Teresa Ooi
The Australian
May 10, 2012
THE internet may be wreaking havoc among bricks-and-mortar retailers, but it seems the old-fashioned paper catalogue is resisting the onslaught.
Despite the rise and rise of e-commerce, more than one in three shoppers still relies on the humble catalogue before they make a purchase, according to the latest survey by AMP Capital Shopping Centres.
And it’s not just older shoppers.
About 28 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds and 30 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds prefer to thumb through catalogues when making up their minds to buy.
“Catalogues are very popular among consumers,” catalogue distributor Salmat’s chief executive Grant Harrod says.
“They are the most pervasive and effective form of advertising.”
Harrod says catalogues are a passive medium and consumers love them because they are not under any pressure to buy.
“They can pick them up at their leisure and flick through them even if they have nothing specific to buy,” he says.
“Consumers do not want to be constantly sold at. And many shoppers simply cannot resist specials.”
Salmat distributes a mind-boggling 5.2 billion catalogues a year, up from 1.2 billion in 2002. They vary from the annual Ikea 60-page catalogue and weekly specials from Woolworths and Coles to the local plumber spruiking his business.
Unsurprisingly, toy catalogues are popular among children.
Belinda Daly, AMPCSC’s head of shopping centre marketing, says shoppers like the look and feel of catalogues and magazines when buying clothes, despite the avalanche of websites, smartphones and apps.
“They enjoy browsing through catalogues and shopping centre magazines to look for the latest key trendy looks,” Daly says.
AMPCSC produces its own “magalogue” three times a year. It’s delivered to 400,000 homes across Australia.
The 36-page magazine features 400 products and is “very popular among shoppers”, Daly says.
Television advertisements remain popular, of course. Thirty-four per cent of those surveyed depend on them for their buying decisions. compared with 30 per cent for letterbox drops.
“These long-established marketing techniques remain persuasive,” the survey says.
And while traditional media advertising still prevails, modern shoppers are increasingly turning to online research as an additional tool.
The survey of 1000 shoppers found that 24 per cent looked at search engines, 19 per cent relied on retailer websites, 17 per cent on email alerts and 17 per cent on product review websites before making purchases.
“To really engage with the omni-channel shopper, retailers must create superior customer experience and exhibit consistent brand values across all touchpoints,” says Peter Kelly, managing director of Directional Insights, which conducted the survey for AMPCSC.
“It’s a demanding environment fuelled by consumers who seek the best, whether it’s service, price, product or experience.”
If retailers want to capture the next generation, they’ll have to ensure their social media presence is robust while continuing to invest in traditional media, Kelly says.
Daly says today’s savvy shoppers are demanding a “seamless” combination of online and traditional media before decided on a purchase.
“For a retailer to be successful today, it’s essential to invest in the magic of the bricks-and-mortar experience while also replicating this magic in the online world,” Daly says.
“Australian retail has been slow to adapt to the new omni-channel consumer, but we are increasingly seeing big-hitters like Myer, David Jones, Big W, Target and Coles invest in e-commerce.
“The message is clear: while shoppers want a seamless experience, catalogues are also here to stay.”
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