Nike vs. Puma: Mass Customization

What is the new buzz these days? Mass customization. Companies are able to use manufacturing through computers in order to create a customized program where each person can pick exactly what he or she wants according to their needs. Not only is the company able to cater to the customers needs and wants, but the company itself becomes more profitable because the cost of this mass customization is a very good value. So, as for the exchange process, both the customer and the company become better off. 

The way that Nike has designed its website and customization process is really amazing. For the Nike customization, not only can you choose colors, graphics, materials, and a personal ID, but you can also get the Nike Iphone application. This shows how they not only care about the product itself, but the customer who is buying it. By making your own shoe, you can travel in the style that you want and also thank Nike for satisfying your needs. It's perfect. 

The Nike experience is a great experience no matter how well you know how to use computers. You do not have to search extensively to create the shoe, there's a link on the homepage and you click on it. Not only is there a very exciting picture awaiting you on the "NIKE ID" page, but you can get right to the point by choosing your color or picking out what shoe is hot. It's simple and anyone can do it. After the color is chosen a bunch of pictures come up with shoes in the same color. They have NikeiD studios, and you can even pick your own width size for the shoe.  After picking one of those, you can either buy it or customize it more. That's the simplest and most customized way of creating your own shoe. Now, other companies have different ways of customization but the idea is the same. You can even share your shoe on facebook and myspace, or make it your background.

It's not only just the shoe part that's fascinating, but the whole website. Compared to Puma, there are a lot more choices for Nike and a lot more appealing looks for shoes (at least for me). I would rather go to the Nike website because I feel as though it is more up to date, technologically advanced, and customized to what I want. 

I already liked the Nike webiste before, and I do think that Puma could do some updating on different aspects of the site. In order to customize a shoe, it's DEFINITELY not as easy as the Nike website. For Puma, on the main page some people could even have a hard time finding where to click on the customization part. Once you get there, you do go step by step in creating your shoe. I like how they show the different views of the shoe that you want, and how you can experiement with different colors. You can also do this with Nike, however. 

The next part about the Puma website design is the Puma Mongolian Shoe BBQ. I think this idea is very interesting and caught my eye the first time I arrived at the Puma website. But does it appeal to everyone? I like the idea of relating the shoe to food and picking ingredients, etc. but it could be confusing to some people. I do like the idea of people having different "tastes" and how these two can be connected in some way. But when you think of shoes, do you think of food? 

I like Pumas creative aspect on this idea, and it's definitely one to ponder on, but it could be a little intense for some of us. I think it is harder to create a shoe on the Puma website than on the Nike website, and it could take a little more simpler approach as for creating a shoe. 

Overall, I would say Nike is the best way to go to create a shoe. It's the easiest website to use and it's less timely than the Puma website. On the Puma website, it can be confusing and not as technologically advanced as Nike. Nike has thought of the I phone application, sharing procedures, and the easiest and fastest way of creating a shoe. People want to get in and out of there as fast as possible. Not only is the Nike product great, but the website is great too. The mass customization has really gone through the roof on this one.