XO3D Studio · Guide
When Do You Need Interactive 3D?
360° viewers, configurators, and AR models are not always the right answer. Here is when they are — and what each one requires.
Interactive 3D product experiences let a buyer examine a product from any angle, in any detail, without a photographer, a retouching round, or a new asset for each view. For some products and some contexts, this is transformative. For others, it is more production investment than the use case justifies. This guide explains the three types of interactive 3D, when each is worth commissioning, and what is involved in building each.
The three types
360° viewer, configurator, and AR model — what each one is.
Type 01
360° Product Viewer
A web-embedded component that allows a user to drag the product through a full horizontal rotation. The simplest and most commonly used interactive 3D format. Delivered as a GLB file for Shopify's native viewer, or as a Three.js-based custom implementation for other web platforms. Mobile-optimised and touch-compatible as standard.
Best for: e-commerce PDP, product page, any context where the buyer wants to examine the product freely.
Type 02
Product Configurator
An interactive experience allowing the user to switch between colourways, materials, components, or configurations in real time. More complex to build than a 360° viewer — requires a separate render set or real-time rendering for each configuration option. Best suited to products with meaningful visual variation between configurations.
Best for: products with colourway or configuration choices that meaningfully affect purchase decision.
Type 03
AR Model
Delivers the 3D model to a mobile device's camera view — the product appears to sit in the user's physical environment at real scale. Delivered as USDZ (iOS Safari) and GLB (Android Chrome). Most effective for products where scale and spatial fit matter to the purchase decision: furniture, appliances, larger consumer goods.
Best for: furniture, home goods, appliances — any product where "will this fit?" is part of the decision.
When is interactive 3D worth commissioning?
The decision framework.
| Context | 360° Viewer | Configurator | AR Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium consumer product on Shopify | Strong case | If colourways are key | If size matters |
| Amazon product listing | Via A+ 360° module | Not supported | Not supported |
| B2B product with complex spec | Enables examination | If configurations vary | Rarely applicable |
| Furniture or home goods | Useful | If finishes vary | Strong case — scale matters |
| FMCG / packaged goods | Low value add | Low value add | Low value add |
| Trade show or sales presentation | Enables stand exploration | If showing range | Useful demo tool |
Platform specifics
What each platform actually supports.
Shopify
Native GLB viewer
Shopify has built-in support for GLB 3D models on product pages — the viewer activates automatically when a GLB is uploaded. No third-party app required. XO3D delivers Shopify-optimised GLB files with correct polygon count for web performance alongside the full-resolution asset for other uses.
Amazon
A+ 360° image module
Amazon's A+ Content module supports a 360° product viewer built from a series of images (typically 24–72 frames). XO3D produces this image sequence from the same 3D asset as all other deliverables. No specialist viewer implementation required — the sequence is uploaded directly to the A+ Content editor.
Custom websites
Three.js or model-viewer
For branded websites outside Shopify, XO3D delivers a Three.js-based interactive viewer or a Google model-viewer implementation, depending on the development environment. The viewer is performance-optimised and mobile-compatible. Integration requires minimal development work from the client's web team.
iOS & Android AR
USDZ + GLB dual delivery
iOS Safari activates USDZ files natively via a "View in AR" button. Android Chrome activates GLB via Google's AR Quick Look. XO3D delivers both file formats as standard for any AR model brief so both major mobile platforms are covered from one production pass.
FAQ
Common questions, answered.
How does an interactive 3D viewer affect page load speed?
Is the interactive viewer a separate build from the still renders?
Does interactive 3D work on all devices?
Considering adding interactive 3D to a product brief?
Tell us about the product, the platform, and what your buyer needs to see.
We'll tell you which type makes sense and what it adds to the scope.