3D Animation for Ecommerce: Engage, Convert, Sell

Static product images no longer work! Read this article to learn how integrating 3D model transformations into your e-commerce can enhance your product presentation and boost sales.

 

Being online isn’t enough for businesses anymore. There are about 1.1 billion websites in the world.

 

Today, you need more than just a digital solution to sell your products.

 

Here is the reality:

 

• Consumers want to interact with and try your products online.
• Product returns are increasing due to misleading visuals.
• Your competitors already use advanced technologies, leaving you behind.

 

Now is the time to level up your e-commerce marketing and create a wow effect for your consumers.

 

Thinking, “How can I do that?” Let us explain.

 

In this blog post, we:

 

• reveal promising market opportunities
• explain how you can use 3D modelling and 3D animation for ecommerce
• show how Onix can help you make the most of using 3D product animation for your ecommerce business

Ready? Let’s take a closer look.

 

Overview of 3D Product Visualization

At its core, 3D product visualization transforms static, two-dimensional product representations into three-dimensional ones.

 

Using 3D models for e-commerce, consumers can view, rotate, and zoom in on them, forgetting about questions like "Is the color true to life?" 

 

“Consumers today expect more than just descriptions and images – they want experiences. 3D visualization delivers that experience.”

Nikola Makarevych, CMTO at Onix

 

These models can showcase your product from all angles, down to the most minor details. You can even add interactive features like custom colors, materials, or animations that show how the product works.

 

3D product visualization mimics real-world interactions.

Example of 3D modeling and animation made by Onix

 

How You Can Overcome Ecommerce Businesses Challenges With 3D Model Transformations

We understand that running an e-commerce business is becoming increasingly difficult.

 

1. High returns
2. Growing customer demands
3. High competition

 

This list could go on for a long time.

 

But let's focus on the benefits of 3D product animations for e-commerce and how this technology can solve these problems.

 

Enhanced product visualization

Customers can’t physically see or touch products online. This can lead to unmet expectations.

 

3D modeling for ecommerce provides a 360° view of products, allowing customers to explore every detail, just like in a physical store.

 

Increased engagement and conversions

Keeping visitors engaged on the website and products is not so easy. 

 

Animated product demonstrations and interactive 3D experiences are like magnets for attention. They attract buyers, interest them, and make them spend longer exploring your site.

 

Do you know what happens when people stick around? They are much more likely to click the “Buy Now” button.

 

Moreover, interactive visual representations of your products provide exceptional customer engagement and increase conversion rates by up to 86%.

 

Reducing product returns

Moreover, consumers' mismatched expectations lead to high return rates.

 

In this case, embracing 3D animation for e-commerce gives buyers a clear idea of ​​the product's size, materials, and features, reducing the likelihood of dissatisfaction.

 

In addition, statistics show that 3D or 360-degree product images can increase conversions by up to 250%.

 

Converting visitors to buyer

Cart abandonment rates have increased by over 2% in the last 10 years. In 2024, the global cart abandonment rate is 70.19%.

 

Hovewer's survey also shows that online shoppers are more likely to purchase if they can access helpful media, such as 3D models (53%) and 360-degree rotation kits (57%).

 

Adding 3D modeling and animation to your e-commerce strategy isn’t just a nice-to-have. It's a win-win solution.

 

This helps you solve common problems, creating a more convenient, reliable, and enjoyable shopping experience.

 

And what's the best? Happy customers stay loyal, and they will come back for more!

 

Use Cases of 3D Modeling in E-Commerce

And now, let's move on to the real meat of the article.

 

Below, you can find out how to use 3D animated product presentations and reap all the benefits we've discussed.

 

Interactive product demonstrations

Today's consumers want online shopping to be more like the in-store experience. Static images and boring product descriptions are no longer enough to engage customers, let alone make purchases.

 

This is where interactive 3D product demonstrations come to the rescue.

 

Let us show you how it works.

 

Imagine your consumer is buying a coffee machine. With the interactive 3D demo, they can:

 

• Rotate it to see all sides
• Zoom in to check the buttons, display, and controls
• Click on the functions to see an animation of how the machine works, such as how the milk frother moves or how the coffee beans are ground.

 

This shopping experience lets your customers know exactly what they are buying and feel sure about their purchase. As a result, you get satisfied customers and increased conversions.

 

Including 3D animation on your website to showcase the benefits of your product is a good idea. 

