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How BILT Can Help You Nail Your Product Line Review

Merchants want products that will not only help them meet financial targets, but that also provide a customer experience that reflects well on the retail organization as a whole.

Product line reviews are your chance to prove value to the retailer and show how you can help grow their business.

There are good online resources for those who are new to product line reviews (PLRs), but ultimately, a successful PLR comes down to the end consumer. Merchants want products that will not only help them meet financial targets, but that also provide a customer experience that complements the quality of their products and reflects well on the retail organization as a whole.

How does your product line create a great customer experience that will reflect well on the retailer and help them grow their business?

 Customer experience encompasses many stages of the buying journey — from product research, comparison shopping, and product availability — through checkout, delivery, unboxing, set up, and usage.

The BILT app impacts nearly all of these aspects, which is why it’s becoming an important differentiator in line reviews and contract decisions.

What is BILT?

The award-winning BILT app provides official 3D instructions to guide consumers through product assembly and installation voice, text, and animated image prompts.  On a touchscreen, users can rotate 3D images 360º, zoom in to see intricate detail, and tap on a part for more information. Users advance to each new step at their own pace.

When set up is complete, BILT asks users for a rating and gives them an opportunity to write a product review. The app is free to consumers and available in more than 200 countries and 10 languages. BILT eliminates the frustrations caused by paper manuals and video instructions and provides a superior customer experience.

“At Canadian Tire we’re hyper focused on the success of our consumers. When launching a premium BBQ brand, Vermont Castings, we knew we wanted the absolute best for our consumers, which is why we decided to partner with BILT for the assembly experience. So far, the results have been amazing, with +80% NPS and all grills exceeding +4.5 Stars. We are excited to continue to develop our partnership with BILT to ensure our consumer is having the best experience possible.”

How BILT can differentiate your product line

Increase shopper confidence to boost sales: Nothing makes a shopper more wary than fear of the unknown. One manager of a big-box retail store admitted the number one deterrent to sales is customer confidence: that a product can be successfully assembled or installed once the consumer takes it home. In addition, they want assurance the manufacturer or retailer will accept returns, honor warranties, and replace items lost during shipping. Most of all, they want to know they’ll be successful with your product. If shoppers lack confidence about their understanding of the assembly, installation, or operation process, they won’t purchase.

Easy-to-follow BILT instructions can solve this. BILT provides clients with digital assets, including video previews of the 3D instructions. These digital assets along with easy access to 3D instructions on the free BILT app put consumers at ease. One major ecommerce retailer found that advertising BILT instructions on product detail pages increased add-to-cart by 11% and conversions by a whopping 27%. They believe the confidence BILT instills is the key to boosting conversion.

"I felt like a rockstar. . .It takes the fear out of it by allowing you to really engage with the instructions."
MetairieMomOf3on the App Store
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“I am not afraid of DIY projects but am intimidated my home repairs. My hubby would rather hire someone to do the job, but after watching the instructions for replacing our kitchen faucet, I felt confident that we could do it & WE DID!! I believe this was such an easy DIY thanks to BILT’s step by step 3D with voice instructions.”
Merodcafter assembling the Brookdale 12x10 Gazebo with Electric by Backyard Discovery
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"This was the best do it yourself project that I have ever assembled. The 3D project App was amazing. It actually took all of the stress & doubt that usually comes along with a job like this away & made me feel confident that I could build this myself. The quality of the pavilion itself is very good & I am extremely impressed. The pavilion has turned my backyard into a completely different environment, I keep looking outside and can’t believe how beautiful it is. Thanks for selling such an amazing product. I will definitely recommend this to all of my friends."
Antonio R. after assembling the Xavier 3-in-1 TV Stand by Whalen
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"The ease and confidence I had assembling the product would not have been possible without the help and guidance of the step-by-step tutorial through the app. Thank you."
Drax76on the App Store
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“Wow, what a great app! With the 3-D pictures and ability to zoom in and out and move the image along with the description of each product and tool, ANYONE can build with confidence. I wish more products would utilize this app.”
Patrice Waiteafter assembling the Greystone Cottage by KidKraft
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"Not only is the cottage sweet, it is also sturdy & everything fit together beautifully! Using the App with step by step verbal and visual instructions made the process of putting it together much easier for me than the manual would have been. I took one look at the written instructions and instantly felt overwhelmed, so I was beyond happy to have another option. I actually had fun! My 1.5 year old granddaughter absolutely loves it!"
Easyafter installing the Touchless LED Single-Handle Pull-Down Sprayer Kitchen Faucet by Glacier Bay
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"Omg I can’t believe it was that easy. With this app anybody can do home improvement."
Rickafter assembling the Bonded Leather Mid-Back Manager's Office Chair by Mainstays
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"This was my first time assembling things and the step-by step-instructions helped my visual learning. I usually shy away from putting stuff together but this helped me a lot. I’m proud of myself."
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“What I like about BILT is that it’s very straightforward; so user-friendly! I feel like I can do this — it’s a no-brainer. BILT does its job of making the assembly look easy and less daunting.”

Turn set-up into a competitive advantage: Clear instructions actually highlight quality design and manufacturing, causing customers to value your product more than they would if they didn’t assemble the product themselves. As customers handle each component, they develop a greater appreciation for thoughtful engineering, quality materials, and precision cuts. Psychologically, customers place greater value on products they successfully assemble or install themselves. BILT instructions transform a traditionally weak customer experience into a competitive advantage.

