New on CGTrader: 3D Model Collections

Discussion started by zlesinskas

Hi all,

This is Zilvinas, one of the Product guys at CGTrader.

I'm happy to announce that today we're launching a feature that enables you to create 3D Model Collections from the items you already sell on CGTrader.

You can try this out in My Models. Here's a short How To video that might help you: https://youtu.be/OnuAqmxqN64 .

We've developed this, as:


  • We noticed that collections and model packs you guys create sell quite well;

  • Having interviewed numerous clients, we heard time and time again that thematic and technical consistency is key when buying numerous models for a single project

When designing this feature, our top priority was to save your time and automate as many steps as possible. That means, that


  • A newly created collection's technical info will be fetched by the system;

  • We will also prepare preview images (you'll be able to upload more of those if you want);

  • The system will suggest tags for you.

Here's an in depth feature announcement on our blog.

Create collections and let me know what you think! All feedback is highly appreciated.

All the best,

Zilvinas

Answers

Posted over 5 years ago
4

I'm creating collection of models "chair 1, chair 2, chair 3, chair 4" so i have collection with 4 chairs.
It will be great if customer view for example model "chair 3" and there will be somewhere link to collections where this chair is. So the customer can easy choose buy single model or all collection. I hope my idea is clear.

LemonadeCG wrote
LemonadeCG
+1 Indeed some badge or other clearly visible indication, that specific model is part of collection(s) is needed. Recently i created a collection of 3 models and after few hours some customer bought all three models... separately. Of course i don't mind it, but he could save him few bucks if he would bought the collection. I think that indicates the fact that collections aren't working to its full potential yet.
zlesinskas wrote
zlesinskas
Hi, thanks for this:) We have several ideas regarding such inter-linking and will test them soon. Best, Zilvinas
Posted over 5 years ago
3

As I commented yesterday in the YouTube video, this is an awesome and long time wanted feature. But there is one thing I would change at the moment: in the already published Collection's page, I'd prefer having the "Contents" tab's info anywhere else, not hiding the product's description by default. Maybe in the sidebar, before the "Available formats" section. Even embedded in the description box. I think that having the description below the preview images like in every other product is key. Anyway, great work.

Posted over 5 years ago
3

As a buyer I can tell that if a collection doesn't come with a good discount it is rarely worth the price. I can see sellers now using this new feature and the collections cost a lot of money. If the sellers were giving a group of models at a 40% or 50% discount then paying the higher price for all of them would be worth it, otherwise I would just buy the most important ones to me and that's it. Or I might end up buying all the models in a longer period of time instead of paying for all of them at once if there is no discount.

Posted over 5 years ago
3

What I am maybe also missing is some highlighted info for customers how much they will save up.
Although I write it in collection description there could be some official info.

Posted over 5 years ago
3

Hi MotoS, zabotlama,

We're looking into this as we speak. A fix is coming soon.

Thanks,
Zilvinas

Posted over 5 years ago
3

Question to CGT team: is it possible to add or remove product from already created collection? I can't find such option.

zlesinskas wrote
zlesinskas
Currently we do not have this functionality. It's likely it will be possible in the future.
LemonadeCG wrote
LemonadeCG
Thank you! I hope it won't take too long to have it. Without an option to add or remove products, one has to think very carefully before creating a collection.
Posted over 5 years ago
2

The best and most wanted feature by artists. Thanks.

I also like possibility of text formatting in collection description. This would be nice also in single models description.

Posted over 5 years ago
2

first, thanks for this feature.
Am i missing something, but i don't seem to find new collection i have made in analytics view...
also, if i look at my models scores - collection has way smaller score then average of other models, and description keywords etc. seem to be similar to what all models included in collection have...

Polygonal-Miniatures wrote
Polygonal-Miniatures
Noticed it also. Thought maybe price setting influences the score there.
zlesinskas wrote
zlesinskas
Hi Mantas, We will look into these issues along the way, thanks for the feedback!
Mantas-Talmantas wrote
Mantas-Talmantas
I think i found why the rating of "collection" model is so low - so it seems my collection made of 3 models has only 4 images - one is automatically combined cover images of 3 models, and 3 others - the first image of the models that created collection. Even though original models have a lot of images. So my suggestion would be just to use all images from models that are used to create collections.
Posted over 5 years ago
2

Great and very clever feature congratulations !!

Posted over 5 years ago
2

It’s a great tool but shouldn't it be the client using that tool in some form?

For example in my case I have a bunch of alien plants and my experience is that clients usually buy multiple of them but never in same order, they for example take type 1, 2, 3 and 4, but not take 5 and 6, then someone ells comes along and takes 2, 4 and 5 but not 1, 3 and 6, etc.

This makes it hard for me to predict what should go in a collection.

It reminds me to the successes of Napster and MP3 in the old day’s, people could instantly create own CD with just the tracks on them they liked, people had always silently hated it that a CD usually had multiple tracks on them they did not like but jet needed to pay for them.

Maybe something that clients could do on the spot and get 5% tot 10% on the total amount would work even better?

