Threadless (in Strategy Highlight 1.1) is an example of a firm building on its customer base to use new products and also to participate in the design and vetting of popular designs. In the summer of 2010, Dell Computer announced a partnership with Threadless for designs on its laptop computers. For a small additional fee (and an extra day's delay in shipping), you can get a Threadless design etched on your new Dell laptop. 59 Why do you think Dell is keen on offering this service? What other firms use this crowdsourcing technique? Where else might this type of business model show up in the future.

(Found in Strategic Management Concepts and Cases)