Introducing Bentos
A merchandising playground.
Bentos is a new iPhone and iPad app that helps you quickly visualize virtually any Apple Store Avenue bay. You can effortlessly design, test, and share endless displays in minutes, all in 3D.
Bentos is a design tool. It’s an empty canvas for your imagination. It’s for work. It’s a toy. It’s whatever you want it to be. I built Bentos because I wanted it to exist, and now I want to share it with you.
Start with a new bay — 5 foot or 10 foot — and begin building your display. You can choose a backdrop style, add your own image, or turn your bay into a Graphic Panel.
Next, add fixtures and products. Bentos can recreate many of the displays found in Apple Stores today, but you can also make something truly unique by adjusting the position, rotation, stock, and style of items in your bay. If you’re experienced with 3D modeling software like Blender, you can import custom fixtures and products to experiment with totally new designs.
Bentos includes five preview environments that represent the vast majority of store design styles with Avenues today. You can even preview your display in AR.
When you’re ready to share, Bentos can render customizable snapshots of your bay and short video tours. Share a USDZ with a friend so they can preview your design or collaborate with another Bentos user by sending a fully editable copy of your bay.
To help you get started, the app comes preloaded with bay templates to customize. I’ve also built an online Asset Library where you can download sample backdrops, Graphic Panels, and additional fixtures and products.
Bentos is available today in the App Store for iPhone and iPad. It’s totally free with no in-app purchases. If you’d like to support my projects, the best way to do so is with a paid subscription to this newsletter. I’m also available for work.
Your feedback is critical to shaping the future of Bentos. I’ve left the project intentionally open-ended because I want to build a tool that works the way you do. Let me know how you’re using Bentos and what you’d like to see next. You can contact me by email or anonymously with this form.
Featured image
Apple Aventura
Photo via @jacopofamularo.