Posted over 5 years ago
2

@iterateCGI, i don't think it's a good idea to let customers make their own collections unrestricted. That could be easily exploited, like for example one can take my $200 model, add to it another $2 model, which he probably don't need at all and get $10-20 discount from that deal. That would be plain cheating. I think better idea would be customizable collections. So you'd put all your alien plants into single collection and customer may tweak this collection by removing items that he don't need and then checkout with his customized collection. Overall discount on such collection would depend on how many items customer has left out. I think that would be pretty unique feature amongst 3d stock markets, that would set cgtrader appart.

iterateCGI wrote
iterateCGI
Absolutely agree and your solution is a great idea, current implementation of collections is great but it would be even better if it included your solution ;-)
Posted over 5 years ago
2

The 3D Collection is a great feature, but I'm having problems with it already. Because I upload all my 3D Models as multiple formats with textures and materials, a .zip file is the obvious packing solution. Yet, this new 3D Collection mode does not seem to allow collections of .zip files to be put in it - I get the same warning "Existing collections cannot be included as part of a collection". That suggest that if I want to create a collection on the site, I have to re-upload everything in a different format. That being the case, I might just as well put each plane in a Folder on my computer, then compress them into a .zip file, thus creating my OWN collections. Is it just me, or does that seem to be totally missing the point of the exercise?...Mark

eduardas wrote
eduardas
Hi Mark, I guess what you're having trouble with is not the .zip files, rather than trying to make collections out of collections. You can make new collections of your models that haven't been created as collections before (e.g. your model `Japanese WW2 Aircraft Collection 01` can't be a part of collection at the moment). So do try to review the models you want to take into the collections. Regards, Eduardas
Posted over 5 years ago
2

An idea: how about if system would calculate publishing score for collection, basing on average of its constituent products? Let's say if collection consists of 3 items, that has scores of 7, 7 and 8, then collection's score would be 7.3 Afterall, collection is just a proxy item, it might not be very fair to calculate its score on the same criteria as standalone product.

zlesinskas wrote
zlesinskas
Publishing score represents how well the product is prepared in terms of its appearance and appeal. In that sense, collections are not different from regular models, as they - too - need a lengthy description, tagging and preview images. When creating a collection, the system helps by fetching some images and suggesting some tags but only the author can provide more detail and thus help its discoverability and representation.
Posted over 5 years ago
2

After making a bunch of collections here some thoughts:

- Cool, we have a link now, directing single products to it's collection parent. Even better would be a thumbnail of that collection, and a price. Customers can directly judge feasability that way.
- On Collection Pages, the link list has useless info in my opinion. A Thumbnail (again), Price and Fileformats is all I want to see
- At related products of a single product, if it's part of a collection, that collection should appear first.
- Overall, we need more customizing options: add/remove products from a collection, upgrade existing collections to the new template. All this has been said above, just want to press on. :)

Thanks for looking into it, CGT.

Posted over 5 years ago
1

thanks for the info.

Posted over 5 years ago
1

good to know! thank you CGtrader!

Posted over 5 years ago
1

Trouble making collection after selecting models tieing up part goes into endless wait after couple of hours gave up in my case making collection of 3 cars.

MotoS wrote
MotoS
After Publishing collection back to draft and no publishing option when edit draft
Posted over 5 years ago
1

Publishing button creates draft without publishing and editing draft does not contain publishing so this problem needs to be sorted asap

zabotlama wrote
zabotlama
I have the same problem, but after editing the draft it appeared as published. But it is not comfortable, the draft is totally clear (only contains tags suggestion). So try to to just save the edit in your draft.
zlesinskas wrote
zlesinskas
Hi again, Once you fill in the Draft details and click Edit on the bottom of the editor, the Draft becomes published.
Posted over 5 years ago
1

Question to CGT team: would it be possible to transfer previously manually created collections to the new format, while keeping place in search results and purchase history of former and gaining all the benefits of latter?

zlesinskas wrote
zlesinskas
Hi, we're looking into the ways on how to deal with manually crafted collections. This is a complex issue and will likely take time so I cannot promise you a quick solution. Having said that, you are right to keep your previously created collections, as they have gained authority, feedback by now. We will not differentiate the Old-type collections from New-type collections in search results or elsewhere, i.e. they will be treated the same.
LemonadeCG wrote
LemonadeCG
I can apprehend how this is complex situation to deal with, nevertheless it would be very good if you'd manage to find a proper solution. Fingers crossed!
Posted over 5 years ago
1

Hi Žilvinas,
I still think that something is not right with how collections' score is calculated. Yesterday i published collection, which consists of products with 8.0-8.2 score and although it has comparable amount of preview images, description words, tags and file formats to each of its constituent product, but it got only 6.6 overal score. How that could be? I looked at the analythic and found that 6.5ish score for single model is granted for a much worse presentation - less pictures, tags, formats, worse description and everything.

I hope you will investigate and fix the problem.

Posted over 5 years ago
1

One more thing.
In the collection there is list of models, where in small pop-up window you can see model if you press on it, but if model have square images, can't see all image.
Please fix it.

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