Offering custom products can be a game-changer for Shopify stores. In a crowded marketplace, it can be the key to standing out. When customers can customize products to their liking, the items gain a higher perceived value, leading to increased sales. Merchants can leverage this by offering additional features, special upgrades, or complimentary products, further boosting their sales potential.
Product customization allows shoppers to fully personalize the products according to their unique needs and preferences. Store owners typically offer a variety of options, including materials, colors or finishes, size and shape, designs, branding, and add-on features, giving customers the freedom to create a product that truly reflects their individuality.
For instance, if a potential buyer visits a Shopify store looking for a custom tote bag, they may be able to choose different materials, like durable cotton canvas, eco-friendly jute, or easy-to-clean polyester. With the material chosen, they can then move on to color, pattern, and size. Many custom product retailers offer a variety of colors and patterns in each material and may even offer their bags in different sizes for more versatility.
With the basic layout of the bag chosen, shoppers can then add a custom design, like an embroidered monogram, name, or logo. Some retailers may even offer some graphic print options. If the customer is buying for their business or organization, the shop owner can also print the company logo on the bag or add a custom tag or label for marketing purposes and to add a professional look to the item. The shop owner might offer additional features to increase profit. These features could include a zipper, interior pockets, or adjustable straps on a canvas bag.
If you want to sell custom products in your Shopify store, you'll want to set yourself up for success by creating engaging product pages that highlight the options you offer.
Shopify offers many features to enhance product customization options, including product variants and options. According to many Shopify merchants, the Product Customizer app is one of the best apps for adding customization to your site.
Product Customizer, a third-party app from ShopPad, has some great features, including image and color swatches and even image and file upload fields for retailers who want to offer full customization of their products. Customers can also see their choices and how much they will add to the overall cost of the product in real time.
Customers aren't the only ones who benefit from using Product Customizer. According to current Shopify merchants, the customer service for this app is wonderful. The program nearly always runs as it's supposed to, and when it doesn't, the support team has it up and running again in no time.
Some of the benefits of using Product Customizer in your Shopify store include:
Now that you know the benefits of using customization apps like Product Customizer, let’s take a look at how to integrate those tools into your store.
Knowing how to market your products effectively will dramatically increase your sales. Some of the best marketing strategies for custom products include creating compelling content, utilizing customer reviews, optimizing the customization experience, and providing excellent customer service for your shoppers.
Using content to market your products is about more than just writing catchy product descriptions. You want to engage with your audience and make them feel attached to your store. An excellent way to do that is to tell shoppers what inspired you to create your products. You may also want to give them a behind-the-scenes look at the customization process by sharing photos at different stages of creating a custom order.
You’ll also want to have engaging product pages with creative product descriptions that highlight the benefits of customizing each item. Include appealing photos and videos that showcase some of the customization possibilities and encourage your customers to share photos and videos of their purchases so potential buyers can see your products in action.
One way to use social proof to your advantage is by encouraging customers to leave detailed reviews and testimonials about their shopping experience, then display them on your website and business social media accounts. You can also encourage customers to share photos and videos of their purchases on their social media using branded hashtags to showcase real-life examples and build credibility with potential buyers. You may even want to consider influencer partnerships with influencers in your niche. Their endorsement will amplify your brand’s reach and credibility among their dedicated followers.
Optimizing your Shopify store's customization experience will improve your shoppers' user experience, which will increase sales and reduce returns. A few ways to do this include:
Excellent customer support is one of the biggest keys to success for your Shopify store. It will help you gain the trust of potential buyers, encourage brand loyalty from current customers, and mitigate bad publicity. A few ways to make sure your customers feel supported include implementing a live chat option on your website for real-time support, building a comprehensive FAQ to address common questions potential buyers may have, and providing ongoing support after the purchase is made during the production and delivery stages.
To sum it all up, you can effectively offer and promote your products on your Shopify store by:
