Tips for Testing: What Paper is Right for Your Catalog?

When the going gets tough, catalogers often look at changing their paper to cut costs. According to the recent MCM Outlook 2010 survey on Catalogs, 39.2% of respondents said they had decreased their paper stock/weight in the past 12 months.

Indeed, moving to a lighter weight of paper can save money, says Dan Walsh, vice president of catalog/publication papers at distributor Bradner Smith & Co. Using fewer tons of paper will generally lower your costs.

Reducing catalog paper weight could also potentially lower your postage costs, Walsh adds, depending on the class in which you mail.