Matthew Morrow's blog

Marketers have to be conscious of the age-cycles of their consumers, as different age categories look for companies to add value to them in an assortment of ways. As  pointed out in James Shaw’s blog,  the thing that separates our generations from others is the need for consumer customization, that is the ability  to provide a product or service in ways that customers cannot only customize but also personalize the product. After personal buying experience in this area as well as recognizing a placed emphasis on this marketing tool throughout our course, I came to the realization that customization could be a point of differentiation for the company to which I am employed. I am the production manager for a locally based skmiboard company called Kayotics Skimboards. The company has been around for 11 years, retails at major board shops throughout Vancouver and the US, and also participates in a market place with only a few competitors. While my position entails several core tasks, my boss has emphasized participation in idea creation initiatives for the company. With reference to customization we have been looking for ways to separate ourselves from competitors and also allow customers to find value in our company through personalization. As our main product is skimboards we found several measures which could accomplish this task and serve as a point of differentiation. Most board companies size and product weights are  given, however sizing for the individual often is only presented by salespeople rather than right on the product. Therefore I suggested for our upcoming season not only will we present a range of suggested weights and size options for customers but also clarify the exact weight of the board as a supplement to the product info card. In this way customers will not have to adhere to common product practices which entail the rider adapt to the board, rather this tactic will allow consumers to have the product adapt to them. Hopefully this will prove to be a source for competitive advantage for our company in the upcoming season!

See you at the beach!

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