Retail marketing is undergoing a major shift as digital catalogues replace traditional print advertising, allowing brands to tailor promotions and offers in real time.
According to Brendan Straw, Country Manager of Shopfully Australia, the rise of digital catalogues is redefining how retailers engage with consumers and optimise their marketing strategies.
“The way retailers communicate their product offerings has undergone significant changes, particularly post-pandemic. Due to rising costs, advertising investment in print media has declined, giving way to the growing popularity of television, radio, and digital media,” Straw said.
“At the same time, consumers are increasingly engaging with brands across multiple digital platforms, from social media to retailer websites to digital catalogues, with 85% of Australians starting their shopping journey by researching online.”
To capture this audience, Straw said that retailers are shifting towards AI-driven catalogue personalisation, which adapts content to individual preferences, geographic locations, and browsing behaviours.
Unlike static print catalogues, digital versions offer searchable, interactive, and real-time updates—enabling shoppers to compare prices and make more informed purchasing decisions.
For retailers, this shift provides increased flexibility. Traditional print catalogues often require prices to be locked in months in advance, whereas digital catalogues can be updated instantly to reflect changes in supply and cost.
This agility allows businesses to stay competitive and meet consumer expectations in an evolving marketplace.
“AI allows catalogues to dynamically adjust based on consumer behaviour, interests and past purchases,” Straw explained.
“This helps retailers deliver more relevant offers, drive higher engagement, and convert passive browsers into loyal buyers.”
Shopfully research highlights that 86% of Australians consider promotions a key factor in their purchasing decisions, with 78% relying on digital catalogues as a primary research tool.
As major retailers adopt digital-first catalogue strategies, they gain access to valuable consumer insights, tracking what products shoppers browse, compare, and purchase.
This data-driven approach optimises stock management, refines promotional campaigns, and strengthens cross-channel messaging. However, to fully maximise their impact, retailers must integrate digital catalogues across multiple touchpoints, ensuring a seamless experience between online and offline shopping channels.
“With 41% of Australians shopping across both online and offline channels, a personalised omnichannel strategy – spanning catalogue, app, in-store and beyond – is critical,” Straw noted.
“Retail is entering a new era where catalogue personalisation at scale isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity. Those who embrace it will not only deepen customer engagement but gain a competitive edge in an increasingly price-sensitive, digitally-driven marketplace.”