Comments on: Throw out the catalogs? http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/2006/02/23/throw-out-the-catalogs/ Internet marketing Tue, 06 Jul 2010 01:54:40 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Adam http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/2006/02/23/throw-out-the-catalogs/comment-page-1/#comment-83 Adam Mon, 24 Apr 2006 17:33:56 +0000 http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/?p=33#comment-83 We don't have the information to pass judgement on Disney's decision. If the catalog isn't pulling it's weight then Disney should shut it down. The tough part of this is determining exactly what the catalog is doing for you. For example, if people are getting the catalog in the mail and it prompts them to visit stores and go to the website to place orders, then the catalog is doing more for you then is showing up on pure catalog results. Disney has a reputation for underestimating things like this. For years they were afraid to distribute their films on video because they felt it would deplete their movie library. Now it's their main product and revenue driver. I wouldn't be surprised if they are underestimating the value of their catalog, particularly during Christmas. We don’t have the information to pass judgement on Disney’s decision. If the catalog isn’t pulling it’s weight then Disney should shut it down.

The tough part of this is determining exactly what the catalog is doing for you. For example, if people are getting the catalog in the mail and it prompts them to visit stores and go to the website to place orders, then the catalog is doing more for you then is showing up on pure catalog results.

Disney has a reputation for underestimating things like this. For years they were afraid to distribute their films on video because they felt it would deplete their movie library. Now it’s their main product and revenue driver.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they are underestimating the value of their catalog, particularly during Christmas.

]]> By: David Houk http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/2006/02/23/throw-out-the-catalogs/comment-page-1/#comment-82 David Houk Sun, 26 Feb 2006 18:35:01 +0000 http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/?p=33#comment-82 I love catalogs! I belong to 2 book clubs - I get the catalog, read it over & over in my leisure.Once I make my selections I order on line. Even though they both have good web sites - I can't see them while I watch TV, sit on hold, while eating or most impotantly while in the restroom(where I do my most important decision making) Online only marketing is very limiting & time consuming. Also, I will look at a nice catalog in the mail from a company I may not know about but would never go to their website.Even if I know the company how often is anyone going to check for new items? I love catalogs!
I belong to 2 book clubs – I get the catalog, read it over & over in my leisure.Once I make my selections I order on line.
Even though they both have good web sites – I can’t see them while I watch TV, sit on hold,
while eating or most impotantly
while in the restroom(where I do my most important decision making)
Online only marketing is very limiting & time consuming.
Also, I will look at a nice catalog in the mail from a company I may not know about but would never go to their website.Even if I know the company how often is anyone going to check for new items?

]]> By: Nick D http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/2006/02/23/throw-out-the-catalogs/comment-page-1/#comment-81 Nick D Fri, 24 Feb 2006 17:41:32 +0000 http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/?p=33#comment-81 It's indeed a strange move, to say the least. Actually, I do recommend to my clients to keep going with their offline promotions, even if their sales process will be entirelly online. Maybe Disney's managers did base their decision on good reasons with cant know. But with my humble knowledge and if hypothetically I'll be in their shoes I will not just only maintain the offline catalogs, but I would add some more twists. One thing I would start doing imediatly would be to insert in the catalog package a demo or short version CD, which of course will contain links to order pages or for email announcements or whatever plans I have. We will see what happens next... It’s indeed a strange move, to say the least.

Actually, I do recommend to my clients to
keep going with their offline promotions, even
if their sales process will be entirelly online.

Maybe Disney’s managers did base their decision
on good reasons with cant know. But with my humble
knowledge and if hypothetically I’ll be in their shoes
I will not just only maintain the offline catalogs,
but I would add some more twists.
One thing I would start doing imediatly would be
to insert in the catalog package a demo or short version
CD, which of course will contain links to order pages
or for email announcements or whatever plans I have.

