How Online Classifieds Can Innovate With Immersive Technologies

Product visualization on classifieds plays a crucial role in a consumers’ decision-making process. According to Etsy, 90% of shoppers say the quality of photos are “extremely important” or “very important” to their purchase decision. Embedding interactive 3D product images into a marketplace is an effective way to improve product perception and increase the time a customer spends in a shopping environment, leading to higher conversion rates. Yet, until recently, immersive content was unavailable to most classifieds as it’s difficult to produce. 

Now, app developers can use Mertsy SDK, the solution for classifieds that allows them not only to embed immersive content displaying into a mobile app, but also to create 3D content using a smartphone camera. For the first time, an end-to-end 3D/360 product imaging solution is available as an SDK.

What Is Mertsy SDK and How Does It Work?

There are several scenarios how a classified can integrate Mertsy SDK into their mobile app. The most popular one is to modify the ad creation mode. A classified adds a “Create 3D photo” button next to buttons for uploading product photos. 

When the user taps this button, the 3D shooting mode will start. The user will be able to shoot an item in 3D and attach the resulting 3D image to their ad.

It’s pretty easy to create a 3D image — the user simply circles an item as if they are shooting a video. The app, meanwhile, uses a range of computer vision and AI technologies to create a 3D image in Cappasity’s proprietary format which is called “3D View”. 

Mertsy SDK helps classifieds push the boundaries of the online shopping experience. It will be continuously enhanced with new features, since its developers plan to provide not only 3D product imaging, but also other helpful solutions for customer experience improvement and conversion rate growth. 

The solution allows sellers to shoot anything in the 3D View format, from a ring to a car or even a house. There are multiple 3D capturing modes that can be integrated into a classified’s mobile app, including shooting objects of any size, digitizing vehicles in 3D, and creating panoramas of real estate.

Unlike flat images, the 3D View format offers a variety of interactions for consumers: they can rotate items, zoom in, estimate the product’s quality and materials, and check every tiny detail. With high-quality and interactive 3D content, merchants can quickly and easily draw attention to their offerings on marketplaces and classifieds and customers will be able to appreciate the true quality of products. 

Shooting a car in the 3D View format:

How Immersive Content Impacts Sales on Classifieds

After embedding immersive content, classifieds observe at least a 12% increase in conversion action: ads with 3D Views receive better feedback (calls, messages). The ability to estimate the desired item from all angles is especially important for used car buyers.

Autotrader found that a whopping 87% of customers find 360-degree photos indispensable when shopping for vehicles online. What’s more, 78% of shoppers are more likely to consider a vehicle with a 360-degree spin image compared to a vehicle without one. While 3D visualization of a car can’t replace a history report, it creates confidence about the condition of the vehicle, builds trust with the seller and is necessary when purchasing partially or fully online.  

For example, CarSwitch, a used car marketplace in UAE and KSA, has integrated with Cappasity’s solution for classifieds to allow their consumers to examine vehicles as they would offline from the comfort of their homes. To digitize a car in 3D, CarSwitch specialists use 3DShot app, a standalone application based on the Mertsy SDK.

If visual content for ads is created by a classified’s employees, it’s more convenient to use the 3DShot app and reduce the time for the integration into a classified’s app. After providing immersive content shooting functionality, CarSwitch noticed that cars with 3D Views garner a much higher engagement and interest from buyers. 

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