Connecting consumers with makers of custom goods

There’s almost no limit to consumers’ ability to get products custom-made these days; the trick is finding someone to do it. While we’ve covered myriad options in numerous product categories, a new site offers to help find a custom-builder for virtually any product a consumer might need. Consumers begin by submitting a request on What Can I Make for You — “book shelf, solid oak, 5ft. high and 2ft. wide, fire engine red finish,” for example. Tapping into a proprietary algorithm and a growing database of “customizers,” the Illinois-based site will then find an experienced maker for that type of product. From there, What Can I Make for You acts as an intermediary, emailing price quotes to the consumer for their approval and handling payment via credit card or PayPal. What Can I Make for You is adding “hundreds of makers” to its database every month, it says. It’s offering what every mature category needs: a portal connecting buyers and providers. If you’re a maker, this is one to sign up with; otherwise, it’s one to emulate in your neck of the woods. (Related: Site matches experts’ skills with consumers who need them — Online portal connects all those involved in pop-up retail — Design portal for buyers and sellers of sustainable fabrics.) Spotted by: Anish Shah