What is 3D Retail Rendering & How to Make a Good Retail Render

Dec 12, 2024

3D Design

7 minute read

Did you know 3D visualization can also help you design retail spaces? It has become a big hit with retail store owners of late. 3D retail rendering has become essential for designing spaces that improve the shopping experience and encourage customers to spend more time inside and make purchases.

So, what is 3D retail rendering and how can it benefit your retail business? And what can you do to make the best retail renders? Read and find out.

Retail Renderings

What is 3D retail rendering?

3D retail rendering is the use of computer graphics to create photorealistic images, animations, or simulations of a proposed retail space (stores or shop layouts), products, or displays. Unlike residential rendering, retail renderings are much more complicated because they include more details like shelves, mannequins, light fixtures, countertops, and customers.

3D retail rendering is now widely used in retail design and marketing for the purpose of visualizing what a store, shop layout, or product will look like in a real-world setting.

What are the benefits of using 3D retail renderings?

  • Visualization of multiple designs

    You can easily generate multiple 3D design options and compare them to see which one is the best. The options can be completely different from each other or have minute changes, like colors, furniture, shelves, or positions of the displays.

    3D retail design renderings are of enormous help when you want to visualize which colors go well together, what textures suit the store, or what floor plans work best before construction or production.

  • Clear communication of design ideas

    A good 3D rendering of a retail space makes it easier for the construction crew and interior designers to understand the layout. While technical instructions are important, 3D visualizations help the team make more sense out of the designs and plans. If they are able to understand the designs correctly, there will be fewer mistakes during the construction or arranging of the interior elements. That is why it is important to use good 3D visualization services that give you accurate designs.

  • Showcase store branding and vibes

    You can depict the kind of style, atmosphere, and branding you want the store to have. The designs are still part of the planning phase, so it is easier to make changes based on the response you get about the layout and displays in the proposed store.

  • Creating attractive presentations

    Because of CGI, you can present your designs in a variety of different ways, even when the retail space doesn’t exist yet. For starters, you can produce detailed, photorealistic images. With the same technology, you can also animate the retail renderings to make viewers feel like they are physically exploring the 3D floor plans. You can use 3D rendering technology in any way that will appeal to clients, potential customers, etc.

  • Versatility of the designs

    Retail designs are quite versatile. You can add furniture designs, realistic textures and materials, 360-degree views, lighting fixtures, colors, or anything else that will help the viewer better understand design. Not only will they get an idea of how the place will look but they’ll also understand the functionality of the space, like how to get from one floor to another, where the billing counters will be in relation to other sections, etc.

Types of 3D retail rendering

The types of retail renderings are basically various ways in which you can present the design ideas for the retail space. Here, we will look at some of the most common ways to do so.

  1. 3D floor plan

    Floor plans are a vital part of architecture and interior design. You won’t be able to start any sort of construction project without it, as it is the blueprint. Till 3D technology and 3D software came along, floor plans existed mostly as 2D drawings or 2D digital sketches (made using CAD software). However, nowadays, 3D visualization has more-or-less replaced 2D designs. 3D floor plans are much more efficient at communicating the design ideas, especially to those who have no background in architecture. With CGI, you can show exactly how different pieces of furniture and fixtures will look in relation to one another, how the products are displayed, and how the customers will move through the space.

    3D floor plans are accurate and visually appealing, making it much easier for clients, investors, and other viewers to envision the final look of the space.

  2. Scrolling panoramic views

    Presentations like this make it interactive for the customer, as they have to scroll from side to side to get a complete view of the retail space. They can swipe through and click on the department, section, or product that most interests them. Panoramic views can also be used as 360 virtual tours filled with interactive elements that give the customer a full sense of the overall ambience.

  3. 3D interior retail rendering

    In interior retail rendering, we create three-dimensional replicas of everything you can expect to find in a store, like shelves, display stands, aisles, storage rooms, checkout areas, etc. With 3D rendering technology, you can create models of different sections in a department store, for example, and place models of the items you will be stocking in them. If your store has a beauty section, the area can be designed with a mirror, display shelves for each brand, samples, poster ads, and maybe even a chair that the customer can sit in.

