When Custom Isn’t Better: The Burden of Bespoke

Post 2 in the Commerce Drift series
← Previous: Is Composable Just IKEA for Commerce?

🧵 A Man Walks Into a Tailor

He wants a new suit.

He’s tired of the off-the-rack stuff. Wants something that fits just right.
He steps into a boutique shop—dark wood floors, measuring tape on the table, swatches everywhere.

The tailor smiles.
“Let’s talk cuffs. Do you prefer notched lapels or peak? Double vent or single? Canvas weight? Hand-stitched or machine-finished?”

By the end of the hour, the man walks out with a receipt, a 4-week delivery window, and a strange pit in his stomach.

He doesn’t actually know if he made the right call.
He’s unsure what half those choices even meant.
And worst of all—he paid extra for the uncertainty.

💡 The Romance of Custom

We love the idea of bespoke.

A tailored suit. A hand-built home. A storefront crafted pixel by pixel.
It feels personal. Intentional. Elevated.

But the reality?

• It costs more.
• It takes longer.
• And unless you know exactly what you want… it might not be better.

Sometimes, too much choice isn’t empowering—it’s paralyzing.

🪑 The Flip Side of IKEA

In Post 1, I argued that composable commerce has become the IKEA of digital retail:
Modular. Efficient. Predictable. A little too same-same.

But here’s the other side:

Sometimes IKEA wins.

You don’t always need a handcrafted armoire.
Sometimes you just need a shelf that holds your stuff and doesn’t fall over.

Same with storefronts.

A good theme, well-implemented, might serve your customer better than a “fully bespoke build” no one finishes.

Custom without clarity just becomes expensive guesswork.

🧭 The Line Between Boutique and Bloat

So what’s the right call?

I think it depends on a few things:

• Do you have a clear, specific vision?
• Are you solving for experience, efficiency, or ego?
• Will your customers notice and care?
• Do you have the time to iterate toward the right solution—or are you gambling on the first draft being right?

The best boutique experiences aren’t just about options.
They’re about guided clarity.

Without that, the tailor’s just upselling.

✅ Off the Rack Isn’t a Sin

We need to stop treating “custom” as inherently superior.
And stop treating “off the rack” as a failure.

Sometimes, what you really need:

• Is already made.
• Already tested.
• Already good enough.

The smartest brands know when to build and when to choose.
When to invent—and when to adapt.

Because the goal isn’t to be bespoke.
It’s to be effective.

🧵 Closing Reflection

Not everyone needs a tailor.
And not every customer wants a tailor-made suit.

Sometimes, a well-made off-the-rack fit beats a bespoke one you regret.
Especially when what you really needed… was already on the shelf.