Retailers cater to customization craze By allowing customers to monogram merchandise and "build" garments from a range of styles and colors, stores are catering to shoppers' yen to put an individual stamp on what they wear and put in their homes. Monogram historyRetailers are pulling out the stops to win market share amid disappointing sales as American consumers wrestle with stubborn joblessness and higher taxes. Customization has also been spurred by the explosion in small consumer electronics, which has created demand for such personalized accessories as cases for Apple's iPad tablet, said Steven Dennis, founder of SageBerry Consulting, a Dallas luxury consulting firm. Tapping into shoppers' surging interest in typography and design, the San Francisco home goods chain is offering a wide range of type faces - modern and ancient - and letting customers splash their initials and slogans on everything from throw pillows to glassware. "There's a lot of pressure on branded goods that are everywhere," said Marta Benson, Williams-Sonoma's senior vice president for strategy and business development. [...] a monogram is part of the package.