How far can “reverse customization” go?

Reporter: Recently, an organization teamed up with domestic and foreign tourism bureaus and airlines to release "reverse customized" travel products. For example, Hainan Airlines (600221, Stock Bar) offers a "10-day air ticket + 1 night hotel" free trip from Beijing to Chicago for only 4,999 yuan. A series of "reverse customization" travel products developed by Hainan Airlines, Brand USA, and the Massachusetts Tourism Bureau will also be launched soon. "Reverse customization" usually refers to the behavior of gathering a large number of users to purchase products from merchants. "Reverse customization" is based on big data to count customer preferences and design corresponding products. What do you think of this move, is it just a gimmick?

Wu Youjun: "Reverse customization" is a new term that just came out. There is not much explanation, and everyone has their own understanding. In terms of customization, what we sell is not a product, but a service. It is not about booking air tickets or hotels, but about customizing the travel experience for customers, of which air tickets and hotels are just one element. The core of customization is to combine favorable elements to give customers a pleasant travel experience.

Wei Spectrum: From B2C to C2B, the fundamental characteristics of "reverse customization" are: first, the pricing power is transferred from suppliers to retailers; second, consumers are passively buying whatever the merchant has. ” to “take the initiative to ask what merchants sell what.” Both e-commerce and traditional travel agencies hope to obtain lower purchase prices and better products in various ways. This is the trend of the market. From the current point of view, "reverse customization" has indeed brought price benefits to tourists, and I recognize the positive aspects of this approach. In my opinion, whether this method is defined as a "gimmick" depends more on whether the e-commerce and upstream suppliers can ensure a bottom line of profitability and good products. If the above two points are not met, it is just a temporary gimmick.

Reporter: The traditional view is that customized tourism is personalized and themed, and it is played in circles and is difficult to standardize and batch. What are the differences between traditional small package tours by customization agencies and travel agencies and this type of "reverse customization"?

Wu Youjun: The so-called "reverse customization" is the act of gathering a large number of users to make centralized purchases from merchants. What is currently being launched is basically air tickets and hotels, and you can do it freely. I can understand this. It is a kind of group buying behavior. What you buy is each element of the travel process. It is no different from the products provided by websites such as Ctrip and Qunar. I personally think that the concept is greater than the substance.

Wei Spectrum: The same thing is that we make unconventional itinerary arrangements based on the needs of tourists. The difference is that the methods and channels for gathering fans with the same interests are different. In addition, because travel products have the characteristics of flexible matching, e-commerce and other customized organizations with a single customer volume of thousands of people may have one product that can satisfy 70% of a group of people. travel wishes; and the traditional small package tours of travel agencies, which generally have a capacity of 100 people at a time, can satisfy the travel wishes of 80% of the people in a group.

Reporter: How far can this kind of "reverse customization" product go? How can the customization services of traditional institutions be combined with the "reverse customization" of e-commerce to better improve order conversion rates and the sustainability of buying groups?

Wei Spectra: Indeed, the typical product-driven marketing model of presenting travel products to consumers unchanged has obviously become OUT in the Internet era. For travel agencies, whether it is the "reverse customization" service provided by the customized package department or the marketing department, the value we see is, on the one hand, the huge number of customers, so that we can get more favorable purchase prices; and more importantly, It is to discover publicity orientation, product portfolio, process services and value extension that are more in line with market needs from the unique and personalized "reverse customization" needs.

Wu Youjun: Merchants are just a link to deliver products and services. Nowadays, information is advanced and customers are smart. Only by making good products can we stabilize the customer base and go far.