A Swedish company that scans shoes wants to change the way we shop online

It’s been over 30 years since the first retailers started selling physical products through virtual stores, and while much has changed in the world of e-commerce, one important element is mostly the same: product pages illustrated with static photographs of the item.

It’s been over 30 years since the first retailers started selling physical products through virtual stores, and while much has changed in the world of e-commerce, one important element is mostly the same: product pages illustrated with static photographs of the item.

That could all change if a company called Fibbl gets its way.

The Stockholm, Sweden-based startup has developed a process that allows it to cheaply and quickly create three-dimensional scans of products, allowing retailers to feature interactive product models that shoppers can move around and manipulate to examine from every angle.

“Going beyond 2D images is a big step forward,” said Edouard Wattel, vice president of digital and e-commerce at Samsonite, which has implemented Fibbl’s 3D scans across its European websites. “People interact, they convert, and they will probably remember it better in terms of experience.”

Fibbl's proprietary scanning rigs are designed to help fashion brands create 3D models of their products.FibblIn online testing, Samsonite shoppers who interacted with one of Fibbl’s 3D models were 50% more likely to become paying customers, he said. And while Wattel describes those test results as preliminary — people who interact with a 3D model may be more interested in buying in the first place — he’s bullish on the technology.