Catalog Retailing
number of americans making purchases from catalogs?
90 MILLION americans purchase from catalogs - 60% are women
what drove catalog business
Homestead Act 1862 classification of mail order to receive special post rates - extremely inexpensive rural free delivery the guarantee!
2013 catalog growth
grew to 11.9 BILLION - haven't been this big since 2007 2013 numbers are 60% of what catalogs were in 2007 (at peak)
catalog
list of goods/services on sale with description and prices published as printed or electronic document. first catalog published in 1872! first mail order business was Montgomery Ward
benefits of catalogs
lower investment in physical space lower investment in inventory sent to consumer so no need for them to find you no need to figure out where to place merch must know where to mail catalogs and where to place DCs can shop from home 24/7
JCP catalog
1963 - became so large in 1990's returns from catalog were bigger than sales from competitor
Lands End
2000 - reduced number of catalogs. resulted in 100 million drop in sales! 75% of customers making purchases reviewed the catalog first!
what percent use multiple channels for research/purchase
4 out of 5 use two or MORE channels
how many customers browse catalogs before online purchase
45% browse before online purcahse
ROI on catalogs
average print catalog costs $1 generates $4 in sales 300% ROI
Sears
began watch and jewelry catalog in 1888
tactile experience
better to receive bday card in mail vs. e-card in inbox. same goes for catalogs!
how to make money with catalogs
can estimate accurately what will happen when you mail - response rate, return on efforts/investment maximizing the sales dollars while reducing the amount mailed. largest efficient mailing possible, high response rate, high average spend per response getting right catalog to right customer at right time is vital!
carry-over
period of time between receipt of catalog and sales actually generated by marketing
catalogs today
putting experience/store in hands of consumer. offer an alternative to cold, single sense online/mobile experience
catalog as channel
sales channel or marketing channel must be immersive, inspiring, multi-sensory, call to action
catalog as thought process
the vision, tool, and methods created by the catalog industry that continue to influence retail channels
IKEA catalog
translated into 33 languages. takes 18 months of work reaches 225 million people!! adjusted to 48 markets. 66th edition sent out in 2017
Fingerhut
trying to put as many products as possible into one big book to increase purchases
