In eCommerce, the path from discovery to purchase is rarely a straight line. Shoppers browse, compare, hesitate, abandon carts and return days later, often without converting at all.
It’s a fragmented journey filled with friction points, unclear product information, doubts about fit or style, and the inability to “experience” the product before committing.
Yet as online retail matures, one thing is becoming clear: The brands winning today aren’t just the cheapest or the fastest, they’re the ones who remove friction from every stage of the buying journey.
The Problem: Friction in the Digital Aisle
Let’s take furniture and home décor as an example. A customer might find a sofa they like, but can’t quite imagine it in their living room. They can’t feel the fabric, gauge the true colour under natural light, or see how different legs, fabrics, or sizes change the overall look.
This lack of confidence creates hesitation. Hesitation creates abandoned carts and abandoned carts create lost revenue.
Industry data backs this up:
- 81% of shoppers say product imagery is the most important factor in making a buying decision.
- 22% of returns happen because the product “looked different” in person.
This turns a “maybe” into a confident “yes,” not by applying sales pressure, but by giving the customer complete control and clarity.
The Shift: From Static Images to Interactive Experiences
Retailers are starting to close this gap with immersive product experiences. Such as configurators, 360° views, and photorealistic CGI.
Instead of clicking through static images, shoppers can:
- Explore products from every angle
- Swap fabrics, colours, and finishes instantly
- Visualise the item in their own space
This turns a “maybe” into a confident “yes,” not by applying sales pressure, but by giving the customer complete control and clarity.
The Morf Approach: Removing Friction at Every Stage
At Morf, we’ve seen first-hand how this shift transforms eCommerce performance. By replacing guesswork with visual certainty, brands can:
- Shorten the decision cycle: Customers make informed choices in minutes, not days.
- Increase conversion rates: Confidence drives commitment.
- Reduce returns: Fewer surprises mean happier customers.
One furniture retailer we worked with saw an immediate lift in both online and in-store sales after introducing our interactive product visualiser. Customers arrived ready to buy, having already explored every possible combination at home.
Why This Matters Now
Online shopping is no longer just about convenience, it’s about confidence. The winners in the next wave of eCommerce will be those who treat the digital buying journey as carefully as they would a physical store layout: removing doubt, creating clarity, and empowering customers to make decisions they feel great about.
The Takeaway
A smoother journey isn’t just nice for the customer, it’s a competitive advantage that directly impacts revenue. In a world where every click matters, brands that visualise better will sell better. The technology to make that happen isn’t the future, it’s already here.
