Providing accurate and interactive product representations is proving to be a winning strategy in enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency
KARLSRUHE, Germany — October 9, 2023 - Nearly two-thirds (60%) of furniture firms are expanding their use of visualisation technologies, such as 360 product views and try-before-you-buy features using Augmented Reality.
Seventy percent of firms also identified ‘revenue growth’ as a critical priority enabled by 3D visualisation. Firms are confident in the potential of 3D visualisation for achieving cost savings which can preserve profit margins, with 39% of firms considering ‘reducing product returns’ as a critical business priority to which 3D tools can contribute.
The results are part of a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Chaos titled ‘Tech Trends Impacting the Furniture Industry: From AI to 3D Product Visualization’.
Although only 17% of firms have already fully adopted 3D visualisation technologies, an additional 59% of firms are expanding their current adoption. A majority of firms (68%) are allocating 10 to 25% of their budget towards adopting AI and 3D visualisation technologies.
Furniture firms identified some of the top benefits of the technology as:
- Improved customer experience, online or in-store (66%)
- Increased sales, online or in-store (62%)
- Increase customer engagement, online or in-store (52%)
Early adopter EQ3 drives ROI by embracing 3D visualization
Furniture firms already blazing a trail with successful execution of these technologies include furniture and goods designer, EQ3. Implementing the Cylindo 360 HD Viewer for over 450 products, EQ3 also introduced additional experiential features such as a 3D room planner and a website-native AR item placement tool.
“One of the challenges in an e-commerce environment is having customers grasp a true-to-life understanding of the product. Uncertainty is a friction point in the path to purchase, particularly for high-dollar items such as furniture,” said Dan Gange, Director of E-commerce at EQ3.
“We are now able to provide potential customers beautifully composed imagery with true-to-life textures and shadows in 4K. This comfort has resulted in an increase in customer decisiveness and confidence shown by a faster time to purchase and users travelling deeper in the funnel at a higher rate.”
After implementing ChaosCylindo, EQ3 achieved a 36% increase in conversions, an 88% increase in AOV (average order value), a 116% increase in page views, and a decrease in returns.
The technology behind the experience
Nearly a third (32%) of furniture firms in the study said 3D visualisation is becoming more important and widespread, playing a role in brand differentiation. A further 23% say that as 3D visualisation evolves alongside advancements in AR/VR/AI, this will lead to more immersive and interactive experiences.
Jostein Pedersen, VP Product – E-Commerce for Product, Production and Services at Chaos said: “3D visualisation tools are rapidly becoming industry standard. Retailers are seeking to grow their brands in an increasingly competitive market, characterised by reduced consumer spending and growing expectations for unique retail experiences. In a world of shrinking retail margins, increasing conversions and reducing returns is therefore a top priority. But personalising product imagery for an entire catalogue across a growing number of shopping channels is a huge challenge.
“By embracing the power and scalability of cloud platforms, retailers can turn around massive volumes of assets quickly without the need for lots of additional resources. This explains why a majority of furniture firms think that 3D visualisation will be critical to helping them extend their influence and brand reach over the next 12 months.”
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Notes to editors
The results are part of a study issued by Forrester and Chaos titled ‘Furniture Industry’s Next Wave Of Digital Innovation: 3D Visualisation’. The study was commissioned by Chaos, whose product portfolio includes the 3D product visualisation platform for commerce, Cylindo, which was acquired by Chaos in April 2022.
Study methodology and sample
Chaos commissioned this study to understand how furniture organisations can adapt to the digital landscape by embracing 3D product visualisation to improve customer experience and drive e-commerce sales. The survey explored technology adoption, challenges, and the impact of these strategies on business outcomes. The survey also evaluated the furniture industry’s future preparedness and outlook in terms of digital transformation. To achieve these objectives, Forrester conducted an online survey with 190 decision makers responsible for product visualisation at their organisation.
About Chaos
Chaos is one of the world’s largest 3D visualisation companies, and for over 20 years has empowered architects, artists and designers to visualise anything they can imagine. Chaos offers intuitive and powerful workflows for creatives across the entire design spectrum, including architecture, engineering, construction, product design, manufacturing, and media and entertainment.
In 2022, Chaos merged with Enscape and acquired Cylindo. In 2023, Chaos acquired AXYZ design. The company's product portfolio includes V-Ray, a physically based renderer honoured with an Academy Award and an Engineering Emmy; Enscape, a high-quality real-time rendering and virtual reality plugin; Corona, a high-performance photorealistic rendering engine; Cylindo, a 3D furniture product visualisation platform for commerce; and anima, a 3D/4D animation software to add realistic people and crowds to visualisations.
Chaos has more than 700 employees and offices in 11 cities around the world. For more information, visit chaos.com, enscape3d.com, cylindo.com and axyz-design.com.
Press Contact:
Darlene Batista Alvar, press@chaos.com
