What is a Product Configurator? (6 Real eCommerce Examples) 

What is a Product Configurator?

A product configurator is a software tool where shoppers customize complex products interactively. As an eCommerce store owner, you’ll set the logic rules and product variants — colors, materials, sizes, etc. — from the backend, letting shoppers visualize their choices in real time.

Here's how an online product configurator (that's us, Kickflip👋) might look like. Note how customers can see the details of their customizable products up-close. 

Try this demo and see it for yourself!

By letting them visualize their order before purchasing, customers feel confident they're getting exactly what they want.

5 Benefits of Product Configurators

Using a product configurator improves not only your store operations. It also creates a hyper-personalized shopping experience that drives $75M more sales and increases profit margins by 50%.*

*Data gathered from Kickflip’s customers.

Delight with premium experience

Online configurators enable deep customization, delivering a brand-differentiating engaging experience for consumers.

At First Manufacturing Company, biking enthusiasts can customize their jackets right down to the leather, stitch colors, collar styles, pockets, and quilted textures. Notice how the high personalization builds an emotional connection right off the bat?

First Manufacturing Company was the first in the motorcycle industry to offer full leather apparel customization. After using Kickflip as its product configurator software, the company increased customer satisfaction, workflow efficiency, and profits.

Unsurprisingly, many of its tailored jackets received multiple 5-star reviews from customers.

Instill customer confidence

Product configurators offer detailed previews of the final product. Now that customers can see exactly what they're getting, it boosts their confidence that they’re making the right purchase.

Drive bigger sales

Static product images can’t quite engage modern shoppers expecting personalized experiences.

With customizable pictures from various angles, customers understand what they're buying, reducing purchase hesitation. Say goodbye to cart abandonment and hello to higher average order value and bigger sales.

Reduce production time

Manually creating mock-ups of each custom item wastes hours. It also causes costly miscommunication through endless back-and-forth confirmation emails with frustrated customers.

Product configurators simplify the entire production process, ensuring the product is ordered seamlessly from the customer's self-directed customization.

Eliminate manufacturing errors

Since customers control every customization, their exact specifications flow directly to production. This fulfils customer requirements accurately and eliminates costly manufacturing errors in custom orders.

How do Product Configurators Work?

Let’s use Kickflip as an example.

A no-code (and affordable) product configurator like Kickflip creates an interactive environment for customers to customize products in real time.

Related post: Why you shouldn't hire developers to build a product configurator

The intuitive customization interface presents choices through question formats: dropdowns, radio buttons, and checkboxes.

Using advanced conditional logic, you display only relevant product options based on the shopper’s previous selections. It creates a seamless shopping experience without overwhelming them.

💡Example: A shopper choosing only a PJ top (not the PJ set) won’t see the customization options for the PJ pants.

As shoppers modify the product, they instantly see a live preview of their customized creation from multiple angles, enhancing customer engagement and creating excitement.

During the configuration process, the cost of the product updates automatically with each selection. This dynamic pricing eliminates sticker shock and sets transparent expectations way before checkout even begins.

Kickflip is the most capable customizer on the market. Start your free trial today.

6 eCommerce & Retail Industries Using Product Configurators

If you're struggling to visualize how a product customization software works in your eCommerce store, look no further than these product customizer examples.

Sporting goods

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For millennial and Gen Z customers, fitness has evolved from casual pursuits to identity, signaling a demand for personalized sporting equipment.

By offering this growing consumer segment the opportunity to customize their purchases, you transform ordinary products into personal identity statements, leading to higher engagement, repeat purchases, and a revenue boost.

Kickflip's list of sporting goods clients includes:

• SQEEDER - Children's bikes

• B45 Baseball - Baseball bats and gloves

• AS Monaco - Football jerseys

• KC Sports - Bespoke custom kits, sportswear, and teamwear

• MRP Bike - High-end mountain bikes

• Ice Shaker - Premium insulated drinkware

• ID Gear - Rugby protective headgear

• ON3P Ski - Handmade skis

• Osaka - Pro field hockey sticks

• Pure Hockey - Hockey equipment

• ECD Lacrosse - High-performance lacrosse equipment

• Superare Fight Shop - Fight gear and apparel

Clothing & accessories

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Today, shoppers are increasingly prioritizing value.

How do you visually prove your product deserves its premium pricing in a crowded marketplace? Simple. By elevating the shopping experience, like letting customers customize their apparel and accessories to match their unique individual preferences.

Kickflip's list of clothing and accessories clients includes:

• Woolkind - Sustainably sourced knitwear

• First Manufacturing Company - Motorcycle leather jackets, vests, and gear

• Rapanui clothing - Sustainable, organic, ethical clothing

• JUNK customs - One-of-a-kind headbands

• Hemmet - Vintage-inspired eyewear

• Zora designers - Low-waste women’s wear

• UNDONE - Custom and personalized watches

Jewelry

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Approximately 72% of sales in the jewelry market will be attributed to non-luxury products this year. That's a big number. To differentiate your brand from this rising number of competitors, move away from generic pieces to custom jewelry for personal expression.