Lairdafter assembling the Cordova 14 x 10 Gazebo by Backyard Discovery
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"This is an extremely well-engineered item. I was contemplating building a gazebo from blueprints, but I opted to get the Cordova. I was expecting to sacrifice some quality for the reduced amount of time that I would have to spend assembling and constructing it. What a surprise! The quality of this unit far exceeds my expectations. It is really a fantastic unit and worth every penny."
J. Millerafter assembling the Lakewood playset by Backyard Discovery
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"This is a really nice product. It's one of the smaller ones, but it's really good quality. The BILT 3D instructions were extremely helpful. All the parts were present and there are even a few extras. The pre-tapped holes were all very accurate. I'm highly impressed with this product and my 3-year-old loves it."
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In his article on virtual line reviews, consultant Loren Heinzeroth suggests, “having someone actually installing/using your products, offering comments about the experience” is a “fresh way to present your story.”  He cites product assembly as an important differentiator that could provide a competitive edge in product line reviews.

Get more quality reviews than your competitors: BILT not only improves the customer experience, but it also provides users with an opportunity to leave a rating and review when they’re most excited about your product. Studies show BILT improves ratings anywhere from 5-20%. Brands report that users leave not only more reviews in BILT, but that those reviews are more positive. In direct response to client demand, BILT now syndicates those reviews through Bazaarvoice to retail and brand websites. So brands on BILT gather not only more reviews, but also a higher quality of user generated content.

“Customers who assemble with the BILT app have a better experience and reward us with higher star ratings and positive reviews. This is huge in a competitive industry like ours. We asked for review syndication and BILT listened. We could not be happier to see our content syndicated to our retail partners in the Bazaarvoice network."
Daniel K.review captured in the BILT app after assembling the Charlotte Dollhouse by KidKraft, syndicated through Bazaarvoice to KidKraft.com, Walmart.com, Kohls.com, Kroger.com, and other ecommerce retailers
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"This dollhouse was designed very well and manufactured more precisely than I expected (in a good way). Things went together smoothly and pretty much everything self-aligned during assembly when tightening up screws. 3D instructions available through the BILT app made the process so much easier than traditional instructions, with the added benefit of being able to orbit around the model in the app to see different angles for clarifying any confusing steps. I just finished building it and I'm sure my daughter will love it. It seems very sturdy, and I expect it will last a long time."
“Phenomenal reviews, installation, and star ratings. BILT is worth every penny, and we have decided to move our whole product line onto BILT for our consumers to have a perfect installation experience for every Sinkology product.”

Stay under retailer return allowances & reduce your costs: Reduce your own product costs and keep retailers happy by mitigating returns and calls to customer support. 3D instructions on BILT reduce assembly-related returns and calls to customer support by up to 30%.

"Genie had for many years attempted to solve for the complexity of DIY install on our products. We created install booklets, illustrated assembly guides, and YouTube video tutorials; however, some customers were still not comfortable installing their own garage door opener. BILT 3D animated instructions changed that for Genie. It simplifies the install in such a way that our customers feel empowered to tackle the install of a new garage door opener. Our return rates have fallen as well as calls to technicians to complete an abandoned DIY install. We could not be happier with the first two openers that we had BILT complete for us, so we have decided to have our entire product line enrolled in BILT instructions."

Demonstrate your commitment to continuous improvement: BILT instructions can be updated in near real time, which means your instructions are never out of date. We monitor user feedback for potential improvements and clarifications to instructions so your customer experience can be perfected over time. You’ll receive assembly time data for each instruction set down to time-in-step analysis, so manufacturers can examine steps to make them more intuitive. This insight helps you to continually improve products and shows retailers your dedication to innovation.

Kurtafter assembling the 8 Ft. X 5 Ft. Outdoor Storage Shed by Lifetime Products
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"Solid and great shed. I chose this product because its assembly instructions were on the BILT 3D app. The BILT App is a game changer. This is my second Lifetime shed and I love it. The best outdoor shed on the market."

Reduce the likelihood of product recalls: Some major product recalls can be prevented with simple updates to the product instructions. Because BILT instructions can be modified in near real time, you can easily solve issues due to changing requirements. Additionally, if your team doesn’t always have a chance to test every product adjustment made on the factory floor, BILT instruction designers can serve as a vital line of defense against costly recalls. Because the BILT team assembles or installs each item as we create 3D instructions, we routinely identify and flag issues before products reach stores.

BILT has caught and prevented safety issues due to soft screws, short bolts, missing parts, and inaccurate wiring instructions. In 2019, the BILT team identified a product line that was packaged before the paint was dry, preventing millions of ruined items from reaching consumers and preserving our client’s reputation and their relationship with their primary retail partner. 

“Before moving our products to the BILT experience, we would receive regular calls from customers who were struggling to properly install their child carrier. This often resulted in returns. Since upgrading our instructions to BILT, we have seen a significant decrease in returns because our customers know exactly how to install their bike child carriers.”

Conclusion

BILT serves to differentiate your product line by demonstrating a commitment to innovation, increasing customer confidence pre-purchase, and by providing a 3D enhanced set-up experience that consumers are beginning to expect. Leveraging BILT in your line review will underscore your product’s maturity and show your retail partners your brand’s dedication to a superior customer experience.

If you have a line review coming up and would like to enhance your customer experience with BILT, please reach out.

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