We will see what happens next…

]]> By: Daniel Taylor http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/2006/02/23/throw-out-the-catalogs/comment-page-1/#comment-80 Daniel Taylor Fri, 24 Feb 2006 04:03:05 +0000 http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/?p=33#comment-80 Yes, Ken, catalog makes me dream better, also a good idea generator. Everytime I want some ideas on interior design, I grab the Ikea catalog. More often than not, we keep nice, colorful and thick catalog for future reference. Much like a swipe file for direct marketers. Yes, Ken, catalog makes me dream better, also a good idea generator. Everytime I want some ideas on interior design, I grab the Ikea catalog.

More often than not, we keep nice, colorful and thick catalog for future reference. Much like a swipe file for direct marketers.

]]> By: Melinda http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/2006/02/23/throw-out-the-catalogs/comment-page-1/#comment-79 Melinda Fri, 24 Feb 2006 00:17:37 +0000 http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/?p=33#comment-79 I agree with Jose about adapting the catalogue instead of ditching it altogether. As someone who shops online frequently, I find that I rely heavily on the corresponding catalogue to locate items that I want to buy. Because most 'online shopping' sites are difficult to browse casually, I browse the catalogue, make some decisions, and then go to the website. When left to browse a store-based site without a catalogue, I often give up and leave the site because it's just too hard. I also spend more money when I shop online than when I go into the store, so if I (and others like me) don't like online browsing, then that should be perceived as an impediment to our relationship. I agree with Jose about adapting the catalogue instead of ditching it altogether. As someone who shops online frequently, I find that I rely heavily on the corresponding catalogue to locate items that I want to buy. Because most ‘online shopping’ sites are difficult to browse casually, I browse the catalogue, make some decisions, and then go to the website.

When left to browse a store-based site without a catalogue, I often give up and leave the site because it’s just too hard. I also spend more money when I shop online than when I go into the store, so if I (and others like me) don’t like online browsing, then that should be perceived as an impediment to our relationship.

]]> By: Jose Dominguez http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/2006/02/23/throw-out-the-catalogs/comment-page-1/#comment-78 Jose Dominguez Thu, 23 Feb 2006 22:23:06 +0000 http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/?p=33#comment-78 How To Give More Shelf Life To Your Catalog Disney desperately needed to revamp their catalog content. Most catalogs are merely "wish books" that get tossed immediately or right after they are scanned. Disney's wasn't much different. Land's End used to put well written articles in them which gave them more shelf life in my house. Why they stopped doing that is a mystery. Disney could give their catalogs more shelf life by inserting interesting and interactive copy such as little known Disney history or facts; stories, puzzles or word searches for kids; a Q & A section, or implement a catalog membership that offered an ongoing discount like Costco... How To Give More Shelf Life To Your Catalog
Disney desperately needed to revamp their catalog content. Most catalogs are merely “wish books” that get tossed immediately or right after they are scanned. Disney’s wasn’t much different. Land’s End used to put well written articles in them which gave them more shelf life in my house. Why they stopped doing that is a mystery. Disney could give their catalogs more shelf life by inserting interesting and interactive copy such as little known Disney history or facts; stories, puzzles or word searches for kids; a Q & A section, or implement a catalog membership that offered an ongoing discount like Costco…

]]> By: Gerard LeBlond http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/2006/02/23/throw-out-the-catalogs/comment-page-1/#comment-77 Gerard LeBlond Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:56:02 +0000 http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/?p=33#comment-77 Last month I heard a postal worker call catalogs "junk mail". I looked in disbelief at a different postal worker that was selling me stamps and I asked her: "Did I just here him call mail 'junk'?" She nodded her head in affirmation and I replied: "I can't believe he said that out loud." The cashier said: "I know, the post master is in ear-shot." She didn't refute his statement and seemed to be more concerned about his postal career than his mindset in handling the items entrusted to his care and attention. But this attitude amongst postal workers is not surprising though the real person who should decide on what is junk mail and what is not is the recipient of the mail that's a different issue altogether. But, on the subject of the value of catalogs in direct response selling let's consider: The Sears Catalog... The Whole Earth Catalog... The L.L. Bean Catalog... These are classics and they work because they give people what they want... information about specific products, along with prices and a way to get those items. Even during the day of the internet, catalogs have their place. First, they can be held and examined. Second, they can be stored for future reference or ordering. Third, they reach a part of the market that may not use or rely on the internet for ordering info. If you want to see some great catalogs that work like gang busters check out: Bissinger's Chocolate Catalog; American Girl Catalog and The Harry and David Catalog. Last month I heard a postal worker call catalogs “junk mail”.

