Gasgrill Shop is a German ecommerce site selling gas barbecues. They asked me to create an upgrade to their existing 2D configurator for their line of stainless steel, highly customizable barbecues.
These are products which have many accessories, which come in 6 sizes and can be fitted with pans, grill plates or grilles (or all of them at the same time). While this product is complex, our job is it to make configuring one a breeze.
Together with Frodo Schering (design) and Innouveau (web development) we’ve taken on this challenge and built a 3D configurator system.
“Thanks to Klaas Nienhuis, we are the 3D technology leader in our industry with our 3D configurator.”
What
We have built a 3D configurator which shows off the versatility of the gas grills. You can build a tabletop barbecue for your tiny balcony or a huge culinary grill for professional catering and anything in between. Even on mobile, you can see in depth info on every article and still have a great 3D experience.
The configurator can also be used as an online catalog and show static, preconfigured barbecues. This extra function is very handy as it allows the shop to promote and feature certain configurations, such as best-sellers or discounted items. Check out this preconfigured grill on wheels with side-tables, grill, pan and plate: link. Just interested in the side-tables? You can view and purchase individual accessories too: link.
How
A project of this scale starts with a good interaction and visual design. The client helped a lot by providing very specific instructions. Together with Frodo Schering, we have refined the designs for all screen sizes. We try to offer all the options while keeping it easy and fun for the user. Configuring should not feel like work!
The client also provided high-resolution 3D models. I have optimized these. And since the barbecues are modular, I have split the barbecues into their parts. With the push of a button I can assemble a barbecue and export it for online configuration or AR. Automation is essential to keep the 3D work manageable.
The 3D engine for the configurator is Sketchfab as it provides excellent results. The barbecue is a relatively easy 3D model to create, it is basically a box with a grill on top. That simplicity is misleading though. Straight surfaces are hard to make pretty, especially with a complex material as circular brushed stainless steel. Advanced features in Sketchfab, such as anisotropy and the support for custom environment lighting helped me nail the materials and lighting.
The configurator has been developed by my friends at Innouveau and myself. We have built a very powerful rules-engine to allow complex relations between the different parts of the barbecue. This project is definitely a step up from our previous projects together as it contains many new capabilities.
Business goals
In the end, nice features and cool 3D only make sense if they support the business goals of the client. The 3D configurator visualizes the products in a very realistic way, shows all the options and contains background information on all accessories. At the same time, it shows the price and weight of the configured article. All this information is easily accessible. At the end of the configurator, the consumer can request that her configuration is verified by the shop after which she can purchase her unique configuration. This process is fast and easy.
Testimonial
I have collaborated intensively with Klaas Nienhuis while we created our particularly complex 3D grill configurator. A project of this scale, which ran more than 12 months, a careful approach and structured way of working is essential. I was able to rely fully on Klaas Nienhuis throughout the project. In terms of both deadlines and budgets, everything was always 100% right.
He inspired me professionally and I am convinced that I can call on a high degree of 3D competence. That is why I have already collaborated on another project with him. Everything has been implemented to my complete satisfaction. Thanks to Klaas Nienhuis, we are the 3D technology leader in our industry with our 3D configurator and the augmented reality representations of our grills. Thanks for that!
Christian Lück – CEO – gasgrill-shop.com
