Revolutionizing product exploration on Flipkart - A 3D first approach
Sep 2023
My role
Product designer — Interactions, User Flows, Prototyping, User Research
Team
Anwesha B (Lead), Shashwat Chandra, Karan Sonawale, Vikrant kashyap (PM), Prajwal
Duration
Aug 2023 - Sep 2023
Overview
Imagine scrolling through endless flat images and videos, squinting to discern details and textures. This was the reality of online product exploration for millions of Flipkart users. We knew there had to be a better way to bridge the gap between the virtual experience and the physical product. Enter the 3D revolution!
Users can virtually rotate the product, examining it from all angles just like they would in a store. This fosters a deeper connection with the product and allows users to make informed decisions about scale, style, and overall fit within their homes.
Imagine scrolling through endless flat images and videos, squinting to discern details and textures. This was the reality of online product exploration for millions of Flipkart users. We knew there had to be a better way to bridge the gap between the virtual experience and the physical product. Enter the 3D revolution!
Users can virtually rotate the product, examining it from all angles just like they would in a store. This fosters a deeper connection with the product and allows users to make informed decisions about scale, style, and overall fit within their homes.
The Backstory: Flatland Frustrations
We witnessed firsthand the limitations of the traditional image gallery. Users grappled with pain points such as:
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Lack of Dimensionality: 2D images simply can't convey the depth, size, and overall presence of a product.expand_more Users struggle to gauge how a phone will feel in their hand, the true scale of a piece of furniture, or the intricacies of a textured surfaces.
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Limited Detail Exploration: Zooming in on flat images often results in pixelation, making it difficult to examine finer details like button and port placement on electronics, or the grain of wood furniture.
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Static Nature: Videos offer a glimpse of movement, but navigating them to find specific details can be time-consuming. They also lack the interactivity that allows users to explore the product at their own pace.
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These frustrations translated to a less-than-ideal shopping experience. Users struggled to truly understand the products they were considering, leading to higher return rates and purchase anxieties.
Scroll Depth Shenanigans: Endless swiping through an unpredictable number of images left users unsure of how much content remained.
What users crave in an image gallery
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Realism and Immersion: Online shoppers yearn for a more realistic product experience that bridges the gap between the virtual and physical worlds. They want to see the product as they would in a store, examining details, textures, and dimensions from all angles.
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Interactive Exploration: Users desire an interactive experience where they can zoom in on specific features, know the features and get a true sense of how they would function in real lives.
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Confidence in Purchase Decisions: Ultimately, users seek an image gallery that empowers them to make confident purchase decisions. They want to feel certain about the product's size, functionality, and aesthetic before clicking "buy."
A New Dimension in Product Exploration
We knew a paradigm shift was needed. Enter the innovative world of 3D product visualization. We explored the possibilities of the 360-degree viewer front and centre in the image gallery, making it the first fold content for mobiles, large electronics, and furniture. This approach offered a plethora of benefits.
Simulating real world
Users were no longer confined to the limitations of 2D. The 3D viewer allowed them to experience the true essence of the product, with realistic reflections and textures that brought the Colour, Material, Finish (CMF) to life.
Details on demand
Users had to scroll through images to get an over all picture of the product. Endless swiping through an unpredictable number of images left users unsure of how much content remained. The 3D environment provided a platform for users to meticulously examine every intricate detail, from the subtle curves of a phone case to the intricate stitching on a sofa.
Key features are easy to understand
To further enhance the exploration experience, we incorporated hotspots within the 360-degree view. These hotspots provided users with additional information and highlighted key features, making product discovery interactive and engaging.
The challenge - breaking the natural flow
One key consideration when prioritizing the 3D viewer was maintaining a seamless user experience for accessing other image gallery content. Replacing the traditional horizontal scroll with a 3D viewer could disrupt user expectations and limit access to existing image and video formats. Additionally, the 3D viewer's ability to interpret swipes in all directions might conflict with vertical scrolling behaviour on the page. To address this, a crucial aspect of the design involved finding a solution that facilitates interaction with the 3D viewer without compromising the user's ability to browse images and videos effortlessly.
Various explorations were made to bring the 360-degree view into image gallery and easily switch between the content. One final direction we took was to introduce navigation in image gallery. For that various content in image gallery were grouped. But we had to reduce the number of clicks and come up with an easier way for this.
The final solution - the 3D Awakening
The 3D approach with a 360-degree view solves these problems. Users can virtually rotate the product, examining it from all angles just like they would in a store. This allows for a more accurate understanding of size, proportion, and the placement of buttons, ports, or other features. Additionally, the "view in your room" feature with AR takes things a step further. By placing the product virtually in their own space, users can see how it interacts with their existing furniture, lighting, and décor.
We didn't stop at 3D! By enabling users to virtually place the product in their own space using Augmented Reality (AR), we fostered a deeper level of connection and allowed them to envision how the product would integrate into their lives.
Other features
View in your room
The Impact: A Brighter Shopping Experience
This project marked a significant shift in how users interacted with products on Flipkart. The 3D first approach:
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Increased User Confidence: By providing a more realistic and detailed product experience, users felt more confident in their purchase decisions.
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Reduced Return Rates: With a clearer understanding of the product's attributes, users were less likely to be surprised upon receiving their purchases, leading to a decrease in returns.
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Enhanced User Engagement: The interactive nature of the 3D viewer and AR features kept users engaged for longer periods, fostering a more enjoyable shopping experience.
This project stands as a testament to the power of innovative design. By breaking away from the limitations of the flat image gallery, we empowered users to truly experience the products they desired, ultimately leading to a more satisfying shopping journey on Flipkart.
Metric
3D/AR Visit Adoption - 31.32%
Live PPV Coverage - 37.12%
124 cr GMV impact.
1.3% C/UV in mobiles