The Basics of Product Configuration

As the world has increasingly moved online, so has the way that we shop. But for certain products, online shopping can prove more challenging than for others. Certain types of products and industries have typically fared better when customers can actually see the products they are buying, in real-time, before making a purchase.

Thankfully, with the rise of product configuration, companies can now help their customers make the right choice for themselves and increase online sales with a lower risk of returns. We know what you're thinking. What is product configuration? What does a product configurator do? And how exactly can a product configurator improve my ecommerce success? Here at Expvi we are experts at product configuration and can walk you through the process from start to finish, making this shopping experience a reality for you and your customers. Here are the answers to all of these questions (and more) so that you can feel confident incorporating a product configurator into your ecommerce business. 

What is Product Configuration?

First, let's start with the basics. Product configuration is the process by which your customers can virtually customize and see a 3D version of your product before purchasing the item. The product configurator walks your customers through a series of questions and choices to ensure the product meets their needs. While the concept of allowing your customers to choose custom elements of a product is not new, the technology has expanded greatly over the years, allowing AI to be incorporated to assist customers in making choices that will not only fulfill their needs, but also only present options that are capable of being achieved. With Expivi's technology, your customers can also see a 3D product configuration throughout the process, giving them peace of mind as they shop.

Product configuration also allows companies to produce items on a mass scale while also providing the level of customization needed through a select number of customization options that are limited by specific parameters. For example, if you are selling cars, and your customer chooses a particular size engine, this might be a factor that limits the size of the tires that the customer can select. Product configuration lays out these limitations in a clear manner, thus benefiting both the consumer and the company selling the product. 

The Product Configuration Process

The most important part of the product configuration process is creating a rules-based configuration system. This allows your customers to choose the custom aspects of the product that they want, while still creating a viable product that you can produce. All of your available customized products will be loaded into a system that allows customers to scroll through and choose what they would like. Expivi will also create beautiful, life-like 3D product configuration models that can be viewed from every possible angle based on product photos that you send to us. These 3D models will adjust in real-time as your customers make their choices. If there are any limiting factors, as in the car example, this will get built into the product configurator ecommerce platform. Once the customer has finished creating their ideal, custom product, they can easily place the order to be fulfilled.

If this all feels overwhelming, fear not. Our team of experts is skilled at helping companies across a variety of industries hone in on the different aspects of their products, creating the ideal workflow that will allow your customers to easily access and customize their options while staying true to the spirit of what your company is offering. This is why product configuration is such a useful tool— it allows for customization while staying within reason. 

The Benefits of Product Configuration

Product configuration has tons of benefits for both you and your customers. Because of the streamlined customization process, more orders can be processed efficiently, which allows for more sales with no increase in turnaround time. Most of our customers who have incorporated product configuration into their ecommerce have reported that their turnaround times for custom products has actually gone down! Their customers are amazed at how quickly custom products can be processed and delivered using this software.

3D product configuration also cuts down on returns and unhappy customers since they can completely customize their products and see what they will look like prior to ordering. Product configuration also takes a lot of the guesswork out of how many of each product to make, giving you better insight into your customers' needs and cutting down on the amount of finished product inventory you have lying around. There also tends to be fewer order-entry errors since the customers are responsible for creating the orders themselves, and less need for expediting orders due to mistakes made on the back end.

The best part of product configuration is that it is ideal for nearly every product on the market that requires any amount of customization. We have worked with companies across many industries, including direct to consumer goods like clothing, sports equipment, and furniture, as well as more B2B products that are highly technical. We can take on your product, no matter what your needs are.

Overall, there are innumerable benefits to incorporating product configuration into your business model. It not only cuts down on the amount of time spent on direct customer service, but provides a more customized product, at a faster pace, to more users. 

The Best Online Product Configurator

Expivi is the best product configuration tool out there, and we’re not just saying that. Our 3D product configuration tool sets us above and beyond many other product configuration companies on the market. We find that our approach to visual presentation is really what helps seal the deal for many customers. Seeing the product as they build, and even testing it out in their space using WebAR, makes the product feel all the more real— making it much easier to hit that "purchase now" button.

If our product configurator seems like the right fit for your business, get started today. Our team of experts is here to walk you through the process, from creating the 3D models to incorporating the technology right into your ecommerce platform. We can't wait to help build you your own custom product configurator and boost your sales with easy-to-use functionality that improves your customer experience.