Design-before-you-buy on German version of Etsy

Before consumers can design their own duvets, dresses or handbags–to name just a few–they must first find a company that will let them do it. That’s not always easy, but now German site DaWanda has built a portal that brings together in one place a variety of design-your-own opportunities. Berlin-based DaWanda is a marketplace for independent designers much like Etsy, which we’ve written about before. Independent creatives from all over the world can join DaWanda to sell their handmade wares in a marketplace categorized by fashion, accessories, bags, jewellery, baby and children, home, art and supplies. Now, on the site’s Style Lab section, consumers can create products with their own individual style and have them made to order. Those interested in Queen B. lingerie’s Funky Undies, for instance, can choose the style (hipster, bikini, thong) as well as the middle, side and back fabrics used and additions like lace, roses and bows. An Initial Screenprinted Poster offered by alyoisiusspyker, meanwhile, can be customized via the colour of the paper, stripes and other elements of the design, along with the font used. By offering customers the option of buying exactly what they want, Dawanda is drumming up new business for its members. It also limits the need for keeping a lot of product in stock. And if makers use their customers’ designs as a very direct form of market research, it can also help them find out which styles they should add to their ready-made collections. More than 30 products are currently listed in the Style Lab, with opportunities to customize in a variety of ways. Make no mistake: “Have it your way” will be a theme for years to come. One to incorporate in your own product line! Spotted by: Sabine Janssens