Registration case studies/research

I am working on a commercial website where customers choose a template and then use a drag and drop interface to create their own adverts or promos.

Before the customer can access this section though, they need to answer three questions in order to determine price, which is represented in a three price card format, that the customer selects.

There are two trains of thought of this process:

• Either to have sign up/registration at the front of this journey (pre seeing the templates)

• Or at the end of the journey (viewing, filtering, selecting, designing the advert/promo)

Does anyone know of any case studies / research into the registration process for the pros, cons, benefits or risks in either process?

• Context. The business wants to have sign-up/registration up-front as they are concerned customers will come to the site, see the designs and rip them off.

The sign up/registration process asks for name, email, password. An email is sent on confirmation, there aren’t any follow up emails unless the customer explicitly requests it.

Thanks in advance