It seems like at least once a day I encounter a new example of the huge trend of DIY and customization. Just today I received one of my favorite weekly email newsletters, from springwise.com, and learned about a new retail store called FashionologyLA (www.fashionologyla.com). Customers (think tween and teen girls) have the opportunity to design and create their own clothing. The store is appropriately located in Beverly Hills, CA. The design process starts when they walk through the door and customers are able to walk out with their custom designed garments that very day. Brilliant.
While this is especially key for brands focused on young consumers, it should be top of mind for all retailers. Are you offering your customers an opportunity to customize their experience with your brand? There are so many ways to capitalize on this trend:
*Home Furnishings – check out Bassett Furniture (www.bassettfurniture.com). They offer a multitude of opportunities for customization. For example, you can design your own dinning table: you choose the finish, table size…you name it! They don’t just offer fabric choices for their couches…you can choose the arm style, cushions, even the type of legs.
*Fashion – there are many online only DIY design shops out there. Check out www.styleshake.com and design your own dress. Or go to www.elementaltreads.com and design your very own custom purse. What well-known multi channel apparel brands are capitalizing on this DIY trend? Not many that I could find…big opportunity!
*Domestics – check out www.inmod.com and design your own duvet cover. Ballard Designs (www.ballarddesigns.com) has a large customization section on their web site, offering custom bedding, curtains and more (and the fabric choices are vast – check it out!)
Many large brands that offer customizable products don’t highlight it enough. Why not feature it in an upcoming email? Consider a call out on a hot-spot page in your next catalog? If you do offer DIY in some form, would people find you in a targeted web search focused on customization in your product category? Even if this doesn’t apply to your business as it stands today, think about it the next time you’re asked for an out of the box idea on how to grow your brand!
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1 comment:
great post!
i'm doing a project right now on creating a possible retail concept of creating your own jeans in the store and was doing some research on diy trends. thanks for your post!! you're amazing!!! thanks so much
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