11 Product Personalization Trends in 2020

What has been spoken about over the past few years is finally seeing it’s light with more people buying customized goods now than ever. Product Personalization has boundless potential and capabilities for your brand and customers.

70% of buying experiences are based on how the customers feel they are being treated, says McKinsey. Sounds true because, more than shopping, it is the experience that makes shoppers choose you over other brands, time and again. Also, this helps in word-of-mouth marketing. And we all know how positive word of mouth is a blessing in disguise for every brand.

Personalized products, undoubtedly, will continue to chart their way to win over many more customers in the near future. Are businesses ready to offer what the customers want? Are online stores equipped with the latest technology to ensure customer satisfaction is exceeded, and shoppers don’t leave red-faced?

Make customers express themselves with Personalized Products!

With more sales anticipated this year, let us take a look at the important Product Personalization trends that would shape up custom products shopping in 2020. Well, also remember that these trends are subject to change, as no one knows what pop-culture will trend when. Thanks to our social media-obsessed world.

1. AR and VR in Product Customization

AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) are shaping the future of shopping. A report by Gartner says, at least 100 million users are expected to use AR-enabled technology for shopping, while 46% of retailers plan to have AR by 2020. Are you one?

One excellent example of AR: Pokemon GO. Remember how it made the world run of its heels? That’s the impact, and the same can be translated into online shopping as well. Customers will not have to run though, like in the game 😉

Complete immersion bringing digital elements to your reality through the camera. Sounds cool, right? Customers able to feel design and place the products in their daily places in a virtual experience is an aspect to increase user engagement. It is also said 40% of people are willing to pay more for a product if they experience it for the first time through AR/VR.

Add AR/VR along with Product Personalization and see the magic happen!

2. 3D Product Personalization

Every brand out there looks for new ways to wow their customers by introducing them to modern technology, and 3D Product Customization is definitely a great way to do so.

3D Product Visualization lets shoppers see every nook and corner of the product in a 3D view. Customers can explore every edge and edit every element. It has its individual features too, like real-time display, which views edits instantly as and when they are made during the design process.

Brands that adopted 3D Product Visualization showed a 35% increase in conversions. Why wait? It’s time to provide a visually exceptional shopping experience for your customers.

3. Mobile Customization

Our phones are mostly within arm’s reach, and on a lighter note, people seem to spend more time daily with their phones over people.

Over the last six months, 79% of mobile phone users made an online purchase using a mobile, not computer, or any other means. As an online store, we need to be prepared to ensure the same seamless mobile shopping experience as well.

Better overall experience, space for exponential growth, true-blue omnichannel experience, and more benefits await you.

The best part of mobile customization is shoppers can do it on the go, whenever they feel like or whenever an idea strikes. With the world switching to mobile, it is time for us also to follow suit and start offering compelling customization options on smartphones and tablets.

4. Real-time Display

Isn’t it a joy to see what we envisioned getting displayed on the screen?

The edits made by shoppers reflected and displayed instantly on the same screens – this is what Real-time Display is.

Earlier, most companies made shoppers fill their choices (what image, color, text, etc.) to add in form, and the submitted form will be sent to the merchant so they can process the order. But customers cannot know how their products will be until it reaches their doorstep.

We’ve all been there, ordering some products online and waiting for it to arrive in the way we least expected. And it does not sound sweet when something like that happens. It drains the brand image, irrespective of whose side the mistake is.

Whereas with Real-time Display, customers can instantly know how the design flow is and make changes immediately if they are not pleased with the current design. They get to order only what they love. Else, they can design until they love.

Disappointments and customer dissatisfaction? Not really when you have a real-time display. Win-win!

5. Compelling Custom Options

Offer as many customization options possible to every product listed.

We may never know who wants what, and it is better we take no chances. Being a merchant, ensure shoppers can customize every element of the product they want to buy. Go beyond giving customers to add text and image. Think out of the box and go beyond.

Let’s say, a basketball. You can offer custom options such as size, color texture, skin, text, logo, mascot, and many more. Maybe you can also upsell jerseys and shoes as an add-on.

Do not limit yourself from offering MANY choices to charm customers.

Why don’ you check out this cool 3D Product Visualization feature that lets customers see every edge in 3D product customizer view-mode. Because every detail counts!

6. Visual Search Shopping

Or the Google Lens concept!

Google Shopping soon gets a redesign with several new features, including options to shop local stores, track prices, and even find style inspiration through Google Lens. Already, Google Lens’ smart image recognition technology can help identify objects, translate text, and find similar items.

Now, using a photo of an outfit you like — for instance, something you found on Instagram — a Lens will be able to pull up other “style ideas” from around the web.

