UX Spotlight: Custom product creators – New Balance gives customers the sneakers of their dream

author

Pola Zen

September 29, 2017 | 3 min read

Last Updated: Oct 5, 2023


In the UX Spotlight series, I post weekly on UX features that impressed me online, and are great examples and inspiration for anyone looking to enhance their digital user experience.

When it comes to sportswear, customers can be very picky. And so they should be – they’re depending on their gear to keep them safe, comfortable, and performing at their best ability. For these reasons, people tend to stick with an athletic brand once they’ve found one that suits them. Which means that customers are hard won, but worth the battle.

With similar brands competing fiercely for customer conversion and loyalty, it’s imperative that sportswear retailers use every tool in their arsenal to set themselves apart. User Experience is one major way that brands can differentiate themselves from competing brands.

WHEN CUSTOMERS TAKE PART IN BUILDING SOMETHING, AND INVEST TIME AND EFFORT, THEY FEEL MORE CONNECTED TO THE PRODUCT.

This week I highlight New Balance’s product customization feature. In this section of the NB website, shoppers can design their own sneakers from scratch, choosing everything from the shape of the shoe to decorative detailing. This feature gives customers a sense of pride and ownership regarding the product they designed. When customers take part in building something, and invest time and effort, they feel more connected to the product. They feel that it has more value and is more desirable than anything out there that’s pre-made.

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The UX Element: On the New Balance homepage, selecting NB1 Customize from the top menu gives a preview of the different kinds of shoes that can be designed. Once the desired cut is selected, the customer is directed to a full suite of customization tools right in the website interface, with minimal load times and an impressive range of choices to create a unique pair of running shoes that exactly fit the shopper’s preferences and that no one else out there owns.

Customers can change almost every aspect of the shoe, from the laces to the color of the mesh to the lining. Each change is reflected in the price in the upper left, so shoppers can balance their budget with the features they desire. There was even an option to add a signature or personal slogan to the back of the shoes.

When a customer has optimized their design, they can select their size and check out immediately – their customized shoes will be shipped right to their door.

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The Impact: When it comes to practical items like sportswear, customers generally fit into two groups: Those who know exactly what they want, and those who are overwhelmed by choice. Group A enters their shopping experience with a clear idea in their head of what they want, and spend their time online looking for the product that most matches their vision in terms of functionality and design. Group B has no idea what they want, and the number of options and their specificity intimidates and discourages them.

A customization tool like this one suits both groups. For Group A, it eliminates the need to comparison shop, because the exact design a customer wants can be achieved and ordered with just a few clicks. For group B, customizing frees them from having to choose from existing items and gives them the power to be creative. Through the customization process, these shoppers can discover new features they love and get attached to. In both cases, such a tool increases time on site and user engagement with the site, encouraging extended shopping even in those customers who came to the site out of curiosity without a clear goal.

 

The Takeaway: As generations become more demanding, brands will need to offer highly customized products and personalized user experiences. Generation Z, for example, particularly craves creative, unique interactions in their shopping experiences, which a custom product creator provides in spades. This incoming shopping generation visits 62% more pages than their predecessors per shopping session and bounce 51% less, which demonstrates how they are eager to interact with e-retailers in more depth.

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When implementing such a tool, it’s important to track track the customer journey and steps they find fun and engaging vs. frustrating. It would also be useful to track checkout ratios with different features that customers interact with, . Experience tells us your customers will be willing to pay a much higher price for a customized product than they would for one off the shelf.

I am always on the lookout for UX innovation. If you come across a digital experience that stands out, please send it over to pola.zen@contentsquare.com