Have you ever learned about something and then it seemed to suddenly appear everywhere?
That’s called the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, and it happened to me in a big way when I was thinking about 3D visualization.
I’m not new to 3D visualization. In fact, I’ve been following it for the last seven years — since it started gaining prominence in the home furnishings industry.
I’ve watched as more players try to break into the industry, first with markerless augmented reality — which didn’t need a set marker to scan a room — and now with high-res 3D products and web-based configurators that can be used on websites, in marketing materials and more.
The first instance of Baader-Meinhof started for me when I was emailing a major furniture manufacturer asking for product photography. They told me they wouldn’t have product shots of the collections they released at the October High Point Market until January.
It surprised me because, for a company of that size and renown, that’s a long time to wait. I wouldn’t want to wait that long for a product shot to be put on my website if I were a retailer. I’d want to have some time to plan my marketing strategy and maybe even show a sneak preview to customers.
I understand that the cycle for getting new products from market to the retail floor can take a few months.
Not long after I got that message about the three-month wait, Live Furnish released news that they can deliver 3D product models in 30 days — a process that can take six to eight months with others.
When it comes to product photography, it can take an average of 18 to 20 weeks to get the sales materials ready once product photography is done.
Others like INSPI, Outward and 3D Source are also making big strides when it comes to fast and affordable 3D product models, and this all came full circle for me when Intiaro launched its new (Design Board) DB3D Design Stations at several key retailers — including Baer’s, International Design Source and Theory Design.
This launch aims to bring the technology to the physical store location, allowing store sales representatives the ability to access full inventory with real-time information.
“Retailers can now train their employees using a single tool to manage all inventory in-store,” the company said. “Having all their bestsellers available in one configurator is a huge benefit because customers must see to believe.”
All of this to say, this isn’t simply a case of Baader-Meinhoff syndrome. These are just three of the many examples of different parts of the 3D process — from the need for assets to the creation of the models and then to the use of the final product.
As 3D becomes more popular, it’s going to be expected by retailers and consumers in the near future. Will you be ready?
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