Catalogs have always been a significant part of countless industries. Whether it’s a B2B company selling industrial machinery or a fashion designer displaying their new designs, catalogs have always been an effective way for companies to showcase their brands.

While they are undoubtedly still relevant, the way they’re being used has changed. Once upon a time, companies widely used print catalogs; these trends, however, are now changing due to a rise in the demand for sustainable living.

Nevertheless, they are still as relevant today; the only thing that’s changed is the way they’re delivered to consumers. The focus has now shifted to online catalogs that allow companies to provide content-rich experiences to their target audience – minus the hefty printing cost.

With global retail eCommerce revenues expected to grow to 6.54 trillion dollars by 2024, brands need to bring their A-games to the table and ensure they stand out to their consumer bases. Catalogs are as valid today as they were in the past; studies show that 52 percent of consumers find catalogs with extra content somewhat or very appealing, and 58 percent of online shoppers say they browse them for ideas.

This is why online catalogs can help your business in multiple ways. Here’s how online catalogs are changing the eCommerce industry:

Increasing overall sales

Perhaps the best part about online catalogs for consumers is how they have to invest minimal effort when they’re interested in buying something. With eCommerce shop integration, catalog viewers can instantly buy something they like with just a few clicks.

This increases the likelihood of impulse buying and, also, generates more sales for eCommerce businesses since it’s easier for potential buyers to go through with a purchase. A simplified buying process improves the conversion rate and reduces the bounce rate.

For businesses dealing with large orders, which is often the case for B2B companies, eCommerce integration can direct consumers to the company’s email with one click from the catalog. Whichever industry your eCommerce business is operating in, you’re likely to experience a boost in sales.

Additionally, your eCommerce business can also gain from catalog guide websites, which can improve sales. Catalogues247 is a platform providing information for credit catalogs, a way of buying products and services with weekly or monthly payments. This payment schedule and availability of researching different options helps consumers make quicker buying decisions.

Improving website’s engagement levels

Content plays a vital role in attracting your target audience’s attention, with nearly 61 percent of buyers’ decisions influenced by custom content. Traditionally, print catalogs were useful marketing tools, but, with online catalogs, you can take this content to the next level by experiment with various elements such as animations and videos.

Visual marketing is the best way to maximize your content marketing efforts and generate traffic for your website. Additionally, it also increases the time a visitor spends on your website. Thus, you try different things, such as forms, pop-ups, internal links, call-to-action (CTA) buttons, and, lastly, integrate your catalog with your eCommerce.

Increasing websites’ accessibility

Smartphones have made the web more accessible, thereby making it easier for consumers to go on search engines on their phones and look up whatever they want. Many consumers conduct some research before they purchase anything; 85 percent of consumers do online research before making a purchase online.

Hence, there’s no denying that eCommerce businesses need to ensure they’re optimizing the experience for their customers. Print catalogs are not as useful in this case as customers will still want to continue their research online to find out more about products they’re interested in.

By making information more accessible, digital catalogs reduce the effort customers need to put in to do basic research. For instance, digital catalogs can be more detailed and contain more information than traditional print catalogs. Additionally, different products can be categorized into multiple sections. Lastly, if viewers are looking for something specific, they can use an integrated search tool to look something up within seconds.

Wider customer base

Logistical issues may sometimes limit print catalogs; budgets restrict them, and there’s limited shareability. However, to remain competitive, businesses need to expand their consumer base as much as possible and make a constant effort to attract new customers.

One of the best parts about using digital catalogs is how shareable they are. You can post your catalog on various social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram and, when your target audience views it and finds something they’re interested in. They can share it on their profiles and with friends and family who they think will also be interested in your products.

The key to ensuring maximum shareability is by investing time and money into your social media presence. It’s crucial to engage with your followers regularly and form a relationship with them by liking and replying to their comments. Investing in building your social media network will guarantee the maximum number of eyes whenever you end up posting your catalog, thereby generating a lot of interest and ensuring you can maximize your reach.

Increased consumer analytics

Online catalogs provide businesses with more opportunities for consumer insights. Since online catalogs can be analyzed and tracked, you can know exactly how consumers are engaging and interacting with these catalogs.

In the case of print catalogs, you can only track how many people you’ve delivered them to, but it would not be easy to follow how many people ended up opening the catalog or which parts of it interested them the most.

Online catalogs, however, have amplified the number of ways eCommerce businesses can track visitor data. Apart from knowing which products and product categories are drawing the most attention, you can also get insight on user experience (UX) elements. This is especially useful when you’re testing out different buttons or animations and want to determine which options work best.

Paying attention to analytics and understanding what your target audience is likely to respond to can help you maximize UX and create catalogs and a buying process that will create a seamless shopping experience for your customer base.

Conclusion

The rise of eCommerce has transformed the way catalogs are used – and vice versa. Your business can significantly benefit from creating detailed and engaging catalogs that your consumers won’t stop talking about.

Have you ever used online catalogs for your eCommerce business? Let us know in the comments below!