It’s common knowledge now. Shoppers don’t just want the same old buying experience anymore. They’re looking for something special, made just for them. This is where the magic of product customization in e-commerce steps in. How do you make shoppers happy? Let them design their dream product!
Here comes an important question for those thinking about adding personalized items to their online store. What customizable products do customers really want? What are some awesome ideas for customized products that you can bring to your online shop? You’re in the right place to find out!
Today, we’re going to show you some of the coolest, most popular customizable products out there. These are the ones that will definitely help you get more sales. But first, let’s quickly dive into the basics of product customization. Are you sure you know all about it?
Shoppers love making products theirs, why not let them? Launch product customization in under 10 minutes with Zakeke and unlock instant personalization without extra work for your team. Try it FREE today!
What is Product Personalization in e-commerce?
In its most basic form, product customization is simply enabling customers to personalize a product according to their needs and tastes.
Essentially, it’s when businesses sell personalized promotional items, allowing shoppers to create their dream products by choosing from a variety of designs, colors, elements, and more. Product customization for e-commerce aims to deliver unique tailored customer experiences that meet the growing expectations of consumers.
Today’s customers not only enjoy but expect the ability to customize their purchases. They prefer shopping with brands that provide options to personalize products. But don’t just take our word for it – here are some significant stats from the world of product customization:
- According to Deloitte, company leaders in the personalization market improved customer loyalty 1.5x more effectively than other brands;
- Shopify says that 44% of customers have purchased at least one custom product online during the past year;
- According to McKinsey, 71% of customers expect personalization and 76% get frustrated when they don’t find it.
What are the benefits of selling customizable products?
There is a reason many e-commerce store owners are implementing product customizers on their websites. Let’s find out together what the main benefits of product personalization in e-commerce are and why you need to sell custom products now:
- Increased Sales
One of the obvious benefits of selling customizable products is increased sales. According to recent Deloitte research, 36% of consumers prefer to purchase customized products, and 20% of consumers are willing to pay up to 20% more for custom products. This results in repeat purchases and an increase in sales for e-commerce stores.
- Improved Customer Experience
Imagine giving customers the possibility to design their personalized gifts or items. Isn’t that the ultimate Shopping Experience? By offering product customization, you’re investing in your customers’ experiences. Customers love personalized experiences. If you can help them customize their products, you’ll have won their hearts. This often results in increased loyalty and brand advocacy.
- Better Customer Insights
Studying your customers’ buying habits will give you better insights into their likes and preferences. And to grow your sales, understanding your customers is paramount. Giving customers the chance to create their custom designed products, you’ll get to know what they like or dislike and what they’re looking for. You can then use this information to improve your product offerings and grow sales.
- Improve Brand Identity and Beat Competitors
The e-commerce landscape has become very competitive in today’s world. Offering customizable products can help you stay ahead of the competition, as consumers prefer to shop with brands that offer personalized products. By letting customers create what they want, you can enhance your Brand Image, creating a new premium experience.
5+1 trending custom product examples
Many of today’s leading retailers feature personalized and customized products on their websites. Here’s a detailed list of the most popular categories of custom products, the ones that customers are actively seeking and are likely to purchase online:
- Printed Promotional Goods
Custom packaging, cards, custom boxes: printed products are likely the most common examples of mass customization. Consider the option of adding a customer’s name or photos to packaging, or even to a t-shirt. The Web-to-Print business is closely linked to the world of personalization.
- Custom Merchandising
Think about all the promotional items with logos or custom merchandising a company can create and sell on its website thanks to product customization. Customers can select their products and customize them with anything they want.
- Made-To-Order Clothes and Accessories
Another sector closely tied to the world of customization is fashion. Think printed custom t-shirts, made-to-order luxury bags (with customers choosing materials and finishes), and custom shoes. In the luxury world, customization means quality, and people love tailored products and high-quality items.
- Custom Jewelry and Luxuries Accessories
Custom bracelets, rings and sunglasses are the most lovely customized product examples for customers. Think about gifts for partners or family members. How wonderful would it be to surprise someone with an engraved necklace or bracelet? Customers are actively looking for these kinds of products and a jewelry customizer is what you need!
- Customizable Product Labels
Personalized wine labels, bottles, and custom can labels are becoming increasingly popular in the food and beverage industry. Why you need a label customizer? Because personalization allows brands to differentiate themselves and create a premium perception of their products.
- Custom Gadgets and Gifts
Gadgets and gifts are undoubtedly one of the markets most closely linked to personalization. Think about a custom mug, a custom canvas, a custom pen, or a custom phone case. Personalization has become a key player in the world of gifts, and this makes it the perfect time for those in this market to implement it.
Top Brands already selling custom products (and enhancing their performance)
Here are some examples of brands that have taken the product customization game to the next level, providing exceptional customer experiences and growing sales:
- Coca Cola
When you hear product personalization, Coca-Cola is the first name that comes to mind. The company created much buzz with its “Share a Coke” campaign.
The campaign started in Australia and consisted of some of Australia’s common first names, like Kylie and Luke. This made Coca-Cola very popular, with some even considering it a “household name.” The company then expanded its campaign to countries globally and saw significant growth in sales. Research shows that an overwhelming 1.25 million teens tried a Coke during the campaign. In the US alone, Coca-Cola sales grew by 11% in the summer.
- Starbucks
Starbucks is another big-name company reaping the benefits of selling customizable products.
The company allows customers to choose exactly how they want their drinks, which customers can do right within the Starbucks app. A real game-changing strategy simply based on customizable promotional products.
While other coffee shops will just ask whether you want your latte with whole or skim milk, Starbucks provides a memorable experience by asking how you’d want your drink made.
- Nike
Nike has a long history of offering customers personalized products.
The company allows shoppers to customize their shoes and offers a wider range of models to customize than other brands. The Nike Sneaker configurator is easy to use and offers shoppers inspirational models to choose from if they aren’t sure what they want.
The Configurator allows you to customize everything from the base to the quarter to the linings, eyelets, laces, and midsole. Plus, if you’d love to add some text to the sneakers, the option is also available.
How to start selling customizable products… today?
Product customization is an effective way to connect with consumers and increase sales. But how do you start selling customizable products in your store? Is it complex and time-consuming?
Not at all! You can add a product customizer to your e-commerce quickly, in less than 10 minutes. How? With Zakeke! Installing a product customizer with Zakeke is easy and budget-friendly for any business. It’s a straightforward plug-in for your e-commerce platform, ready with just one click.
Explore Zakeke’s Visual Product Customizer, allowing customers to design their dream products on a fully responsive tool, suitable for any material.
Zakeke provides unlimited customization options, letting customers tailor every detail (images, colors, sizes, textures, etc.) and see a real-time 3D preview. The best part? Customers design within your rules, giving you full control of what they can or can’t do.
Another advantage? When customers buy their custom products, you get a print-ready file with the correct resolution directly in your back-office. This means no endless email exchanges to define custom mockups or manual design work for your team.
Starting with Zakeke is simple. It integrates seamlessly with major e-commerce platforms or POD and Dropshipping services, and it’s easy to learn.
Get in touch today. Try our 14-day free trial, or book a 10-minute demo to see how Zakeke can transform your business with expert advice.
Shoppers love making products theirs, why not let them? Launch product customization in under 10 minutes with Zakeke and unlock instant personalization without extra work for your team. Try it FREE today!
