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