Simple Product Catalog Template

What Is a Product Catalog?

Product catalogs are also known as product guides, product catalogues, or product lists. A catalog is usually a list of all of a company's products. Alternatively, some companies create special catalogs for products in a single product line or design separate catalogs for B2B and B2C sales channels.

Some catalogs include detailed information. Others have brief product descriptions. Most have photos showcasing products and accessories for sale, although the number of images included will vary. A product catalog may include prices, but not all contain this information.

Product catalogs can be printed and mailed or given out to interested consumers. There are also catalogs saved as PDFs that consumers can view online or download. Additionally, there are digital catalogs that can be updated in real-time by a company using a product information management (PIM) solution.

What Is an Example of a Product Catalog?

Large and even mid-sized companies are likely to have at least one product catalog. Manufacturers create catalogs for sales partners to make it easy for them to find and order items for resale. Product catalogs are used by online retailers, like Amazon, as well as physical retailers, like IKEA. A fashion retailer may create a product catalog to feature lifestyle images of its Spring collection. The catalog pages display clothing items along with detailed descriptions and prices. It includes sections for various categories like dresses, shirts, and accessories, along with size charts and ordering information. The catalog serves as a visual guide for customers to explore and purchase products.

What Is the Purpose of a Product Catalog?

The purpose of a product catalog is to give customers a list of all available products, so they can easily find the items that best meet their needs. These books are also useful for showcasing parts and accessories related to certain products for sale. Catalogs are ideal for both B2B and B2C businesses because they make it easy for buyers to find information and place an order. They also showcase appealing visuals, so customers can see products in use and learn how they can benefit from using them.

Common Product Catalog Challenges

There are many steps involved in creating a catalog. First, you'll have to go through your images and decide which ones to use. Next, you'll need to collect product descriptions and other information related to your product. This may include SKUs, product features, and information regarding a product protection plan. Next, you'll need to check all the information for accuracy. Make sure the items you showcase in your images are in stock and available for sale. Product descriptions should be an accurate reflection of the items you sell. All text should be free from spelling, punctuation, and grammatical mistakes. Finally, you'll need to do the layout using the program of your choice.

The entire process can take weeks, or even months unless all your information is organized, easy to find, and easy to verify. An Excel spreadsheet or online database is a good start but won't meet all your needs because it can't store images and file attachments with your product information. That's why companies the world over are turning to product information management platforms to store, manage, and safeguard their product information. 

A PIM system can be accessed from anywhere in the world. This allows employees in multiple branch offices to update information in real-time. Images, file attachments and other forms of data can be stored with text information. What's more, PIM platforms come with tagging and filter systems that make it easy for you to find anything you're looking for with only a few clicks of a mouse. Many PIM programs also come with a change log so you can keep track of product updates and verify the accuracy of information in the program.

How Do I Make a Simple Product Catalog?

It's not hard to find software to make catalog booklets or files for your business. Following is a quick look at some of the most common options.

How Do I Create a Product Catalog PDF?

InDesign is Adobe's program for creating catalogs, flyers, and a host of other promotional materials. It has a huge array of tools and features to enable you to create any type of catalog. What's more, you can buy additional plugins for the program to suit your exact needs. When you're done, you can export the file as a PDF, create a flipbook, or print the file for offline use.

The downside of using InDesign is that it can be complex for those who aren't familiar with catalog layout. Furthermore, the program can be costly if you have a limited budget. For this reason, many people use either Word or Excel to create a catalog and then save the finished product as a PDF file.

How Do I Create a Product Catalog in Word?

Microsoft Word has simple product catalog template options that allow you to format images and text boxes. You can also customize fonts, colors, and design elements to suit your needs. Once you're done, save the file as a PDF to ensure consumers can view it properly on any type of device.

How Do I Create a Catalog in Excel?

Excel isn't a product catalog maker program, but you can use it to design a simple catalog. To start, you'll need to right-click the ribbon at the top of your page, select "customize the ribbon", and then choose the "developer" option. After this, select the visual basic editor and start adding images and text to your new file. However, it's a time-consuming process and errors can occur if you use the program for a prolonged period.

Is There an App to Create a Catalog?

If you're looking for the best free online catalog maker, then a product catalog app will likely be your best choice. Popular options include MadCap Flare, FlipHTML5, and AnyFlip. Each app has unique pros and cons, but most have an array of tools and amenities to help you create a customer catalog that will showcase your business in a positive light. The catalogs are usually exported as PDF flipbooks that can be uploaded to a website, emailed to your email marketing list, or printed for offline use.

How Much Does It Cost to Make a Custom Catalog for Your Business?

Creating a custom catalog for your business may not seem expensive at first. After all, there are plenty of programs that will do the job for free or at a very low price. However, it's important to calculate the work hours involved. A company that uses Excel, for instance, will likely find that it takes hundreds of hours to design a catalog from scratch, and well over 30 hours a year to update the catalog as needed. This same point applies to many of the programs listed above. You will either need to put in the time and hard work it takes to learn how to use the program of your choice or hire someone who can create and update your company's catalog on an ongoing basis.

How Do You Structure a Product Catalog?

