Abstract
By now we all know that "the paperless office" of the future is still just
that -- "of the future." Nevertheless, more life science products are being
shopped for and purchased online -- 34% of all purchases in 2007, according to
BioInformatics' research. But your print catalog is still important. It keeps
your company top of mind with the customer and provides an anchor for your
sales force. This report examines what attracts scientists to print and online
catalogs, what information they need, their preferred formats, and what guides
their buying decisions. If you plan to invest in a dual-channel sales
strategy, knowing the interplay between print and electronic purchasing
patterns of your customers will be critical to your success.
Obtaining Product Information and Purchasing Life Science Products
This report will:
- Obtain the frequency with which scientists refer to online and print
catalogs for information when evaluating a product for purchase
- Determine how life science products are purchased (e.g., manufacturer,
requisition, on-site program, etc.)
- Identify how life science products are paid for/obtained (e.g., credit
card, purchase order, procurement card, etc.)
- Quantify the number of product orders placed per month
Preferences for Print versus Online Catalogs
This report will:
- Assess at which phase of the research process that scientists use either
an online or print catalog
- Assess at which phase of the ordering process that scientists use either
an online or print catalog
- Establish what types of information scientists prefer to obtain via an
online or via a print catalog
- Discover for what product categories scientists are more likely to find
out more information through online catalogs or through print catalogs
Use of Print Catalogs
This report will:
- Specify the three features that are most important to include in print
catalogs
- Specify the three features that are least important to include in print
catalogs
- Estimate the number of hours per week devoted to looking at print catalogs
- Uncover the three most common ways scientists obtain print catalogs
- Quantify the number of print catalogs per lab and the percentage of these
catalogs that are not current (i.e., more than 2 years old)
- Analyze the importance of specific features related to the production of
print catalogs
- Determine how print catalogs are typically used
- Identify the print catalogs that are the "most useful", "easiest to use"
and "most visually appealing"
Table of Contents
Introduction
- Overview
- Significant Findings
Understanding Catalog Preferences
- How Catalogs Are Used to Support Research Activities
- How Catalogs Are Used to Support Ordering-Related Tasks
- Catalog Preference by Product Category
Optimizing the Utility of Print Catalogs
- Frequency with Which Print Catalogs Are Used When Evaluating a Product for
Purchase
- Most Important and Least Important Features of Print Catalogs
- Hours Per Week Devoted to Viewing Print Catalogs
- Common Ways Scientists Obtain Print Catalogs
- Number of Total and "Older" Print Catalogs Maintained by Labs
- Degree of Importance of Features Associated with Print Catalog Production
- Preferred Search Strategy for Print Catalogs
Maximizing the Effectiveness of Online Catalogs
- Frequency with Which Online Catalogs Are Used When Evaluating a Product
for Purchase
- Most Important and Least Important Features of Online Catalogs
- Hours Per Week Devoted to Viewing Online Catalogs
- Characterization of Online Catalog Features
- Preferred Search Strategy for Online Catalogs
- How Portable Document Format (PDF) Catalogs Are Used
- Number of Online and Total Product Orders Placed Per Month
- Expected Changes in the Number of Online Product Orders Placed Over the
Next 12 Months
Recognizing Vendors with the "Best Catalogs"
- Frequency of Use of Specific Vendors' Online and Print Catalogs During the
Past 12 Months
- Vendors Voted to Have the "Best Catalogs"
Study Methodology and Demographics
- Methodology
- Demographics
- Questionnaire
Appendices
- Insights and Perspectives
- Additional Analysis
- How Scientists Order/Requisition Products for Orders under $5,000
- How Orders Are Paid for
- Preferences for Print vs. Online Catalogs for Various Types of
Information
- Product Categories Used in Research
- Print Catalogs Used in the Last 12 Months
- Online Catalogs Used in the Last 12 Months
- Best Print and Online Catalogs
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