Mail Order Buyer and Online Shopper Lists

What happens when you send a catalog or promote an online store to someone who only shops in physical stores?

They toss the catalog and ignore the website. They don’t like browsing online, and they don’t add items to carts or finish checking out. Your products might be amazing, your prices on point, and delivery super convenient, but if these folks like shopping in person, they want to touch stuff before buying and take it home right away. Your online sales just don’t fit how they like to shop.

How does that feel? Like you’re fighting consumer habits instead of working with them, right?

This is what goes wrong when you use general consumer lists for online shopping or direct marketing. You’re targeting households that like shopping in physical stores. You’re pushing online shops to people who don’t often buy online. Moreover, you’re mailing catalogs to folks who never order by mail or phone. You’re offering to deliver to people’s homes, but they prefer browsing in person and taking their purchases with them. You’re marketing through channels that don’t match how these consumers actually buy things.

Dealing with e-commerce campaigns that drive traffic but not sales can be frustrating. You’ve probably mailed a bunch of catalogs that end up in households where no one orders online. So, how’s that affecting your conversion rate? With so many prospects not buying through your preferred sales channel, your new customer costs are probably taking a hit. Your marketing ROI is also likely suffering, since you’re spending on people who don’t typically shop the way you sell. All this can be pretty discouraging if you’re into direct response marketing, but your offers just aren’t resonating with the people you’re targeting.

You might be wondering if catalog marketing still does the trick. Maybe you’re settling for mediocre online conversion rates. Or maybe you’re noticing competitors crushing it with targeted buyer outreach, while your broad campaigns blow through cash on customers who only shop in-store.

But here’s the thing: online shoppers are out there. They regularly browse and buy online. They’re A-OK with ordering from catalogs without seeing stuff in person. Home delivery is their thing. The issue is, you’re not connecting with them.

How long have you been dealing with e-commerce campaigns that generate traffic but no sales? How many catalogs have you mailed to households that never order remotely?

What has that done to your conversion rate? To your customer acquisition costs when most prospects won’t buy through your sales channel? To your marketing ROI when you’re spending on consumers whose shopping preferences don’t match how you sell? To how you feel about direct response marketing when your offers go unanswered because you’re reaching people who don’t buy that way?

Maybe you’ve started questioning whether catalog marketing still works. Maybe you’re accepting low online conversion rates as normal. Maybe you’re watching competitors succeed with proven buyer targeting while your broad campaigns waste money on in-store shoppers.

But remote buyers exist. They shop online regularly. They order from catalogs. They’re comfortable buying without seeing products in person. They prefer home delivery. You’re just not reaching them.

Proven Remote Buyers Think Differently About Shopping—And That Changes Everything

Think about what sets households with a history of mail-order and online shopping apart from those who only shop in stores. These households are okay with buying things sight unseen – they trust product info, photos, and reviews. They love the convenience of shopping from home and appreciate having stuff delivered, which saves them time and effort.

They’re used to online checkouts, comfortable entering payment info online, and know how shipping and returns work. They’ve had the thrill of finding products online or in catalogs that they can’t find locally. They prefer shopping at their own pace, without any sales pressure, and like having more options to choose from when shopping remotely.

What does that mean for your e-commerce and catalog marketing approach?

Proven remote buyers respond well to product offerings that are presented in a clear and easy-to-understand way. They’ve already decided to shop online – now they’re just deciding what to buy from you. To feel confident in their purchase, they need detailed product information, quality images, and reviews from other customers. They also appreciate it when shipping costs and delivery timelines are upfront, and returns are hassle-free. Having a clear return policy helps reduce the risk of buying online.

Personalized recommendations based on their browsing and purchase history are also a plus. And when they’re deciding what to buy, they’re comparing your products to those from other online retailers and catalogs they frequent – not wondering if online shopping is right for them.

Marketing to all consumers equally means using the same sales approach for everyone, whether they like shopping in stores or are proven online and mail-order buyers. But when you focus on households that already buy online and by mail, you’re talking to people who are naturally comfortable with how you sell.

When you target these households, you’re speaking their language and selling to people who are already on board with buying online and by mail. That’s a more direct and effective way to reach your customers.

The Purchase Behavior Factor That Changes Everything

Different levels of online shopping experience bring different behaviors. People who’ve shopped online recently (within the last three to six months) are really into e-commerce and probably will respond to new online promotions. Those who shop online a lot (multiple times a year) are pretty casual about browsing various retailers and catalogs, and are open to checking out new ones. Big spenders online (those with larger average orders) have the money and are willing to invest in good quality products when shopping from home. Some people are also loyal to specific product categories they buy regularly, like clothing, home goods, or electronics – which could be a good match for what you’re selling.

Selling online and through catalogs is a lot easier when you’re targeting people who already buy remotely.

Stop Marketing E-Commerce to People Who Only Shop in Stores

If every household you contacted already shops online or orders from catalogs, how would that impact your sales?

What Does Success Look Like with Remote Buyer Targeting?

Imagine launching an e-commerce campaign knowing that every household has proven online shopping or mail order purchase history. How would that change your messaging? Your conversion expectations? Your results?

What if you could launch an e-commerce campaign with the knowledge that every household you’re targeting has already made online purchases or ordered stuff by mail? That changes things, right? You’d probably adjust your messaging and have different expectations for converting sales. And your results would likely be better, too.

You’re not trying to convince people to shop online – that’s already what they’re doing. Instead, you’re showing them products they might like, and competing with other online stores for their business. You’re going up against other retailers on things like selection, value, and service, with people who are already comparing prices and options online. Plus, you’re reaching households that shop exactly the way you sell, making your message a perfect match for them.

How would that shift change your conversion rate? Your average order value? How do you feel about e-commerce and catalog marketing?

When you’re targeting mail order buyers and online shoppers – people who regularly buy from catalogs and websites – direct response marketing stops being an uphill battle. These are consumers who already prefer the convenience of shopping from home, and they’re open to checking out new products from you because it’s how they like to buy.