No boring vanilla for today’s consumer – nowadays you can personalize just about anything and make it your own, like create-your-own-flavor ice cream from the eCreamery.
The market has moved way beyond custom t-shirts à la Cafe Press. Just look at what you can do these days:
- Bring your creative ideas to life with customized jewelry, home decor, art and more at Hatch
- Design your own custom fit dresses at Numari
- Build shoes to match at Milk & Honey
- Make jeans that fit you to a tee at MakeYouOwnJeans
- Kids create their own one-of-a-kind plush toy at Happy Toy Machine
- Girls ages 5 – 12 create their own wardrobes at FashionPlaytes
- Design your own personalized, made in the USA board books at Pint Size Productions
- Make, buy, and sell custom 3D printed products at Shapeways
- Design, print and sell custom fabric, wallpaper, gift wrap & decals on-demand at Spoonflower
- Create leggings with mixed-up colors and prints of your choice at Polkadot What
- Order a custom stuffed animal made from photos and description of your dog at ShelterPups
New Markets for Artisans
What’s good about this trend is watching it open up markets for artisans that didn’t exist before. I bought fun, handmade shirts appliquéd with the letter “A” for my daughter from a work-at-home mom in Michigan. Living in Delaware, this never would have happened before Etsy.
Some of these things are a stretch, like $89 for a gallon of personalized ice cream. I’m also not the target market for overpriced, customized leggings with “prints and colors that represent my daughter’s personality”.
I’m more likely to look for something unique or personalized for special occasions, thoughtful gifts, or preserving family memories. The creativity and talent out there is amazing!
Take time to read seller reviews – another great attribute of the online market – and buy from established marketplaces with secure payment processing.
Psst: Etsy offers two-factor authentication to further protect your account. Turn it on today.
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