Product catalogs fall under two categories. They are either PDF or digital. A PDF catalog can be printed or viewed online, and many are designed to look like flipbooks for easy viewing. However, a huge downside of creating a PDF catalog is that you will need to manually update the book every time your data changes. If you add a new product, pull a product from your line-up, add new features/amenities to current products, or change prices, you'll need to redo your catalog to reflect your current offerings.

A fully digital catalog, on the other hand, can be connected to your PIM platform so that new data typed into your PIM system will immediately be added to your catalog. If you want to offer a seasonal sale for a week, simply type in the new pricing information in your PIM system and your catalog will show consumers your special offers. If you add a new product line, your digital catalog will show the product images and information you added to your PIM system. A digital catalog maker may also provide ways for you to print your catalogs as needed, but the best option for most business owners is to simply print out a QR code that interested individuals or companies can scan to gain access to the digital catalog.

Another benefit of creating a digital catalog is that it will improve your SEO. Each page and listing in your catalog offers you a golden opportunity to add keywords and key phrases relevant to your brand and industry. What's more, you can also use the photos in your digital catalog to boost your SEO by giving them a relevant name and meta tags. Even more importantly, a digital catalog will improve product experiences with your brand. Consumers know that any catalog they see from your company is up-to-date. They won't have to call to find out information about new products in stock because this information is readily available online. Building trust in this way improves your brand reputation and generates brand loyalty that will keep people coming back to your business.

What Is the Best Software to Make a Catalog?

There are multiple answers to the question, "What program can I use to make a catalog?". However, if you're wondering "What is the best program to create a catalog?", then your answer will be a PIM platform that includes catalog creation tools. Using your PIM platform to create a catalog will save you the time and hassle of cutting and pasting information from your PIM platform to your digital catalog maker. It also prevents human error that can easily occur when transferring large quantities of information from one software program to another. What's more, the PIM platform will be automatically integrated with your digital catalog to provide real-time updates when information changes. Lumavate's PIM program includes a digital experience platform (DXP) designed to help users make a winning catalog quickly and easily.

How Do I Create a Custom Catalog?

• The first step in using a PIM to create a custom catalog for your business is to make sure your PIM program has all the product information and assets you need for the job.

• Once the platform is updated, and you've decided on the text and images you'll use for your new catalog, you'll need to create a digital experience tied to your PIM solution to ensure the catalog is automatically updated every time product information changes.

• Choose a Lumavate template and start designing your catalog. Lumavate's DXP offers an array of free template options to meet the needs of any target audience, and our platform's "what you see is what you get" interface makes it easy to create the best online catalogs even if you don't know how to code. The entire catalog creation process takes about 30 minutes.

Why Lumavate for Product Catalogs?

Lumavate isn't the only PIM software program to offer a product catalog platform. However, it is one of the few PIM programs to include PIM functionality, digital asset management, and a product experience management platform as part of a single package. While other PIM providers sell their DXP platform separately, Lumavate offers the "three-in-one" functionality you need for a single price tag; in fact, our price tag is up to 75 percent lower than our competitors. Furthermore, our pricing structure makes it easy for you to find the price plan that best meets your needs. Our Starter and Growth plans all offer unlimited digital experiences along with unlimited PIM storage and product listings.

What's more, Lumavate offers a huge selection of tools and features that empower you to grow your business long-term. Our platform has more than forty integrations to allow you to share information with the most commonly used software programs. The DXP includes a handy form builder for any type of marketing campaign as well as a full content management suite that allows you to build and manage your company website and multiple microsites to promote individual products and product lines. Our PIM platform automatically updates not only your online catalog but also online product listings for your website and third-party e-commerce sites such as Amazon and eBay. Additionally, the PIM platform gives consumers custom product recommendations based on current and past interactions with your site and/or product listings. Lumavate's Professional and Enterprise plans include text messaging to empower any SMS marketing campaign.

Another benefit of using Lumavate is that the onboarding process is fast and simple. Many other PIM platforms don't offer ready-made service. Rather, you would need to explain your company's needs and request the PIM provider for a custom package. Once you agree to the services provided and the price tag, the PIM company will have its IT experts install the new system on your IT network. The process can take days or even weeks and you have to pay extra to have the PIM company help you get your new system up and running. If you find that the system doesn't meet your long-term needs, you have to start the process again or wait for the PIM company to add new features/services to your plan.

With Lumavate, you simply pick the price plan of your choice, pay for it, and start using it. We offer professional services if you need help implementing our platform for the first time, but our interface is very user-friendly, and you don't need tech expertise or resources to start using and benefiting from all that Lumavate has to offer. Lumavate continually updates its offerings to ensure you have access to the cutting-edge tools and features you need to stand out from the competition. Alternatively, as your business grows and you need additional tools, you can always upgrade your price plan with a few clicks of a mouse.

How to Get Started Using Lumavate

If you aren't convinced Lumavate is right for your business, contact us at your convenience to schedule a free demonstration. Alternatively, you can get a feel for our platform on your own by signing up for a 14-day free trial. We look forward to partnering with you and empowering you to reach your long-term business goals.