What Is Visual Commerce? Everything You Need To Know

Imagine scrolling through an online store, but instead of static images, you get 360-degree views of the chair you want to purchase. Or, you can virtually try on your favorite accessories before you buy. This is the power of visual commerce — and it's revolutionizing the way consumers shop online. 

But what exactly is visual commerce?

In this guide, we'll break down everything you need to know about visual commerce and how your online business can benefit from it. We’ll also explore a few examples of brands that are already using this strategy.

Let’s get started.

What Is Visual Commerce?

Visual commerce is a marketing strategy that sees brands leveraging visual content innovatively to display products to their target audience. 

In visual commerce, online retailers use high-resolution product images and videos on online stores (and even their other marketing channels) to attract, engage, and influence online shoppers. 

For instance, a shop may use a screen recorder to create a video explaining how to use its product and post it on its product page. It may also incorporate pictures of customers using its items into its homepage.

Of course, visual commerce isn’t enough to get online shoppers to buy. You also need all your other website elements to work as they should. So, use an eCommerce platform like Shift4Shop or a landing page builder like ClickFunnels, Leadpages, or other Leadpages alternatives. Ensure you also craft good product descriptions and captions highlighting your product’s unique selling proposition.

With this holistic approach, you can entice visitors to hit that Buy Button and, ultimately, ensure your business growth.  

4 Types of Visual Commerce

Here are the common types of visual commerce you can leverage to launch a successful visual commerce strategy.

1. 3D Product Photography

This visual commerce strategy is used to transform static images. It entails using 3D rendering and 3D model techniques to create high-resolution, 360-degree product views like this:

Source: Heals

To accomplish this effect, use a 360° photography solution. Customers can rotate and zoom in on products virtually, giving them an experience similar to one they’d have in a brick-and-mortar store. 

With this more realistic and interactive product experience, eCommerce businesses can increase the likelihood of customer satisfaction after purchase and ensure reduced purchase returns. 

2. AR Virtual Try-On

Choosing the right size, color, and style can be difficult for customers, especially when looking for clothes, furniture, eyewear, and other similar items. AR technology solves this problem by allowing customers to see how a product looks, feels, and fits in their specific environments. 

For example, through the IKEA Place app, IKEA allows prospective customers to virtually place any furniture element in their homes.

Source: IKEA

This immersive shopping experience builds customer engagement.

Furthermore, by immersing shoppers in visually appealing displays, brands can communicate product features, benefits, and brand identity more effectively. This can increase product understanding, boost conversion rates, and maximize sales for online businesses.

3. User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated visuals — or visuals created by customers rather than brands —empower online stores to turn their customers into brand ambassadors. They can also impact purchase behavior. A recent study shows that 85% of shoppers will consider buying a product with reviews featuring customer photos and videos.

Spanx uses this content on its online store:

Source: Spanx

Like Spanx, you can encourage customers to share photos or videos of themselves using products they purchased from you. You can use social media analytics tools to determine which generates the most engagement. Then, display that content on your website to build social proof. You can share this content on your own social profiles as well.

4. Visual Configurators

In eCommerce, a visual product configurator is an interactive tool that allows customers to customize products according to their preferences and needs. This helps create personalized shopping experiences. 

Here’s an example:

Source: eShakti

Why is this visual commerce strategy a must-use? 95% of customers prefer interactive visual product configuration.

Benefits of Visual Commerce

Now that you know what visual commerce is, here’s a recap of how it can benefit your online store.

Improved Customer Engagement

Traditional text-heavy product descriptions can be monotonous to customers. Visual commerce helps you use captivating product photos, videos, and interactive content. 

This creates a more engaging customer experience, keeping customers on product pages longer and allowing them to learn more about what you offer.

You can use enterprise generative AI to craft compelling product descriptions accompanied by stunning visuals to show potential customers close-ups of your product. This will further increase conversion rates for your online store. 