Allow the shopper to make and buy a product just like the one they snapped on a photo. During a stroll on the road or a maybe in a get-together… we never know where your next customer is going to love a product.

7. Fast Shipping

What matters the most in online shopping? Fast loading websites, yes. Discounts, always yes for customers. Customer experience, of course. Um, what about quick delivery?

The fact is, shoppers expect delivery to them within hours… not days. A survey by Coldwell Banker Commercial Affiliates found that 64% of Millennials are more likely to make an online purchase if same-day delivery is an option. What’s more, a survey by Dropoff found that 53% of customers decided to abandon an online purchase due to slow delivery times.

Do not take these stats daily. A lot of thought goes behind every online purchase, and when it is a custom product, the keenness multiplies. In our fast-paced society, is it really possible to deliver a product on the same day or the next? Well, it is hard. But at the same time, it is indeed possible if you have connected your online store with the right customization platform that directly delivers the print-ready file (final design) to the merchant.

Also, you will get good reviews as brownie points, if done right. And when it comes to conversions, user reviews do matter. Same-day or next day delivery, try it out to keep your customers happy and to retain them.

8. Social Sharing

Want more people to know about your products, but double-minded on spending money on advertising? Social Sharing option bridges the gap.

After customers design the product and before they submit, give them an option where they can share their design in social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and so on) to let their friends and family know what they were upto.

Go a step ahead and even offer an auto-description for the customers to share directly without even thinking about what text or smileys to add. Just little ways to keep your customers delighted. 😀

Once the post is shared, a new set of the audience sees it, and the chances are high that new traffic will start thronging to your online store. Also, Social Sharing ups your brand exposure building strong brand image, impacts buying behavior, and lets more audiences know the products they offer. Who knows, you could have just got some of your new customers from there!

One button could make all the difference.

9. Save For Later Feature

Its 2020 and cart abandonment is still a big problem for online stores. Any guesses? The current cart abandonment is 67.91%, and the average online store losses over 75% of sales to shopping cart abandonment.

Not so happy news and alarming, right?

Product Personalization is not see – click – buy. It does not work that way. The shopper has to spend devoted time to carve the product she/he wants. Yes, it does take time, and many customers find their desired design during the process.

With an option like Save For Later, customers can save the design if any urgent work sprouts up or if they are not in a mood to design. This way, they can come back again and start redesigning their products right from the place they left it.

Having this feature will not just make your life easier, but shall also give full control to your customers and improve revenue as well.

Are you worried about customers not coming back or forgetting to resume? You have push notifications and email campaigns to bring them back.

10. Usage of AI

Global eCommerce sales are expected to touch $4.8 billion by 2021, and Gartner predicts that 80% of all customer interactions will be managed by AI Technologies in the times to come. Such is the impact of AI on eCommerce and customer experience.

How can AI be put to use in Product Personalization? Here are some options.

You can collect the likings from the customers and then present contemporary designs that suit the tastes the customer just gave. Or, as we said earlier, some customers decide their love on the go. In such circumstances, you can suggest to them the changes on which color will look good on the sofa they are buying, or which colored flower pot will look good on their coffee table and so on.

Anticipate customer behavior with AI and unlock new dimensions with product customizer.

11. Subscription Services

The subscription box industry is booming and looks like the trend is likely to continue. Gartner says, by 2023, 75% of all companies that sell directly to consumers will offer some subscription-based service.

Now might be a great time to leap into the fray with your custom products subscription business that can capture a hefty share of the market and continue to delight customers with products that satisfy them entirely.

If you sell in multiple countries or planning to, offering subscription services is the icing on the cake for you as a survey by Royal Mail’s quotes, a trend in the subscription box business model is that it presents opportunities to expand internationally. Nearly 90% of subscription businesses make some of their sales abroad.

Continue knocking the doors of your customers regularly with subscription services; you will establish trust and brand loyalty, sooner than you imagine.

Want Product Personalization?

Product Personalization is not a passing cloud or a fad. It is here to stay. It is here to change. It is here to revolutionize. And the tremors are already left. Does your online store offer customization options? If not, all we wish to say is: Do not fall back in your competition.

Remember, customers are willing to pay more for personalized products. Adding personalization will guarantee more conversions and sales revenue, provided you have compelling custom options and strategies to bring in people.

It’s effective when you let customers design what they desire!

Want to offer product customization and thinking where to start? You are in the right place. Contact us, and let’s get started.

P. S. You don’t need to redesign the whole store to offer custom products. That’s a myth. You have come this far and don’t go back with assumptions. Got any doubts? Get them sorted out. We are happy to talk.