An Interview with Ben Houston, Founder of Threekit

Ben Houston, Founder of Threekit

We caught up with Ben Houston, founder of Threekit, to find out all about the company and what is in store for Threekit in the future…

What is the story behind Threekit?

In 2014, I noticed that even though more and more people were shopping online, retail technology still couldn’t quite compete with the feel of the in-store buying experience. Product photos back then couldn’t show you a material up-close, or how the item actually looked in different colors, for instance.

I didn’t know much about eCommerce, but I had a long career in Hollywood visual effects. I knew that I could use my knowledge of creating visual effects for Hollywood movies to revamp an industry that desperately needed new technology. As a result, I created Threekit.

 

What makes Threekit different?

Threekit is defining the front line of retail tech innovation. Our virtual photography technology is built on the same technology that I developed for Hollywood visual effects used in over 100 films and TV series including Harry Potter, The Avengers, and Game of Thrones.

Our product offerings are also flexible and scalable to whatever a business’s needs are. With Threekit, brands can let buyers configure their product’s features, colors, materials, and more in real-time 3D, augmented reality, and photorealistic imagery.

 

What have you learnt?

Expectations for product visuals have risen dramatically in this image-obsessed age, and many brands are now scrambling to try and “wow” customers with their online product presentation. These days, consumers expect to see eight product images while shopping online, but most websites only offer one or two.

This leaves a huge gap between consumer expectations and the current online shopping landscape, leaving many people skeptical of shopping online. However, given the current pandemic and increasing buying power from Gen Z,  we expect the trend of shopping online to grow dramatically over the next few years. Our goal is to help companies meet this demand.

 

What are the plans for Threekit in the future?

We’re constantly pursuing opportunities in new verticals and industries. As we work with new use cases we’re adding features that are pushing the product even further. The goal is to stay a step ahead in every aspect of our business. We also have businesses coming to us with new use case ideas all the time–some that have surprised even us.  We started with the “usual suspects” of configuration…furniture, home goods and the like. But the market has had more in store for Threekit than we’d imagined.