This past last year, the pandemic has made us aware of the inflexibility of supply chains. The demand for supply chain flexibility is not new—it is only that COVID made us painfully aware with appliance parts shortages.
Fast forward – now the appliance industry is seeing a growing trend with product personalization. Mass customization and SKU proliferation in household appliances is real and here to stay.
Customers today have so many choices when purchasing new appliances from different colors to different features? They can order a freezer on top, on the bottom or on the side. They can select a water dispenser and an ice maker or just the water dispenser.
What does this mean to the repair industry? Appliance personalization means more product options are going to be available — making it more complicated to fix more. Looking ahead this will require even more parts needed, stock levels will increase, not to mention parts will go obsolete even faster.
Appliance companies will continue to offer many versions of the same basic appliance to give customers options. The need for flexibility needs to continue in order to accelerate growth and to acquire new customers.
