3D configurator vs 360 product photos: which fits your product?

How 360 product photos work

The product sits on a turntable and is photographed every few degrees, usually 24, 36 or 72 frames per turn. In the browser the frames swap as the buyer drags, so the product appears to rotate.

• Upside: it is a real photo with real materials and light.
• Every colour or size variant needs a new shoot.
• Views from above or inside exist only if those frames were shot.
• Large products such as saunas or garden houses do not fit on a turntable, so they are shot outdoors by walking around them.

How a 3D configurator works

The product is modelled in 3D from drawings, CAD files or photos. In the browser the buyer moves freely around the model, zooms into details and picks options. The configurator shows the price by your rules and blocks combinations you do not make.

For a fuller explanation of what a configurator does and who it suits, see What is a 3D product configurator?.

Comparison: 360 photos and a 3D configurator

The two do not compete. Many shops keep both on the product page: photos prove the real material, 3D answers "what will my version look like?"

When 360 photos are enough

• The product has one or a few variants.
• The product is small and already made.
• Showing the real texture matters most, for example on handmade items.
• The range changes quickly and each item has a single variant.

When a 3D configurator is the better choice

• The product comes in many sizes, colours and extras: saunas, hot tubs, kitchens, doors, furniture.
• It is made to order, so photographing every variant is impossible.
• The price depends on the choices and buyers call to ask for it.
• The product is large, so buyers want to see it in their own space.
• You want to start selling before the first unit is built.

See how it works on the 3D configurator page. If there are few variants but you want buyers to inspect the product from every side, a 3D product view is enough.

How to decide: 5 steps

1. 1

   Count the variants. Multiply the number of sizes, colours and extras. Beyond a dozen or so combinations, photos cannot show them all.

2. 2

   List the questions. What do buyers ask by phone and email: price, dimensions, will it fit, what does the other colour look like?

3. 3

   Consider the size. A sauna or garden house is hard to shoot in a circle, and AR is especially useful for large products.

4. 4

   Check what you have. Drawings or CAD files make the 3D model easier to build, and good photos stay useful either way.

5. 5

   Start with one. Launch 3D for your best-selling product and compare its inquiries with the others.

How the number of combinations and rules shapes a configurator project is covered in What drives the cost of a 3D configurator?.