CATALOG MARKETING

Introduction

Catalog marketing is a specialized branch of direct marketing. The two disciplines share many of the same characteristics. Like direct marketing, catalog marketing is based on, one-to-one communication between the marketer and the prospect or customer.

You can say that most at-home shopping takes place through catalogs.

How did catalog Marketing gain growth?

Changing lifestyles were an important factor in the acceptance of catalogs and direct marketing among consumers.

The growth of business-to-business catalog marketing was related to the increased cost associated with personal sales calls.

Increased consumer acceptance of the telephone as a way to place orders has also helped direct marketing achieve phenomenal growth

The growth in the number of available products and services has made direct marketing more attractive than mass marketing when a larger number of goods and services are being offered to a smaller group of prospects

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CATALOGS

Business-to-business catalogs are those that provide merchandise to be used in the course of business.In industrial settings business-to-business catalogs are used to sell everything from heavy machinery to hand tools. Business-to-business catalogs are mailed to individuals at their place of business, with most purchases being made on behalf of the business rather than the individual.

Eg:- Merck

Consumer catalogs are mailed to consumers at home. While the stores catalogers were originally designed to sell only remaindered and unsold merchandise, now these catalogs are used by the merchandisers to enhance the sale of their goods. Moreover to tell the latest products and their features.

Eg : Avon

Catalog showrooms are a category of consumer catalogers who combine retail marketing with catalog marketing. A catalog showroom is essentially a retail outlet. The trend in catalog showrooms has been to de-emphasize the mail-order aspect of the catalog and present the showroom as a retail outlet with the added benefit of being able to place catalog orders from the showroom. Eg:- Himalaya.

EXAMPLES

AVON :- For cosmetics

IKEA :- For furniture.

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE :- For clothing

ASIAN PAINTS :- For Variety of paints and interior designs

TANISHQ :- For Jewellery.

ELEMENTS OF CATALOG MARKETING

A successful catalog operation is

built on several key elements, including the right personnel, merchandise, catalog design and format, sales promotion, mailing lists, and order processing and fulfillment

E - CATALOGS

There are several websites in India that fecilitate e- commerce by publishing E- catalogs.

Futurebazaar.com, subsidiary of Pantaloon.

Phoolwala.com , websites for ordering Flowers.

Indiagiftsportal.com , spealises in gift shopping.

Asian Paints.

ADVANTAGES

One of the most riveting advantages of going for catalog solutions is that catalog shoppers are increasingly going online to place orders. The customers are able to place orders on the phone, online, and through the mail. So no matter what way a customer prefers to order, your item is being sold.

One more advantage can be that new launches of the brand can not be available on the stores but can be available on the catalogs of the brand.

DISADVANTAGES

Many companies use e-mail marketing to communicate with existing customers, but many other companies send unsolicited bulk e-mail, also known as spam.

It is frequently difficult for observers to distinguish between legitimate and spam e-mail marketing

Due to the volume of spam e-mail on the Internet, spam filters are essential to most users. Some marketers report that legitimate commercial e-mails frequently get caught by filters, and hidden.