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How “ready” are customers for mass customisation? An exploratory investigation

How “ready” are customers for mass customisation? An exploratory investigation This paper examines the concept of mass customisation from the point of view of the customer. Although the theory of mass customisation has received considerable attention in recent years, the emphasis has been on identifying and classifying the ways in which mass customisation can be implemented efficiently and effectively. There appears to have been no empirical evidence to support the notion that customers are indeed ready for this approach. The aim of this study is to examine how far customers are “ready” for mass‐customised products, using the UK new car market as its basis for analysis. A framework is developed and results presented which suggest that a sizeable section of the market is ready to accept the “inconveniences” of mass‐customised products. However, the main inconvenience of mass customisation is identified as increased price, even for “ready” customers. It would seem, therefore, that both global standardisation and mass customisation strategies are appropriate in this market. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png European Journal of Marketing Emerald Publishing

How “ready” are customers for mass customisation? An exploratory investigation

Ahmet Bardakci; Jeryl Whitelock
European Journal of Marketing , Volume 38 (11/12): 21 – Nov 1, 2004
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21 pages

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
0309-0566
DOI
10.1108/03090560410560164
Publisher site
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Abstract

This paper examines the concept of mass customisation from the point of view of the customer. Although the theory of mass customisation has received considerable attention in recent years, the emphasis has been on identifying and classifying the ways in which mass customisation can be implemented efficiently and effectively. There appears to have been no empirical evidence to support the notion that customers are indeed ready for this approach. The aim of this study is to examine how far customers are “ready” for mass‐customised products, using the UK new car market as its basis for analysis. A framework is developed and results presented which suggest that a sizeable section of the market is ready to accept the “inconveniences” of mass‐customised products. However, the main inconvenience of mass customisation is identified as increased price, even for “ready” customers. It would seem, therefore, that both global standardisation and mass customisation strategies are appropriate in this market.

Journal

European Journal of Marketing – Emerald Publishing

Published: Nov 1, 2004

Keywords: Customization; Standardization; Customers; United Kingdom; Cars

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