Personalization Trends

The personalization business is expanding rapidly.
The opposite of the traditional idea of selling mass-produced, ready-made products, personalization is a service that provides customized products according to individual customer preferences. In addition to the traditional customization of products with names or numbers, personalization now offers a wide range of possibilities, such as allowing customers to create their own favorite designs or to add pictures of their loved ones or pets. This is becoming a major trend in a variety of industries, including stationery, watches, accessories, shoes, clothing, food, daily necessities, cosmetics, and even car design. You have probably seen this trend somewhere before.

Evolution of digital technologies
that make personalization accessible

There are three major factors behind the expansion of this “one-of-a-kind” personalized trend.

The first is changing consumer needs. As the environment changes rapidly and lifestyles become more diverse and individualized, consumers are becoming increasingly aware that they want to own something that is different from others, something that expresses their individuality, and something that they can share with others, rather than something that is commonplace and the same as everyone else’s.

The second is the evolution of digital technology.
Now anyone can easily create data that can be used as the basis for personalization, such as by taking pictures and applying designs using smartphone cameras and apps. The Internet environment has also made it easier to exchange this data and share it on social networking services.

And small, low-cost, easy-to-use digital devices that produce a variety of personalized items are also helping to accelerate the personalization business. For example, a wide variety of products are now available, including UV printers that can print directly on three-dimensional objects, garment printers that can print on T-shirts and fabric, and impact printers that can imprint on metal and acrylic items such as accessories.

Third, companies are actively responding to changing consumer needs by making better use of digital technology. In particular, Millennials, who will be the leaders of consumer trends in the future, tend to place a strong emphasis on expressing their individuality and spending quality time with others.

Due to the synergistic effects of these changes, the personalization business is rapidly expanding in various industries and creating new businesses.
The need for one-of-a-kind items has always existed, but until now there has been no easy way to give form to this need. Digital technology has greatly transformed personalization, which was once reserved for a limited number of people, into something that is now accessible and familiar to everyone. And this trend will continue to grow.

Recent increase in the number of customization companies

Digital Devices

Digital devices that are easily customizable, compact, easy to use, and affordable to install are becoming increasingly popular. Here are some typical examples.