5 Reasons Why Catalogers Struggle Selling Online

Catalogs may not be dead, but the future doesn't look good, said LaPierre, citing declining response rates and rising costs of mailing catalogs as contributing factors to the bleak outlook. As a result, it's critical that traditional catalog marketers focus on the internet for sales.

Inherent Advantages
The advantages of selling products online vs. via catalog are well documented: unlimited space for products; multiple methods to search products (price, style, size, etc.); customized recommendations; and, of course, cost savings. LaPierre estimates that marketing expenses account for 10 percent of net sales online, compared with 30 percent for catalogs.