Hi Heinrich: designing a configurator from scratch is a lot of work and I do not recommend it. The problem is not just the front-end, which a good JavaScript developer could help you with, but the back-end: handling the setup of the configurable product, managing the ordering of the configured product, inventory management (if a part is out of stock, how will the storefront handle it?), etc. There are a lot of details that are not trivial to solve at all.
What I can give you here is only biased advice based on my experience at Early Impact: the “Build To Order” version of the ProductCart ecommerce system (ProductCart Build To Order combines a shopping cart, product configurator, and online quoting software) is an affordable and customizable solution. You should check it out. It supports inventory management, product images and descriptions, multiple pricing levels, etc. at the configuration item level. Each item in the configuration is not just an “option” or “attribute” in the store, but rather an inventory part, which makes a big difference.
Of course, there are other solutions (try a search for “product configurator” on Google, for example), but I’m not directly familiar with them. What I do know is that in many cases you are looking at a price tag that’s substantially higher.
Bernardo Nh and Catherine Yushina upvoted this
Hi everyone!
I just checked all the links offered in this thread for software that offers product builder experience and I found that many links either don’t work, outdated or cost a lot of money and don’t have real integrations with the E-Commerce platforms.
So I wanted to add my 2 cents here and share this link:
We have just recently launched our version of product configurator software and it’s currently available as a native app on Shopify: Custom Product Builder by Buildateam.io
It allows offering ‘Build Your Own Product’ experience to customers online and in-store without much technical knowledge or investment.
Main website: The Custom Product Builder
The complexity and quality of a product configurator depends on how visual and modifiable it is, as well as the number of options that go into the product. At Bespokeable http://Bespokeable.com we make it super easy to launch and manage your own online shops complete with product configurators. Although we only support men’s shirts at the moment, we’re working hard to launch new products…
Hi Heinrich, there are already made product configurators out there that you can use for your ecommerce store projects, one of them is the Simplio3D web based product configurator where is distributed both in standard version and bespoke for ecommerce integrations for Magento, Opencart, PrestaShop, WooCommerce etc.
Simplio3D both supports .PNG imagery and full 3D rendering.
We have created a very advanced product configuration platform so you do not have to start from scratch.
We take care of technology so you can focus on building and selling great custom products.
Hi,
At JTT PARTNERS we would apply following process:
1) Elicit following information from stakeholders on client side:
– Products or product parts which will be used in the configuration process
– Rules under which they are configured
– Price calculation rules
– Marketing / sales goals (SEO, branding, etc)
2) Requirements documentation would be designed based on elicited information, and it would include:
– Feature design
– Interface design
– Any other relevant documentation that describe the development needs, user processes, while maintaining the brand
3) Documentation is delivered to developers which can be:
– Inhouse
– Via RFP to supplier
Product configurators are much more complex than assumed.
My suggestion is NOT working directly with developers, but work with a business analyst to design the requirements.
I am an ex triathlete, so I can understand the complexity of online bicycle configurators. There are a lot of rules to combine frames, wheelsets, groupsets, stems, handlebars, seats, and also bikefit must be taken into consideration.
A partnership with someone like Retul might be interesting. Their bikefitting rules can be integrated into the bike configurator.
Hi,
There are a few ways to create a configurator like the example you gave.
You can work with photo’s or you work with 3D models.
- With photo’s and not to much possible configurations, you can just show the photo that fit the chosen values.
- With photo’s but the amount of choices is big, then the photo needs to be cut in peaces and put together again depending on the choices made.
- With 3D models you can build a configurator like 1 and 2 but then pre-rendered on the server.
- Use the 3D model to render the image on the server as the request is done.
- Use webgl to render the 3D model in the browser on the client-side.
At Navigram. Network platform for Product Catalogs. Solutions for product configuration, visualization and sharing. Guided selling and CPQ in 2D and 3D. you can create a configurator described in point 1 and 5. If you don’t want to use 3D models but only photo’s you attach the photo’s to the option. If you want to use 3D models you attach these to the option. Show, hide and color parts as you like.
At
Create your own 3D configurator or 3D planner
you can create a 3D configurator like in point 5 but than with a lot of freedom. Show, hide or color parts. Choose your own lights or camera points, snap objects together etc.