Shoppable Imagery:

Shoppable imagery quickly became a game-changer in the e-commerce industry. It enhances the shopping experience by making it more convenient and interactive for users. This innovation reshaped how businesses connect with their consumers and simplified the selling process.

As a 3D rendering company that creates CG visuals for shoppable content, we know how you can best incorporate such imagery into your marketing strategy. Read our short guide to shoppable visuals and find out how they work!

#1. What Is Shoppable Imagery?

Shoppable imagery is product visuals incorporating clickable elements or hotspots directly linked to product pages. It allows online buyers to seamlessly explore or purchase the items featured in the image with a simple click.

These visuals can be integrated into different touchpoints like the home page, emails, or product pages. Clicking on a specific image section redirects the user to a dedicated product page or an online store, providing all the details about the product including pricing. It facilitates the purchasing process.

So, shoppable images link visual presentation and the actual purchasing process, offering consumers a seamless and convenient shopping experience. Widely incorporated in eCommerce, advertising, and marketing, they now play a pivotal role in boosting engagement, driving sales, and augmenting user interaction with products or services.

#2. Types of Shoppable Imagery

Shoppable imagery is seamlessly integrated across all marketing platforms. While the fundamental principle remains the same — taking your customer to a check-out point with one click — the visual presentation varies based on the unique requirements of each platform.

Shoppable Posts

Shoppable posts are social media posts that enable direct purchasing by clicking on them. Currently, platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest support these posts, allowing e-buyers to tap on the tags and be directed straight to the product page where they can make orders.

Instagram integrated a feature that allows users to shop without leaving the app. Now, one can purchase right in the Insta feed without the need to visit the e-commerce site. That’s how it works: 

• tap on the product or tag in the post;
• click ‘Proceed to Checkout’;
• fill out contact information, delivery info, and payment method;
• purchase.

Another option is to open the brand’s Instagram page and click the ‘View Shop’ button. It takes users to a catalog-style page where they can choose products and place an order. 

Shoppable Newsletters

Shoppable emails include clickable product images, either individual or collages, or buttons that lead directly to product pages. They allow potential customers to purchase products they are interested in straight from newsletters.  

Shoppable Digital Catalogs

Shoppable catalogs are digital catalogs that consist of clickable product images. By tapping on visuals or tags, customers can follow the link to product pages and check-out points of the e-commerce website of a brand.

Shoppable Videos

Shoppable videos provide consumers with the opportunity to explore products and complete purchases through embedded links within a video. Product videos increasingly emerge as a favored conversion path for e-commerce. It offers a direct means of interaction with potential customers and a dynamic product presentation at the same time.

Shoppable Ads

Shoppable ads assist e-commerce marketers in establishing a seamless, streamlined journey from the moment users view an ad to an effortless purchase of the featured product. All e-buyers have to do is click on the ad of the product they like and place an order.

Shoppable AR

Using cutting-edge technology, shoppable AR swiftly transports a realistic 3D model of any object to your prospects’ immediate physical environment. Then, users can click on such products and start a purchasing process in a shopping app.

#3. Benefits of Shoppable Imagery

Shoppable visual content integrates interactive elements allowing customers to directly engage with and purchase products. It offers several benefits for both businesses and consumers. Here are some key advantages:

Enhanced User Experience

Shoppable imagery provides a more interactive and engaging experience for leads and clients. Instead of navigating to a separate product page, customers can explore and purchase items seamlessly within the image no matter what e-commerce platform they use for shopping.

Shorter Purchase Journey

Shoppable imagery reduces the number of touchpoints, simplifying the path to purchase. Businesses can expedite the buying process and potentially increase conversion rates by allowing users to click on specific items within an image and proceed directly to the checkout.

Increased Conversions

The direct linking of products in shoppable imagery can lead to higher conversion rates. E-buyers are more likely to make a purchase when they can easily access the product they are interested in without navigating through multiple pages.

Improved Engagement

Shoppable images encourage active engagement. Customers can explore various products within a single image, which encourages them to interact more with the content. This increased engagement can positively impact brand awareness and customer retention.

Cross-Selling Opportunities

Businesses can utilize shoppable imagery to promote cross-selling. By featuring complementary products within the same image, customers may be inclined to add multiple items to their cart, contributing to increased average order values.

Adaptability Across Platforms

Shoppable imagery can be adapted for various marketing channels, including websites, mobile apps, and social media. This versatility enables businesses to maintain a cohesive and engaging shopping experience across multiple platforms.

#4. Benefits of CGI for Shoppable Imagery

Consistent and high-quality images play a pivotal role in effective shoppable content. Maintaining this consistency regularly can be challenging with the long and complicated photography process, making product CGI services highly valuable. These services prove to be indispensable for ensuring stylish and uniform visual presentation of products. Let’s go through the key benefits of product rendering for shoppable images.

Reusability of Product 3D Models

Once completed, 3D models of your products can be used in different images over and over again. It allows frequently changing concepts for product visuals and saving resources on modeling at the same time. You can reuse 3D models of your own products as well as integrate ready-made 3D assets from a CGI studio’s library.

Variety of 3D Scenes in Different Styles

With CGI, trying out new backgrounds for product images is as easy as pie. Anything is possible as long as 3D artists get an idea of your vision for new shoppable imagery. This allows you to refresh your galleries of visuals as often as you like and cater to different audiences with diverse style preferences.

Easy Changes and Corrections

With 3D rendering, products and scenes are digital, so making changes as well as edits at any step of the imagery-making process or even after the project is finished is easy and quick. Nothing has to be completely redone — just tweaked here and there. This is a massive benefit over traditional photography where every change requires a new photoshoot.

Budget-Friendly Ready-to-Use Props and Scenes

As mentioned above, most CGI studios, including CGIFurniture, have their own libraries of ready-made 3D models and scenes. To save time and money, brands can use them for creating new images instead of ordering custom ones for every project.

In summary, shoppable imagery transforms a static product visual into an interactive and convenient shopping experience. It enables users to explore, learn more about, and purchase products seamlessly through the image itself. 

To get eye-catching shoppable visuals with the least time and source investments, CGI is a must. Finding a professional 3D visualization studio that can bring all your ideas for product pictures to reality is a life-savor for shoppable content generation.   

Are you ready to upgrade your e-commerce selling strategy? Try out CGIFurniture’s 3D rendering services! Our team will provide you with product visuals able to transform your leads into customers with ease. Contact us now!

Valerie Adams

Content Writer, Editor

Valerie loves writing about CGI in advertising, product design development, and swears by 3D printing technology. In her free time, she enjoys attending music festivals and art events around Europe.