The Power of Personalised Products

In a world where individuality is fast becoming everything, the power of personalisation has never been stronger.  

 From how products are marketed to the products themselves, there is a clear appetite for a tailored approach, which brings both consumer and commercial benefits.  

A study by Deloitte found that 50% of consumers expressed interest in purchasing personalised products or services. Furthermore, the majority said they would be willing to pay more for customised goods.  

So, what is it that makes customisation king, and how can businesses incorporate it into their offering to reap its rewards?   

THAT FEEL GOOD, WOW FACTOR

We’ve all been there, seeing a product with our name on it and feeling an instant, magnetic pull towards it. Why? Because it’s different, unexpected even, but it’s also super personal and important to us as individuals. It’s our whole identity in a single word!  

Perhaps, one of the best examples of the power of personalisation in making a customer connection is Coca-Cola’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign. You know, the one that led to pop bottles being strewn across supermarket floors as consumers raided the shelves for an iconic label bearing their name.   

It effortlessly demonstrated the astronomical difference in emotions we feel between an item created for us versus a generic off-the-shelf product.  

The ‘Share a Coke’ campaign succeeded in its aim to connect with and boost sales amongst millennials and was rolled out worldwide, achieving similar ground breaking results in numerous other countries. Key to its glory was that people would buy a personalised coke for themselves but also gift it to others...which leads us nicely onto our next point.  

GIFTING WITH GUSTO

In the same Deloitte consumer review, one in every two respondents said they felt that customised products can make great presents.  

But why is the gift of customisation so desirable? Well, it’s mostly down to the thoughtfulness and effort behind it that makes it a multi-layered and impactful gift.  

We’ve seen this first hand with our client Tony’s Chocolonely’s personalised wrappers. Inviting consumers and companies to create their own unique labels online for gifts to send to loved ones and clients gives customers the opportunity to put their own stamp on the product.  

Not only does this create a real gifting moment through the end receiver’s surprise (aforementioned wow factor) reaction to such a considered and relevant gift, but the sentiment strengthens the bond between gifter and recipient.   

Tony’s Chocolonely goes further than most by wrapping up its CSR messaging in the gift too. Knowing the product supports the brand's mission to make all chocolate 100% slave-free, gives the gifter and receiver that warm fuzzy feel-good factor whilst Tony’s Chocolonely spreads its message far and wide. See, so many layers!    

ELEVATED CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

It’s not just the end personalised product that floats consumers' boats but the process of creating it too.  

In a world where we’re used to getting what we want when we want it, there’s greater dissatisfaction with one-size-fits-all products. Instead, we want goods tailored to our personality and preferences and to be actively involved in their creation.  

As demonstrated via Tony’s Chocolonely personalised wrappers, customised products deliver an elevated consumer experience by giving them the creative freedom to truly express themselves and to take great pride in the end product.  

This tallies with Deloitte’s findings that 32% of its consumer review respondents said designing something themselves was a fun experience. The same amount also agreed that they were more likely to recommend a product if it could be customised.  

THE ENDOWMENT EFFECT

So, why do people display such adoration for personalised products, and why are they prepared to pay more for them?  

Well, it’s all to do with something called the Endowment Effect, a psychological bias whereby we value an item above its perceived market value because we own it. This is especially true of items with an emotional significance…say, like a customised product!  

This enables businesses to take something seemingly meaningless/unexciting and give it great value or relevance. We saw the effects of this when working on a campaign for Kellogg's, whereby we added personal names to breakfast spoons. And, hey presto, something standard becomes something standout!   

BOUNTIFUL BENEFITS

Customisation is no one-way street; there are benefits for businesses too.  

As the UK’s largest manufacturer of personalised print on demand products and the print partner of some of the biggest e-commerce brands, we’ve seen the significant results mass customisation can bring. 

This includes notable market growth by adding customisation options to existing product lines or creating brand-new ones, not to mention increased average order values, higher customer satisfaction, fewer returns, increased customer loyalty and reduced inventory requirements and costs.  

Finally, the data gathered through customised product orders also allows for deeper consumer insights, which bolsters future marketing campaigns and product development.   

FROM VIRTUAL TO REALITY

Through our innovative ConnecTED offering, we link up online platforms and offline products to help e-commerce retailers of all sizes streamline processes and scale-up growth.  

Whatever the personalised product - mugs, calendars, T-shirts, cards, or something more unique - our up-to-the-minute technologies and slick workflows mean we can take it from screen to print to customer in a jiffy!  

Keen to reap those mass customisation rewards? Then chat to our ConnecTED experts by calling 0114 272 8888 or email hello@precisionproco for more information.