Customization, the unavoidable trend in the coffee shop industry
We are living in an era where diversity is encouraged. In workplaces, diversity provides us with a wider perspective on problem-solving and a better chance of innovating. When it comes to consumption, not surprisingly, there is also a need for diversification. According to Deloitte Consumer Review Report, 36% of consumers express an interest in buying customized goods or services and 1 in 5 consumers who express interest in personalized products or services are willing to pay a 20% premium. Probably it has nothing to do with one’s gender or ethnicity, but undeniable, we do need customized goods to level up our user experience and life quality.
Blue Bottle Coffee does understand the assignment. All types of coffee in the shop can be customized, including size, milk types, mile level, sugar level, espresso shots, caffeine level, and drink temperature. These options nearly cover all aspects of making a cup of coffee, and most of them don’t require an extra cost compared to standardized coffee. It gives customers full control of what they want while at the same time, they are paying no extra cost for it.
Will customized directly help increase the brand awareness or sales of Blue Bottle Coffee? Probably not. Blue Bottle Coffee is not famous for its wide range of coffee beverages but for its high-quality beans. Since there is no extra option for the consumer to pick what kinds of coffee beans they would like to add or mix in a cup of coffee, the customized choice does not necessarily provide a strong competitive advantage in the mass coffee shop market, considering that Starbucks is way more professional in extending its menu with numerous drizzle, sauce, cream options(Starbucks has a viral #starbucksserectmenu on TikTok, you will not want to miss it when ordering).
So why are they keeping the customized option?
The first reason is that the service industry is becoming more consumer-oriented. We are not waiting to be given but asking for what we want. We are evolving from drinking for caffeine to drinking for joy. Coffee is more than a tool to keep us awake but an experience of tasting our desired flavors on the tongue while working. This could be the reason why the first person starts to add milk to an Americano. Thus, to fulfill different people’s preferences, coffee makers start to add various ingredients to the coffee and try to satisfy everyone with a customized option.
The second reason is that besides taste, customized orders also give consumers an experience of control. When consumers choose to go into a coffee shop instead of making coffee on their own at home, the experience a shop could give them is being valued invisibly. The power of control and the freedom of choice can also be counted as part of the experience consumers are gaining. As for me, I could not tell the difference between what kinds of milk are in my Latte, but I do enjoy the process of being asked by the cashier what I want. And that is the pleasure I earned from being heard and respected.
Obviously, the customized coffee order trend will be within the industry and grow within it. In 2017, Starbucks made the first movement allowing customers to choose what types of milk and ice are in their coffee, the industry is growing with more and more options. Till 2020, Starbucks provides more than 170,000 ways to customize beverages at Starbucks stores. The growing personalized coffee market indicates that there is a huge need besides customized coffee. Maybe now we may not be able to choose the brewing method or the coffee beans on the counter, but I am guessing this is the next trend for the high-end coffee shop.
This is Yang’s blog. Thanks for your reading.
