What is personalization? A conceptual framework

Abstract

Purpose

The object of this paper is to help to understand what it is all about in question when talking about personalization.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual framework of personalization is presented, based on the literature.

Findings

Marketers are looking increasingly at personalization to help them improve the performance of their efforts. However, personalization seems to be hard to apply. Some of these problems are caused by the fact that personalization means something different to each business and to the different actors in the value chain. This lack of agreement regarding the meaning of personalization limits successful communication between the different actors who produce or buy services and products that are connection with personalized marketing. This hinders co‐operation between service providers and marketers who are willing to apply personalization.

Originality/value

It is hoped that the framework is useful when discussing and developing the idea of personalization further.

Citation

Vesanen, J. (2007), "What is personalization? A conceptual framework", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 41 No. 5/6, pp. 409-418. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560710737534