 

For example, Onix's innovative 3D modeling and dynamic animation techniques elevated a client's product presentation, effectively showcasing its strength.

 

We created a compelling animated video that effectively communicates the product's unique selling points:

 

Effective advertising and marketing campaigns

Traditional ads include static images, generic product shots, or standard videos. They sound boring, don't they?

 

They are losing their impact. What can't you say about 3D modeling for ecommerce.

 

Engagement is everything in marketing. 3D modeling can create an immersive experience that hooks and keeps your audience interested.

 

Here is precisely how 3D animation is transforming e-commerce marketing campaigns:

 

• Hyper-realistic product visual effects
• Dynamic animations to show your product in action
• Interactive ads to let customers explore your product directly within an ad
• Augmented reality previews to let customers see your product in their space before buying (for example, furniture)

 

This is an example of how the Onix team created 3D art for a phone advertisement. 

 

See how we turned a regular ad into an immersive experience to capture customer attention and make the product stand out in the digital crowd.

 

Virtual try-ons are the future of shopping

McKinsey research shows that 70% of fashion returns are due to poor fit or style, reflecting a significant gap in the online shopping experience.

 

And this is where virtual fitting technology powered by 3D modeling comes in. 

 

Essentially, virtual fitting uses 3D modeling and augmented reality to overlay a product onto your body or surroundings in real time.

 

Here are some examples of how you can implement virtual try-on technology into your e-commerce business:

 

• Eyewear. Customers can virtually try any glasses they like and see which fits best.
• Makeup. Customers can see how makeup products like lipstick or foundation will look on their unique skin tone. 
• Jewelry. Customers can choose items they like, such as rings or watches, in your app or website. The app then overlays a realistic 3D model of the selected item onto their body part, allowing them to see how it looks from every angle. 
• Clothing. Shoppers can create a virtual version of themselves and try on different clothes in real time. They can adjust their size and body shape to try various styles, sizes, and colors before purchasing.

 

One of our virtual try-on solutions for e-commerce involved developing an app for virtual eyewear try-on. 

An app for virtual eyewear try-ons built by Onix

 

This software improves the eyewear selection process for consumers, brands, retailers, and e-commerce companies. TRYME Face AR technology allows for a seamless real-time augmented reality experience, as if users are standing in front of a mirror.

 

“By integrating virtual try-on technology into the buying process, we helped our client enhance customer engagement, make online shopping more accessible, and reduce returns and costs.”

Serhii Vitukhin,
Head of the Unity department at Onix

 

Read also: Onix's VR Showroom for a Ukrainian Automotive Retailer: Success Story

 

3D room visualization

If you’re selling furniture, home decor, or appliances online, you surely know your customers' pain:

 

• How will the chairs look in the room?
• Does the coffee table match the color scheme?
• Will that bed fit in the bedroom?

 

3D-powered room visualization can solve these problems, making online shopping more confident and keeping customers returning.

 

Using 3D modeling and augmented reality, you can enable your customers to place virtual products in their space using their smartphones or desktops.

 

Here is what they can do:

 

• See products on a real scale
• Experiment with colors and styles
• View the product from multiple angles
• Design entire rooms (advanced solutions to visualize a whole setup.)

 

For example, Onix built an interior design app that facilitates furniture arrangements in real-world environments.

 

The 3D models’ realistic materials and textures, responsive to real-world lighting, give users an accurate preview of how each item will look in their room.

 

Users can:

 

• select pieces from categories like sofas, tables, and wall-mounted cabinets
• experiment with colors
• place 3D models of the furniture on the floor or walls in their camera view.

 

Pre-sales product visualizations

The ability to “sell before you even make it” sounds great, don’t you agree?

 

And this is real.

 

3D pre-sales product visualizations allow e-commerce businesses to demonstrate products before they physically produce them. This approach gives customers a hyper-realistic view of future products and drives interest, pre-orders, and sales without upfront inventory risks.

 

Here are what you can create:

 

• 360-degree product review
• Customizable features (colors, textures)
• AR integration to visualize a product before it even appears
• 3D animation for ecommerce and interactive demos to show how the product works with detailed motion graphics.

 

This use case is widespread, especially among consumer electronics brands like Apple, crowdfunding campaigns like Kickstarter, or automotive companies like Tesla. The last showcases hyper-realistic 3D renderings of future models and allows customers to place pre-orders before production.

