Designers

Why Brands are Choosing Virtual Sampling with VSamples © by Mattoboard

Virtual Sampling with VSamples © gives brands the ability to showcase an extensive selection of products, materials, and design variations without the limitations imposed by physical samples.

September 18, 2024
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15 min

Virtual Sampling is the new digital way to sample materials and products efficiently, sustainably and creatively. Virtual Sampling is the process of digitizing industry materials and products into VSamples by Mattoboard for designers to use during their conceptual design process while creating mood boards and sample boards. For designers, Virtual Sampling and VSamples provides them with instant access to branded products with the speed they need to create concept boards for clients before they need to order the physical samples to touch.

For A&D suppliers and brands, it opens up a whole new customer base in the 10s of thousands, providing a new way to channel their sustainability ethos and saving them millions in sample logistic costs. Let's take a closer look at why brands and suppliers are choosing to adopt Virtual Sampling and VSamples into their business marketing, product promotion, and strategic future.

Reach more designers and increase your Return on Sampling Investment (ROsI)

Material board created with Mattoboard

Brands and Suppliers can save thousands and sometimes millions of dollars by promoting and showcasing their products to designers online, rather than sending physical samples. Virtual Sampling with VSamples allows brands to reach designers anywhere in the world, while they are designing and actively searching for products. Giving them access to a global market they may not have been able to reach before. The majority of changes in material sample boards and mood board concepts ahppen in the early stages of concept design. While this is the most valuable position for a Brand it also equates to the highest frequency in wasted samples. By eliminating the physical sample for this iterative process, and taking the creative act and discovery online, Virtual sampling decreases physical sampling while also increase a Brand's reach! One virtual sample can reach thousands of designers in the exact moment they need it. This is amazing for designers and Brands. By increasing a Brand's reach and allowing designers to get client buy-in before ordering a physical sample, Brands can increase their Return On Sampling Investment (ROsI) yield. More about ROsI here.

'Mattoboard has opened our network to more designers around the world and we are very excited to see new designers discovering us.'  - Nasco Stone

By facilitating exposure of products to a diverse range of designers, both locally and globally, brands can effectively test new products across various markets. This process allows brands to develop a profound understanding of their global customer base, recognizing the specific products that designers desire and utilize in different regions. Since preferences and demands vary worldwide, acquiring valuable insights into successful products becomes even more crucial when pursuing global expansion. 

'Partnering with Mattoboard helps us connect with a growing community of designers and architects at an essential step in their design process.' - Anthology Woods

Sustainability

Material board created with Mattoboard


With growing environmental awareness, there is an increasing demand for brands to enhance transparency and provide sustainable alternatives. The existing sampling system contributes to excessive consumption, particularly with initiatives such as "order as many samples as you need" and "get your samples overnight."

'As a B-Corp-certified business, we're looking for ways to reduce our emissions and waste. A key benefit for us using Mattoboard is that our community can digitally visualize our products without us needing to send multiple parcels and process returns.' - Plank Hardware


This never ending cycle of sampling necessitates a substantial reduction to alleviate the immense waste generated by the physical sampling industry. By adopting Virtual Samples (VSamples by Mattoboard), brands can consciously align themselves with positive change, assuring consumers that they are actively addressing waste reduction and actively shaping a more sustainable future.

'Being mindful of consumption and usage is at the forefront of our environmental and social responsibility initiative.' - Snowsound

Through the implementation of Mattoboard, designers can effortlessly experiment with infinite combinations of materials and products before reaching their ultimate decision. Consequently, unnecessary physical sample orders are significantly reduced, often by more than half, resulting in substantial material savings for both suppliers and brands, while increasing the value of lead when they do order a sample. This approach effectively reduces unnecessary material wastage and conserves valuable resources. Now when designers do order a sample, it is because they have conceptual approval, or more confidence and security from the client. 

'We will now receive highly qualified sample requests rather than 20 samples that might not even reach their client's table. ' Nasco Stone

Efficiency 

Material Board created with Mattoboard

By embracing Virtual Sampling and VSamples, brand customers can now navigate and select products with unprecedented efficiency. At the centre of Virtual Sampling is the innovation of VSamples by Mattoboard. VSamples are the dynamic digital twin of a product or material that is used in a virtual mood board and saved in a designers Virtual Sample Library on Mattoboard. VSamples have the ability to contain data and product specs and are also being integrated into BIM Software, you can read more about them here. The comprehensive Virtual Sample library allows for the discovery and immersive 3D experience of all available products. This interactive engagement with materials facilitates quicker decision-making for designers and even fosters a heightened inclination towards making purchases. With Virtual Sampling, the process of product exploration becomes streamlined, empowering customers to efficiently explore, evaluate, and ultimately choose the most suitable options.