  4. 3D exterior retail rendering

    The exterior of the store or shopping plaza is just as important to the shopping experience as the floor plan. Exterior retail designs, especially ones for malls, commercial buildings, shopping complexes, or independent department stores, give the store owner and other related parties an idea of what it will look like on the outside. For example, exterior renderings can depict the signage outside, parking facilities, shopping cart area, greenery (trees, lawn, bushes), play area, food court, people, etc. Stationary or animated, these visuals really bring the design to life and make it easier for the other party to envision the store once constructed.

  5. 3D animation

    Videos are far more effective than still pictures on some platforms. And there is no reason why it wouldn’t be true for retail designs too. 3D animations make the design more immersive during exploration. 3D animations don’t have to be limited to advertisements, as they can also be used as virtual stores where customers explore and interact with products and displays. We can also use 3D animations to highlight special offers, discounts, or promotions so it is easier for customers to spot the best deals.

    Since stores are mostly targeted at families and young children, virtual stores can also attract the same crowd if they have enough fun and exciting elements that garner interest.

  6. Virtual tours

    3D virtual tours let store owners give potential customers the full view of a business space, so they can have a realistic experience before even stepping foot inside. 360 views can also be incorporated so customers can closely examine products. Customers can get a good understanding of the store’s layout, figure out what items are located where, what facilities are available, and the general vibe or atmosphere of the retail space.

    Virtual stores are particularly useful to those who like checking out every inch of a place online before they decide to visit. For example, customers who live far away and want to make sure that the store is worth the trip. Or people with physical disabilities who want to understand the floor plan so they can move around unhindered.

How to make good retail 3D visualizations (7 tips)

3D retail renderings are all about making virtual business spaces as realistic and immersive as possible. You can definitely do this by following the below tips:

  • Hire a professional

    For top-notch retail renderings, you should absolutely hire professional 3D visualization services. Professionals who offer 3D architectural rendering services are skilled and experienced, so they know the best ways to use a space and how to make it look bigger and brighter. Moreover, hiring a professional to make your renders guarantees that you’ll get good-quality and good-looking results. However, be sure that you do your due diligence and research the service provider before you hire them.

  • Use good-quality assets

    If you want your renderings to look even remotely realistic, you absolutely must use good-quality 3D assets (3D models, materials, textures, etc.). 3D models that look chunky and unfinished will make it obvious to the viewer that the visuals are CGI, thus ruining the immersive experience. Higher-quality and high-resolution assets have more detail and look more realistic. However, you should be aware that high-quality 3D assets also have a large file size. So, be mindful when you choose the assets to use so that they don’t cause problems during rendering.

  • Make the visuals interactive

    Incorporate 360 views, moving objects, sound effects, and clickable elements that will make the retail space feel more lively and engaging.

  • Don’t overdo the design

    When adding details to your retail renders, try to be practical and show what is necessary. Remember the phrase “less is more"? Going overboard with the detailing will make your renders look overcrowded and even kitschy. Also, adding elements that you know will not be there in the real-life store is another "no-no." Stay accurate and avoid sparking negative reactions from the customers.

  • Use lighting accurately

    Retail stores use a mix of natural and artificial lighting to keep the space well lit. A brightly lit space makes the interiors feel more spacious and makes the store look bigger. Understand the pictures of other retail stores and figure out how light works to know the best way to illuminate the business space.

  • Keep up with the latest trends

    Always stay up-to-date on the latest trends in retail designs (interior design, floor layouts, etc.). You can refer to the many online sources like Pinterest boards, architectural catalogs, interior design websites, etc., for ideas and inspiration.

  • Use post-processing to refine the renders

    Sometimes, 3D rendering is not the end of the 3D visualization process. We sometimes have to use photo editing or video editing (in case of 3D animations) to improve the renders or correct mistakes. It’s far easier to use these post-processing techniques than make corrections in the 3D space and generate new renders. Some of the post-processing methods we use are color correction, application of filters, color grading, etc.

Level up your business with photorealistic retail renders

If you are planning to open a retail store any time in the future, we hope you will consider using 3D retail rendering for your planning. It’s a pretty great technique for interior design and planning retail spaces. You can not only use it to plan how your store will look but also as marketing material or virtual stores to invite more engagement and increase sales.


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Sushmita Roy

A seasoned 3D professional with a creative focused, and a knack for diverse 3D designs, software and the technology. She's associated with ThePro3DStudio for long enough to prove her mettle and make every 3D projects successful. When she’s not busy working for a new project, she shares valuable insights from her own experience.