“We wanted to find a way to showcase our fantastic range of products. We know retail catalogues have long been the way Aussie shoppers prefer to browse and purchase the best deals.”
That statement from Julie Nestor, CMO at Ebay Australia, beautifully sums up the important role print catalogs play for retailers of all stripes.
“The paper catalogue was created to highlight the company’s 40,000 retailers, and demonstrate to consumers that, contrary to popular belief, 90% of the goods on Ebay are brand new,” writes Zoe Wilkinson in Mumbrella.
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that digital brands really do need catalogs. Catalogs have been proven to drive online buying, increase brand awareness, and contribute to higher sales. And they are especially important to Millennial buyers.
For Ebay vendor Aaron Huang from Mobileciti, it’s an exciting prospect, echoing the idea that buying inspiration often starts in print: “We’re thrilled to be part of eBay’s first catalogue. A physical channel is a great way for us to get exposure to buyers and to showcase how strong our tech offering is.”
On a side note, it’s getting to be that time of year, when print catalogs show up in our mailboxes for holiday shopping. Last year we celebrated holiday catalogs from Ebay and Amazon among the more traditional catalogs, and we can’t wait to see what comes this year.