Consumer2creator – new consumers

Focus Area

The transition from consumers to creators challenges the established manufacturing equipment and delivery systems. The traditional production system is not geared to adapt to modern consumers’ specific and changing needs. The high speed change in consumer needs also gives new opportunities for new players.The consumer 2 creator (C2C) movement is both driven by a technology-push and consumer-pull.

C2C – Technology-push:

The exponential technological development provides consumers with new tools, allowing them to become manufacturers of a wide range of products – in their own living room. As 3D printers are getting smaller, cheaper and more user-friendly they also become more widespread in homes, giving consumers access to a mini-production setup they have not had before.

Today we are used to buy goods produced in China and after a long journey brought to Denmark by ship. In the near future we will be able to 3D print shirts, vases and furniture by our self. The blueprint can be purchased online, but the products are being printed at home or in specially adapted premises in the neighborhood.

The launch of the iPhone and iPad is another example of technology that has made consumers more active as producers. With the iPhone and iPad, consumers have gained access to advanced recording and editing equipment, which used to cost thousands of DKK and were only accessible for the particularly interested. Now it has become quite normal to produce videos, podcasts and music, and share or sell these various services online on e.g. YouTube.

C2C – Consumer-pull:

The increased awareness and decision-making amongst consumers places greater and greater demands on producers. The user experience in one area is demanded in other areas. Consumers are accustomed to a personalized user experience on the Web – and they are now demanding the same customized experience when shopping in physical stores.

In the supermarket, consumers are used to buying pre-defined and pre-packaged food designed to satisfy the general taste. The product range is determined by the manufacturer and the opportunity to try something new – a more healthy style or organic line is limited to what grocery stores estimates will increase their sales. By seeing consumers as co-producers, it can be the consumers choice to define which additives is desired in their bread even before it is baked, how old the calf must be before it is slaughtered, and where the potatoes should be grown, even before they are sown. The experience in the supermarket will be, that consumers can buy food that satisfies the individual’s taste rather than the general taste.

We have become accustomed to personalized recommendations when we buy clothes online – even to the extend where we can design the cut and color of the shirt our self. The same applies when we buy furniture, kitchens or utility online: we receive personal recommendations and can customize products to fit our specific needs. The reality in physical stores is quite the opposite. Here we have a pre-determined range of products at a fixed price. The retail sale is decreasing while online trading is increasing, partly due to the shopping comfort and partly due to the consumer’s co-participation in relation to product range and the production itself. Shall this trend be reversed consumers must be involved as co-producers when shopping in physical stores.

Our challenge to you

The Consumer 2 Creator movement arises from the new consumer opportunities to influence and bypass the traditional production setup. Driven by a technology-push and consumer-pull the role of consumers is slowly changing from passive consumers to active co-producers. C2C is based on consumer needs and is redesigning the way goods are produced and delivered.

Identify a consumer challenge and design a solution that supports consumers in their new role as producers or claimants.

E.g.:

Goods are often manufactured in China in large numbers and shipped to Denmark, which increases production costs. With the proliferation of 3D printers, consumers will now be able to purchase the blueprints online and print shirts, vases or chairs either at home or in specially adapted premises in the neighborhood.

E.g.:

In the supermarket, consumers are forced to choose from the range that satisfies the general taste. When the consumer sets requirements for products and has the technological channels to communicate these requirements to the manufacturers, we will see consumers beginning to define which additives are desired in their bread, how old the slaughter calf should be and where the potatoes should be grown. The experience in the supermarket will be, that consumers can buy food that satisfies the individual’s taste rather than the general taste

In your solutions you must pay attention to the following:

• Pick a specific type of consumer that you want to address – and pick a specific challenge to solve.
• Consider the incitement to go from a passive consumption to a creator of goods. What do the consumers gain instead of convenience?
• How do you see a feasible business model in a Consumer 2 Creator economy?
  
  

Furthermore, you have to be aware of the points below:

• The Consumer 2 Creator movement is made possible by new technology – consider that your solution both can be a new product/service to the consumers, but also a new B2B-technology.
• How can you ensure that the ordinary consumer with no particular interest in ICT is part of your solution in the long term?
• Which barriers are there to use your solution?

Be creative, original and out-of-box!

Evaluation Criteria

When we evaluate your solutions we will consider the following criteria:

• We are focused on originality.
• We are focused on a clear focus on challenge and business area.
• Consider who is customer vis-a-vis user of the solution and what benefits they have from buying/using the solution respectively.
• If you can produce materials (i.e. statements from users/professionals, potential customers, municipalities, reports, statistics, observations), which support your solution it will be evaluated positively.
  
  

HAVE A GREAT TIME!