The internet has enabled many retailers to provide customizable options to their customers, and many of these options are being extended to their brick and mortar stores.
In Texas, United Supermarkets is enabling customers to create custom wine labels in a new promotion. As part of a 3 Dreams Wine tour of its North and West Texas stores, guests purchasing one of the specialized bottles of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, merlot or cabernet sauvignon for $15.99 can add their favorite photo onto a personalized wine label for no additional cost. Those without a photo can choose from existing designs or enlist a 3 Dreams Wine graphic artist to render an original idea. The labels are completed within minutes.
"Wine is a classic piece of the gift-giving tradition, and these custom wine labeling events give United guests the opportunity to add their personal touches into a time-honored, customary practice," said Roger Scott, business manager of beer and wine for United Supermarkets, in a statement. "Whether celebrating an anniversary, birthday, engagement, new home, special event or holiday, personalized wine bottles preserve the memories with a lasting keepsake."
The Finish Line athletic footwear chain is rolling out touch-screen t-shirt customization at several of its larger stores as part of its new Nike Track Club in-store concept. After choosing their size and color, customers can pick up to three graphics from a selection of original art. These may be one of a selection of team logos, including local high schools; or athletic-themed phrases such as "skilled at every position" and "Does this shirt make my butt look FAST?" Names and numbers can also be added. The shirts cost about $30 with a turnaround time of 15 to 20-minutes.
"This was really about us creating an experience for the customers in the mall," Finish Line chief merchandising officer Sam Sato told the Indianapolis Business Journal. "E-commerce is a significant part of what we do, but the engine that drives our company is our mall stores. We felt it important to evolve and upgrade the store experience."
Other
customization options being offered by retailers, both online in and in-store:
- LeSportSac, TimBuk2 and 21154 LILL Studio all enable customers to design their own bags.
- Blank Label, ShirtsMyWay and Lands' End are among the websites offering customized dress shirts. Lands' End also offers customized swimsuits. Lids provides customized embroidery on its baseball caps at most of its stores as well as on its website.
- Jewelers such as Zales and Blue Nile provide engraving as well as customizable options. For diamond rings, for instance, customers can chose the diamond and the setting.
- Nike, Converse and Vans allow customers to design their
own sneakers online. Beyond colors, Nike allows customers to choose
firmer or softer cushioning, as well as soles and inner lining options.
Many of Nike's stores offer the service on an appointment-only basis.
Discussion Questions: What do you think of the opportunity for customization at retail? Which customization options make the most sense?
- United Supermarkets Invites Texans to Dream Up Personalized Wine Labels - United Supermarkets/Business Wire/Yahoo
- Grocer offers custom wine labels - Times Record News
- Finish Line introduces kiosks for customized T-shirts - Indianapolis Business Journal
- Shoppers customize own purchases - The Associated Press/MSNBC