Google’s Next Step: Are Print Mail Order Catalogs Dead?

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Are Print Mail Order Catalogs Dead?

– by Jim Edwards

© Jim Edwards – All Rights reserved

http://www.thenetreporter.com

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One of the great joys of the holiday season involves
receiving the stack of catalogs that invariably clog the
mailbox at the end of my driveway.

Not withstanding the hernia I get from carrying them to the
house, or the three acres of rainforest timber it took to
print them, holiday catalogs provide a never-ending
opportunity to look at stuff I don’t want to buy.

Unfortunately, when I do finally decide what I want to buy
for those on my holiday shopping list, I find the one
catalog I need mysteriously absent from the 6-foot stack.

Fortunately, a new service at Google makes hunting through
catalogs to find the perfect gift for yourself or others an
absolute breeze.

Log on to http://catalogs.google.com/ and test out Google’s
latest offering in an attempt to organize all information on
the planet.

At the time of this writing, Google’s database of catalogs
boasts over 6,000 catalogs covering everything from golf to
music to footwear.

The index allows you to browse catalog content either by
entering keywords in a search box, or choosing categories in
their directory-style listings.

If you want the latest L.L. Bean or Harry and David catalog
(or any other), you can perform a search for a specific
catalog by name.

If Google doesn’t carry a specific catalog, you can click
the “Help Google Add More Catalogs” link on the main page of
the catalogs directory to suggest they take a look at it.

I personally think Google is very serious about developing
this service because they do something here I’ve never seen
them do before: they provide a physical mailing address and
invite you to actually “snail mail” them a catalog you want
added.

I decided to put the service to the ultimate test by
searching for what, at least for me, represents the ultimate
catalog purchase from 2003: the singing trout (a.k.a. the
“Boogie Bass”)!

If they could find that honey of a holiday gift, the service
gets my seal of approval.

Of course, in a nanosecond, Google found it in multiple
catalogs along with such holiday gems as the “singing fish”
and the “TV Caddy.”

On a serious note, a search for “Ford F250 accessories”
yielded some very helpful information on catalogs where I
can get parts and goodies for my truck.

So, this service goes way beyond searching catalogs with
only the “As Seen On TV” gadgets, and gets into some serious
niche product information.

Back before the Internet, search engines, and online
research, catalogs actually represented an inexpensive way
for vendors to publish product information targeting a niche
audience.

It makes perfect sense that the Web’s largest search engine
should start cataloging catalogs and combine print
publications with online search.

The only drawback to Google’s new catalog browser is that
you can’t circle the items you really want (writing on your
monitor tends to damage it) and then strategically leave the
catalog where Santa (or your wife) can conveniently find it
and catch a clue as to your greatest wish.

But, you can always send Santa a web link to the items on
your list!

–
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the
co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how
to use fr^e articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted
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