Mass customization - individual products

Following the example of product personalization or mass customization, numerous small companies in various product categories emerged.

• Photo books consisting of your own photographs: www.myphotobook.co.uk
• Customized M&M's: www.mymms.com
• Personalization of various objects, such as chocolate bars, cups, calendars, cards, labels for beer bottles: www.mip2smile.com, www.zazzle.com
• Personalized gifts: www.personalizationmall.com
• Personalized labels: www.myownlabels.com
• Individual chocolates: www.schokologo.com
• Your personal Hershey bar: www.wrappedhersheys.com
• Personalized cereal: www.meandgoji.com

With this mass customization that exactly follows the wishes of the customer, warehousing is (almost) not needed anymore. Products can be sold in very small quantities (one piece) and the customer receives a product exactly produced according to his wishes.

However, individualized products cost significantly more than similar products in the supermarket (surcharges of up to 200 % compared to standard versions). Customers accept the high price, as it gives them the chance of otbaining their absolute dream product.

Even large corporations are increasingly focusing on the individualization of their products. Thus, you can choose from various designs for products such as bags, shoes, t-shirts and laptops.

The personalization of a product can take place at different levels. Either by the imprint of a customer specified word or sentence, the (additional) adaptation of various product features (e.g. color, shape, size, ...) or by creating a completely new product by the customer (e.g. tea, cereal, sausage, chocolate). Some companies also offer the individual design of the products' packaging. So you can give your compiled product a special name and appearance of your choice.

Surprisingly, some companies are now offering their personalized products in shops, bars or cafés. This will require completely new business strategies. The online shops primarily form cooperations with small local businesses, which like the products offered.

All these mass customized products are not only individualized for the end user (public), but also for companies. Often small companies want special products for events (such as an open day), for their long-standing customers or simply as a special promotional gift or give-away.

Maybe now you are thinking about giving some special müsli mix to your long-time customers with your company logo on it? Or as an organization you want to give your major donors a very special chocolate with their name on it?

Which online shops that specialize in mass customization do you like? Let me know and I will add them to the list.