Price Cuts By Far the Most Popular Catalogue Promotion

(SANEPR.com) June 9, 2009 -- Ilfracombe, UK—More than one in three catalogues mailed in the first five months of 2009 featured a price promotion or discount on their front cover, according to a study by Catalogue e-business, a trade publication for UK print and online marketers. Of the 520 catalogues tallied by Catalogue e-business from January to May, 191, or 36.7 percent, advertised sales and discounts.

The second most popular promotion, free delivery, was offered by 11.2 percent of the catalogues. Sometimes this was a blanket offer, though just as frequently it was tied to a spending threshold or restricted to online orders. Almost as popular was a free gift with purchase, offered by 11.0 percent. Other promotions included prize draws (2.1 percent) and buy-one-get-one-free deals (1.3 percent).

Surprisingly, January was not the month with the most price promotions. Although 35.4 percent of the catalogues logged in January advertised price cuts and discounts, in May that figure rose to 42.6 percent. April, meanwhile, proved the most popular month for free delivery, with one in five of the catalogues tracked that month offering it. Free gifts peaked in popularity in March, when 15.7 percent of the catalogues touted them.

“The monthly variances in the usage of different promotions shows, I think, that cataloguers are continually testing offers and refining their customer propositions,” says Sherry Chiger, editorial director of Catalogue e-business. “That’s the beauty of direct marketing: It’s relatively easy to test, analyse, and then improve marketing efforts.”

The breakdown of the most popular promotions offered, by month:

Sales/discounts Free delivery Gift with purchase
January 35.4% 13.4% 7.9%
February 39.4% 7.3% 10.1%
March 28.1% 9.0% 15.7%
April 30.0% 20.0% 12.5%
May 42.6% 11.0% 11.0%

Beginning next month, Catalogue e-business will provide analysis of catalogue offers on a monthly basis, providing a look at marketing trends. The results of its Catalogue Log will be posted on the Catalogue e-business blog at www.catalog-biz.blogspot.com.
Sherry Chiger is available for comment, for more information contact:
Sherry Chiger, editorial director, Catalogue e-business
Tel: +44 (0)1271 866221
Email: sherry@catalog-biz.com
About Catalogue e-business:
With the strapline, “News, tactics, and views for cross-channel commerce”, Catalogue e-business is the leading publication for offline and online cataloguers and multichannel retailers in the UK. In addition to the print magazine, the Catalogue e-business family includes a website, www.catalog-biz.com; and the Catablogue e-business blog, at www.catalog-biz.blogspot.com.