Product customization is a reality of life with which we’re all quite familiar. Any time you order a monogrammed towel for a bride or an engraved necklace for a child, you’re customizing a product. Intuitively, we also understand that personalization is a marketing strategy that adds value to the customer.
That’s what makes it an important tactic for any eCommerce website to employ. However, understanding that it’s a worthwhile tactic and knowing how to approach it yourself are two very different things. Many elements go into customization, from color and size to font and supplemental add-ons. The ways you can tailor a listing are almost limitless if you have the right tools to do so.
Think of famous product customization examples such as sneakers from Nike or mousepads from Shutterfly bearing the adorable face of your very own little one. These companies effectively increase their bottom line and conversion rates by offering product customization on their e-commerce platforms.
The good news? So can you. Today, we’re going to discuss the benefits of customization and showcase seven awesome examples to prepare you to how to customize your own products, increase sales, and make your business work for you. Read on!
There are huge benefits of customizing your products, from meeting customer needs to building a beautiful presence on social media. When you give people exactly what they’re looking for, you increase customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, build more brand loyalty, and stand out from the competition with unique products.
Plus, the numbers don’t lie … this kind of product optimization works when it comes to increasing your average order value.
“50 percent of consumers believe customized products make great gifts,” says Kickflip, adding that they’re willing to pay more for them compared to out-of-the-box items. Moreover, “48 percent of consumers are willing to wait longer to receive a customized product,” so you don’t have to stress about the offering impacting your business negatively.
Interested in some more specific benefits of product customization? How about:
So, what does customization look like when it’s done right? Here are some of the best examples Planet Earth has to offer.
In today’s bustling online marketplace, product personalization is becoming fairly commonplace. Its main impact lies not in the fact that it is a unique service, but rather in that – assuming you do it right – you can meet a customer need that your competitors cannot.
Similarly, the value of a customizable product lies not in the fact that it’s necessarily a new product backed by lots of advancements, but rather that it is done well and meets the customer’s vision to the letter. Let’s take a look at some of today’s most successful customizations, e-commerce business, and otherwise.
Vehicle customization has been around for quite some time. When you buy a car, you can tailor it to meet your exact needs, provided you’re willing to spend the money. Good customization options will allow a consumer to spend their money where they want to and save money on other options.
For instance, the new owner of a BMW might want all wood trim, bucket seats, shiny rims, and leather interiors. Someone buying a new but more cost-effective Honda might opt for the leather interior, but decide to go with “wood-look” molding and bench seats. That way, they achieve their goals but save money where they can.
The takeaway? Customer satisfaction is based on a number of factors, but it’s not necessarily dependent on having the nicest product ... instead, being able to provide exactly what a customer is looking for goes a long way.
Voilà: product personalization in a nutshell.
Jewelry is another consumer good that people love to customize, along with its close cousin the gift market. Think treasure boxes, wedding goblets, or specially made props for LARPing (live-action role-playing … lots of swords, in other words).
The consumer gets to choose from gem types, metal colors, and engraving options. They can select from one of hundreds or thousands of templates that you offer, or even work with a designer to have their vision created and brought to life.
There are thousands of examples of customizable jewelry and gift shops on the internet, from birthstone necklaces and meaningful engagement rings to hand-crafted home decor and engraved keepsakes.
Everyone loves West Elm for a reason. No, not because it gives us that hit of mid century modern we’re all craving, but rather because it offers endless customization of beautiful furniture.
Let’s consider your standard West Elm couch. You can select both size and depth, so it’s much easier to find the design you’re looking for in a size that matches your unique space. They also allow you to select both the fabric type and the color, and they will send swatches to your home to make sure you’re happy with both before building your couch.
Plus, because they offer so many different types of furniture with the same options, you can create customized and matching living room or bedroom sets in only a day.
Today’s sellers can put your photos or designs on basically anything. Phone cases? Yes. Mugs and calendars? Yes. Mousepads? As discussed, also yes. And consumers love using them for it, because every time they pick up this mundane daily item, they think of something or someone they love.
PopSockets is particularly good at this, offering choices ranging from little acrylic scenes (cloudscapes and tidepools) to photographs of children, pets, or really great vacations.
Similarly, think AirTags engraved by Apple. Yep, the company that brought you the iPhone now offers free engraving personalization for their AirTags. While AirTags can be purchased in lots of places, buying direct from the source is your only option for accessing free custom engraving.
Such product customization examples make people feel safer and happier. Because of this, they also feel more appreciative of and closer to the brand that offers them.
Mass customization doesn’t have to come in the form of engravings or leather trim, though. It also provides very useful functionality for consumable products.
Think BarkBox and other services that send subscription boxes to keep your furry friends happy. They offer durable toys, a dizzying array of treats, and a 100-percent satisfaction guarantee if the product isn’t for you (or Fido). Better yet, their customizable boxes allow you to steer clear of allergens your pet may have.
The same goes for human subscription boxes. Monthly snack subscriptions through CrateJoy let you choose your foods based on dietary requirements, such as vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, keto, and so forth. Now you can get speedy goodies in the mail tailored to your exact needs … or your customers’.
This is a particularly good product customization example because it goes to show that you don’t have to offer high-ticket items in order to make use of the power of personalization. Something as small as a bag of trail mix can leave a lasting impression on your customer if you do it right.
Today’s shoppers are tired of the limited options available through brick-and-mortar retailers. They have taken to the internet in increasing numbers to find exactly what they’re looking for at a price they can afford – and they’ve met with success in doing so.
Online shops have exploded in the last several decades, with platforms like Shopify providing the missing personalization so many consumers craved. Now, a made-to-order t-shirt or polo shirt is easy enough to acquire. The trick is making sure it’s of high quality and matches customer expectations.
StickerMule does this well, providing t-shirts in a huge range of colors, sizes, and designs. A shopper can either upload their own design or choose one from a template, then trick it out with the right font, colors, and more.
Because there are so many potential variations when it comes to clothes, it’s good to use a product customizer app in your own shop to limit your listings and make it easier for your shoppers to find the customization options you offer.
Customized purses and accessories are all the rage, and they cover an amazing gamut of potential products and price ranges.
For instance, a customer might want a picture of daisies on a canvas tote bag to take with them to the community garden every day this summer. Another customer might want to get their Sweet 16-year-old the expensive Louis Vuitton handbag they’ve been eyeing for years, complete with engraved initials.
The theme these two desires have in common is, as with the car example, choice over price or specific materials. When you offer your customers the ability to bring their dream to life, everyone wins.
The above product customization examples prove that tailoring a product to meet a specific need is a great way to reel customers in and keep them there. Only when you can provide the perfect fit will you ensure a customer experience from which they just can’t stay away.
If you want to outcompete your competitors and take your shop to the next level, then it’s time to provide the personalized experience they’re looking for in your online store.
Happily, it’s much easier than you might think to offer that customized journey to your buyer with Shopify apps such as Product Customizer. This handy product configuration app lets you quickly upgrade your product pages with tons of customization options. Customers can then add their personalized touches to your base products via quick-load, real-time setting.
With Product Customizer, your listings can offer tons of options, from size to color, font to graphics, countdowns to checkboxes … and much more. It prevents you from having to create a zillion listings just to market each variation of your t-shirt, pet collar, or handmade art to the world.
Want to find out more about how this Shopify app can boost your sales and turn your shop into a blockbuster? Try the Product Customizer app for free today!
