Long tails and SigEp "Chucks"

One of the phenomena that people who are into web marketing are interested in is "the long tail effect." That is the marketing strategy of selling a large number of different or even unique items in very small quantities. Examples include Amazon and Cafepress.com. The technology of the web and of automated manufacturing has lead to an increasing use of this concept to give the buyer exactly what he or she wants.

A few weeks ago I found out the Converse website has a feature where you can design your own shoes. You can specify from a range of colors and patterns for all the various aspects of a shoe from the the outer and inner canvas to the laces and tongue - even the stitching and the strip on the sole. Since Conclave is coming up and I want to be ready, I started playing around with the choices for roll-your-own "Chuck Taylor" high tops (the kind I had as a kid) and came up with this:


Of course I had to label them, too, because who else would be that garish.
Well, I ordered them, and they arrived last week, unfortunately too late for CLA. On the bright side, I am now officially ready for Conclave. Look for me and my "SigEp Chucks" in Orlando! Now, I just need to find a very special iron-on patch to replace the Converse "All Star"...