 

Let’s look at how the car's potential 3D pre-sales may look. This is an example of a 3D model of a Dodge Charger car created by the Onix team:

 

 

As you can see, 3D modeling for ecommerce opens up dramatic opportunities for e-commerce, making products more engaging, interactive, and realistic.

 

The potential applications are endless. It depends on your unique business needs, goals, and creativity.

 

Onix Expertise in Creating 3D Modelling for Ecommerce

Our client operates in a niche market, selling high-performance lights designed for professionals and extreme enthusiasts. However, demonstrating the unique benefits of the lights online was a challenge.

 

Traditional product descriptions and static images simply couldn’t convey the whole experience, leaving potential customers without a complete understanding of the product’s quality and effectiveness.

 

Understanding this, the client collaborated with Onix to transform the presentation of their product through 3D modeling and animation.

 

The Onix team needed to:

 

• Create a 3D prototype based on existing light
• Create an engaging animated video that effectively conveys the unique product's benefits 
• Ensure the proper selection of realistic textures to enhance the visual accuracy of light during their 3D modeling and rendering

 

Solutions provided by our team:

1. High-quality 3D modeling and rendering

We started by developing accurate 3D models of the lights so that every detail matched the real product.

3D model created by Onix

 

This process included:

 

• Analyzing the existing product design
• Creating detailed 3D models that accurately represent each component
• Improved lighting and rendering to bring realism to the final visual effects

 

2. Realistic textures

A great 3D model is only as good as its textures. 

 

Our team carefully selected materials to enhance the realism of the product:

 

• Determining the exact material composition of each product component
• Researching high-quality textures that work best with metals, glass, and rubber
• Applying texture mapping techniques to create lifelike surfaces

An example of realistic textures made by Onix

 

3. Captivating 3D video for our client's website

We created a captivating animated video demonstrating the product's durability and effectiveness.

Lighting effects made by the Onix team

 

This stage included:

 

• Storyboarding scenes that highlight product functionality
• Creating dynamic animations that show light in real-world scenarios
• Adding stunning visual effects, such as lighting, particles, and camera movements, to create an impressive presentation

 

Results we achieved

“This innovative approach sets the product apart in the market, positioning it as a premium offering and driving increased engagement from end users.”

Nikola Makarevych, CMTO at Onix

 

By integrating 3D modeling and 3D animation for ecommerce website, Onix helped the client:

 

• enhance their online presence
• increase customer engagement
• set the brand apart from competitors.

 

Let's Wrap This Up

There is no doubt that 3D modeling and 3D animation for ecommerce are fundamentally changing the industry's rules.

 

Static images, product descriptions, and boring videos are the past. If you want to stand out today, you need to provide interactive experiences. 

 

Whether you're looking to:

 

• boost engagement
• reduce returns
• stand out in a competitive market

 

3D technology offers all these endless possibilities.

 

Ready to take your product presentation to the next level? Let’s make it happen!

 

We are here to help!

 

FAQs

 

What are the key components of effective 3D product visualization?

Effective 3D product visualization combines high-quality modeling, realistic textures, advanced lighting, and interactive features like 360° views and zoom functions. Engaging 3D animation for ecommerce and dynamic effects enhance storytelling, making products more appealing and increasing conversions.

 

What is the impact of 3D product animation on e-commerce sales?

It enhances customer engagement, reduces purchase hesitation, and boosts conversions by offering interactive, lifelike product experiences.

 

What types of 3D solutions can Onix develop for my e-commerce business?

We offer a full range of 3D solutions for e-commerce, including 3D modeling, rendering, interactive 360° product viewers, virtual try-ons, AR integration, animated product demonstrations, and immersive room visualization. We tailor our solutions to enhance product presentation, boost engagement, and improve the shopping experience.

 

What are e-commerce challenges with 3D model transformations?

E-commerce businesses face several challenges when implementing 3D model transformations, including the complexity of integrating models into existing platforms, the need for technical expertise to create high-quality, interactive visuals, and potential compatibility issues with different devices and browsers.

 

Will 3D solutions slow down my website?

No, we can optimize 3D models for web performance, ensuring fast load times without compromising quality.

 

Can Onix handle large product catalogs for 3D modelling for ecommerce?

Absolutely. We can help you manage extensive product collections while maintaining efficiency and scalability.

 

Can Onix integrate 3D solutions with my existing e-commerce platform?

Yes, we ensure seamless integration of 3D solutions with your existing e-commerce platform, optimize performance, maintain compatibility, and ensure a smooth user experience without disrupting your current setup.