Improved Product Discovery

Visual commerce entails using shoppable images and videos that facilitate visual search and help customers discover products they want to purchase quickly. With consumers empowered to customize the products they see from the get-go, visual commerce can further expedite product discovery.

As a result, shoppers are more likely to buy. They’re also likely to stay longer on the site, leading to reduced bounce rates. 

Boosts Customer Confidence

Customers may hesitate to purchase online because they lack physical interaction with products. Visual commerce technology bridges this gap by providing detailed and compelling visuals that allow for close inspection. 

It provides immersive experiences through virtual try-ons, 3D product models, and high-resolution zoom functions. This allows customers to visualize products in real-life contexts, boosting their confidence in purchasing decisions.

Top Visual eCommerce Trends

To effectively leverage visual commerce and deliver unique shopping experiences to your customers, you need to stay updated on the latest industry trends. Here are the top visual eCommerce trends shaping the visual commerce space.

Shoppable Videos and Images

Shoppable content allows customers to click on links or product displays when browsing social media, directing them to the product page immediately.

You can embed shoppable images and videos onto your website or social media platforms to help customers make a purchase fast. This can shorten the sales cycle and remove friction in the buying process. 

Personalization 

When purchasing items online, modern customers want the brick-and-mortar experience (or something similar) and want to ensure the products they buy online are true to size.

With visual commerce tools like 3D product configurators, brands can tailor experiences by allowing customers to customize products based on their preferred color, size, shape, etc.

Besides, brands are leveraging innovative technologies like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality to help customers visualize products in their own physical environment or their chosen virtual showrooms.

Digital Catalogs

These online documents are transforming traditional catalogs by providing an interactive visual experience. Customers can flip through their pages, zoom in on products, and immediately buy.

They are usually integrated with eCommerce platforms, allowing customers to directly purchase products they find in the catalog without going through multiple pages.

3D Product Visuals 

The past few years have witnessed a rapid adoption of 3D in the eCommerce world. Companies are now using 3D rendering to showcase products from various angles. With 3D product visuals, customers can tilt, zoom, and have a 360-degree view of the products they want to purchase.

Successful Examples of Visual Commerce

Brands across various industries are increasingly adopting visual commerce to improve online shopping and influence customers into purchasing their products.

Here are three examples of visual commerce in action.

1. GoPro

User-generated content (UGC) builds brand love, trust, and user engagement—and GoPro knows this. The company uses visual commerce by showcasing its action cameras in real-world scenarios through user-generated content (UGC). 

On social media, it encourages customers to share their adventures captured with GoPro cameras using specific hashtags, creating a dynamic gallery of experiences. 

Here’s an example:

Source: GoPro on Instagram

It then displays some of this UGC on its own eCommerce site:

Source: GoPro

Overall, GoPro’s UGC campaigns enhance audience engagement and inspire consumers to buy by showing its product in action and being used by ordinary customers. 

2. Vinyl Status

Vinyl Status uses visual configurations to help consumers customize their stickers based on size, background color, font style, and text color.

Source: Vinyl Status

Customers get a preview of their customized stickers in real time before they add them to their shopping cart. This helps Vinyl Status prevent user concerns when purchasing stickers.

3. Clarins

Clarins, a global cosmetics company, has incorporated a virtual try-on feature into its product pages.

Source: Clarins

With this feature, customers can use the live camera option or upload their pictures to see how different lipstick shades or eyeshadows look on them.

Engage Your Customers with Visual Commerce

Visual commerce technology is transforming the retail landscape rapidly, providing ample opportunities for customer acquisition and business growth.

You should incorporate a visual eCommerce strategy into your marketing efforts to stay ahead of the curve.

Whether it’s UGC, 3D images, visual configuration, or virtual try-ons, a well-executed visual commerce strategy can boost engagement and increase conversions. 

Ultimately, these types of content will make your customers happy, and when those sales come in, they’ll make you happy, too.