Dynamic imaging gives web shoppers a richer user experience, and content acceleration delivers that experience to them faster. Content distributor Akamai Technologies Inc. and dynamic imaging technology provider Scene 7 Inc. just announced a new, joint product that blends both functionalities, but Bombaycompany.com already has used it for about 20% of its online assortment for three months.
Dynamic Imaging on Demand, which Bombay gets as a hosted service, generates multiple product image variations from a single master photograph and lets the shopper zoom in on any point in a product photo by as much as 100% for greatly detailed viewing, rather than simply popping up a larger, static mage for the enlarged view. Akamai's server network speeds up and ensures reliable delivery of the dynamically generated content to shoppers.
Matt Corey, vice president of e-commerce and marketing, tells InternetRetailer.com that while Bombay is using Dynamic Imaging on Demand zoom on about 500 SKUs now, it will extend the dynamic zoom application to other items, in addition to deploying other capacities available, such as 360-degree spin, or even letting shoppers visually try out different items in room settings, which it isn’t using now. “Dynamic zoom is certainly important on the bigger pieces,” he says of Bombay’s furniture and home accent assortment. “ A jewelry box might not need it, but the bigger the product, the more details you need to see on it. That also holds true for the higher the price point.”
The accelerated content delivery is critical to support the dynamic imaging function, says Corey, adding, “I don’t want somebody on a dial-up having to click on an image and wait 25 seconds for it to pixilate.” Bombay will measure increased conversions on images before and after instituting the service on them and will expand the service as appropriate based on those metrics, Corey says, noting that call center feedback on the new functionality so far has been positive. “We know it adds value, because any way you can help customers visualize a product, or their dream, you are going to help them make a buying decision,” he says.
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