Dynamic Automotive Images are Key to Boosting Online Buying CX

By: LiquidPixels | September 20, 2022 | 6 Min Read

As the automotive e-commerce market continues to increase, car sellers can boost their online sales by implementing dynamic automotive images on their websites.

Online Car Buying Takes a Leap

Car buying online is set to increase in the coming years. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global automotive e-commerce market is expected to reach USD 202.94 billion by 2028, up from USD 51.04 billion in 2021.

A 2021 Cox Automotive study attests to this increased affinity for online car buying. According to its findings, buyers now complete more than 50% of the steps in their buying journey online. The uptick in car buying online stems from the satisfaction it brings to the customers. Other findings of the study showed that:

• 74% were satisfied with the overall online car shopping experience.
• 71% were satisfied with the time the process took.
• 57% found that a mostly digital experience was better than their previous car buying experiences.

However, for online buyers, 79% conducted their research mostly through third-party sites and not directly on the seller’s portal. This presents an opportunity for online car sellers to improve their websites and how they present their products.

According to a 2022 study, “the success of digital transformation will depend on creating customer value and understanding the need to improve processes.”

The good news for professionals in the automotive industry is that dynamic automotive images can assist in helping make these kinds of digital transformations that would contribute to customer satisfaction.

Automotive Images and Dynamic Imaging

Dynamic imaging is a technology that car sellers can utilize to empower their website to provide flexibility and interactivity in ways that are not feasible in a store.

Through dynamic imaging technologies that provide the ability to present and manipulate 3D objects, zoom-and-pan viewers, as well as the ability to show 360º views of products, car sellers are able to improve their customer experience (CX).

According to a LiquidPixels survey, 17% of websites see an added increase in revenue when customers can visualize a product feature or benefit. This underscores how these dynamic imaging features assist in boosting sales for car businesses.

To expound further, dynamic imaging is the fusion of digital imaging, image editing, and workflow automation to produce beautiful pictures. It combines one or more high-resolution images with live data and returns the resulting customized image to the browser instantly and automatically.

For online car sellers, this also means that the time-consuming work when using and uploading multiple images on the platform can now be automated with dynamic imaging through instant optimization, automatic resizing, and fast image delivery.

The end result: car makers and sellers can offer their customers the personalization experience of lifelike and realistic automotive images swiftly.

Responding to the Challenges of Online Car Buying

Cars have various components—different models have varying styles and features that buyers want to look at in detail. Traditionally, this is better experienced through physical car showrooms. This is why according to Deloitte, while online sales in the automotive sector are gaining traction, the majority of consumers still want the in-person purchase experience.

But Deloitte adds that “a perception of increased convenience and ease of use will likely support continued growth of virtual purchase processes.”

In another survey by Progressive, of the 68% who previously bought a car online, 3% said that they were unlikely to buy a vehicle online again. Which is a great testament as to why it is imperative to develop a strong digital strategy.

Car buyers shy away from online processes due to traditional digital browsing experiences that tend to be more rigid and limited, and prevents them from physically analyzing and comparing product combinations. For Progressive’s respondents, the online car shopping experience can be improved through digital enhancements, such as 360º views of a vehicle.

This is where dynamic imaging comes in—having realistic and interactive views of automotive images address the gap between going to the showroom and buying online.

High-quality images are a direct part of the customer experience online. Why? Customers expect to see every variation of a product and how it will appear to them.

According to Cox Automotive, detailed, high-resolution photos and videos help “cultivate trust” to customers. It adds that 78% of shoppers surveyed are more likely to consider a vehicle with a 360º spin image compared to a vehicle without one.

That is why imagery needs to be thought of as an enterprise-wide initiative requiring an enterprise-wide solution.

Dynamic imaging seamlessly integrates into enterprise initiatives; one example as to how is through the creation of virtual car showrooms. These digital showrooms unify the provision of high-quality, interactive images of the car’s interior and exterior, with 3D and 360º views.

Specifically, virtual car showrooms allow customers to shop any time “using a self-service model that is infinitely more scalable than face-to-face sales,” according to industry research company Thomas.

Dynamic imaging also allows car makers to provide a digital blueprint for an upcoming car model, which helps in the automotive industry’s marketing strategy. It gives customers a preview of what models to expect even before the actual vehicle is launched.

In addition, switching to dynamic imaging technologies, such as the use of 3D imaging, also allows a company to save six times or more compared with traditional photography.

Discovering Customer Interests Through Data Collection

Dynamic imaging gives car sellers the ability to present any configuration of a car model they have in their line-up. This means they can show off automotive images in every color the vehicle is offered in, all the different interior configurations, as well as dynamically showing any car accessory on or off the vehicle.

As customers browse car models and configurations, car sellers can then begin to understand which colors are the most popular, which configurations are most viewed, and which car accessories are most selected to begin to piece together customer profiles. This data can also inform the car sellers which of these configurations they should continue to invest in.

With this new information, car sellers are able to begin sending targeted dynamic emails with Real Time Inbox™ with LiquiFire® OS as well as targeted ads with the same automotive image selections they chose on the website.

With dynamic imaging, businesses are able to streamline their purchase orders and best provide the value their customers are looking for.

Empowering the Automotive Sector Through Dynamic Imaging

Dynamic imaging helps to showcase a complete view of a vehicle’s design, style, and features through realistic automotive images. LiquiFire OS provides this kind of compelling product imagery that is crucial to assisting in online sales.

Dynamic imaging through LiquidPixels provides:

• Device-agnostic superior rendering. Dynamic images can be displayed on any device—from desktops to laptops, from smartphones to tablets—without compromising resolution or fidelity.
• Immersive viewing capabilities. Dynamic imagery enables interactive motion, zoom-and-pan, 3D, and multi-axis 360° photography solutions for every screen size and resolution.
• In-depth product exploration and interaction. Dynamic imaging allows shoppers to interact with and explore the most precise details of a product without sacrificing image quality or website performance.
• Full customization and personalization features. This allows shoppers to view all possible customization options for every car model available. This also includes having an option to provide 360º views and the ability to zoom in on car details.

To learn more, contact us here.