By Luna Markerink, Sales Consultant
Next-level product management: bring product data to life with 3D, VR and AR.
Today’s consumers and B2B buyers have high expectations for online experiences. They are increasingly purchasing complex, high-value products entirely online and require absolute certainty that they are getting exactly what they need. Developments in product configuration, VR and AR are accelerating, and your customers are already accustomed to high-end experiences on other digital platforms. In this article, we cover 7 essentials for next-level product management.
As we buy, work and learn online more than ever, the need for better interaction grows. If you work in retail or seek More sales channels, you are looking to provide that interaction, present your products more attractively and deepen customer relationships. Because you know that interactive product configuration, AR and VR drive engagement, you need ways to make that technology work for you.
3D, VR and AR: streamlining processes.
Beyond the customer experience, you also want to streamline the operations behind it. By managing products and content more efficiently, you can serve more channels and offer an expanded range, supported by high-quality product content.
Challenges in manufacturing.
In manufacturing, we see additional challenges. High levels of complexity often stem from the products themselves. While the design and development process, including prototyping, has long used advanced 3D tools, the link to product management is usually missing. Yet, it is precisely in manufacturing where it is vital to show the end customer exactly how the product looks and functions.
Efficiency and integration.
Across all sectors, supply chain managers and logistics departments want to manage product information more efficiently and integrate it better with their broader processes. Marketing and Sales are seeking closer alignment with product development and design, alongside new ways to showcase their products through VR and AR.
What PIM is and why it matters for your business.
Before we dive deeper into 3D possibilities, it is important to address the value of robust Product Information Management. Without the right tools, managing product content and specifications is frustrating, time-consuming and prone to errors. We often see staff entering the same item six times just because the colour differs, or content going live without approval. Too often, product managers are forced to click and scroll endlessly just to gauge data quality.
Growing further by doing it better.
More organisations are realising that they must get their foundations right before they can accelerate. They understand that better product content sells better. Content that clearly demonstrates what the product is and lists exact specifications leads to fewer returns, a better customer experience and consistent branding. By moving to an integrated Product Information Management platform, you create the room to grow.
What are the main benefits of 3D, VR and AR in e-commerce?
The primary benefits include a significantly improved customer experience, higher conversion rates through better product visualisation, and a major reduction in returns, as customers gain a more realistic view of the product before purchasing.
AI is emerging, 3D lags behind.
AI integration makes it easy to create content variants; dashboards show content quality; bulk edit functionality reduces manual work; and SEO becomes simpler. However, many current product information systems remain heavily focused on text and images. While AI is becoming common, new technologies such as product configuration, VR and AR are not yet moving at the same pace.
Into the AI and 3D era with your PIM: 7 things you need.
To stay ahead of complexity and fully leverage 3D and AI technology across your organisation, here are the seven essentials you need:
1. Generative AI
You can use text and image generation to quickly create many variants of your product content for personalisation or channel-specific requirements. But to do this effectively, the AI must work where your product content lives: in your PIM. This is the only way to become truly efficient. Other AI tools often do not integrate with PIM or your other applications, leaving you stuck with manual handovers.
2. Automated data onboarding
Without central, user-friendly ingestion and normalisation of product content, your data process will remain inefficient. Suppliers deliver data in different formats, with varying naming conventions and units. To monitor quality and stay up to date, you must automate Import & Onboarding.
3. Multichannel distribution of 3D content
Central Product Information Management helps you deliver the right content to every channel. You want the same capability for 3D content to meet the requirements of different markets. As more channels become capable of displaying interactive 3D models, your competitors will certainly use those opportunities.
4. Detailed visualisations
Product photos alone will not be enough in the coming years. By visualising physical products in clear detail, you answer the questions online buyers have. This includes highlighting unique features with interactive touchpoints: for example, letting a user click a laptop’s USB port to see the specs, or viewing allergy information on a packet of biscuits.
5. Intuitive content management
Product content is not static. With 3D, AR and VR, you gain the option to create real-time product and packaging combinations. A system that allows intuitive collaboration on content saves time and costs by making physical prototypes and photoshoots unnecessary. It also ensures you can quickly tailor content for every customer and market.
6. Unlimited real-time configuration
In both B2B and B2C, complicated technical products are sold online without the intervention of an advisor. This is efficient for the provider and convenient for the customer, who can choose when and where to purchase, confident they are getting exactly what they need thanks to a personalised experience.
7. Integration from design to sales
Since product design usually happens in advanced 3D software, the logical next step is to transfer that data directly to PIM. This increases speed, as you no longer have to wait for a physical product to exist before offering it online. The need to create new content for every variant or colour disappears entirely, making you faster and more customer-friendly.
How does a PIM system help manage 3D, VR and AR content?
A PIM system centralises the management of complex 3D, VR and AR files and their associated metadata. It ensures consistency, version control and efficient publication to various channels, which is essential for scalability and accuracy.
Can ConnectingTheDots handle large 3D files?
Yes, ConnectingTheDots is designed to manage large and complex product data, including various 3D file formats. Our PIM platform provides the necessary infrastructure to store, link and distribute these assets efficiently.
Are integrations with AR apps supported?
ConnectingTheDots can deliver the required product data and associated 3D models to specialised AR apps and platforms via APIs and export functionalities. This ensures a smooth experience for the end user and simplifies the update process for businesses.
How to make it happen.
While technology in product configuration, AR, VR and 3D modelling has made huge strides, few PIM providers have built-in these functionalities. That is why we partnered with MetaChef. We built a PIM with 3D and AI features that prepare our customers for the future: a system that takes 3D models directly from the design department to your commerce channels, supplemented by standard models from a vast 3D library. This central platform makes all product content accessible in 2D, 3D, AR and VR experiences.
Better content, less waste.
On this platform, you move quickly from product development to commerce. Product content is higher quality and identical everywhere. No more conflicting information on the website or packaging: if something changes, you update it centrally. Even your product images and configurators update automatically, while the source of truth remains traceable. In the food industry specifically, you gain sustainability benefits by reducing waste.
The product platform for your future.
In this solution, ConnectingTheDots provides its proven Product Information Management system, and MetaChef adds a 3D catalogue, a 3D configurator and a 3D content creator. Together, this provides the foundation for success in developing, marketing and managing your products.
Want to know more?
Would you like to learn more about next-level product management with our Product Information Management system and MetaChef? We would love to discuss your 3D product management challenges.
More about 3D/VR/AR product content
In practice, 3D/VR/AR product content demonstrates how product data can be made available faster and more consistently. By centralising 3D assets, you reduce the risk of errors and accelerate your time-to-market. A considered approach to 3D/VR/AR product content makes your organisation more scalable and future-proof. At ConnectingTheDots, we help you step-by-step, from strategy to implementation. Our customers see that 3D/VR/AR content contributes directly to better product information and higher conversion.