Mass Customization
Danielle Tassone
Summary by Kelly McTurk
Danielle discussed the pros and cons of mass customization, the future of retail. Mass customization is a delivery process where mass-market goods and services are customized for a very specific customer need. Mass customization technology in the apparel industry includes body scanners, GENN and Archetype. The pros of mass customization are that retailers will have less inventory, fewer markdowns on slow moving goods, can be profitable and can give a company a competitive edge. The down side to mass customization is that it has a huge initial investment. Body scanning machines are very pricy. Other disadvantages include changes in the supply chain and the large amount of space needed for the apparatus on the retail floor. It is new to consumers and is essentially risky. Waiting times defers sales; many people don’t want to have to wait two to three weeks for there clothes. And if you do not like your custom made outfit you can’t return it. Even though there are many down sides to mass customization, there is still a great demand for it because of the growing number of people dissatisfied about how their clothes fit.