Catalogs Still Best Way to Reach Scientific Market

According to a recent survey, online catalogs are the preferred means for scientists to search for products they need, order them and learn how to use them effectively in their labs. Despite this preference, 70% of those surveyed believe it is important to continue to receive a print catalog even if the same information is available online.

ARLINGTON, VA -- March 25, 2003 -- According to a recent survey, online catalogs are the preferred means for scientists to search for products they need, order them and learn how to use them effectively in their labs. Despite this preference, 70% of those surveyed believe it is important to continue to receive a print catalog even if the same information is available online. This seeming contradiction presents life science suppliers with a conundrum-how to reduce duplication of efforts and costs when publishing virtually the same product in two vastly different media.

BioInformatics, LLC (Arlington, VA), a leading provider of market research to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, unravels this paradox in its latest report, Life Science Product Catalogs: Maximizing Effectiveness in Print & Online." Based on a survey of over 1,000 scientists, the report is designed to assist life science suppliers in designing print and online catalogs that integrate or enhance the features that customers find most valuable and accurately reflect the ways in which catalogs are used.

Other than information from co-workers or colleagues, scientists find print catalogs and supplier Websites to be two of the most useful information sources when searching for products used in their labs. With both online and print catalogs being the most effective marketing techniques available, few companies appear willing to take the drastic step of eliminating their printed version as a cost saving measure. Not only would such a step likely result in a backlash from existing customers, it would likely also reduce awareness of the companys brand among other groups of customers and in adjacent market segments," says Dr. Robin Rothrock, Director of Market Research at BioInformatics. For example, report findings indicate that most scientists have dozens of catalogs stored in their labs, and the mere shelf presence" of print catalogs in prominent places within labs can be significant to the awareness of a companys offerings. Furthermore, scientists also refer to print catalogs regularly. In fact, 48% of scientists who use online catalogs more than 4 hours per week also spend more than 4 hours looking at print catalogs each week.

This report clearly shows that scientists have strong expectations of certain functionalities associated with both their print and online catalogs. Among the most useful features of a print catalog, respondents cited indexed in multiple ways" (83%), displays company information on the spine" (75%) and catalog number index" (74%), while key attributes of an online catalog include links to manuals, protocols, etc." (95%), the ability to link to full-text journal articles" (86%) and information on product availability"(85%). These elements are critical to scientists regardless of which medium--print or online--they find most useful.

The best print and online catalogs exceed these expectations and share a common characteristic-they are perceived as valuable scientific reference tools, not just a means of buying products. New England Biolabs, Sigma-Aldrich (NASDAQ 100:SIAL) and Invitrogen (NASDAQ 100:IVGN) were most often cited as having the best print catalogs, representing 46% of all suppliers mentioned. Scientists also consider Sigma-Aldrich and Invitrogen to have top online catalogs.

Fundamentally, catalog marketing is direct marketing-regardless of whether it takes place in print or online. And direct marketing requires an in-depth understanding of not only what products customers are mostly likely to buy, but also what values and motivations they share. By examining these values and motivations, this report will help suppliers reassess their catalog marketing and maximize effectiveness in both media while controlling costs," says Rothrock.

For a complimentary Executive Summary of this report, please visit http://www.gene2drug.com/reports

ABOUT BIOINFORMATICS, LLC

BioInformatics, LLC is a market research firm located in Arlington, Virginia. BioInformatics supports marketing, sales and R&D executives in the life science, medical device and pharmaceutical industries through published research reports, custom research and consulting. BioInformatics sponsors the worlds largest market research panel of scientific customers - The Science Advisory Board (http://www.scienceboard.net) - which consists of more than 14,500 scientists, physicians and other life science and medical professionals from 62 countries who participate in surveys that address emerging technologies, test customer reactions to new product concepts, measure brand awareness and assess advertising effectiveness.

For more information, please contact:

Alyssa Martin
BioInformatics, LLC
2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1200
Arlington, VA 22201
703.525.3872 x358 (phone)
703.522.3685 (fax)
a.martin@gene2drug.com
http://www.gene2drug.com/

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