Amanda Bowser Segment of “1”
Must be a 200 word response with references
Customers want products that fit their unique needs and desires (Walker & Mullins, 2014). Therefore, it is advantageous for businesses to determine if they are capable of shifting from mass production (same product to everyone) to mass customization (singular product to a single person) (Anderson, 2014). A few customization considerations posed by Anderson (2014) are:
Can the process be fast enough?
Can setup time and resources be reduced?
Can the supply chain support it?
How does the business intend to customize the products? Will it use modular, adjustable, or dimensional customization?
Initially, one might think that mass customization to a segment of “1” would yield diminishing returns on the investment, yet, with thoughtful consideration, many businesses have achieved this. Some customizable products come to consumers through targeted ads; in fact, Google offers helpful tips on achieving this on their Merchant Help Center (“Best Practices for Advertising Customized Products,” 2022). These targeted ads can help reach the right customers who want that type of custom product, whether a couch with different colors, shampoo for a specific hair type, or face wash for a particular skin type (“Best Practices for Advertising Customized Products,” 2022). Outside of online purchases, larger department stores like Target make customizable products available, particularly of the modular variety. For example, the shampoo brand Function of Beauty allows customers to make their custom shampoo by offering modular additives in endless combinations (“Function Of Beauty,” 2022). These are just a few examples of how a segment of “1” is possible, both online and in stores.
References
Anderson, D. (2014). MASS CUSTOMIZATION, the Proactive Management of Variety. C I M Pr.
Best practices for advertising customized products. (2022). Google Merchant Center Help. https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/7162856?hl=en
Function Of Beauty. (2022). Target. https://www.target.com/b/function-of-beauty/-/N-q643leattf0
Walker, O., & Mullins, J. (2014). Marketing Strategy A Decision-Focused Approach (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
