Importance of an Interactive Virtual Showroom

The extent to which information is used and depended upon in daily life has multiplied as technology has brought more information to consumers' doorsteps. Digital has become the constant companion of the consumer, providing everything from recipes to directions to the most bizarre inquiries we may ask Alexa.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that 40% of US consumers spend more time buying online than they do in physical stores, and that 63% of shopping situations start online. Given the busy lives of consumers today, the convenience, variety of accessible products, and ease of comparing products, brands, and reviews combine for an attractive combination through an interactive virtual showroom.

With the advent of COVID-19 and customers realizing that the advantages and convenience of online shopping may be extended to more than only the product categories most frequently associated with "add to cart," this trend has intensified over the past few years. Furniture, appliances, and even cars, whose customers' buying trips frequently started online but ended in a physical store, are developing to provide an interactive virtual showroom experience.

Brands across industries are turning to 3D or virtual product showrooms to offer immersive and engaging experiences to all their digital channels to ensure that the digital customer experience meets or surpasses the growing demands of consumers. Digital showrooms are one of these rapidly expanding sectors.

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What is a Virtual Product Showroom?

An interactive virtual showroom fills the void between an in-person shopping experience and the traditional online one. The virtual product showroom, which sits in the center of the two, replicates the experience of a physical showroom while making it available to online customers.

Brands may connect with customers while they shop online using technology like video and live chat, providing all the help and guidance that is desired from an in-store visit. Virtual product showrooms, of course, still provide the accessibility and convenience of a conventional online store, making them ideal for busy clients who want to buy from the comfort of their own homes.

3D product tours and Chevrolet's 2021 All-Electric Experience for the Bolt EV are two more recent examples of digital showroom usage. Another is Lucid Motors' digital design center. Each of these interactions offers the customer immersive views and alternatives that frequently go beyond what they could see at a physical dealership, where the color or features they want could or might not be available. Additionally, these showrooms go beyond the typical build and price tools, which highlight color and trim options but are frequently not designed to instantly construct a buyer's unique vehicle.

What is the Importance of a Digital Showroom?

Due in large part to international restrictions on physical storefronts, online purchasing has increased significantly over the past year. However, many are still turning to online retail or digital showrooms even when non-essential stores have reopened to the public.

Over the past year or two, e-commerce has increased across all industries, but homeware sales have increased significantly. This is due to the new function that homes now serve in people's lives. Previously inhabited regions have been transformed into locations for work and education. Customers are spending more time shopping at home than ever before, which has raised interest in how to use and style spaces as well as what may be done to make them better.

As the market for home goods continues to expand, firms are up against fierce competition from a wide range of businesses that are all trying to cash in on a growing passion for interior design. Home goods brands must therefore work harder to differentiate themselves from the competition. The secret for brands trying to add more value and authenticity is adding a virtual store.

  1. Adding online experiences to life through an interactive virtual showroom

    Virtual product showrooms are fantastic for businesses as well as for customers. These digital showrooms enable businesses to interact in a novel way with their online consumers, fostering long-lasting bonds. Associates' potential to sell things is increased by the better, more specialized information they can supply. Additionally, since consumers have all the knowledge they require before making a purchase, they are less likely to return an item afterwards.

     
  2. Giving real-life experience to users through a digital showroom

    Shopping for home goods is tactile. Before making a purchase, consumers prefer to touch, feel, and see the goods. This is where internet homeware purchasing has historically fallen short. This is where online showrooms excel. Leading brands are constructing real-world experiences outside of flat, 2D pictures using video shopping and one-to-one virtual consultations. Customers are better able to judge the size, scale, and color of their purchases thanks to increased product visibility, which also lowers the possibility that they would return anything they do not want.

  3. Personalized Consultation in a digital showroom

    Personalized recommendations are irresistible to consumers, and virtual product showrooms thrive in this area. Brands can start providing customers with personalized recommendations as they browse via a virtual product showroom experience. These kinds of encounters provide customers with the power to make decisions that are suited to their needs. Customers are already supported by tailored recommendations from high-end home furnishings companies like Herman Miller and Jonathan Adler. Through businesses' online showrooms, technology is being leveraged to offer online buyers a high-quality experience that is simple to access. Since adopting the technology, Jonathan Adler has found that customers are seven times more likely to make a purchase and spend twice as much when they do.

  4. Real purchase experience

    As competition among homeware manufacturers increases, authenticity is quickly evolving into a deciding factor for many customers. Authenticity is still a crucial component of any brand's identity. It is still important despite significant changes in how people browse items and shop online.

    By sharing their knowledge and experiences with much larger audiences, brands are better able to provide authentic experiences thanks to virtual product showrooms. Additionally, they enable businesses to offer product demonstrations and customized shopping recommendations to customers.

  5. Real purchase experience

    Building lifelong Relations: Customers do not buy household goods on the spur of the moment. Long lengths of research go into home design and renovation projects, so businesses must be able to stay in touch with consumers throughout the entire purchasing process.

Through virtual clienteling in an interactive virtual showroom, employees can establish and sustain relationships with clients. Product specialists can communicate with customers via email and live messaging, providing updates on the availability of long-awaited products as well as recommendations based on prior encounters.

The significance of cultivating relationships in the virtual product showroom has already been acknowledged by interior firms like Heal's. The ability to maintain communication with customers through text, WhatsApp, and email after they have left the store has enabled staff to forge deep connections with customers. And it is effective. The advent of interactive virtual showrooms in brands’ lives is skyrocketing for their success.

Can Virtual product Showrooms be used in Retail Business?

Interactive virtual showrooms can be a useful addition to a physical retail location, even though they are frequently considered to be features for a web experience. The demand to generate more sales from less space at a lower cost is growing as more brands review their strategies for real estate and physical footprints. Branded pop-ups and experience center models thrive on constrained space packed with product information and easily accessible touch-points that help customers progress through the shopping experience, in contrast to traditional retail, which required significant square footage for a showroom floor as well as additional storage for inventory.

Let us review the digital design expertise of Lucid Motors used in their virtual product showrooms. Keeping a lot of inventory in one place is expensive and risky for an up-and-coming electric vehicle manufacturer with a higher-than-average pricing point. Additionally, customers at this pricing bracket want features that may be customized to their unique needs. Customers will be able to explore the brand and see a car in person at Lucid's Studios, which typically occupy smaller retail spaces, but they will not be able to drive a car off the lot right away.

Lucid can implement digital touchpoints inside the studio and present the virtual product showroom to capitalize on a customer's immediate interest and continue the brand experience. This enables customers to experience not only the physical vehicle but also the fully immersive process of designing, choosing, and even ordering their desired vehicle.

Will a Digital Showroom replace the old-style Shopping?

Store visits are still very much a thing. But the demand for digital showrooms has not decreased at all despite the rise in in-store buying.

As consumers start to benefit from the best of both worlds (physical showroom and digital showrooms), we may anticipate seeing both options advance in the future. Along with in-person experiences, e-commerce is on the rise. As the lines between the two become less distinct, we will start to see more intelligent, interactive virtual showroom experiences that may sway even the wariest of customers.

Hero technology enhances more than only eCommerce's possibilities. As customers visit physical stores to learn more about things they have seen online, it can also be leveraged to boost foot traffic in the real world.

If you are looking to build a digital showroom for your brand, FutureSoft can help you accomplish your goals. For more information on digital showrooms, contact us! Our professionals would be happy to help you out.

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