Retail Sector Product Customization Trends and Challenges Report

This report, focusing on inquiry-based learning, examines the present trends in the retail sector concerning product customization. It explores the significance of customization in the retail industry, particularly in the UK, and its contribution to economic growth. The report identifies trends, such as the increasing demand for personalized products, and analyzes the challenges associated with adopting these trends, including managing diverse customer preferences and utilizing advanced technologies. It investigates the concept of product customization, benefits like enhanced user experience, and challenges such as managing large customer data and the need for advanced technologies. The research methodology includes qualitative and quantitative methods, utilizing secondary data from articles and journals. Findings highlight the preference for technologically advanced and customized products, the need for timely product upgrades, and the importance of digital technology in customer interaction. Recommendations include leveraging digital technology, focusing on customer touchpoints, offering attractive customization options, and embedding customization as a continuous process. The report concludes with the importance of adapting to market changes and customer expectations to achieve high customization and improve customer experience, particularly for retailers like John Lewis.

INQUIRY
BASED
LEARNING
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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
Rationale..........................................................................................................................................4
Literature Review.............................................................................................................................5
Research methodology.....................................................................................................................7
Findings............................................................................................................................................8
Recommendations............................................................................................................................8
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11
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TOPIC
“Present trends taking place in retail sector related to customisation of products.”
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The present report is on the enquiry based learning that can help in understanding of a
particular topic the main aim of report is identification of different tense that are part of the
Retail Industry and understanding the overall behaviour of customers. There are determination of
different factors that can help a retailer to understand the change requirement with the help of
technology and create a customer base that is satisfied and loyal at the same time. There is also
important for every organisation that is part of the retail sector to identify overall importance and
customer perception to High customisation of various product services in a proper manner and its
adoption in higher profitability.
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INTRODUCTION
Retail sector is one of the most important and largest factors in every country and in case of
UK it is contributing form of their overall GDP and economic group. Different types of trends at
a part of this retail sector which consist of changing with time (Beins, 2017). For growing with
time it is very important for every organization that belongs to the Retail Industry to standing
their overall customer ways and this can be done by focusing on latest trends and all the growth
opportunities that are present in the external market and can be identified for the purpose of
adoption of the organization.
Aim of the project
“ To identify the trends related with high customization of products and understand the
challenges associated with adoption of this trends in the retail sector”
Objectives of the project
 To develop basic understand of the concept of customization of product
 To make a analysis of product customization in the retail sector
 To understand different challenges associated with customization of product in the retail
sector
Research Questions
1. What do you understand by the concept of product customisation, benefits associated
with product customisation and challenges faced by retail organisations while they are
willing to adopt customisation?
Rationale
Product customisation has been a very essential topic related to changing scenario of external
market it is used for purpose of conducting the research works as it has to be one of the most
focused organisations such as John Lewis partnership (Hurley, 2019). It is very helpful for all
private sector organisations in attracting last number of customers and long-term. In case of John
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Lewis they can launch customer’s preference product clothing which will help them in expansion
of their present market share in comparison with other competitors.
Literature Review
Concept of customization of product
According to the view points of ( John Tiihonen, 2017), related to the customization it is a basic
art related to production paradigm that has a to produce some customised products and services
overall needs of a particular customer can we met. It is a basic procedure that is used by
organisations today with the help of different personalization Technologies that helps in
decreasing the complexity of products and services. With the increased and high number of
competitors that are present in the overall external environment has lead to creation of some
exclusive strategies that can help in survival of era of high competition (Hurley, 2019). There is a
requirement to take care that such Technology is basically applied for purpose of meeting the
individual needs in such a manner that each customer feels they are important as one unit for the
whole organisation and this feeling leads to higher satisfaction level that other competitors may
not be able to achieve. In this various mediums are used for approaching the customers by
identification of the personalized needs with the help of digital media platforms such as
Facebook Twitter snap chat, Instagram and further such information can be used for making
customised products (Sahani, 2020.). In John Lewis, technology can be used for satisfying their
present level of customers and enhancement of their brand image for other prospective
customers.
