The strategic advantage of digital twins in retail visualization
By Mark Elfenbein, Head of North America, Nfinite:
Despite e-commerce’s remarkable evolution, the challenge of helping customers authentically experience products before purchase remains stubbornly persistent. The visual commerce ecosystem still relies heavily on simulated representations rather than true product understanding, operating like an elaborate game of show and tell with retailers attempting to convey product quality and functionality through what are essentially digital approximations. So while online shopping continues to advance in many areas, this fundamental gap between product representation and physical reality continues to be the most persistent and costly issue in selling online.
Enter digital twins—hyper-realistic 3D product replicas— which are able to address this fundamental gap and deliver value that extends beyond just better visuals. With Gartner projecting this market to reach $183 billion by 2031, the sophisticated digitisation of products doesn’t just offer an incremental improvement in retail technology, but a fundamental recalibration of how consumers are able to interact with products in digital environments.
Moving Beyond Traditional Photography’s Limitations
Traditional product photography is increasingly an analogue solution in a digital world. The economics are revealing: a typical three-person studio produces roughly 8,500 images annually—woefully inadequate for retailers with extensive product portfolios featuring seasonal variations and multiple style options. The approach forces retailers into a continuous cycle of expensive shoots, limited creative flexibility, and diminishing returns.
By adopting 3D models, retailers are able to unlock almost unlimited visual possibilities, slashing production costs and unlocking a creative flexibility that traditional photography cannot match. A single digital twin can generate countless variations, be instantly updated, be seamlessly integrated into different environments and literally cost pennies in comparison to traditional studio photography.
Building Consumer Confidence Through Visual Certainty
The trust equation in digital retail hinges on visual certainty and the ability to 3D-render products that can be rotated, visualised in personal spaces through AR and fine details examined effectively narrows the confidence gap between digital and physical environments. This level of product clarity considerably reduces the chances of buying mistakes or purchase regret and, as a result, customer returns.
As AI-driven predictive visualisation matures, retailers will gain the capability to customise product presentations based on individual consumer preferences—moving beyond generic displays to personalized experiences. This level of personalisation comes with the ability to turn passive browsing into active engagement, creating digital shopping experiences that seriously rival those in-store.
Strategic Transformation Over Tech Improvement
The sustainability benefits are significant: reduced transportation, elimination of resource-intensive studio operations, and an end to single-use props and materials. In an era where environmental consciousness influences consumer preferences, this reduction in environmental impact aligns with both operational efficiency and brand values.
There’s also seasonal agility—creating immersive experiences, testing multiple merchandising strategies simultaneously, and pivoting visual displays without physically manipulating inventory—can shift marketing adaptability into competitive advantage. Retailers can respond to trends faster, optimise visual merchandising in real-time, and create consistent omnichannel experiences that build and strengthen brand identity.
For progressive retailers, digital twins represent a strategic inflection point rather than merely a new tech trend. The “experience gap” between physical and digital retail can increasingly be viewed as a strategic opportunity that innovative retailers are able to actively bridge.
The shift to advanced visualisation technologies is ultimately about addressing a fundamental business challenge: creating digital product experiences that build genuine consumer confidence. Those retailers who recognise this early and act decisively will inevitably establish meaningful differentiation in their digital customer experiences—a distinction that becomes increasingly valuable as consumer expectations continue to evolve.
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