Merchandising

In an industry where improperly handled returns can erode 30 to 35 percent of potential profits (source: Gartner), todayï3/4¿s catalogers can turn the reverse supply chain into a powerful source of both profit and customer satisfaction. Managing the returns process more effectively through tighter control and visibility across the supply chain and a more personalized touch with each customer can help you uncover hidden revenue and increase customer satisfaction. Capturing this “hidden revenue” stream can yield numerous benefits. Here are a few: *Real-time visibility. Especially for online catalog companies, the Internet is increasingly being used to help automate the reverse logistics management process, because

Selecting and implementing a new order management system can be a daunting process. After all, this is a mission-critical suite of applications that can make or break your business. There are dozens of potential solutions and never enough time — or so it seems — to attend to all the details. There’s also the issue of technophobia. And sorting out the real from the hype in your technology options is unquestionably a tough challenge, even if you’re trying to keep up with the changes in this fast-paced field. Often the best way to achieve a successful outcome is to learn from the

quare inch analysis (SQUINCH) is an extraordinary tool for consumer and business catalogers alike. Sorted and executed the right way, a comprehensive SQUINCH can serve as a creative road map to your catalog campaigns, just as your contact strategy defines the plan from a marketing perspective. A comprehensive square inch analysis allows you to evaluate product sales and placement to determine whether the right product, price point or category is given the appropriate amount of space in the right location in your catalog. And by basing the analysis on customer behavior, as culled through transactional data, you can keep your “gut feeling” from being

This article will define RFID technology and offer examples of how it could help improve your distribution center operations. RFID uses radio waves to automatically identify physical items in varying proximity to readers that can uniquely identify them. The identification process entails the following: - the RF antenna broadcasts a signal; - the tag enters the RF field; - the RF signal powers the tag; - the tag transmits data to the reader; and - the reader interacts directly with the supply chain execution system. By now, no doubt, you’ve heard that Wal-Mart is requiring its top 100 suppliers to

Direct importing of merchandise may be a way for you to increase margins and improve your bottom line. Both financial institutions and overseas vendors are becoming more accustomed to working with importers and exporters. This, along with advanced technology, often can simplify the importing process. Following are key elements to help you decide if direct importing is right for your catalog company. Sourcing vs. Importing If you currently buy imported goods from domestic suppliers, distributors or resellers, you may be offering products at good value to customers, but you won’t enjoy the higher margins that come from importing products directly. But before

Benchmarking often is described as a set of performance standards for a specific task. And best practices entail tried and true procedures that can help improve your catalog business. Although many industry benchmarks and best practices are viewed as standards, in reality most need to be adjusted to meet the requirements, limitations and needs of a particular catalog business. There’s no one model or standard of performance that works for all. For example, the return rate for an apparel mailer may be 25 percent (i.e., the standard), while a food cataloger might see a return rate of 3 percent (the standard for

Problem: Officials at Modern Farm and Cody Mercantile catalogs wanted to incorporate environmental initiatives into their business practices. Solution: They methodically introduced more ecologically sound products, and carefully selected appropriate vendors and partners. Results: Environmentally sensitive products are registering increasing sales. And catalog managers rest assured they’re moving further toward sound ecological stewardship. In the past few years The Direct Marketing Association has been calling upon the direct mail and catalog industries to pay particular attention to their impact on the environment. Officials at Modern Farm and Cody Mercantile catalogs offer a good example of how to turn ecological sensitivity into a business practice

Shipping and handling (S&H) complaints usually rank pretty high on the list of gripes customers have against merchants. At the same time, consumers rate parcel delivery companies as some of the best in customer service*. Is there a disconnect in the consumer’s mind, or is there more to this dichotomy than meets the eye? Catalog Success asked Jeff Kline, a veteran of catalog fulfillment, to share his advice on how you can increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of your outbound parcel shipping services — while at the same time maintaining or even improving your customer service objectives. Kline is president of

One of the most common merchandising questions from business-to-business (b-to-b) catalogers is how to increase sales (or profits) from static product lines. Often, b-to-b merchandising teams are at the mercy of a manufacturer’s research and development budgets, as well as the timely release of new product introductions. How can you keep revenues from becoming just as static as the product line? Following are some answers to that question: 1. Modify the packaging. When the product itself remains constant, change the packaging. For example, try stackable boxes with preprinted labels so that when placed on shelves, the information is easily seen. Perhaps the

Catalogers use a remarkable variety of systems to manage their businesses. Accounting software packages such as QuickBooks do the job at many smaller catalogers, while larger companies have done well with a package like Great Plains, often using the services of a value-added reseller to customize the system to meet their specific needs. Some order-management packages function as companions to an accounting system. For instance, OrdersPlus works with the BestWorks accounting suite from Best Software. The Everest system from iCode also falls into that category (several iCode systems are derived from an accounting/manufacturing foundation). Other catalogers have adapted enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems,