Australia’s business-to-customer (B2C) industry was estimated at nearly AUD28 billion in 2019, according to Statista. Over 45% of Aussies are now shopping online more often. This provides the convenience to shop from anywhere as long as consumers have a device with an internet connection.
There are also various shopping resources available, including online catalogues, which offers a wide range of products from famous retailers. Here are some of the main benefits of online formats:
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Frequently Updated Product Information
One of the main problems with a physical catalogue is that it’s difficult for companies to update their product listings. Even small changes can be pricey when a product becomes available in new styles or colours.
This can involve several causes. There’s the reprinting of the product listings, which can be massively expensive based on the number of copies needed. Then there are other costs involved, like emailing customers to inform them of the reprinted catalogue.
Many companies are switching to digital versions because changes only involve making small changes to the product information in databases. Companies can make these changes quickly, and they’ll instantly appear in a store’s product listings.
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Fast and Easy Product Searches
A digital catalogue makes it much easier for customers to search for various products. This can include search engines like Google or even internal search engines at e-commerce sites. Online shoppers can quickly find the exact product they’re looking for. In fact, the process is significantly faster than when sifting through a print version.
In fact, shoppers can access the catalogue using any connected device. They don’t have to physically be where a company’s big book of product listings is, which can be inconvenient due in part because of the hundreds of pages they often contain.
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Lower Printing and Distribution Costs
While this factor doesn’t directly affect the consumer, online retailers are often willing to pass on the savings to them. Printing, distribution and shipping costs are some of the largest ones related to a print catalogue. The costs can become sky-high depending on the number of copies that are printed and shipped.
A related factor is higher administration costs. This is related to the various steps needed to prepare the catalogue before it’s printed. None of these factors is an issue for digital versions since such overhead costs are either reduced or eliminated by uploading product information to e-commerce sites.
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Easy Access and Shopping
One of the main benefits of digital catalogues is they provide a shopping experience with higher accessibility and more convenience. Recent studies show that Australians are “convenience consumers”, and a spiking number of them shop online.
Listings of online retailers offer more convenience since they can provide one-stop shopping from one website. Customers only need a device like a PC or mobile device and internet connectivity like broadband plans or free Wi-Fi.
They can also save time versus print listings that are often mailed quarterly or monthly. This is another way to provide convenient shopping that will likely result in repeat customers.
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Big Product Discounts
You can find product listings that include major savings on various products from companies like Woolworths, Coles, and Good Guys. When accessing listings from various retailers, you can view several sales and discounts in one location.
When Australian shoppers do shopping online, digital catalogues can provide a wide range of benefits. They include ones like convenience, selection, and discounts, among others. These product listings are a practical option in the digital age versus traditional big books mailed to homes.
