. Therefore, it's worth exploring the benefits of delegating specific tasks to experienced professionals.

1. Working with a Third-Party

Outsourcing is a promising alternative if your in-house IT team isn't ideal for developing a product configurator for your eCommerce platform. However, there are potential drawbacks to consider.

Once you've selected a specific team, you're essentially tied to them for the entire lifecycle of your software. Switching vendors down the line could be complex and costly, potentially leading to additional expenses and downtime for your business.

Furthermore, integrating the product configurator with existing processes and systems may pose challenges and incur additional expenses. While achieving seamless integration is possible, it often requires careful planning, coordination, and investment.

2. 3D Product Configurator Software

End-to-end product configurator solutions like VividWorks are an excellent choice for businesses seeking flexibility and affordability. These software-as-a-service (SaaS) platforms provide seamless integration with eCommerce systems and top-notch visualization and configuration capabilities to elevate your sales process.

Moreover, with VividWorks, you're never alone. Their team of experts is available to assist you whenever you need it. Opting for VividWorks means enjoying a user-friendly setup, a pre-built solution, reasonable pricing, and exceptional customer support.

We understand that developing a product configurator is a significant endeavor, and we're here to ensure you get it right from the beginning.

Our professionals are happy to help you find the perfect solution tailored to your specific needs. With our expertise across various eCommerce sectors, you can trust us to provide the guidance, support, and tools necessary for an exceptional product configuration experience.

If you're ready to start your product configurator journey with VividWorks' assistance, don't hesitate to book a free consultation call today.