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Introduction
Modern technology and production methods have empowered consumers to be more involved in the production processes of products (Atakan et al., 2014; Bendapudi and Leone, 2003). Many companies now offer configurators, choice menus, design kits and toolkits for consumers who want to make and purchase self-designed products. This interface between manufacturers and customers is known as mass customization (MC) toolkit (Franke et al., 2010). For example, Nike and Adidas provide MC toolkits that allow consumers to design their own products online. Wildemasche, one of the leading knit-supply companies in Germany, offers online MC toolkits with selections of colors, sizes, modules, and shapes to self-design scarves, blankets and other items. A France-based luxury brand, Longchamp, allows consumers to choose their preferred colors and to design their own handbags online. Developing and implementing such a system, however, involves significant costs for companies (Piller et al., 2004). Therefore, understanding how and when MC toolkits generate value for customers is crucial for marketers.
The use of MC toolkits is based on the assumption that such a self-design process generates superior value for customers that may translate into an economic effect. The “i designed it myself” effect shows that the self-design process elicits feelings of accomplishment and ownership, resulting in the greater subjective value of the product (Franke et al., 2010). When consumers participate in a co-creation process via inputting their actions, feelings or thoughts, they tend to love and value such products more (Atakan et al., 2014; Mochon et al., 2012; Norton et al., 2012; Vargo and Lusch, 2008). Thus, users are willing to pay a much higher price for self-designed products than for standard products (Franke and Piller, 2004; Schreier, 2006). This phenomenon is known as the IKEA effect (Mochon et al., 2012; Norton et al., 2012).
The literature on MC products has adopted primarily an individual and utilitarian perspective to examine how it can fit consumers’ preferences and solve their problems (Franke and Piller, 2004; Jiang et al., 2014; Terwiesch et al., 2007). Products also can provide self-expressive or symbolic benefits for the consumer (Aaker, 1999; Belk, 1981), however, limited MC research has focused on the social aspect of how MC toolkits help consumers to...