Browsing to Buying: Capitol Lighting's 22% AOV Boost from Digital Catalog Viewers
Location: US
Industry: Home Decor
Website: https://www.1800lighting.com/
32 000
Total opens for first two catalogs
915K
Total Catalog page views
+22%
AOV (compared to website-only traffic)
When Capitol Lighting incorporated a digital catalog into its existing digital marketing strategy, it unlocked a significant boost in its metrics.
Capitol Lighting observed a remarkable 22% increase in average order value (AOV) among viewers who engaged with the digital catalog compared to those who solely browsed their e-commerce website.
This digital catalog case study highlights the direct benefits of integrating digital catalogs into your marketing strategy and emphasizes the potency of a digital catalog as a vital supporting tool alongside traditional e-commerce platforms.
Challenge
Traditional website layouts have their limitations. Capitol Lighting sought a platform to present content in a more interactive and enriching format to enhance user engagement. The solution needed to seamlessly integrate with their site and offer flexibility in content presentation, including videos, GIFs, and links within catalog pages.
Ultimately, their goal was to enhance site performance metrics, notably AOV (Average Order Value) and CVR (Conversion Rate).
Metrics that shine
Since launching in May 2023, Capitol Lighting saw the following:
| First Catalog | Second Catalog |
|---|---|
| 20,457 opens 0,81% CTR |
22,162 opens 2,05% CTR |
Capitol Lighting’s commitment to iterative improvement in its digital marketing approach is visible in the progression from its first to its second digital catalog over a period of roughly 6 months.
The first catalog — launched on 5/05 — garnered 20,457 opens with a CTR of 0.81%. Recognizing room for enhancement, Capitol Lighting leveraged the Publitas data dashboard (pictured below) to analyze user engagement trends.
By discerning key patterns and areas for enhancement, they made informed optimizations to the design and content of their next iteration. As a result, the second catalog — introduced on 7/24 — saw 22,162 opens with a substantially elevated CTR of 2.05%.
This increase demonstrates the efficacy of using data-driven insights to refine content strategy, validating the integral role of analytics in maximizing user engagement.
On the 22% increase in AOV — when viewers engaged with Capitol Lighting’s digital catalog, there was a noticeable increase in Average Order Value (AOV) compared to those just navigating the website.
The digital catalog went beyond simple product listings, offering an immersive shopping journey that incorporated home design tips, showcased products in real-life contexts, and suggested complementary items. This comprehensive narrative informed potential buyers and kindled more extraordinary inspiration and aspiration, leading to upselling and cross-selling opportunities. The catalog guided customers toward more informed and substantial purchases by integrating design insights with product displays. The two catalogs combined contributed to 3.23% of the site’s monthly sessions in July.
Early digital catalog case study results
Since adopting Publitas, Capitol Lighting has witnessed:
- Enhanced time spent on-site.
- Elevated revenue per user.
- Improved AOV and CVR rates for catalog viewers.
- Flexibility in product placement and overall page design, eliminating reliance on external agencies.
Furthermore, the transition was efficient. Despite initial hitches in the first catalog’s integration, Publitas ensured swift, on-time delivery, living up to Capitol Lighting’s expectation of a straightforward and efficient customer experience.
Our team worked closely with Capitol Lighting to understand their short-term and long-term goals. By aligning our efforts with theirs, we brought together our services and support teams, ensuring an efficient process. We provided them with all the necessary resources to achieve success."
Since its debut in May, Capitol Lighting’s digital catalog journey has gone from strength to strength! Having started with 0.81% CTR in their inaugural catalog, they’ve improved and increased this to 1.14% and achieved over 2% across all catalogs through continuous improvement and iteration. When we look at the collective performance across all three catalogs they’ve launched, the numbers speak for themselves:
| Total Opens: | Avg Engagement Time: | Page Views: |
|---|---|---|
| An astounding 32,000+ | 6 minutes and 16 seconds — a testament to the captivating, interactive content | 915k, showcasing the level of reach for their products |
Choosing Publitas: the reasoning behind the decision
Capitol Lighting reviewed a variety of home catalogs/magazines and after identifying the various service providers of those catalogs they determined that they wanted the full integrated experience that Publitas offered.
Publitas is at the forefront of developing technology that allows its customers an overall improved experience with development and publishing. Complete site integration and flexible, advanced content presentation options like GIFs, videos, and embedded links, were crucial factors in our decision."
Publitas’ standout feature — Dynamic Product Placement
Capitol Lighting recently transitioned to designing their catalogs using dynamic product placement from their integrated product feed. This approach offers them greater flexibility in product positioning and overall page design.
As a result, Capitol Lighting has eliminated the need to collaborate with external agencies for PDF creation.
Dynamic placement via integrated product feeds represents a significant leap forward in digital catalog design and effectiveness. Tapping into real-time product data ensures that catalogs are always up-to-date with the latest inventory, prices, and product information. This adaptability eliminates the tedious process of manual updates and reduces the chances of showcasing out-of-stock or outdated products.
Moreover, it offers brands unparalleled flexibility in product placement, allowing for swift adjustments based on consumer behavior, trending products, or promotional campaigns. The overall page design also benefits as it can be seamlessly aligned with the ever-evolving product lineup, ensuring a coherent and visually appealing presentation. In essence, dynamic placement empowers businesses to create more responsive, accurate, and visually cohesive catalogs, optimizing the user experience and driving sales.
Maximizing visibility: increasing digital catalog reach
Capitol Lighting has invested in on-site marketing through banners and menu optimizations. Beyond that, they have channeled resources into marketing for prospecting and showcasing the catalog via top-of-funnel efforts, utilizing programmatic and social media.
For middle-of-funnel, they amplify their reach using retargeting via paid channels and email/SMS marketing. Additionally, they offer first-time customers the chance to sign up for emails directly in their Digital Catalogs, granting them a discount, thereby growing their new customer base.
Summing up the Publitas experience
Efficient – the entire team we’ve worked with has provided excellent customer service and product knowledge training. The platform and the customer experience have been very straightforward and efficient. Publitas appears to be at the forefront of developing technology that allows its customers an overall improved experience with development and publishing.”
The transformation of Capitol Lighting’s online strategy with the adoption of Publitas’ digital catalogs illustrates the power of innovative digital tools in driving significant traffic growth. As they ventured into this new terrain, the marked increase in user engagement and site sessions underscored the potential of digital catalogs as a traffic magnet and conversion tool.
This case study reinforces the idea that when traditional businesses embrace modern solutions, they can rejuvenate their brand and significantly amplify their digital footprint. Capitol Lighting’s success story serves as an inspiration for other retailers, demonstrating that with the right digital approach, it’s possible to turn the pages of a catalog into bustling digital highways.
If you think your company can benefit from similar customer solutions please contact our Enterprise Team.
About Capitol Lighting
Capitol Lighting, a fourth-generation family-owned business, stands as one of the premier providers of lighting solutions and home furnishings in the US. With a rich history dating back to its inception in New Jersey in 1924, Capitol Lighting has over 100 years of expertise in the industry.
Today, it boasts seven showrooms spread across New Jersey and SE Florida, complemented by its online presence via 1800lighting.com and a specialized platform, Capitol Lighting Pro, catering to trade professionals. Garnering a 4.7-star Google rating, 99% of their clients would endorse them, a testament to their unwavering commitment to customer service, comprehensive product range, and a 110% best price guarantee.
