Personalization has more power than what most people realize, especially on the competitive retail market. A product that is catered toward a specific individual is inevitably going to be more marketable compared to a generic product. People in today’s society admire uniqueness and a personal touch to items that they purchase, and strive to have an item that is specialized to their lifestyle and interests. 

   “Consumers have come to expect that same level of personalization from companies of all sizes. Investing in personalization efforts to build relationships and create better experiences can pay off with serious rewards for brands. And in a world where the vast majority of companies are focused on improving personalization, companies that don’t prioritize creating a tailored experience run the risk of getting left behind,” senior contributor of the Forbes website, Blake Morgan, explained. 

   The virtual sales industry has done a magnificent job at customer personalization, many of the products can be bought online and shipped to your front door. This is most likely due to the fact that when marketers use personalization as a sales technique, they peak interest in potential customers and have higher sales rates.

 “Marketers see an average increase of 56% in sales when they use personalized experiences,” the Outgrow website clarified. 

   A whopping 91 percent of consumers say they are more likely to shop with brands that provide offers and recommendations that are relevant to them in  a personalized advertising experience. Furthermore, 80 percent of consumers are more likely to follow through and make a purchase from a brand that provides unique experiences. 

   Shoes, accessories, clothes, and food subscription services are just a few of the personalized items available for purchase on the world wide web.  

   Shoe websites like Nike and Converse allow the customer to design a specific shoe model to the consumer’s taste. They can choose between a variety of colors, patterns, laces, eyelets, and even stitching colors to create their own unique, dream pair of shoes. In most cases, a short embroidered message or a name can be stitched into the side or the back of the shoe, if desired as well. 

   Accessories are another popular product that people love to purchase, given that it is personalized to the customers’ liking. The brand Casetify offers premium personalized phone cases and tech protection on their website. An individual can buy a phone case in their desired color, pattern, and design, and continue to add their name or a phrase they like onto the phone case and have it shipped to their door. 

   Kyra and Kenja, an Australian vegan handbag company, is one of the few companies that gives their customers the option to add personalization to almost any bag that they may purchase. 

   Another example of personalization at its finest is the immensely popular t-shirt website called “Nice Shirt.Thanks!” which has caught the attention of many social media sites like TikTok and Instagram. The entrepreneurs behind this brand take a compilation of requests and combine them to create an awesome, one-of-a-kind shirt that can not be found anywhere else. 

 “Give a brief description of your design. We’ll create it based on how we perceive it,” their website instructs. 

   Perhaps the ultimate online personalization weapon is an app and website called Etsy. Etsy is comprised of a conglomerate of small business owners who work in independent quarters to provide customers with customized products. 

   On Etsy, individuals are able to find anything from a custom book embosser, to a tailored and embroidered sweatshirt. Etsy offers an abundance of products that can be fashioned to fit the desires of a given clientele. Customized candles, jewelry, clothing, and accessories are just a fraction of what their creative website has to offer. 

   Furthermore, food is perhaps one of the most personalized aspects of life. A large number of people hold themselves to a specific diet or suffer from food allergens that prohibit them from eating specific items. Because of this, some individuals prefer food and meal subscription services that are customized to their preference. 

   Meal subscription services like “Oats Overnight” and “Hello Fresh” allow their patrons to build specialized boxes with products that fit the desires of the client. 

   Oats Overnight gives their customers numerous oatmeal flavors to choose from including a large selection of vegan flavors as well, such as Blueberry Cobbler and Caramel Cold Brew. 

   Similarly, Hello Fresh has designated categories of Do-It-Yourself meal kits that are customizable based on a designated diet including pescetarian and vegetarian. Meal services like those mentioned above allow for an abundance of efficiency in the kitchen, and provide people with simple, dependable, and effective cuisines with the certainty that they will enjoy them. 

   Personalized items make perfect presents for nearly any gift-giving holiday, and they would also work as a nice self care present as well. There is nothing better than receiving — or giving — a gift that has a hint of thoughtfulness and care within it.