1. Most of the established products have a text field on the lower left corner of the color pallet to enter the hex value of the color. Some of the newer products, such as electronics, have moved this to an advanced second window. This is a bad idea as it creates another step in creating products and serves no real purpose - its not like you are saving space by not showing this in the initial pallet that pops up.

2. Having the color pallet disappear each time you select a color or paste in a hex color value and hit return is a bad idea. To change the color again you must select edit and wait for the pallet to pop up again. There should be a setting to keep the pallet displayed at all times during the customization process. Consider using tabs for the pallet window - basic and advanced, but keep the hex on the front tab or place it on both.