I looked in disbelief at a different postal worker that was selling me stamps and I asked her: “Did I just here him call mail ‘junk’?”

She nodded her head in affirmation and I replied: “I can’t believe he said that out loud.”

The cashier said: “I know, the post master is in ear-shot.”

She didn’t refute his statement and seemed to be more concerned about his postal career than his mindset in handling the items entrusted to his care and attention.

But this attitude amongst postal workers is not surprising though the real person who should decide on what is junk mail and what is not is the recipient of the mail that’s a different issue altogether.

But, on the subject of the value of catalogs in direct response selling let’s consider:

The Sears Catalog…

The Whole Earth Catalog…

The L.L. Bean Catalog…

These are classics and they work because they give people what they want… information about specific products, along with prices and a way to get those items.

Even during the day of the internet, catalogs have their place.

First, they can be held and examined. Second, they can be stored for future reference or ordering. Third, they reach a part of the market that may not use or rely on the internet for ordering info.

If you want to see some great catalogs that work like gang busters check out: Bissinger’s Chocolate Catalog; American Girl Catalog and The Harry and David Catalog.

]]> By: Stan Converse http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/2006/02/23/throw-out-the-catalogs/comment-page-1/#comment-76 Stan Converse Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:11:47 +0000 http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/?p=33#comment-76 It's a proven fact: Marketers can double or triple sales of their products by getting marketing materials into prospects' hands IN HARD COPY. Whether it's a catalog, sales letter, "magalog," or even a PDF file that you explicitly instruct the prospect to print out and read offline - it just makes sense, for all the reasons stated here - and more. But I do like the assertion that this is actually a shrewd, calculated move on Disney's part to INCREASE demand for their catalogues - thereby ultimately boosting catalog sales. It’s a proven fact: Marketers can double or triple sales of their products by getting marketing materials into prospects’ hands IN HARD COPY.

Whether it’s a catalog, sales letter, “magalog,” or even a PDF file that you explicitly instruct the prospect to print out and read offline – it just makes sense, for all the reasons stated here – and more.

But I do like the assertion that this is actually a shrewd, calculated move on Disney’s part to INCREASE demand for their catalogues – thereby ultimately boosting catalog sales.

]]> By: Wes Hopper http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/2006/02/23/throw-out-the-catalogs/comment-page-1/#comment-75 Wes Hopper Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:09:31 +0000 http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/?p=33#comment-75 This topic really resonated with me because of my experience with Land's End. My wife and I buy a lot of our clothes from them, but even though I spend my whole day on line, I order from their printed catalog. I find the web site hard to browse and the low res pictures don't do the products justice. There's another issue that Disney may be missing - printed catalogs encourage impulse buying. This topic really resonated with me because of my experience with Land’s End. My wife and I buy a lot of our clothes from them, but even though I spend my whole day on line, I order from their printed catalog. I find the web site hard to browse and the low res pictures don’t do the products justice. There’s another issue that Disney may be missing – printed catalogs encourage impulse buying.

]]> By: Larry Cox http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/2006/02/23/throw-out-the-catalogs/comment-page-1/#comment-74 Larry Cox Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:05:26 +0000 http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/?p=33#comment-74 As I was reading this, my beautiful wife mentioned that she wants to be sure to pick up a J.C. Penny's catalog this afternoon when we go to the mall. We live in a rural area and the nearest mall is an hour's drive away. We do most of our shopping on the Internet----yet she still wants that catalog. As I was reading this, my beautiful wife mentioned that she wants to be sure to pick up a J.C. Penny’s catalog this afternoon when we go to the mall. We live in a rural area and the nearest mall is an hour’s drive away. We do most of our shopping on the Internet—-yet she still wants that catalog.

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