How Direct Mail Helps Strengthen Online Sales

Think of it as power food for your web site.

For a healthier, more active Web site.

Direct Mail doesn’t have nutritional value, but it can fortify your Web site’s performance just the same.

When you send Direct Mail – and catalogs in particular – it can provide a solid boost to your online traffic and sales.

Catalogs can also work as powerful business builders – by attracting new prospects that may never have visited your site otherwise.

To keep your Web site performing at its best, read the insights we’ve provided you in this brochure. You’ll see why Direct Mail and catalogs should be a regular part of your marketing plan.

Direct Mail: A natural for building stronger online sales.

How Direct Mail Strengthens Online Sales: The findings referenced in this white paper are from a recent study commissioned by the U.S. Postal Service® to analyze the relationship between Direct Mail and online shopping. comScore Networks surveyed nearly 5,000 visitors after they left 135 retail Web sites, including traditional retailers and manufacturers.

Insight 1

Direct Mail energizes Web site sales.

According to the research, Direct Mail and catalog recipients are more likely to make an online purchase than shoppers who do not receive Direct Mail. Plus, they typically buy more items and spend more money, as indicated in the chart below:

Buyer conversion by specific marketing method.

Catalog recipients purchased 28% more items and spent 28% more money than their non-catalog counterparts, with Direct Mail percentages trailing only slightly behind. The study also noted a revenue lift of 163% for Web sites supported by catalogs as opposed to those that were not.

Sending catalogs more than doubled online sales. And catalog-based revenue was also over two times greater than revenue realized from recipients of only online communications.

Clearly, Direct Mail and catalogs are powerful ways to increase online sales. Mail-based communications can also help you control sales fluctuations throughout the year – by scheduling your mailings to promote sales events and offset seasonal slowdowns.

While the Internet gives you access to a worldwide customer base, you are also competing in a global arena for those same customers. Catalogs can give you a head start on winning them – even before they log on.

Insight 2

Catalogs are business builders.

Research shows catalogs have a tremendous influence upon people’s actions. Over 60% of catalog recipients were influenced by a catalog to visit the Web site – with the greatest influence on first-time shoppers. In addition:

• Catalogs were found to greatly discourage comparison shopping – by more than 10%.
• Catalog recipients were significantly more likely to shop for holiday gifts at the Web site than non-catalog recipients.

Catalogs had a large impact on Web site traffic – especially among prospects. What this means to you: While catalogs are an effective tool for maintaining your relationship with existing customers, they also provide many advantages for helping to build awareness among new customers and introducing them to your Web site.

Insight 3

Catalogs work for customers.  And businesses.

People like to receive catalogs. They save them.
They enjoy looking through them. And they use them.
Case in point:

• Almost 60% of online shoppers enjoy receiving catalogs.
• 57% of online shoppers said that even though they buy online, they still like to have a catalog on hand.
• 61% of online retail shoppers reported that when they have a catalog while shopping online, they may see additional items they would like to buy.
• 84% of catalog recipients feel it’s easier to shop online with a catalog in hand.

The numbers say it all: Catalogs work hard to enhance your customers’ online shopping experience and your Web site sales.

Insight 4

The more often you mail, the more sales you could see.

Just as with exercise, frequency can have a considerable impact on results. In fact, Direct Mail and catalogs sent within the previous month were shown to have a major effect on shopping behavior:

• 17% of people who received a catalog in the previous month purchased at least one item, compared to only 11% who received a catalog more than a month ago.

Insight 5

Catalogs strengthen your brand.

Each time a person gets your catalog, it reinforces your brand’s identity. Compared to non-catalog recipients, consumers who received a catalog were significantly:

• More satisfied with the company’s Web site.
• More satisfied with their experience of the company.
• More likely to recommend the Web site and the company to others.

Give your Web site what it needs to keep it strong.

Direct Mail – and catalogs in particular – can help sustain your Web site and your business with a healthy flow of customers – people who come to your Web site ready to buy and are likely to return. Supplement your Web site with Direct Mail, and see how robust your business can get.