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Utilizing 3D Visuals – How Shoe Manufacturers And Retailers Are Faring

Posted on September 28th, 2022

Shoes, fashion apparel, and furniture are not just some of the most popular B2C products but also very lucrative B2B verticals in the lifestyle sector.

The global footwear market is expected to grow to a whopping $530.3 billion by the end of 2027. The share of the US footwear market currently stands at a little more than 14% in the whole world. That is a staggering figure. The demand for more beautiful, functional, and sustainable footwear continues to increase across the US and the world. It also turns out that your customers have become a lot more sensitive to what pictures, videos, and product visualization you put out there for them to consume.

They have become a lot more conscious about the purchases they make and this has necessitated manufacturers and retailers to come up with more engaging marketing content that is not only highly detailed but customizable as well. This is where 3D representations of shoes and practically all kinds of footwear enter the scene.

Currently, what we see in the online footwear marketplace is a major shift from 2D product imagery to 3D product visualizations. This is primarily because customers want more engagement and because they have no scarcity of options, they have become very active when it comes to returning and exchanging their purchases. This creates a lot of stress on online marketplaces and retailers alike. 3D models of shoes can change all of that. The following section discusses that in detail. Let’s begin:

Disrupting The Traditional Workflow With 3D Sneaker Designs

When you look at those 3D CAD designs of your shoes and other footwear, you just know that your customers are going to like them. The traditional workflow that initially comprised creating a prototype of a new shoe, sending it for approval, waiting for changes, and then sending the edited version for mass production has become obsolete. It has given way to 3D models that can be easily created using a simple three-dimensional mesh in any of the leading software platforms that are available to shoemakers. Manufacturers all over the globe have made up their minds to shift to 3D representations because they save them a lot of time and money. Instead of investing loads of resources and research on creating physical samples they can create digital samples instead and share the same across their design and production departments. They are easy to create, fast and simple to modify, and they reduce your carbon footprint as well.

Enhancing Your Digital B2B Catalog

If you are a shoe manufacturer, you must be needing an online marketplace where you can promote and sell your goods to your customers. How are you going to make your shoes impressive to Amazon? How will you promote and market your footwear on eBay? All you have to do is invest a little bit of capital and resources into creating a digital collection of your new and revamped designs. The moment they get approved by the leading marketplaces, you have gotten yourself a long-term B2B association.

The biggest purpose of creating a 3D online library on shopping websites such as Amazon and eBay is that all of those assets are shareable outside your company. You have beautiful 3D visualizations of your products that can easily be shared across platforms and in various AR applications and more!

E-Commerce And The New Age Of 3D Shoes

The level of commercialization that you can achieve with 3D product renders is absolutely unbelievable. What we have been doing historically is give our customers a detailed video and at best the option to view the product from every angle by using detailed product photography. What 3D brings into the picture is the ability to rotate the product in real-time and have a closer look at its numerous variations with the help of prebuilt swatches and combinations. With the use of the correct 3D product configurators, model viewers, and similar platforms, you can engage your customers for longer and convert them into returning customers more easily. Do you know that by leveraging the power of 3D and augmented reality you can improve your conversion rate from anywhere between 15% and 40% within just 3 months?

Amazon And 3D Representations Of Your Shoes

In the end, let’s conclude with a practical example of Amazon and its new virtual try-on feature. Amazon was among the biggest market leaders to bring a highly interactive and convenient feature to its Amazon Fashion segment. The virtual try-on feature for shoes on Amazon had everyone talking and it seems that they’re still talking about it. There are numerous sneaker brands and styles to choose from with the market leaders such as New Balance, Reebok, and Adidas already in the game.

This virtual try-on for shoes by Amazon Fashion has a very specific goal. The creators want more innovative experiences for shoppers which makes it a delight to shop on Amazon.

Final Thoughts

Real-time interactive 3D is the new norm these days. There is no dearth of software programs. There is no dearth of shoe brands that are willing to adopt this technology. It is only fair that you too get on the bandwagon when the time is just right. Find out more about how you can create interesting and engaging 3D assets for your shoe brand with SuperDNA 3D Lab.