The Catalogue Renaissance

Paul Keers, editorial director at Axon Publishing, examines how the internet is driving a boom in the catalogue industry rather than signalling the death of the print medium…

When it emerged, many pundits believed that the web would be the death of catalogues. Of course, the same pundits also believed that the web would replace books, magazines, television programmes and newspapers. In fact, what has happened is that each medium has re-examined its strengths and, in many cases, cemented and even developed its role. Now, it seems this is happening to catalogues.

Far from being eliminated by the web, catalogues have taken on a new and more exciting role. Our recent research, conducted by YouGov, indicates that the internet, previously considered to be a strong threat to the catalogue industry, has now created a significant retail revival.

60% of UK consumers revealed they are more likely to buy products online if they can see them in a printed catalogue first. The survey also showed that catalogues are encouraging consumers aged 50+ to shop online as well as being the most effective way to reach women. More than 70% of women admitted that catalogues give them more ideas and inspiration than shopping websites.

While the internet is an increasingly popular method of home-shopping, this survey shows that sought-after consumers are still turning to catalogues for creative inspiration. Not only do they provide a stylish and creative platform, but also have a highly positive effect on online sales. As a result brands and retailers are recognising their effectiveness as a sales tool to drive online sales and positioning them as an integral part of the marketing mix.

These findings also support figures released by Royal Mail earlier this year showing that catalogues are enjoying a rebirth in the era of internet shopping. These results also revealed that nearly two-thirds of the consumers (61%) have consulted a catalogue before making online purchases, and three in four shoppers (83%) regularly use catalogues before buying online. *

What’s happened is an understanding of the way in which the two media can complement each other – and the role which catalogues can play once ‘order from’ product shots move on to the web.

The origins of the catalogue industry lie in shopping from the book. Whether they were shopping from catalogues for geographic or economic reasons, customers had to be able to select products directly from the page – the result was clear, straightforward photography which illustrated every detail of a product.

But this role has now been taken over by the web. It’s online that you now find those crystal-clear, cut-out shots of items for sale. This means that catalogues have been freed up to perform new and much more creative roles – reflecting a lifestyle, inspiring customers and creating desire.

Many of these roles have been traditionally performed by magazines. Of course, retailers had to cede control over style and content to the magazine editors, but if their products were featured, they would appear in a desirable, lifestyle context, styled to meet the prevailing mood and presented in a manner designed to create desire. Would retailers not like to control that opportunity for themselves?

This is the function which catalogues are increasingly performing. Publishers like Axon have a background in creating magazines, and in taking the skills and the personnel from newsstand publications across to meet client needs. For years that has been achieved through customer magazines; now, with this new shift in thinking, those skills are being transferred to catalogues.

This principle lies behind the successes we have achieved for Marks & Spencer Home, and for Conran. In the case of Conran, there was a natural transition from Axon’s work on their customer magazine, Live It, to the pages of their catalogue. Since we were fully immersed in their image and their target market, we could translate that thinking, and re-brief photographers and design teams, in order to project that within the sales imperative of a catalogue. The move from magazine to catalogue was seamless.

For Marks & Spencer, Axon works with their Home team to gain an understanding of their product themes and target markets. These are interpreted as they might be for a magazine feature, but with the prime objective of turning inspiration and desire into purchases from the page. Magazine stylists, photographers, designers, editors and other creatives are briefed to use their skills to achieve this sales objective – it’s a straightforward progression from the work they have done for us on customer magazines.

The imperative to sell from the page has not gone away – but the idea that a catalogue is the only sales channel certainly has. A modern catalogue generally promotes three ways to buy – by phone, online, or in store – once the page has done its job. As that online channel develops, so catalogues are increasingly taking on this new, inspirational role, designed to drive customers online to complete their purchase. It’s a valuable role, increasingly recognised by retailers as the research demonstrates – and an extraordinary revival in the status of catalogues themselves.

* Statistics taken from the Royal Mail Home Shopping Research, August 2006. Sample of 4,043 adults aged 18 years +