- July 2, 2014
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The Catalog that Drove Digital Sales
If you thought the original Sears “Big Book Catalog” was merely a way to shop, you’re underestimating its purpose, at least according to the Sears archives. The 1943 Sears News Graphic wrote that the Sears catalog, “serves as a mirror of our times, recording for future historians today’s desires, habits, customs and mode of living.” That Big Book Catalog sold an even bigger promise, at until 1993, when it was discontinued as retail shopping evolved.
Although retailers no longer send the volume of catalogs they once did, the glossy tradition lives on — and continues to spur sales in a surprising way. According to the National Retail Foundation, U.S. households received approximately 100 catalogues in 2012, far less than in the past but enough to pique shoppers’ curiosity.
As Kyle Stock reports for BusinessWeek.com, “In spite of Web stores, shopping tools, and apps, paper catalogs are still surprisingly effective at selling stuff.”
Global retail consultancy Kurt Salmon examined consumer-shopping habits in a recent study, and the findings might prompt you to consider adding a catalog to your integrated marketing efforts:
- More than half of online shoppers said they browse catalogs.
- Nearly one-third of consumers making an Internet purchase have a catalog on hand when they order.
- A surprising 86 percent of respondents bought an item after first seeing it in a catalog.
Another reason to consider creating a catalog to sell your products is that this direct-mail staple crosses generational lines. Shoppers between the ages of 18 and 24 are just as likely to use one as those between 45 and 54, as Stock’s article reports. Artemis Berry, vice president at Shop.org, the digital group of the National Retail Foundation, attributes this diversity to better data mining by companies, which allows them to target potential customers better. If you need a crash course in customer segmentation, our post, “Woo More Customers with Relevant Targeted Data,” might help.
Berry also doled out one more tip: Educate and entertain readers with your catalogs. He used the example of Williams-Sonoma, which includes recipes in their books. You can repurpose content in your catalogs and share how-to information, infographics, case studies, reviews and more. Be creative!
