Mi Adidas Mass Customization

Mass Customization

Mass customization is the concept of combining elements of mass production with the flexibility and specificity of personalized orders. The previously tested markets have shown a great potential of mass customization in terms of success. Many industries such as electronics and apparel are slowly exploiting this concept. In footwear industry, shoes customization has targeted top athletes for a while. The beneficial aspects of mass customization are to provide consumers with an opportunity to create unique athletic footwear with personal specifications. Allowing customers to alter, create, and customize a product that best match one’s wants and desires, it adds intrinsic value to the product. This generates a great deal of positive customer interest in mass customization and thus tremendous amount of potential sales. The production of mass customization is not based on production plan but demand; as a result delivery is completely outsourced from factory to retailers. This leads to a shorter lead time in production, but at the same time, costs would be significantly higher compared to normal mass production of products.

Mass Customization in Footwear Industry

When achieving mass customization in footwear industry, focusing on customized fit or customized design are the two ways for companies to compete against each other. Companies with more technological capabilities aim at improving customers’ console. Adidas, Reebok International, New Balance Athletic Shoe and Custom Foot Corp. are examples which focus on comfort level of shoes. Adidas uses the 3-D foot scanner and matching matrix software to support scanning and fitting. There is also a selection of samples available to customers for testing fit preference. In order to provide a professional image to the public, each design terminal is assisted by Adidas experts who can give suggestions to consumers. Reebok International, Ltd has marketed a foot cushion for the top range running shoe. The cushion is utilizing DMX technology and 3-D ultralite sole material so as to maximize the degree of comfort of shoes. New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. has promoted “width center concept unit” to improve shoe fit. It offers three to five different width sizes for its products to optimize shoe fit.

Some companies focus more on the customized design of shoes including Nike Inc., Creo Interactive GmbH and Customatix.com of Solemates, Inc. Nike has developed an online program which enables consumers to choose color and add characters on the shoes. Creo Interactive offered pure design customization in terms of colors and patterns while Customatix.com allowed customers to choose from colors, materials, graphics and logos. Companies can determine which aspects they would like to focus on when doing mass customization. If they would like to promote customized fit, they can use simpler foot scanner and software instead of the 3-D foot scanner. This can reduce working steps and shorten lead time. If companies focus on customized design, they can launch an online program for customers.

...