Short answer

Designers and marketers should be aware that showcasing user-generated customizations can inadvertently steer future customers towards making contrasting choices, particularly if the showcased user is perceived as close.

Field: Innovation & Markets
Source: Journal of Consumer Research (2019)
Method: Experimental research
Evidence: Strong effect

Exposure to customized products made by close social connections triggers a desire for uniqueness, leading consumers to make dissimilar choices. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in Journal of Consumer Research. Using Experimental research, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers and marketers should be aware that showcasing user-generated customizations can inadvertently steer future customers towards making contrasting choices, particularly if the showcased user is perceived as close.

Study

Innovation & MarketsHigh ImpactStrong effect

Social Influence in Customization: Close Connections Drive Uniqueness-Seeking

Exposure to customized products made by close social connections triggers a desire for uniqueness, leading consumers to make dissimilar choices.

Journal of Consumer Research · 2019

Key Findings

01Consumers infer that others creating customized identity-related products are motivated by a desire for uniqueness.
02Exposure to such examples increases consumers' own motivation to express uniqueness.
03This effect is stronger when the example is created by a close social other compared to a distant one.
04Consumers express uniqueness by choosing fewer options from the example or fewer best-selling options, sometimes at a monetary cost or by sacrificing preferred choices.
05The effect is diminished for functionally related products where uniqueness is not the primary driver.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When designing customization interfaces or marketing user-generated content, consider whether the showcased examples might trigger a desire for contrast in potential customers. Test different presentation strategies for user-generated content.

Project actions

01When researching user preferences for customizable products, consider the impact of peer examples.
02Explore how different levels of social connection (e.g., friends, influencers, strangers) might influence design choices.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate how customized examples created by social others, particularly close ones, influence consumers' own customization choices and their motivation to express uniqueness.

MethodExperimental research

ProcedureMultiple studies were conducted where participants were exposed to customized product examples created by identified social others (varying in social distance). Their subsequent customization choices for identity-related products were observed, along with inferred motivations and willingness to pay for uniqueness.

ContextConsumer product customization, online retail, identity-related products

Variables

IVSocial distance of the example creator (close vs. distant), type of product (identity-related vs. functional).

DVConsumer's customization choices (number of options selected, similarity to example, uniqueness of choices), motivation to express uniqueness.

CVProduct category, availability of customization options, inferred motivations of the example creator.

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Multiple studies across different product contexts.
+Isolation of the underlying psychological mechanism (motivation for uniqueness).

Limitations

The specific products used in the study might not represent all customizable goods. The definition of 'close' and 'distant' social others could be subjective.

Reliability & validity

The use of multiple studies and the isolation of the psychological mechanism contribute to the reliability and validity of the findings. However, real-world purchasing decisions might involve more complex factors than controlled experimental settings.

Think critically

How might a company strategically use user-generated examples to encourage both individuality and brand loyalty simultaneously?

Design Principles

"Social proof in customization can backfire if the inferred motivation is uniqueness, leading to divergence rather than conformity."

Understanding how social influence impacts consumer choices in customizable product markets is crucial for effective product development and marketing strategies. Designers and marketers can leverage this insight to anticipate consumer behavior and tailor their offerings.

What This Means for Your Design

If you see a friend's unique custom phone case, you might want to make yours even more different to stand out.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing how user-generated content or examples of customization influence design choices in your project.

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Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

Research indicates that when consumers encounter customized products created by individuals within their social network, particularly close connections, they infer a motivation for uniqueness. This inference subsequently drives consumers to express their own uniqueness through their customization choices, often by selecting dissimilar options or even sacrificing preferred features to differentiate themselves from the example.

Source

Journal of Consumer Research

Lead by Example? Custom-Made Examples Created by Close Others Lead Consumers to Make Dissimilar Choices

journal · 2019

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about social influence in customization: close connections drive uniqueness-seeking?: Designers and marketers should be aware that showcasing user-generated customizations can inadvertently steer future customers towards making contrasting choices, particularly if the showcased user is perceived as close. Evidence: Journal of Consumer Research (2019).
Why does "Social Influence in Customization: Close Connections Drive Uniqueness-Seeking" matter for design?: Understanding how social influence impacts consumer choices in customizable product markets is crucial for effective product development and marketing strategies. Designers and marketers can leverage this insight to anticipate consumer behavior and tailor their offerings.
How can designers apply this research?: Designers and marketers should be aware that showcasing user-generated customizations can inadvertently steer future customers towards making contrasting choices, particularly if the showcased user is perceived as close.
What were the main findings?: Consumers infer that others creating customized identity-related products are motivated by a desire for uniqueness.. Exposure to such examples increases consumers' own motivation to express uniqueness.. This effect is stronger when the example is created by a close social other compared to a distant one.. Consumers express uniqueness by choosing fewer options from the example or fewer best-selling options, sometimes at a monetary cost or by sacrificing preferred choices.
What research method was used?: Experimental research.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2019 journal from Journal of Consumer Research.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing customization interfaces or marketing user-generated content, consider whether the showcased examples might trigger a desire for contrast in potential customers. Test different presentation strategies for user-generated content.
What are the limitations?: The studies focused on identity-related products; the effect might differ for purely functional items. The specific social distance categories (close vs. distant) could be further nuanced.