Everyone loves catalogues, especially printers

Despite losing the Coles/Bi-Lo contract to PMP last year, Salmat has increased the number of catalogues it distributes by 1 per cent. This increase can be attributed to an overall growth of 9 per cent in the catalogue market this year which Salmat founder Phil Salter said reflected excess production capacity from printers.

Chris Lee-Brown, ceo of the Australian Catalogue Association believes that this increase is not surprising given both the prevalence and reliance upon catalogues. "[They] continue to be the major medium that shoppers use when comparing goods and prices," he said. "Retailers are able to make a direct correlation between the investment in catalogue production and distribution and their sales levels on any given campaign. That is the real value in catalogue marketing - their accountability."

Another reason for the growth in catalogue production is that the medium is now no longer confined to supermarkets flogging the weekly specials. From real estate agents to schools, everyone uses catalogues to promote their business, Lee-Brown said.

"Retail, grocery and department stores have traditionally led the way in catalogue selling; however there is a strong move to non traditional forms of cataloguing," he said. "Quite simply, all markets are either involved or interested."

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