Opinion: Why Delay The On-Line Release Of A Catalog?
Today, MTH announced the dates their new 2007 Volume 1 catalog would be available. As in the past, they are delaying the release of the on-line version. Lionel did the same thing when they released their 2006 Volume 2 catalog. I guess the theory is that people will be so hyped about the new catalog they will run out to the nearest O Gauge train shop to get a look at the "counter copy" because they can’t wait an additional week until it hits the web or when customer copies are available. I guess this makes the train shop owners happy but what’s the point?
In my opinion, all the people getting hyped up about new catalog releases
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are enthusiasts that already frequent the local train shops and provide the shop with plenty of business. Is "Joe Blow" the new guy to O Gauge even going to know that a catalog exists? Will he hurry out to the local shop he has never visited before to get a peek at a catalog he doesn’t even know exists? Are there that many people that are not enthusiasts that can’t wait the extra week to view a catalog on-line? I doubt it. Why delay the web launch when the same people viewing a catalog on the web will be showing up at their favorite train shop to pick up the dead tree version of the catalog anyway.
Come on MTH and Lionel, stop fooling yourself by thinking delaying a catalog release to the web by a week will get more people into train shops. Instead, how about educating shop owners on how they can leverage the web release of catalogs on their own sites. Educate them on ways the web can improve their business which in turn improves yours. Shop owners need to realize they should be embracing the web (which few do) by developing cool sites for their shops (which few have) and asking MTH or Lionel if they can get "sneak peak" links or the privilege to link to the catalog a day earlier than the official release to drive traffic to their web sites.
Why rant about such an off beat topic? Well, it’s always been a hot topic for me because I think it demonstrates how shop owners, Lionel and MTH miss the power of the web. The current crop of people sitting in the sweet spot of the target demographic (people 50 to 55+ with disposable income) may not be very computer and web savvy but the next crop of folks entering that demographic (including me) will be. It’s time shop owners and manufacturers start preparing for them.
Dave
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2 Responses to “Opinion: Why Delay The On-Line Release Of A Catalog?”
I have to agree on this rant. Holding back catalogs is silly. For so many reasons, it is catering to dealers and punishing customers.
All a catalog does is create demand, it’s a strong piece of marcom. I can’t think of a time in business history when holding back a catalog from consumers has been a great idea….
Marc
Posted by: Marc | Oct 15, 2006 at 12:36 AM
seeing marc kuffler comment on catalog release dates sends me back, oh, about 12 years or so.
and to have the added satisfaction of seeing him use a BS term like “marcom” adds even more excitement!
marc rocks!
Posted by: Jim Bunte | Oct 16, 2006 at 8:13 PM