Kickflip's list of jewelry clients includes:

• Giving Bracelets - Naturally made bracelets

• Olive and Piper - Vancouver-based and woman-founded fine jewelry

• Camille Enrico - High-end conscious jewelry

Footwear

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Size and fit issues are unique challenges in the footwear industry. Product configurator tools come in handy. With every customization made by the consumer, the order goes directly to production, guaranteeing they receive the exact shoes they envisioned.

Kickflip's list of footwear clients includes:

• Made+ - Sustainable made-to-order shoes

• San Antonio Shoe - Handcrafted men's and women's shoes

• LUNA Sandals - Handcrafted outdoor hiking and running sandals

• Payote - French espadrilles

• Baabuk - Natural wool sneakers and slippers

Home & decor

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With 82.46% of consumers open to buying home decor online, there's no better time than right now to go all in on improving your online shopping experience. Offer customers to create pieces that reflect their space and style. 

They’ll appreciate the world-class personalized craftsmanship.

Kickflip's list of home and decor clients includes:

• Coley Home - Luxury handcrafted furniture

• Era of Arc - German kitchen cabinets

• NeonWerke - State-of-the-art LED neon signs

• Saveit Furniture - Mid-century TV stands

• June St-Georges - Bespoke rugs and pillows

• Brass Hardware - Modular brass shelving and hardware

Electronics

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Consumers aged 25 to 34 are most likely to buy consumer electronics online. This younger demographic likely values personalized experiences, so allowing them to customize their order differentiates your brand from cookie-cutter competitors.

Kickflip's list of electronics clients includes:

• ModdedZone -Custom modded gaming controllers for Xbox One, PS5, and more

• Alt Customs -Aesthetic gaming keyboards, mice, and keycaps

• Ohma World - Modular and customizable microphones

• Positive Grid - Guitar amps and pedals

• Quoted Tech - High-end gaming PCs and workstation computers

As demonstrated above, almost any eCommerce product can be customized.

Many of our clients also sell custom children's toys, cakes, dog collars, LEGO figurines, phone cases and sleeves, and cat furniture!

How to Choose the Right Product Configurator for Your Store?

The best product configurator creates an immersive experience, sets up quickly, and boasts a robust backend tool. Here's your checklist for evaluating these configurator solutions.

1. Is the user interface smooth and intuitive?

What makes a product configurator fantastic for end users?

An intuitive interface with a “just click and it will happen” approach.

As you narrow down your list of configurators, prioritize these factors that promise a smooth UI experience:

• Real-time customized product preview within seconds

• Multiple product views to show different angles

• Real-time accurate pricing visibility as customers customize components

• Ability to save and share designs for time-strapped customers

2. Does it offer native integrations?

Keep your existing tool stack instead of overhauling your store. 

Your product configurator should offer native integrations with popular eCommerce platforms. Kickflip, for instance, integrates natively with Shopify and WooCommerce (coming soon). With a few clicks, you can start selling configurable items right away.

3. Is the backend or admin dashboard robust?

You want to go live in days, not months.

Verify your no-code backend or admin tool delivers operational efficiency through these must-have features:

• Headache-free order management for easy fulfillment

• Smooth inventory management to track available (and unavailable) parts within your products

• Seamless bulk order management, including volume discounts and order value limits

• API integrations to easily retrieve order data and ensure smooth operations

• Complex pricing that offers seamless pricing visibility to customers on the frontend

Every day of delayed launch limits your chances of differentiating. By minimizing development time, you launch your customized product line quickly and capture market share before competitors.

4. Does it include customer support with actual humans?

Lightning-fast customer support is non-negotiable.

The right product configurator gets your product to market fast. Look for customer support from active agents, not AI chatbots or auto responses, to ensure your customization process runs smoothly.

Kickflip, for starters, provides reliable support, guiding you every step of the way. Here's a user detailing our speedy and ongoing assistance.

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5. Does it include unlimited variant options? 

Select a product configurator with unlimited variants. This way, you'll always have access to a wide range of colors, materials, and components — without getting nickel-and-dimed.

6. Are the logic rules basic or advanced?

Guide shoppers to customize their products without making mistakes.

The ideal product configurator lets you easily adjust questions based on responses while managing option combinations.

At the very least, check that it:

• Prevents orders for out-of-stock variant combinations

• Tweaks pricing based on chosen variants (i.e., set a base price and configure additional pricing options according to the customer's customization choices)

• Avoids incompatible selections (e.g., hiding customization options for trousers if the customer only chose a T-shirt and not the apparel set)

7. Can you pay as you go?

eCommerce stores battle razor-thin profit margins — blame it on factors like fierce competition and high operational costs. Every dollar counts, so opt for a pricing model where you only pay when a sale is made.

Launch Your Customized Product Line Without $$$ Headache

You can launch a customized product line without draining your resources or missing market windows.

The right product configurator streamlines your sales process from configuration to fulfillment. More importantly, it scales with your eCommerce store without unexpected costs while creating world-class customer experiences.

If the checklist listed above sounds exactly what you’re looking for… well, great news. Kickflip ticks all the boxes with its user-friendly interfaces, easy-to-use tools for online customization, affordable pricing, and more.

Kickflip is the most capable customizer on the market. Pricing starts at $59/month (+1.95% to 0% per custom product sale).

Start your free trial today.