You think: “Just pop in the products, photos and prices, and you’re done.”
Three weeks, 47 rounds of corrections and a mountain of frustration later, you still don’t have a decent catalogue. Sound familiar?
For B2C companies, a catalogue must entice and inspire. For B2B, it is primarily a practical working tool: quick to use by salespeople or distributors, structured, clear and free from distractions.
In both cases, one ironclad rule applies: without a rock-solid structure and reliable data, you’ll end up in chaos.
I see it every day with my clients: price lists, technical data sheets and full catalogues. The same pitfalls crop up time and time again. Here are the top 9 – and how to cleverly avoid them.
1. Think in terms of structures, not individual pages
A catalogue is not a collection of loose pages, but a logical system that translates into pages. So build a clear hierarchy with categories, subcategories and possibly multiple levels deep (sometimes 5 or 6 layers or more). Take into account variants such as colours, sizes, types, accessories or bundles. Define all this in your data before you start the layout. Otherwise, you’ll end up puzzling over product codes instead of content.
2. Determine the logical order (and set it in stone!)
Alphabetical sorting is rarely appropriate (unless your catalogue likes to start with the ‘accessories’ section 😏). Do you want bestsellers at the front? Or would you prefer to group by application, target group, format or some other customer-focused logic? Choose whatever is most intuitive for your customer. Record that order as a separate field in your data. That way, everything will automatically stay consistent, even in the next edition or update.
3. Garbage in = garbage out (and that mess spreads everywhere)
Poor input = poor output. Messy units, missing fields, inconsistent notations… I often catch these during import. But if your source data is structurally flawed, the problem doesn’t stop at your catalogue. That same data feeds your webshop, customer portal, reseller tools and more. An error at the source multiplies across all your channels. Data quality is therefore not a minor detail – it is a strategic choice.
4. Work with scalable locales and clean data
Separate columns such as “description DE” or “description FR” seem handy, but quickly become a mess. Better: one fixed field + locale, such as
description-nl_BE
description-fr_FR
description-en_US
This allows for a smooth language switch without disrupting your structure – handy for Belgium, France and beyond. Store prices purely numerically (e.g. 1456.00) – without € signs, $ signs or separators. Let the publishing system handle the formatting: 1,456.00 € in Belgium/France, 1 456,00 € in France (with a space as the thousands separator), or $1,456.00 in the US. The same applies to units (/pc, /pcs) and dimensions (L×W vs L×l). Fixed text in data = loss of flexibility. Good structure from day one saves headaches across all channels.
5. Think technically from the start
Be realistic about colours in print. A fluorescent yellow stripe on a high-visibility vest never looks exactly the same on paper as it does in real life – often much paler or less intense.
In that case, it’s better to show an icon or a clear note rather than trying to print the impossible. Keep colour accents consistent with the overall design for each brand/section. Ensure that every page clearly shows which category/subcategory you’re in – readers get lost easily.
6. Not every product fits into the same template
Some products only require a photo + title + price. Others have tables with specifications or detailed information. Work in a modular way: fixed layout blocks per product type. This ensures consistency, enables automation and speeds up updates enormously. Result: lower cost per edition and fewer errors.
7. Build print and digital simultaneously
More and more companies want both: printed and online (PDF with hyperlinks, clickable table of contents, links to the webshop). Build interactive elements straight into your structure. Adding them afterwards = double the work. A smart workflow saves time and money.
8. Include as much as possible in your data – including exceptions and labels
Labels such as NEW, PROMO, ECO, SALE, LIMITED or BESTSELLER often only occur to you at a late stage. But the real advice is broader: include as many fields as possible in your data model for anything that might ever vary by product or need to be displayed additionally.
Consider:
- Country of origin
- Certifications (CE, ISO, etc.)
- Special notes (e.g. “Made to order”, “Seasonal item”)
- Exceptions by region or customer (e.g. different unit price or packaging unit)
- Icons/badges you want to display automatically later
Just put it in a field (e.g. origin_country = BE, label1 = NEW, special_note = ‘Limited stock’). It costs almost nothing to add these columns now, but it saves a great deal of time later: no manual corrections, no InDesign tricks, no extra rounds. Everything remains centralised in the data, scalable and reusable for future editions, the webshop or other channels.
Those who don’t do this will pay the price later in correction work and missed opportunities.
9. Test, learn and improve – time and time again
Print a proof copy. Look at it with fresh eyes. Get someone outside the project to take a look. Minor inconsistencies (different units, spelling, rounding) often only become apparent on paper. Keep your data structure and workflow. Then the next catalogue won’t be a new project, but a simple update.
Creating a catalogue is much more than just putting photos and prices together. It is the result of a well-thought-out structure, consistent data and smart automation.
Those who approach their catalogue as a system rather than a one-off design will save time, money and gain reliability in the long run. Ultimately, the quality of your catalogue is only as strong as the quality of your data and the discipline with which you manage it.
Do you want to avoid your next catalogue turning into another chaotic project?
I’d be happy to take a look at your current data and structure – often we can spot several quick wins within half an hour. Feel free to get in touch at www.easy-catalog.com or send me your questions.