What Does This Mean for the Future of Catalogs?
Summary
Here is the question: “Many brands that started out as eCommerce only are now moving to different means to reach consumers – bricks and mortar, catalogs (Amazon toys), direct mail, etc. I found it telling that he specifically referenced the Amazon toy catalog from last fall, which when it was announced, was touted by every list broker, paper salesmen and printer as being a sign of the “rebirth of catalogs”. I didn’t see anyone in the catalog industry quoting the article on LinkedIn, which stated that H&M posted a statement on their website that read “H&M is ceasing publication of its print catalog after 39 years [because of] dwindling interest from customers in flipping through glossy pages of inventory when they can find the latest deals with their mobile phones or computer screens. I’m sure that there were different reasons for each company – the need to expand their reach, the desire to see if catalogs could drive sales, a branding tool, etc. At some point, each felt pressure to ignore the dynamics of the business which had made them great, and tested a catalog.