Thinking About Putting Your Catalog Online?

Better Read This First - H.G. Lewis Article

[digitalghost]

This article touches on something that happens all too often, a technician is told to get the catalog online.

Ever watch CNN? Ever watch CNN Headline News? Ever consider why the content isn't parallel? - Okay, a second question: Ever visit a catalog Website whose copy is ponderous, slow to mention price, and hair-tearingly frustrating at checkout?

Full Article [catalogagemag.com]

[Jenstar]

Thanks digitalghost - that is a great article for anyone with an online catalog. There are so many online catalogs out there that are so severly lacking in general usability (and high in the "fuggedaboudit" scale) that I am amazed that they even manage to make a single sale.

I think a lot of the problem is people design these catalog sites and are just so familiar with them that they fail to realize how cumbersome they can be to those new to the site. Having three or four people test out any online shopping site is crucial, and there are plenty out there who obviously skipped over that part.

Jen

[ukgimp]

Interesting article DG. I did have a look at the clothing website that was mentioned and found it to be a little poor from an SEO and usability context in one area. The links for more info open up in a new blank window which, has no navigation so if a user was to come direct to the detail page from a SE they would get stuck with nowhere to go. Fine once you have the visitor but if you are not into PPC you may struggle. They seem to need a few tweaks to maximise their potential or that is how it seems at first look.

I know this is a copywriting thread I just wanted to point out something I noticed.

[digitalghost]

>>There are so many online catalogs out there that are so severly lacking in general usability

I know there's a market for Catalog Optimization Specialists. ;)

>>They seem to need a few tweaks to maximise their potential or that is how it seems at first look

I agree. Most catalog sites seem to be throwbacks to 1998. First they bought into the "If you build it they will come" myth, then neglected to answer the "if you build it will they buy" question.

I was shopping for an item the other day and they had the standard, "click to enlarge" button for the item. I clicked and up popped a new window, with the same size image. I couldn't even find the shipping cost unless I gave them all my shipping info. They lost a sale. Probably wasn't the first and it won't be the last.

[MrSpeed]

ukgimp -
In addition to your comments I was surprised there was no "add to cart" button on the details page.

IMO creating a new window with target="_new" or something like that is a bad idea. I have performed formal usability testing in labs and it's amazing how many people don't realize they even opened up a new window or if they did how to get back to the original window.

As lame as it sounds I once saw a user that did not realize that you could scroll a web page.

[Tracy]

My company, a b-to-b, manufacturer or power transmission supplies, has more than 30 types of product catalogs. Currently, we display most of them in a pdf format in a column. Has anyone see or used any better methods for organizing pdf catalogs?

[Jenstar]

Do you also offer a non-PDF version of the catalog, or at least make it clear that you are directing people to a PDF catalog? In my experience, people are much more likely to use a non-PDF catalog online. And back when I was still on dial-up, I avoided all PDF catalogs like the plague (and if I really HAD to look at it, I'd save it to my hard drive first). You will likely find the number of times your catalog is viewed will jump considerably. Or perhaps offer a non-PDF preview version, with just a sampling.

As far as organizing, do you find that the current way of organizing it works for your business? Maybe try some usability testing of your site to see if one of the testers can suggest a better way to do it.