Retailers have always been at the forefront of consumer needs. They know their markets and have adapted to meet them. From blade signs to the metaverse, retail has transformed itself over and over. But like many things, trends can be cyclical. And what used to work, then didn’t work, can ultimately work better than before. How? Nostalgia is one explanation, but, more often, we find that while people evolve, they don’t ultimately change — at least not completely. People still want to connect with others. They need to engage, have experiences, explore, learn, be entertained and establish their position/identity within society. What we’re seeing is that post-pandemic/quarantine psychology has elevated a renewed interest in physical engagements over digital. Thus, opening the once locked door to print marketing, direct mail and catalogs.
From the days of the Sears catalog, marketers have applied the simple science of identifying where their customers are and how to best get their products/services in front of them. Catalogs were used originally to bring products to consumers who were in remote/rural areas. Stores were based in the urban, densely populated areas/cities and direct mail was used to bring stores to those who lived outside of that market radius. As populations started to migrate from cities to suburbs, retailers followed suit and formed downtowns, Main Streets and ultimately shopping centers. With the birth of the internet and e-commerce, we saw retailers taking their goods from the streets and into homes — where the consumer’s front door became the new store.
more at: https://www.mytotalretail.com/article/is-it-time-for-the-return-of-the-catalog/