What are the extras worth to you?
We’re living in the world of the personalization. We have the ability to customize everything these days, particularly online, which is starting to bleed into our day-to-day lives.
There are tons of little things that we don’t really pay attention to, until someone else shows up with a personalized version, and makes us crave them, too. I’m bringing it up because I’ve been going through my closet, and drawers of goodies, and am SHOCKED at the things that I’ve paid extra for. Mugs, cards, stationary make up the majority of my “custom” versions, but I also wonder at the things I almost paid for.
Things that make me wonder about customization:
License plate: I’m torn when it comes to this one. Yes, it allows you to make a statement, but what if you get bored of the plate, or more importantly, what if you don’t want people to able to notice your car? Also, a customized license plate can set you back $200-300.
Electronics: Apple has a great feature where they engrave your electronics for you. I have to say that I’m guilty of taking them up on this offer when it comes to gifts, but thinking back, I realize that it pretty much ruins the resale value of all electronics. I mean who wants someone else’s name on their iPad?
Stationary: Don’t get me wrong, business cards are a must, and getting your team custom cards can help elevate your business that much quicker, but do we really need to have personalized holiday cards, pens, and note pads?
Cheques: I’m on the fence with this one. Finding and printing designer checks online is fairly easy and cheap, and help make your business look that much more official, but it’s hard to not get carried away when it comes to options.
Lipstick: This may come out of left field for most people, but sometimes you just have a hard time finding the right shade of lipstick and want to create the perfect shade. These end up setting you back 2-3x the price of a normal tube of lipstick.
Have you paid for anything personalized? Was it worth it?