Analysis of product customization in the retail sector
According to view point of Shaun Tinney, 2016, there are many different types of customer’s
strategies that are presently used by the retail sector for the purpose of increasing their
competitive position and sustainability in the long run. Identify Trends is customization of
product (Suriyantphupha, and Bourlakis, 2019). Advances that has taken place in manufacturing
and digital technology has enabled the brands to offer customisation of products to customers
can be customization offered both online and offline so that there can be quick delivery. In case
of Retail Industry this customization has lot of benefits such as it results into better User
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experience and more opportunities for conversions. Retailer supervises a digital footprint that is
supporting the customization and overall personalization results into getting a significant
competitive advantage. There is personalization that is achieved by retailers with the help of such
customization.
Uses of digital technology are already changing the overall experiences of retail customers and in
terms of products that are being purchased. Willing to make efforts to establish high amount of
coordination by running several online and offline digital campaigns that leads to interaction take
place between the brand and the customers both future and prospective. Direct and indirect
conversation lead to more personalize experiences for such customer (RamanathanSubramanian
and Vijaygopal, 2017). Technology is very helpful in connecting the overall customers with the
brand site so that a brand relationship can be built that helps in more interesting opportunities by
search retail brands based on the past interest of customer and future buying behaviour. Digital
Technology has actually changed the overall customer Expectations that is enabling immediate
sales with mobile checkout that results into lot of saving of time and identification of overall
requirements of a customer. Especially the millennium generation is being approached with
instance to Join Lewis so that they are able to segment in the most creative manner that is
Innovative at the same time and different from all other existing competitors.
Different challenges associated with customization of product in the retail sector
According to the views of Elizabeth Spaulding and Christopher Perry, 2013 it can be said
that there are many challenges that are associated with product customization. Especially when
there are large number of products and a very high customer base it becomes very difficult to
identify the requirements of a particular customer and then make for the production Strategies
and product Strategies for the purpose of achievement of high customization. Some of the
common challenges are diversity that is present in a particular target segment that is different
perception believes values that are part of each individual and makes customer totally different
from another (KOSHELEVA, 2016). So it becomes very difficult for retail organizations to
manage data of such use base of customer for this they need some advanced Technologies so that
each customer can be approached in a unique and creative manner which makes it completely
new and different experience for such individual. There are many ways that have been developed
to deal with such Technology use such as the social media devolvement has completely lead to
transformation in the way marketing campaigns and is used for promotion of brand use of
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interactive tool with the customers. Various sites online provide the opportunity to track the
activity of users and according to their most visited sites and preferences different product can be
prepared and further such customization can be used one approaching these customers where
there is possibility of higher sales (Rana, 2017). With distance to John Lewis there has been a
complete change that can be adopted by this retail sector to attract more number of customers
involve in High customization of products.
Research methodology
Research methodology is basically framework that helps in different information by use of
certain methods and techniques of facilities in collecting of the data analysing and presenting in
such a manner that required outcomes can be achieved (Konings,. and Vanormelingen, 2015).
Research type: It is related with the investigator to determine the type of research that is being
used for achievement of certain objective of both types quantitative or qualitative. In the present
report there is used of such qualitative and quantitative methods have been taken into
consideration while taking customers opinion and various views of writers and help of different
academic journals. There is no use of primary data but available sources of information from
articles, journals and books as secondary sources has been used for the purpose of drawing
certain conclusions and achievement of overall laid down objectives.
Data Collection method: data can be collected identification of different sources by the
investigator according to the requirement of authenticity of data. Basically two methods of data
collection primary and secondary are used (Mackenzie and 2012). In the primary method the
data is directly collected from the target source in case of secondary the already established data
is used. The present research work there is use of secondary data in form of articles of various
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different authors and their respective viewpoints have been taken into consideration by the
researcher for collecting of the information.
Research design: Research Design is a structure that helps in presenting the data and analysis of
the collected information. Basically Three Types of designs that can be used in a particular
research that is exploratory descriptive and experimental. Use of overall design is dependent on
the type of research. There is exploratory research that has been adopted by the researcher in the
present research work. Uses of graphical representation help in making a particular and Research
more attractive authenticity for the investigator (Tang, Lai, and Cheng, 2016). There must be
designing of the report in such a manner that it is full of clarity and justification can be analysed
from the point of overall information in a more appropriate manner.
