Consumer sentiment
Merchandising

Special Report: The state of the shopper in 2022 — visuals are everything

In today’s increasingly visual world, it goes without saying that product imagery matters in e-merchandising. But just how much? We set out to find out the answer — and more — from consumers. Enter “2022 State of Online Shopper Sentiment”, a report based on a survey of 1,000 consumers in the United States. Let’s dive into our key findings.

Product visuals matter — and the stakes are rising

When it comes to making a decision about an online purchase, 88% of people say high-quality product imagery is important. But simple, quality product images have quickly become table stakes. In fact, 77% said product image capabilities actually increase their confidence in purchase decisions on websites they’ve never purchased from before. Beyond images displayed on a white background, these capabilities include the ability to see products from all angles, the ability to swap products in a scene, and high-quality lifestyle images.

A lifestyle image is a product displayed in a scene, like a couch shown in a fully decorated living room. Placing a product in a real scenario can give the consumer a sense of how they might experience the product if they choose to buy it. Consumers prefer these context-rich images, with 60% saying a lifestyle image was more likely to capture their attention than a regular packshot.

Screen Shot 2022-11-29 at 1.20.51 PM

The risk of the status quo

What’s at stake for retailers not on board with these rapidly evolving consumer expectations? They’re at risk of sacrificing conversions and dealing with higher-than-average return rates. 31% of people say the top thing that deters them from purchasing a product online is low-quality product visuals and lack of compelling visuals. If a consumer can find a comparable product from another retailer that has the lifestyle images and product angles they’re looking for, they’ll likely turn toward that option.

Perhaps even more alarming, 75% of consumers will return a product if the image displayed doesn’t match the product received. Without quality visuals that give the consumer an accurate depiction of a product, retailers can expect to see return rates that cause a significant hit to their income statements.

Pie Chart (10)

What’s next?

Consumer demands are high now, and all signs point to them continuing to rise. 25% of consumers said their expectations for product imagery have increased compared to last year, and younger generations have higher expectations than their older counterparts when it comes to product visuals. Adapting now will prevent retailers from falling behind.

Pie Chart (11)

Want to learn more about how you can keep up with increasing visual expectations? We are here to help retailers create unlimited stunning visuals without using traditional photography.

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Special Report: The state of the shopper in 2022 — visuals are everything

June 26, 2023

Q2 2023

Dynamic Display

With Dynamic Display, shoppers easily mix and match multiple products in real-time — and shop directly from the experience. Retailers can seamlessly embed this on their websites and apps, showcasing these shoppable showrooms wherever they do business online.

Search and tag visuals

Users can now search visuals on the platform! Instead of scrolling through visuals or looking up product or template details, users can easily find visuals using keywords and filters. Filters include visual type, products, organizations, creators, status, and creation date. And now, with the ability to tag visuals, users can also search by tag. 

Advanced template search takes this a step further. When users begin creating a visual by selecting a product, in addition to seeing all compatible templates, they can now search for specific templates using a variety of filters, including categories, ratios, tags, and more.

Enhanced scene creation

Our redesigned scene editor offers a more immersive editing canvas while providing a simpler, easy-to-learn, and more intuitive UI. Users can swap products, repaint walls — and ultimately create scenes — faster than ever.

Vastly improved swap diversity

We've rebuilt how product swaps work to allow users to browse and swap any product with the accurate geometry. Gone are the limitations of a single or select group of product categories, enabling users to leverage their creativity by quickly transforming a bedroom into a home office or a garage into a home gym.

Preview Visuals Within Email Notifications

Each email notifying you about a new packshot, 360, or lifestyle will include a beautiful preview image helping you maintain context and make more informed decisions.

Control Your 360° spins

Customize your 360° spins by editing the duration, manipulating the zoom, or changing the camera angle to your exact specifications.

 

Want to get a full tour of the product? Request a demo today!

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