Latest / The DTC Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Direct-to-Consumer Brands, Shopify, and E-Commerce Growth / How DTC Brands Are Using Print Catalogs to Drive Digital Sales
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's a stat from the DMA that's been stuck in my head — something like sixty percent of consumers say they're more likely to buy from a brand after receiving a physical catalog. And I keep seeing DTC brands, really sharp operators, quietly bringing them back. Luna: Print catalogs? In 2026? I thought those were a relic, like the Yellow Pages. Lucas: Yeah, you'd think. But the brands doing it well aren't treating them as a blast from the past. They're using them as a deliberate brand-building layer, and some are even claiming they lift online revenue by double digits. Luna: Okay, but how do you even measure that? It's not like you can click a link in a catalog. Lucas: That's the first thing I wanted to dig into. Because the whole reason catalogs died for a lot of brands is they couldn't prove ROI. But today, you've got QR codes, personalized URLs, and even just having a dedicated landing page. So the tracking has gotten cleaner, but the bigger shift is how brands think about them. Luna: What do you mean by that? Lucas: So a brand like Bonobos, right? They've been printing a catalog for a while now, and they've said it's not about driving direct sales — it's about creating a tangible brand experience that primes people to buy online later. It's like a physical touchpoint that makes the digital relationship feel more, I don't know, real. Luna: So you're saying the catalog is more of a brand awareness tool than a direct response channel? Lucas: Exactly. And when you look at it that way, the metrics change. Instead of tracking sales per catalog mailed, you look at things like incremental lift in site traffic, branded search volume, and repeat purchase rate among customers who received one. Luna: Wait — repeat purchase. That's interesting. How does a catalog drive repeat purchases? Isn't it just a product list? Lucas: It can be, but the best ones tell a story. Take Kinfolk, the lifestyle brand that started as a magazine. They basically turned their catalog into a mini-editorial — beautiful photography, long-form essays about the people who make the products. It's not a product dump; it's a coffee-table piece that happens to have a checkout code. Luna: So people actually keep them around. That's the opposite of a digital ad that disappears when you scroll past. Lucas: Right. And that's the real magic — the catalog sits on your coffee table for weeks, maybe months. Every time you see it, that brand is top of mind. That's something a banner ad just can't do. Luna: But isn't the cost per impression way higher than digital? Like, paper, printing, postage... that adds up. Lucas: It does, and that's why you can't treat it like a performance channel. You have to think about lifetime value. If a catalog costs three dollars to print and mail, and it drives a customer to make an additional purchase worth fifty dollars, that's a fantastic return. Luna: But you need to know that customer is going to buy again, right? So doesn't it make sense to send catalogs only to your best customers? Lucas: That's exactly what smart brands are doing. They're not blasting catalogs to everyone. They're using their customer data to segment — maybe sending a full catalog to high-value customers, and a slim mini-catalog or even a postcard to lapsed ones. It's a targeted retention play, not a prospecting one. Luna: So it's more like a retention tool than an acquisition tool. That flips the old model on its head. Lucas: Yeah, and that's a key insight. In the old days, catalogs were the whole store. Now they're a supplement to the always-on digital storefront. So you're using them where they're strongest — building loyalty, re-engaging, and adding that tactile layer. Luna: And I'm guessing they also help with that whole 'brand affinity' thing that's so hard to measure. You can't A/B test a feeling, right? Lucas: Right. But you can look at proxies. Like, do people who receive a catalog engage with your emails more? Do they follow you on social? There's actually a study from the USPS that found that mail is remembered more easily than digital ads, and it can boost response rates across all channels by over thirty percent. Luna: So it's like a rising tide that lifts all boats. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the thing I find most convincing — it's not that catalogs work in isolation, it's that they amplify everything else you're doing. Luna: And it's funny, because we spend so much time on this show talking about zeroing in on digital tactics, like email flows or SMS. And now we're saying paper might actually help those channels perform better. Lucas: Totally. And if those marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used in your own brand, we'd love it if you considered supporting the show. It's what keeps us ad-free. If you're ever at a coffee shop, you can buy us a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small gesture, but it genuinely helps us keep doing this. Luna: And we're not talking about a subscription or anything, just a one-time thing if you feel like it. Lucas: Right. So back to catalogs — the other thing I'm seeing is that brands are using them to solve a problem that digital has created: the paradox of choice. When you have hundreds of SKUs, a catalog forces you to curate. And that curation is a service to the customer. Luna: So it's like a guided tour through your product line. That makes sense for brands with a lot of variety, like apparel or home goods. Lucas: Yeah, and it also gives you a chance to tell the story behind a product in a way that a product page can't. You can talk about the factory, the materials, the people. That's a huge trust signal. Luna: And trust — that's the currency of DTC right now, especially with all the data privacy changes making it harder to target people who don't already know you. Lucas: That's a really good point. With third-party cookies going away, brands are realizing they need to own their audience. And a physical catalog is a direct line to someone's home. It's not dependent on an algorithm. Luna: So it's almost like owning a channel that can't be taken away from you. That's pretty powerful in a world where social reach is always at the mercy of the platform. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why I think we're going to see more brands experimenting with this, even if it feels counterintuitive. The data is there, and the consumer appetite for tangible experiences is growing. Luna: But what about the environmental angle? People are more conscious about paper waste than ever. Isn't that a risk? Lucas: It's a fair concern, and brands are addressing it. Some are using recycled paper, planting trees for every catalog mailed, or offering a digital-only version for customers who opt out. The key is being transparent about it. If you're going to send paper, you better be able to defend it. Luna: So it's not a green light for everyone, but for the right brand, with the right story, it could be a differentiator. Lucas: Yeah, and I'd say the ones who benefit most are brands with a strong identity, a clear aesthetic, and a product that lends itself to storytelling. If you're selling a commodity, a catalog might just end up in the recycling bin. But if you're selling a lifestyle, it can be a powerful anchor. Luna: And what about smaller startups? Like, if you're just launching, is it even worth considering? Lucas: I'd say hold off until you have a solid customer base and a repeat purchase model. You need data to segment effectively. But once you have a few hundred loyal customers, a well-designed mini-catalog could be a great way to deepen that relationship. Luna: So it's more of a growth-stage play, not a launch play. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the strategic way to think about it. It's not a silver bullet; it's a precision tool for a specific job. Luna: I love that. So what do you think the next big shift will be? Are we going to see AR catalogs or something? Lucas: Maybe, but I think the more interesting thing is the integration with data. Imagine a catalog that's personalized based on your browsing history, with a QR code that takes you to a personalized landing page. We're seeing early versions of that, and it's pretty compelling. Luna: So it's not print versus digital — it's print and digital working together. Lucas: Exactly. The brands that win will be the ones that use each channel for what it's best at. And in a world where digital is getting noisier and more expensive, print is starting to feel like a breath of fresh air. Luna: Well, I'm convinced. Maybe I'll start a catalog for my hypothetical DTC brand. Lucas: Ha. Make sure it smells good.