Are Print Catalogues a Thing of the Past?

Printed catalogues have always been an effective way of advertising your products to potential customers. But with the advent of eCommerce, are they old hat? And should retailers be shifting their attention online?
As more and more companies and consumers choose to do their purchasing online, it may appear that there’s less of a need for printed catalogue. Despite this, catalogues still prove popular amongst organisations in both business and consumer markets. Why? Let’s take a look…
Brand Awareness
Delivering a catalogue to somebody’s front door ensures they’ll be aware that your brand exists. They might not read through it, but seeing your logo, and possibly getting a feel for what your brand is about, is better than nothing. If they do choose to have a quick flick through, that’s great.
They’ll see all of your products and prices (a flyer or other, cheaper options would only provide limited information), and could be encouraged to visit your website. Business Insider proposes that shoppers spend more money after looking at high quality print catalogues.

Cost Effective
It has been suggested that the average print catalogue costs £1 to produce but generates around £5 of sales in return. They also report that 45% of customers browse catalogues before buying online, while a further 54.4% use catalogues before heading in store to make a purchase. If catalogues produce a substantial ROI, it’s no surprise they’re still considered a viable marketing channel by many leading retailers.
Omni-Channel Marketing

With so many customers and so much competition, it’s important for retailers to reach their potential customers in every way possible. While some may land on your website or walk through your doors, others won’t have a clue who you are or what you sell. Think of a print catalogue as some friendly encouragement, with substantial shelf life to boot. Customers may spot something they like, then head in store or online for further research or to buy, or choose to hang on to the catalogue for future reference.
It offers a long-term reminder of your products and prices to customers who may otherwise forget. It’s not dissimilar to taking out a print or TV ad in the sense that it’s just another way of engaging with potential customers.
Remember, the better your catalogue, the more effective it’s likely to be. Here at Grays we have many year’s of experience in the specialised area of catalogue design and production. Our experts in design and marketing combine to ensure the catalogues we produce not only look great but also generate a better response and order value.
For more information on our services, or to discuss your exact requirements with one of our expert design team, feel free to get in touch.
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