Catalogues play a key role in purchase decisions

Research by Royal Mail has revealed that almost two-thirds of consumers consult a catalogue before buying products and services - an increase of nine per cent compared with last year.

The Royal Mail Home Shopping Tracker 2009 study, which has put the nation's shopping habits of the past 12 months under the microscope, found that 63 per cent of people surveyed refer to a catalogue as part of their buying decision, even if they make the final purchase in store or online.

Additionally, the average annual number of items bought through a catalogue as increased to its highest level for the past seven years, and now stands at 11.4 purchases per person.

Average spend per person through catalogues has also increased to GBP511, some GBP170 higher than the figure for 2007.

As the number of home shoppers seeking the best offers across all shopping channels increases, catalogues form an important part of the shopping process for even regular online shoppers.

Some 45 per cent look at a print catalogue before making an online purchase, representing an increase of eight per cent compared with 2008.

Posted catalogues in particular inform 37 per cent of online purchases - an increase of 11 per cent on 2008.

For online shoppers, posted catalogues are most effective when it comes to browsing for clothes, furniture, toiletries and make-up.

Fifty-two per cent of all home shoppers prefer receiving catalogues sent to them through the post rather than picking them up in-store (18 per cent).

Even non-home shoppers connect with catalogues, with 68 per cent favouring a posted or in-store catalogue, an increase of 12 per cent on 2008.

Catalogues are kept for future reference or browsing by two-fifths of home shoppers, and remain in their homes for more than four months.

More than half of those who hold on to their catalogues cite them as a useful future reference source.

Broader trends evident in the latest Home Shopping Tracker study reveal a growing tendency for shoppers to investigate purchases and compare prices across multiple retail channels.

Eighty-three per cent of UK consumers research products and services through a catalogue or on the internet before making purchases, while only 17 per cent go straight to a shop.

Of those 83 per cent, the highest adopters of multichannel shopping are 16-34-year-olds.

Twenty-four per cent of catalogue shoppers will also browse purchases in-store, while 21 per cent check websites and five per cent investigate items on home shopping television channels.

Items most likely to be browsed online before purchase from a catalogue are clothing and homewares, at 13 per cent and 12 per cent respectively.

More than one-fifth of catalogue shoppers will look elsewhere before buying.

Anthony Miller, head of media development at Royal Mail, said: 'Despite the growth of online retail, the print catalogue still plays a key role for many home shoppers, for direct sales as well as browsing, and inspiring shoppers with new ideas.

'It's also clear that multichannel shopping is becoming the preferred method for most home shoppers, as they research the best deals and consider the convenience of buying remotely.

'Catalogues and the internet offer a powerful combination of information, showing the importance of using the two channels together in the marketing mix,' he added.

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