Good reasons to adopt personalisation in your Print on Demand shop

The magic of the Internet coupled with the fully automated aspect of Print on Demand services tends to make us forget that there are real people behind the orders we see in our application. But there are: each item purchased was the subject of love at first (human) sight, and then added to the shopping cart with real (human) fingers. That's a touching thought.

Alongside this somewhat impersonal vision of the brand-consumer relationship, a major trend in online sales has been developing for some time now: the personalization of products by the customer. What if we were to see new technologies as a means of reconnecting with brand-customer relationships and more responsible consumption patterns, rather than as a means of distancing ourselves? It's a pertinent question for a large part of the public: in fact, according to a 2019 study by Comcap, 50% of consumers surveyed said they were interested in buying products with personalized graphic designs. Well, our products exist and are specially designed to be decorated with graphic designs. What's more, we offer you the possibility of opening up some of your visuals to customization by your customers. Coincidence? We don't think so.

So, customisation by the client; what do we mean by this? Without designing the whole thing (fortunately: that's your job), it's about leaving a little room for your client's personalisation in your visual. Here, for example, the only part that has been personalised by the client is the first name of the lucky dad in question:

Between Print on Demand and the personalisation trend, there's obvious chemistry; let's take a look at some of the reasons why it is beneficial for your shop to ride this wave.

The growing desire to own unique products

In an era of faster-than-ever fast fashion, the development of the personalization trend underlines consumers' desire for alternatives. The principle of mass production advocated by industrialist Henry Ford a century ago seems to be gradually beginning to clash with the individualism and need for self-expression of everyone, especially the younger generations. In fact, according to ComCap, 55% of Generation Z respondents say they want to own personalized products that no one else is likely to have.

This reflects a real (and understandable) need to move away from the B-to-C (business-to-consumer) relationship to become a co-creator and express individuality, but also a desire to enjoy longer-lasting products: while tons and tons of clothes are thrown away every day after a handful of uses without even being recycled, personalized products promise a much longer life. After all, if your customer takes part in the making of his product AND if it suits him completely, there's no reason why he'll want to part with it for a long time to come, is there? And even if it's a gift, logic dictates that he'll keep it for a long time (unless it's been given to him by a wicked mother-in-law or a slightly deranged ex, but that's another story).

The (nice) prospect of optimising your margin

Again according to ComCap, one in five consumers is willing to pay as much as 20% more for a personalized product. We can see the gleam in your eye from our offices in the South of France. This is all the more interesting given that the customization option you can take advantage of as a user of our application is made available to you free of charge, and that producing a customized product won't cost you any more than producing a conventional one.

According to a McKinsey study, the current leaders in customisation have proven that it is possible to increase revenues by 5 to 15% by developing this aspect of their business. Thus, offering one (or more) customisable items will allow you to increase your turnover without further investment on your part. However, be careful not to overdo it: first of all to remain competitive, but also because it is important to see your customer as a partner who must feel like a winner.

Customer satisfaction at its best

Personalization options are a real boost to customer retention for any business. Let's put it this way: allowing customers to add their own personal touch to a product in a variety of ways, and letting them make their own contribution, all help to solidify your relationship, significantly increase customer satisfaction and accentuate their loyalty to your brand. The figures don't lie: according to statistics compiled by BCG-Google, customers of a store offering numerous personalization options are 110% more likely to add more products to their baskets, and 40% more likely to end up spending more than they had originally planned.

The study also found that buyers of personalized products were 20% more likely to recommend the store where they bought them, compared with a traditional online store. In addition to maintaining the loyalty of an existing clientele, personalization has become a marketing tool in its own right. Indeed, customers who are proud of their purchases or perfectly matched gifts will be inclined to share content highlighting their cherished products on social networks. We pay you, then we advertise you. What a wonderful arrangement.

Why use Print on Demand by TPOP to offer customisable products?

We're convinced that our Print on Demand service and the trend towards personalization go hand in hand. First of all, the 100% stock-free aspect of our service combines perfectly with the unique and exclusive character of customizable products. Nothing is planned in advance, everything is automated: so there's no reason for you to end up with tons of the same product on your hands because its message doesn't suit your customers. Likewise, we've worked to make our application perfectly adaptable to customization options: just like all your other products, you'll be able to integrate them into the usual platforms (Woocommerce, Etsy and Shopify) without a hitch.

Customisable products with TPOP: Instructions for use

Our personalization option works simply: when creating a product, after selecting the "Customizable product" option beforehand, the aim is to affix an initial visual, not forgetting a space where the personalized message can be placed later. When your customer places an order (well done!), your task will be to send us the visual customized to your customer's wishes. If you'd like more details on how to get started, take a look at our tutorial.

The magic of the combination of Print on Demand and personalization lies in the fact that product production can be launched in just two clicks. According to Comcap (as you can imagine, we're fond of statistics), 48% of consumers say they're prepared to wait longer to receive their personalized products. Surprise them pleasantly by opting for our super-fast service: from validation of the final visual, an order can be produced and dispatched in just 2 days.

As an entrepreneur AND a marketer of your brand, it's important to stay aware of the trends in your industry and do your best to adapt to them. In a crowded world like online shopping, the high demand for personalised products is an opportunity for you, and we are honoured to allow you to happily join the party. Design and support individuality: personalisation is waiting for you.