In: Operations Management
Explain the shift from mass production to mass customisation and relate to it to the Amazon. (200 words)
Mass production means producing the products in bulk and storing it to serve high demand. Mass customisation refers to the act of personalizing/ customizing products as per the tastes of individual customers.
With the change in the market scenario, where the customer base is one and there is availability of huge substitutes, the business houses are now more concerned about satisfying the customers by fulfilling their individual preferences and customising their products accordingly. The shift has been noticed from mass production, to mass customization over the period of time. Only due to mass customization, it is possible for businesses to attract more customers and retain them for longer period.
Relating this to Amazon, it now features the products which can be customized as per the taste of customers, unlike following the concept of mass production in the past. Now Amazon is involved in personalising the products as per the needs of the customers. Example: offering different colours of shirts within the combo pack of three, so that customer can chose the colours as per his need. Offering option to select the text to be printed on the t- shirt before placing order. Following mass customization over mass production have proved to be beneficial for every organization in the present world, with strong customer base and long term survival.