This article in internet retailer talks about how e-comerece fashion has stepped into the the world of customization – Now, you can not only buy a shirt online, but you can pick which collar, cuffs, buttons and pockets you want. With shoes, you can shop by width, heel height, narrow, short, long etc. On a high-fashion women’s clothing site, you can “peak” into the closets of celebrities to get some inspiration for your personal wardrobe.

I admit, these tools are exciting, and they do CUSTOMISE the online shopping experience. But, do they PERSONALIZE it? I think not. It’s easy to be impressed by a website that offers YOU lots of bells and whistles, puts YOU– the shopper in charge of the design decisions. Empowers YOU to decide which button or which heal length through a series of drop down menus and clicks. But, this experience is far from personal and alone, it does not improve customer service.
With all these new opportunities to choose a button to match a pattern, how is a shopper to know what works? In the real life stores (especially high end and luxury retailors) there are a slew of real life consultants to guide you through your tough buying choices. But online, we have no guidance and now even more choices. It’s easy to get overwhelmed in this era of high customization, low personalization.

This is where VeriShow.com comes in…if you want to run an e-commerce website and invite your customers to practically design a dress on their own…why not provide them with live expert advice. Provide them with an online personal shopper, someone they can talk to or chat with, someone who can show them samples through a video and share sketches with them. Or just make a friendly suggestion that highlighter yellow buttons might not work with a professional looking grey suit. It’s fine to provide your customers with options to customize their online purchase. But unless you provide them with personalized help at the same time, there is a good chance you’ll have more than a few color blind consumers, walking around with mismatched shirts, with your company’s logo on it.