A Billy Bookcase and a Ticket to the Guild of Master Craftsmen

Here’s a counterintuitive truth: when something is too easy, we don’t value it as much.

We’re wired to love what we create, even if the final product is a bit ropey. When we play a role in bringing something to life, our sense of ownership and emotional investment goes through the roof.

This phenomenon is coined the ‘IKEA Effect’ because letting us play with tiny screws and allen keys gives us the sense that we have created a bookshelf, without the requirement of going full lumberjack and chopping down a tree.

But here’s the nuance: the IKEA effect only works when people succeed. If you gave customers a load of wood and said “good luck”, you’d have a lot of half finished projects, and a decreasing customer base. Participation is powerful, but only when it’s structured enough to ensure success. Think about how Ikea comes with all the instructions, pre-drilled holes and labelled screws, making the road to success a smooth, frustration free experience (sometimes).

By allowing customers to engage in the process of creating something increases the chance of them paying a premium. Simply allowing them to customise part of your product can increase satisfaction and increase their valuation of your brand.

Let people feel like they've built it, even if you did most of the heavy lifting. Because consumers value what they help create.