When Do E-Catalogs Make Sense?

[Kristijntje]

A recent Forrester Research report notes that adoption of e-catalogs is now widespread among online retailers. According to Forrester analyst Sucharita Mulpuru, among the “most notable developments in cross-channel integration are the number of retailers that use online versions of print catalogs, made mainstream by rich-media vendors.” In an earlier report, Forrester noted that 73% of online consumers polled reported flipping through e-catalogs at retailer web sites.

Road Runner Sports, Aerosoles, Sam’s Club and Lillian Vernon are just some of the retailers that launched or reported good results from virtual versions of their print catalogs in the past year. But it wasn’t a solution for everyone: DisneyDirect.com this year cancelled an interactive catalog it had put up in 2004.

So what accounts for the fact that what makes sense for one retailer doesn’t work for another? The answer has to do with factors such as each marketer’s strategy, audience, history and which features they find most useful under the various options available, and it’s a compelling illustration of the reality that when it comes to e-catalogs, as with many other online shopping technologies, one size does not fit all.

...“E-catalogs are not expensive to produce,” notes Miller. “They provide functionality and a certain role, but as you scale your business and look at what you are trying to achieve, they have to be in keeping with what that business is meant to do.”

full article: http://www.internetretailer.com/article.asp?id=17157