Honey, They Shrunk the Catalogs
While retailers hope to go big this holiday season, customers may notice that the printed gift guides arriving in their mailboxes are smaller.
A Smaller but Still Relevant Format
Many of the millions of catalogs getting sent to U.S. homes were indeed scaled down to save on postage and paper, resulting in pint-sized editions. Lands’ End, Duluth Trading Company, and Hammacher Schlemmer are among gift purveyors using smaller editions. Some retailers are saving even more money with postcards.
Lisa Ayoob, a tech-savvy, online shopper in Portland, Maine, was surprised by the size of a recent catalog she received from outdoor apparel company Carbon2Cobalt.
“It almost felt like it was a pamphlet compared to a catalog,” she said.
A Changing Landscape
Catalogs have undergone a steady recalibration over the years in response to technological changes and consumer behavior. The thick, heavy Sears and J.C. Penney catalogs that brought store displays to American living rooms slimmed down and gave way to targeted mailings once websites could do the same thing. Recent postal rate increases accelerated the latest shift to compact formats.
A Brief History
The number of catalogs mailed each year dropped about 40% between 2006 to 2018, when an estimated 11.5 billion were mailed to homes, according to the trade group formerly known as the American Catalog Mailers Association. In a sign of the times, the group based in Washington rebranded itself in May as the American Commerce Marketing Association, reflecting a broadened focus.
Despite Predictions of Doom, Catalogs Remain Relevant
But don’t expect catalogs to go the way of dinosaurs yet. Defying predictions of doom, they have managed to remain relevant in the e-commerce era. Retail companies found that could treat catalogs with fewer pages as a marketing tool and include QR and promo codes to entice customers to browse online and complete a purchase.
The Psychology of Catalogs
Research shows that the hands-on experience of thumbing through a catalog leaves a greater impression on consumers, said Jonathan Zhang, a professor of marketing at Colorado State University.
“The reason why these paper formats are so effective is that our human brains haven’t evolved as fast as technology and computers over the past 10 to 20 years. We retain more information when we read something on paper. That’s why paper books remain relevant,” Zhang said. “The psychology shows that three-dimensional, tactile experiences are more memorable.”
Conclusion
Pint-sized presentations still can work, though, because the purpose of catalogs these days is simply to get customers’ attention, Zhang said. Conserving paper also works better with younger consumers who are worried about the holiday shopping season’s impact on the planet, he said.
FAQs
Q: Why are catalogs getting smaller?
A: Catalogs are getting smaller to save on postage and paper, and to target customers more effectively.
Q: Will catalogs go away completely?
A: No, despite predictions of doom, catalogs have managed to remain relevant in the e-commerce era and will continue to be used as a marketing tool.
Q: Why do some retailers still use catalogs?
A: Retailers still use catalogs because they are an effective way to get customers’ attention, and they retain more information when reading something on paper.
Q: Are there any notable exceptions to the trend of smaller catalogs?
A: Yes, notable e-commerce companies like Amazon and home goods supplier Wayfair started distributing catalogs in recent years. J.Crew also relaunched its glossy catalog this year.
Q: What is the future of catalogs?
A: The future of catalogs is likely to be a combination of smaller, targeted mailings and digital marketing efforts, with a focus on conservation and sustainability.