'An online hub for people to mood board solves the problem of finding products, sample ordering and then returning and allows people to skip to the final decision-making in no time.' - Plank Hardware

VSamples ignite a sense of excitement and engagement, which can have a positive impact on the purchasing behaviour of designers and customers alike. Being able to interact with virtual products in a realistic manner enhances their confidence in the final selection, leading to increased purchase intent and conversion rates. 

'The quality of the Virtual Samples, both in color and texture, gave us full confidence that initial sample requests – not for submittal purposes – can be achieved with this avenue.' - Snowsound 

Level up your marketing

Material board created with Mattoboard

Virtual Sampling empowers brands to keep pace with the evolving demands of a digital-first era. Mattoboard allows brands to display their products in a novel way, creating unique and eye-catching marketing campaigns. This novel approach to product display captures the imagination of customers, enticing them with unique visual experiences that resonate in today's digital-centric world. 

'We use Mattoboard in our social and email campaigns and our audience has resonated well in discovering Mattoboard.' - Nasco Stone

Virtual Showrooms for binders and catalogues

Material boards created with the Mattoboard creator offer a means for customers to envision how your products harmonize with other materials and items. These visually captivating compositions serve as great additions to websites, emails, and social media campaigns, igniting inspiration and fostering creativity within your customer base. By curating a captivating scheme, you can guide customers through unique combinations they may have never considered, sparking curiosity and ultimately generating valuable leads.

With VSamples© brands can put an end to sending unnecessary binders and catalogues of small product samples. Let designers experience your entire range online with compelling and enigmatic virtual showrooms discoverable on mobile, tablets, and laptops. Designers can now sample only the specific product they need from a range. The future is far more sustainable with A&D Virtual Sampling which increases ROI saving hundreds of thousands of dollars for Brands and Suppliers. View a real showroom here.

Nasco Tile - Lake Como Range - Showroom made with Mattoboard

'It sometimes takes a lot to convey the quality and the design details in images, so realistic 3D models on Mattoboard should help guide potential customers.' - Plank Hardware

Product Data and Trends

Material board created with Mattoboard

One significant benefit of Virtual Sampling for Brands and Suppliers is the potential to gain access to critical and informative data on their products' usage. By using our VSamples and the Mattoboard Creator, brands and suppliers can track how many designers are using their products in boards, how many are saving them, and how many are requesting them. This helps align marketing and production and improve the Return On Sampling Investment (ROsI). You can read more about a Brand's ROsI here.

'Moving to digital sampling helps expand our options.' - Snowsound

This data can provide valuable insights into which products and colors are trending, helping brands and suppliers to make informed decisions about future product development and marketing strategies. It can also help them to identify gaps in their product range or identify areas where they could improve their marketing efforts. By leveraging this data, brands and suppliers can gain a competitive advantage in the market and better meet the needs of designers and their clients. 

Conclusion

Transitioning to Virtual Sampling and VSamples not only streamlines the sampling process but also expands the range of options available to brands. By embracing digital technologies, brands gain the ability to showcase an extensive selection of products, materials, and design variations without the limitations imposed by physical samples. Physical samples should only be ordered to touch and feel when designers and clients are more confident with their choices, thus reducing excess sampling and waste, while increasing the quality of the opportunity when ordered. This expanded array of options empowers brands to cater to diverse customer preferences, fuel creativity, and facilitate informed decision-making. Ultimately, the shift to virtual sampling opens up new horizons and possibilities, enabling brands to explore uncharted territories and maximize their potential in a rapidly evolving market landscape. The sample board and sampling process has evolved to a virtual board, and if a brand is not on the board it is not being ordered. 

If you are a Supplier, a Manufacturer or a Distributor and want to convert your products to VSamples© for use on Mattoboard. You can book a demo here.

Mattoboard is a 3D tool for designers. Our drag and drop technology helps you design quickly & experiment endlessly. Stay on trend and use visual storytelling to create mood and material boards.

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