Personalizing Product Appearance: The Effect on Product Attachment

This research examines the effect of personalizing a product’s appearance on the degree of attachment a person experiences towards this product. We present a conceptual model for the relationships between the process of product personalization, self-expression, and product attachment. Data from a questionnaire study in which respondents (n = 149) filled out questions concerning their bicycle support our expectations. By personalizing the product’s appearance, a person invests energy in the product, and the product is used to express his/her self. The degree of self-expression, in turn, positively affects the experienced degree of attachment to the product. The implications of these findings for design practice are discussed.

Related Organizations

Delft University of Technology
Netherlands

Keywords

emotional bonding, product personalization, Product attachment, self-expression

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