The main benefit of a mass customization product design strategy is to:

Context: Mass customization involves producing goods to meet individual customer needs while maintaining efficiency.

Options Breakdown:

A. Sell high quantities of product to specific customer segments: This is a characteristic of mass production, not mass customization.

B. Achieve economies of scale in purchasing components: While possible, it is not the main benefit of mass customization.

C. Offer more product variety while keeping inventories low: Mass customization allows companies to produce a variety of products tailored to customer preferences without holding large inventories.

D. Avoid assembly of finished products: Mass customization often involves final assembly based on customer orders.

Correct Answer Justification: The main benefit of mass customization is the ability to provide a wide range of product options tailored to individual customers while maintaining low inventory levels, thus enhancing flexibility and efficiency.

References:

Literature on mass customization strategies

Case studies on successful mass customization implementations