Ethical consideration: There are ethical considerations that have to be considered in the by the
investigator so that all the activities that are part of research work has to be performed in ethical
manner it will help in avoidance of any kind of ethical misconduct. All the writers and authors
that is associated with the research completely authentic and reliable so that overall outcomes are
also achieved in the required manner.
Findings
 People have developed more preference for products that are technologically advanced and
have high customization.
 Customisation is required mostly in all sectors but retail industry has to be more careful.
 There is requirement of high customisation in product sizes according to customer
preferences timely up gradations must be made.

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Recommendations
Based on the above research there are certain recommendations that is required for achievement
of high customization an improvement of customers experience for John Lewis as discussed
below:
 Use of digital technology is a great support that can help retail sector in interacting with
their customers.
 Use of data can help in more customers’ personalisation that can be done in products.
 There has to be more focus on different touch points so that a type of interaction that can
take place with customers to understand their overall taste and preferences.
 The different attractive offers related to product customisation should be provide at the
time of sale to influence and manage customer behavior.
 There must be Regular feedbacks that should be taken from customers.
 There is requirement of customization as a continuous process embedded in the overall
activities in organization which means customization of product is not a onetime one step
activity but it is a continuous process that must keep on going with the changing trends in
the external market and changing Expectations of buyers.
Further, there is always a preference for who are timely considering the then making
modifications according to such requirements of their customers
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Conclusion
MFrom the above report it can be concluded that there is requirement of high customisation
of products especially in the retail sector. There are various measures such as digital technology
that can be helpful in use of e commerce technology that has an impact on the overall behaviour
of their customers. Further there has to be attempts made to create a loyal customer base for
offering high customisation and personalisation. The increasing competition has made it
necessary for organization to have something different people to have a competitive advantage as
compared to all other different competitive that are present in the market. Especially in case of
the retail sector the competition is increasing very fast and hence it is very essential to deal with
such high competition with the help of some innovative and creative strategies that can be
adopted by involvement of high customization of products.
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References
Books and Journals
Beins, B.C., 2017. Research method: A tool for life. Cambridge University Press
Konings, J. and Vanormelingen, S., 2015. The impact of training on productivity and wages:
firm-level evidence. Review of Economics and Statistics, 97(2), pp.485-497.
Mackenzie, J., Tan, P. L., Hoverman, S. and Baldwin, C., 2012. The value and limitations of
participatory action research methodology. Journal of hydrology. 474. pp.11-21.
Tang, A.K., Lai, K.H. and Cheng, T.C.E., 2016. A multi-research-method approach to studying
environmental sustainability in retail operations. International Journal of Production
Economics. 171. pp.394-404.
Sahani, D., 2020. Business strategies during recession: retail sector. International Journal of
Public Sector Performance Management, 6(2), pp.260-266.
Suriyantphupha, P. and Bourlakis, M., 2019. Information Technology in a Traditional Retail
Supply Chain: A Structured Literature Review. Projectics/Proyectica/Projectique, (1),
pp.89-102.
Ramanathan, U., Subramanian, N., Yu, W. and Vijaygopal, R., 2017. Impact of customer loyalty
and service operations on customer behaviour and firm performance: empirical evidence
from UK retail sector. Production Planning & Control, 28(6-8), pp.478-488.
KOSHELEVA, D., 2016. Design of an open framework for a 3D product configurator software
system, used for development of virtual shopping. Applications in the fashion retail
sector.
Rana, N., 2017. Role of Customers’ Behaviour Management as Marketing Tool for Organised
Retail in India. International Journal of Business Administration and
Management, 7(1), pp.90-102.
Online
An introduction to personalization and mass customization, 2017< [Online] Available through:
<ink.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10844-017-0465-4>
How Ecommerce is Changing Retail with Product Customization, 2016[Online] Available
through: <https://thegood.com/insights/product-customization/>
Making it personal: Rules for success in product customization, 2013[Online] Available
through:< https://www.bain.com/insights/making-it-personal-rules-for-success-in-
product-customization/>
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