As the impact of the global credit crunch bites, retailers and SMEs now have access to an online catalogue service – Whats4sale.com.au – designed to extend their marketing reach at minimal cost.

Launched by PMP Limited, the site will allow retailers and other businesses to display their catalogues in a user-friendly online environment, to be viewed by potential shoppers visiting the site.

PMP acting CEO, Richard Allely, believes Whats4sale.com.au demonstrated his company’s commitment to providing customers with innovative solutions to meet their changing needs.

“This is a service developed in response to feedback from retailers, with their specific requirements in mind. We expect whats4sale.com.au to very quickly emerge as one of Australia’s most popular platforms for online catalogue marketing,” says Allely.

Whats4sale.com.au offers an online browsing experience customised to their own preferences and interests, with the ability to search rapidly through multiple catalogue offers by product category or retail brand.

In browsing through the online catalogues, such as MoneySaver, shoppers will be able to search for products or brands of most interest; zoom, print and share items, click through to store locations; participate in regular online promotions and request regular email updates of offers matching their areas of interest.

Derek Taylor, managing director of PMP Direct Marketing, says the site will deliver retailers new ‘touchpoints’ with consumers, and extend their reach into areas not covered by traditional letterbox delivery.

“The service will be a powerful conduit for retailers and consumers to connect with each other 24/7. Nielsen NetRatings’ research shows that up to 88% of Australians now compare goods and services online prior to purchase. Retailers have been telling us they want smarter, more cost-effective ways to connect with these shoppers, and whats4sale.com.au meets this requirement,” explains Taylor.

Whats4sale.com.au will be available for access to the public from 10 March.

News update 13/3/09:

Whats4sale.com.au launched under Catalogues4u.com.au.

Mr Taylor said the four-week pre-launch period, during which a beta version of the site was presented to retail customers, was a valuable opportunity for PMP to refine the service to better meet the needs of retailers.

“We received a wide range of feedback from customers on ways we could improve the functionality, look and feel, and even the name of the concept platform. We took this feedback on board for the launch and expect to make additional improvements over the next few months to ensure the service is tailored even more closely to customers’ needs, and that we are adding maximum value to clients’ marketing campaigns,” Mr Taylor said.

He said the service name – Catalogues4u.com.au – had been identified as part of this process, as it reflected the nature of the new platform, supported a more distinctive brand presence and was more relevant to shoppers.