What Is Product Customization? 20 Examples

What is Product Customization?

So, what is product customization? Product customization is the process of modifying a product to meet a customer's specific needs and preferences. This can involve changing the product’s design, features, or functionality. Product customization can be done by the manufacturer, the retailer, or the customer. 

Product customization is the offering of products meeting the demands of each individual customer but which still can be produced and delivered with mass production efficiency.

This definition is from Frank Piller, Professor of Management at RWTH Aachen University, one of the leading experts on strategies for customer-centric value creation, like mass customization and personalization.

Ultimately, product customization is the art of empowering customers to modify product features to suit their unique preferences and needs. As well as being a positive experience for buyers, it’s also a profitable strategy for companies. Since there’s a growing demand for these personalized products, it creates a competitive advantage.

There are many different ways to customize a product. Some general examples include:

• Customizing color and design: Customers can choose from a variety of colors and designs for many products, such as clothing, sporting goods, shoes, jewelry, electronics, home decor, and cars.

• Features: Customers can choose which features they want included in their product. For example, when buying a new smartphone, customers can select their screen size, storage amount, and camera type.

• Functionality: Customers can customize the functionality of some products to meet their specific needs. For example, customers can configure kitchen furnishings to suit their preferences, choosing the type and amount of sinks, cabinets, and more. 

Benefits of Product Customization 

In today’s business environment, product customization is a winning strategy. Customers like having options and a personalized experience. According to a study by Accenture, 75% of consumers are more likely to buy from retailers that offer personalization options. 

According to a Deloitte study, personalization leaders were nearly twice as likely to have exceeded revenue goals compared to brands with low personalization capabilities. 

Offering product customization can transform your e-commerce store as it helps you maximize your revenues, improve customer experience and satisfaction, and give you a competitive edge.

Some of the most significant benefits of product customization include:

Joy of Co-Creation

With customization, consumers actively participate in a playful co-design process that enables them to build a product that meets their individual preferences. Consumers appreciate this active role. In fact, the creation process often offers as much joy and positive associations as the final outcome, the product itself. 

Higher Customer Satisfaction

Product customization and personalization improve the customer experience. Customers are more likely to be satisfied with a product that has been customized to meet their specific needs and preferences. According to a Deloitte study, 68% of consumers say personalization increases brand satisfaction significantly.

Increased Brand Loyalty

Being able to customize products improves brand loyalty. Customers who have a positive experience with product customization are more likely to become loyal customers. According to researchers, 72% of shoppers said they expect the businesses they buy from to recognize them as individuals and know their interests. 

Increased Sales

Product customization can lead to increased sales. Shoppers are more likely to buy a product that they have customized to their liking. They are also more likely to pay extra for product customization options. Among consumers, 81% are willing to pay more for customized clothing, 79% for customized footwear, 76% for custom-made furniture, and 77% for customized fashion accessories and jewelry, according to our research.

Reduced Costs

Product customization can help businesses cut costs by reducing the need to stock a wide variety of different products. Instead of stockpiling many general products, e-commerce businesses can create customized products on demand, streamlining the manufacturing process.

Better Customer Insights

Allowing customers to customize their products keeps your e-commerce business in tune with customer needs. Customized options allow customers to vote with their purchases on the features and variations that are most valuable to them. Product customization, gives your business more data-backed insights into what your customers want and what they are willing to pay for. 

An Eco-Friendly Process

Last but not least, product customization can be more environmentally friendly. “Made To Order” or “Production On Demand” promises to reduce carbon footprints and keep waste to a minimum. By only producing the exact amount of stock needed for an order, businesses can significantly reduce their production emissions. Additionally, because of an increased personal attachment to products they customize, people are less likely to get rid of customized products. 

Product Customization Software

Kickflip

Kickflip is a powerful product customization software that allows e-commerce stores to offer customized and personalized products to their customers. With Kickflip, customers can create unique products tailored to their specific needs and preferences. With its user-friendly interface and wide range of custom options, Kickflip is the best product customization software on the market. 

The platform provides your customer with an enhanced shopping experience thanks to a well-designed, user-friendly interface. Kickflip also gives customers an outstanding live rendering of their custom products. Discover all the features available with Kickflip, including:

• Text features: Customers can personalize text, choosing different fonts, colors, sizes, and more.

• Upload images: Customers can upload their logos or images or choose from a clip-art library. 

• Print-ready files: Kickflip offers high-resolution, print-ready files.

• Dynamic pricing offers real-time pricing updates as customers select their options.

• Live coloring: Your customer can see their color choices in real-time, and you don’t need to provide images for every color variant. 

• Conditional logic

• Theme editor allows you to create a custom look for your brand.

• Mobile-friendly and responsive, it is perfect for today’s mobile-savvy customers.

• Multi-component products that can be customized in a variety of ways. 

• Live preview so customers can see their updated products as they customize them.

• Customer support is available by live chat, email, and phone.

• Inventory management

• Bulk ordering

Configure ID

Configure ID is software that provides an outstanding shopping experience to your customers with the use of 3D product visualization. Features include:

• 3D product visualization 

• Text personalization 

• Upload images

• Product bundles 

• Dynamic pricing 

• Live coloring 

• Live rendering 

• Multi-languages and currencies 

Threekit

Threekit is a software specialized in 3D product visualization and configuration. Their platform enhances online shopping by allowing customers to interact with products in a virtual environment and customizing them in real-time. Threekit includes:

• Augmented Reality

• 2D and 3D visualizations 

• Live coloring 

• Product bundles 

• Print ready files 

• Live rendering 

• Virtual photographer 

• Logic rules 

Combeenation

Combeenation offers efficient software that will help you build a great customization journey and shopping experience for your customers through the use of several features, including: 

• 3D and 2D visualizations

• Augmented reality 

• Dynamic pricing 

• Live rendering 

• Logic rules 

• Picture upload 

• Quote creation 

Doogma

Doogma is a robust product customization software that provides many bespoke options, enabling customers to fully personalize their products and enhance their shopping experience. The platform features:

• Live coloring 

• Upload images 

• Custom text 

• Live rendering 

• 3D 

• Dynamic pricing 

20 Best Examples of Product Customization

Most businesses can improve their revenue and customer loyalty by offering product customization. Here are 20 examples of companies innovating with product customization, sorted by category:

Shoes

NikeVandel

Jewelry

GemvaraAlfe Bijoux

Jackets

First Manufacturing CoHockerty

Glasses

OakleyHall of Frame Custom Cartier

Phone accessories

DodocaseCasetify

Food

MymuesliM&M's

Sporting Goods

MRPSuperare

Bags

Timbuk2Purse For The People

Automotive

Porsche

Yamaha

Electronics

Scuf Gaming

Cinch Gaming

Further expanding the customization realm, companies like Imprint.com are diversifying the market with an array of personalized items, ranging from keychains to whiskey glasses, demonstrating that nearly any product can be tailored to the individual. Checkout this link to see their products.

Getting Started With Product Customization

Offering product customization is more accessible than ever, thanks to today’s technology. A growing number of generic suppliers are now allowing custom manufacturing to be outsourced.

On the e-commerce side of things, building a product customizer used to require a significant investment. Thanks to SaaS solutions like Kickflip, creating a compelling product customizer to sell customized goods is now easy and affordable. 

With Kickflip, you can offer your customers customized and personalized products they love. Kickflip is easy to use and provides a wide range of customization options, giving your customers the freedom to create the products they want. 

Step up your customer experience, increase your sales, and improve brand loyalty by offering product customization with Kickflip. Get started with Kickflip by signing up for a Free Trial and experience the best product customization platform in the world.