When customers are looking for a smaller component from a more technical product, it may be worth providing an exploded diagram. For an eCommerce website, this could prove crucial in the customer journey in purchasing the right product. To help understand the importance of exploded diagrams, we’ve broken down what they are and how they can help.
An exploded diagram shows component parts of a larger, more technical product. For example, an automotive website may show an exploded diagram for different vehicle parts, enabling customers to find a smaller part they need. These diagrams often label each of the smaller components, which can then be purchased individually from the website.
Typically, an exploded diagram will label or annotate the individual parts from a wireframe depiction of a larger product. They are excellent in helping to understand what parts fit together and how.
You will often find these exploded assemblies diagrams on B2B sites for technical products. If you offer vehicle parts, home appliances spares or even flat-pack products, it may be worth showing exploded diagrams on your website.
Exploded diagrams provide a digital version of an image shown in product assembly catalogue. Sticking with the automotive industry as an example, these would have traditionally been physical books or catalogues for each car, breaking down larger components into smaller ones for repair or servicing. These snapshots of exploded diagrams can now be provided digitally on an eCommerce website.
More advanced versions of digital exploded diagrams not only label each part, but allow customers to click on them to take them straight to the component for sale. This means site users can be taken directly to the part they’re looking for, streamlining the customer journey and increasing the likelihood of a sale.
By including such exploded diagrams on your website, you give customers global access to the information needed to create less enquiries, lower bounce rates, and increase orders at all times of day.
All exploded diagrams offer a way of viewing component parts, but there are different types that can be built into your site.
The first type is simply an image of the full product and components.
The exploded diagram can be uploaded on product pages or product listing pages. We have provided this for several of our clients on Magento, embedding a way of viewing exploded diagrams for category page products. Once clicked, the diagram can be enlarged so that all smaller components can be viewed and then located on this automotive-based site.
The second type of exploded diagram links to each component.
Either using embedded links on each component or listing those components next to the image, customers can be guided straight to their desired part. In the above example, each gearbox part has been separated and listed, with their stock availability on display and a button to immediately ‘add to basket’. Similarly, diagrams with embedded links to the parts make the searching process easier and increase the likelihood of a sale.
We have worked with numerous automotive clients and eCommerce businesses with complex products. Using Magento, we’ve been able to develop and provide support for clients needing exploded diagrams, advanced search functionality and plenty more. To find out more about how we can help your site with Magento Open Source, Adobe Commerce or Shopify, please contact us.
