Case #1: Puma vs. Nike

As personalization has become more and more important to consumers, many companies are trying alternative methods to convince customers to purchase their products. One of the most popular of these alternative methods is customization. The idea of customization, although not a new concept, has become one of the biggest trends implemented by companies. Previously suits, dresses, and other fashions were customizable along with some features in automobiles, but this concept has completely changed. Two companies that have embraced customization are competing shoe and apparel retailers, Nike and Puma. Nike and Puma both offer customers a web based program that allows the customer to design and purchase their own product. Puma offers its customers the opportunity to customize certain styles of sneakers through its Mongolian Shoe BBQ. Nike offers the customization of just about any product the company sells through its program called NikeiD.

NikeiD is another strategy started by Nike to satisfy their customer. As mass-customization becomes a standard for companies, Nike is ahead of the game. Nike already offers a version of most of its products for customers to customize. Once one Nike.com and selecting a language and country, Nike clearly marks its customization feature, by using the simple phrase “Customize your gear”. Once the customer selects this option, NikeiD opens with a separate link. The site includes tabs for the customer to choose their gender. Based on the gender selected NikeiD logs images of the products available for customization. The products that Nike currently offers for customization include shoes for any sport, watches, bags, and some apparel. Each product is offered in a decent variety of colors. Customers can adjust the color to practically any part of the product. Along with the color options Nike allows customers to add their personal ID if they wish. As the customer adjusts and customizes their product, they are able to see the product from different angles as well as with different backgrounds. The customer is then prompted to confirm the gender and select shoe sizes. Shoe sizes because Nike let’s the customer choose a size for the left and right foot separately. Once finished designing the product Nike gives the customer the ability to save their creation, email it, print it, or purchase it.

Nike’s version of customer customization through NikeiD was very easy to navigate. It seems that any customer, regardless of how computer and design savvy they are, would be able to manage designing their own Nike products. The one down fall to Nike’s customization is the number of products offered for customization. Upon arriving to the site I felt a little overwhelmed choosing a product to design. There are tons of different products and it wasn’t until later that I realized that each of the genders had a drop down that separated the products into more manageable categories. Along with being able to customize your own shoe, Nike offers already designed shoes for inspiration. A customer can use these models to tweak or change accordingly. For people that find it difficulty to design from a blank canvas this inspiration is helpful.
Puma’s customization program called Mongolian Shoe BBQ was very different from NikeiD. First of all, the customization feature on Puma’s website was difficult to find because of its title. It took a little time and a few wrong turns to realize that the Mongolian Shoe BBQ was the link to get to the customized section. Once the site launches the customer enters into a site that is set up like a restaurant. At first I was slightly confused by this, but considering the site is called Mongolian Shoe BBQ I went along with it. The customer then must select a shoe from the menu. Puma only offers two unisex shoes to customize. After the style is selected the customer chooses their gender and their shoe size. The customer then is given the choice of method to create their sneaker quickly in the Express Line or spend more time on it by Dining In.

The Dine In method lets the customer choose a blank canvas or they can choose from pre-created designs. Once the customer selects which sneaker they would like to design they are able to customize every piece of it. Every piece of the shoe is separated and seemingly laid flat on a tray. The screen shows an image of buffet were the customer is able to pick and choose colors and materials for each individual part of the shoe. The customer must first select the portion of the shoe they wish to design and then they are presented with any array of options to choose from as far as color and materials. As the customer makes their choice they are asked if they accepted or declined the material. Throughout the process the customer is unable to view the shoe they are creating unless they use the “Preview” link. As the customer creates their shoe they are made aware of the number of components that the customer must make selections on before the shoe is complete. To select the different varieties for each part of the sneaker, the customer uses must move the mouse, which appears as a hang with tongs, on the screen to make selections. Once the customer completes their selections they then view the finished product. Puma only offers two different view of the sneaker. Like Nike, Puma allows their customer to save, in a doggie bag, or purchase the shoes they designed.

Although the concept is extremely creative, I feel that this is not a very practical way of customizing a shoe. I think many people would agree that having clear color selections and categories along with being able to watch the shoe change as they design it is much more satisfying. Also there were so many different pieces to the shoe to customize, that by the tenth piece I found myself annoyed and hurrying to finish, thus why I chose to design and display a Nike shoe. The hand was difficult to maneuver and once I decided which material I wanted it was difficult to click the material. Puma must understand that it’s difficult because otherwise it would be unnecessary to ask the customer if they accepted or declined the material. Along with how long the process was, I felt that the end result was a complete surprise. I thought I was designing one shoe and upon completion it was completely different from what I would have expected.

The Express Line method allows the customer to view pre-designed shoes that they may edit or a blank canvas. This option allows customers to use pre-designed ideas and change them to become a shoe that satisfy their personal taste. Following along with the restaurant idea this allows customers to use these existing shoe recipes and allows them to spice them up using their own personal taste. While loading the image shown is of the buffet, but allows the customer to see the entire set up. Once the Express Line loads the customer is shown the shoe they selected. This method is very similar to Nike’s. The method allows the customer to change the colors and materials while an image of the shoe on the left depicts the changes. This method makes it clear which aspect of the shoe the customer is adjusting and allows them to know what they are changing.

After experimenting on both the Nike and Puma’s customization websites, I felt that NikeiD and Puma’s Mongolian Shoe BBQ Express Line were extremely similar. Both were what I expected from a site that offers customization. An image of the shoe that the customer is customizing is shown on one side and on the other the customer is given color options for each part of the shoe. I actually preferred Puma’s Express Line because of the variety of colors and materials available. I also liked that Puma offered a limited amount of products to customize. I don’t think it would hurt them to have a couple more options, but Nike with 47 products to customize for women alone, to me, seem to be overwhelming their customer. Nike offered less color variety, which was another downfall. As I was designing my shoe I was imaging what I might want and was not exactly able to create that image, which I think should be the point of allowing a customer to customize their shoe. Although Puma’s Express Line and NikeiD were similar, Puma’s Dine In option was completely different. Although the restaurant idea is an interesting concept the execution of the idea is a definite miss. The Dine In section was difficult to navigate and made it difficult for the customer to make selections, without a preview after each change.