# Professor Adam Alter explains the appeal of customizable merchandise

1 Faculty News November 4, 2015 ![Digiday logo](/sites/default/files/styles/246w/public/assets/images/digiday.jpg?itok=_NgGqDOG)>

Excerpt from [Digiday](https://digiday.com/brands/nikeid-01-percent-farfetch-offers-customizable-10000-ostrich-skin-sneakers/) -- "[Adam Alter](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/adam-alter), a marketing and psychology professor at NYU Stern, said that customizable goods have the 'Ikea effect' — people are more attached to products they feel represent themselves. 'Anything that’s rare is going to be more popular,' said Alter. 'And when you make something yourself, you’re really going to love it.'"

[Read more](https://digiday.com/brands/nikeid-01-percent-farfetch-offers-customizable-10000-ostrich-skin-sneakers/)