Yes, product configurators can increase sales. Here’s why…
Manufacturers that sell configurable or custom products often face similar challenges – helping customers understand complex product options and enabling sales teams to quote accurately and quickly. A product configurator solves this challenge by making product selection visual, interactive, and rules-driven. Customers can configure products, view options in real time, receive accurate pricing, and submit orders faster. As a result, manufacturers can improve conversion rates, shorten sales cycles, increase average order value, and reduce sales errors.
In this blog, we’ll explore exactly how product configurators influence revenue growth and why they have become a critical sales tool for manufacturers.
What is a product configurator?
A product configurator is an interactive digital tool that enables customers and sales teams to configure products by selecting sizes, materials, features, colors, options, and accessories, while ensuring that all selections remain valid.
Product configurators often include:
How do product configurators increase sales?
- They help customers buy with confidence
- They reduce friction in the buying process
- They shorten sales cycles
- They increase average order value
- They reduce errors
- They enable sales teams to sell more effectively
Helping customers buy with confidence
If customers can’t visualize the final product, they may hesitate to commit or request multiple design revisions before making a decision.
A product configurator enables them to see their product options in real time. Interactive 3D visualization allows users to rotate, zoom, and modify products instantly, helping them understand exactly what they’re buying.
The clearer the configuration becomes, the easier it is for customers to move forward with a purchase.
Reducing friction in the buying process
When customers need multiple meetings, emails, or phone calls to understand product options, buying becomes difficult.
Rules-driven configurators simplify product selection through guided selling. Therefore, instead of presenting every possible option, the configurator automatically displays valid choices and removes incompatible combinations.
This creates a smoother buying experience that supports faster decisions and higher sales conversion rates.
Shortening the sales cycle
Manufacturers that can respond quickly to enquiries are often more likely to win business than those relying on manual configuration and quoting processes.
Product configurators streamline configuration, pricing, and quotation workflows, making it possible to provide accurate quotes faster.
Increasing the average order value
During the configuration process, customers can be presented with:
- Product upgrades
- Additional features
- Accessories
- Extended product options
- Complementary products
Because these options are shown during the buying process, customers can easily evaluate their value and select the options that meet their requirements.
This creates more opportunities for upselling and cross-selling.
Reducing errors
When incompatible options, incorrect dimensions, or manufacturing issues are discovered after an order is placed, costs increase, and customer satisfaction declines.
Product configurators use embedded design and business rules to automatically validate every configuration. As a result, invalid combinations are prevented before an order is submitted.
Reducing errors helps protect margins, improve customer satisfaction, and increase the likelihood of repeat purchases.
Enabling sales teams to sell more
Many manufacturers sell highly complex products that require extensive sales and product knowledge training.
A product configurator stores product knowledge, pricing logic, and configuration rules within the software itself. New sales representatives can quickly configure products accurately without relying on product manuals or engineering support.
This reduces onboarding time and enables sales teams to become productive faster and focus more time on selling.
Frequently asked questions about product configurators
Do product configurators increase sales conversion rates?
Product configurators can increase conversion rates by simplifying complex purchasing decisions, improving product visualization, and reducing friction throughout the buying process.
Can product configurators reduce sales cycle length?
By automating configuration, pricing, and quoting activities, product configurators enable sales teams to respond faster to enquiries and speed up decision-making.
Are product configurators suitable for B2B manufacturers?
Product configurators are used by manufacturers that sell custom, configurable, engineered-to-order, or made-to-order products.
Do product configurators help increase order value?
Configurators can help to increase average order value by showing customers relevant additional options and upgrades during the buying journey.
See product configurators in action with DriveWorks demos
One of the best ways to understand the sales impact of a product configurator is to see one in action.
At DriveWorksLive.com, you’ll find a selection of interactive product configurator demos built using DriveWorks technology. The demos show how manufacturers use DriveWorks to streamline online product configuration with guided selling, automation, and real-time 3D visualization for both customers and sales teams.
Explore industry-specific product configurator demos built using DriveWorks technology, including:
- Transportation
- Architectural components
- HVAC
- Material handling
- Furniture
- Enclosures
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