Mass Customization Drives 40% Web Adoption and New Customer Acquisition
Offering personalized products online can significantly increase website engagement and attract new customer segments previously hesitant to adopt e-commerce.
Communications of the Association for Information Systems · 2003
Key Findings
- 0140% of customers purchasing chinos and jeans from Lands' End's website opted for tailored products within a year.
- 02Over 20% of these tailored product buyers were new to online purchasing.
- 03The initiative leveraged IT for mass customization and web-based customer service.
Application
Design takeaway
Implement mass customization features in online platforms to cater to individual preferences, thereby attracting new customer segments and increasing overall sales.
How to apply
Identify product categories where customization is feasible and desirable, and develop online tools to facilitate this personalization for customers.
Project actions
- 01Consider a product that can be personalized or customized.
- 02Research how technology can enable this customization for users.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Demonstrates a real-world, successful implementation of a business strategy.
- +Provides quantifiable results on customer adoption and behavior change.
Limitations
The specific technology and market conditions of 2003 might differ from today.
Reliability & validity
The case study relies on reported business outcomes, which may be subject to interpretation. The specific context of Lands' End's operations limits generalizability without further studies.
Think critically
How can the principles of mass customization be applied to digital products or services, rather than just physical goods?
Design Principles
"Personalization as a driver for market expansion and e-commerce adoption."
This case demonstrates how tailoring product offerings to individual needs, facilitated by technology, can unlock new market potential and create a competitive advantage. It highlights the power of personalization in driving both customer loyalty and the acquisition of previously untapped demographics.
What This Means for Your Design
Making clothes that fit perfectly online made a lot of people buy them, and even got people who never shopped online before to try it.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this case to justify exploring mass customization in your design project.
- 2.Reference the findings to support the potential for personalization to attract new users.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
(2003). Custom Made Apparel and Individualized Service at Lands' End. Communications of the Association for Information Systems. https://doi.org/10.17705/1cais.01103 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/f12f604e-0a78-4068-bd0f-42357ffb3a2f/mass-customization-drives-40-web-adoption-and-new-customer-acquisition
Paragraph starter
The Lands' End case study (Ives & Piccoli, 2003) illustrates the significant impact of mass customization on customer behavior, demonstrating that offering personalized products online can attract new market segments, including individuals previously hesitant to engage in e-commerce, leading to substantial increases in online sales and website adoption.
Source
Communications of the Association for Information Systems
Custom Made Apparel and Individualized Service at Lands' End
journal · 2003
View sourceQuestions about this research
- What does the research say about mass customization drives 40% web adoption and new customer acquisition?
- Implement mass customization features in online platforms to cater to individual preferences, thereby attracting new customer segments and increasing overall sales. Evidence: Communications of the Association for Information Systems (2003).
- Why does "Mass Customization Drives 40% Web Adoption and New Customer Acquisition" matter for design?
- This case demonstrates how tailoring product offerings to individual needs, facilitated by technology, can unlock new market potential and create a competitive advantage. It highlights the power of personalization in driving both customer loyalty and the acquisition of previously untapped demographics.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Implement mass customization features in online platforms to cater to individual preferences, thereby attracting new customer segments and increasing overall sales.
- What were the main findings?
- 40% of customers purchasing chinos and jeans from Lands' End's website opted for tailored products within a year.. Over 20% of these tailored product buyers were new to online purchasing.. The initiative leveraged IT for mass customization and web-based customer service.
- What research method was used?
- Case Study Analysis.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2003 journal from Communications of the Association for Information Systems.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- Identify product categories where customization is feasible and desirable, and develop online tools to facilitate this personalization for customers.
- What are the limitations?
- The study is a case from 2003 and may not fully reflect current e-commerce landscapes and consumer behaviors.
- Is there evidence that mass customization affects design outcomes?
- Lands' End's personalized apparel service led to a substantial portion of their online customers choosing custom fits, with a significant number of these being first-time online shoppers. This case demonstrates how tailoring product offerings to individual needs, facilitated by technology, can unlock new market potenti Source: Communications of the Association for Information Systems (2003).
- Where does this lands end research apply?
- E-commerce, Apparel Retail It sits within innovation & markets research on designdex.org.
Related research topics
mass customization design research · evidence on mass customization · does mass customization improve design outcomes · lands end studies for designers · mass customization and lands end findings · innovation & markets research evidence