Pacific Magazines is launching an e-commerce platform as it looks to diversify its revenue streams to counter the soft ad market and offer advertisers a deeper proposition.
First off the ranks is a commerce site for its Marie Claire women’s title. Launched following the roll-out of its sampling offering The Parcel, it will allow consumers to buy full sizes of those products that are included as part of the sampling box.
Susie Hogan, marketing director for Marie Claire and corporate projects, told AdNews that being able to offer advertisers targeted audiences segments through the box, as well as the traceable ROI through e-commerce, makes The Parcel an
attractive offering for advertisers that want to go beyond print ads.
“Advertisers are now building [The Parcel] into their plans for 2015. I feel this success is because, like magazines, we are offering very targeted market segments via the individual masthead.
"This, coupled with the editorial curation of the products in each box, delivers a very powerful authoritative halo that advertisers really value,” she said
“In addition, being able to deliver consumer insights – plus driving sales, whether via e-commerce through The Parcel website or retail sales – is a very compelling package.”
Hogan said it was too early to give numbers about how sales were tracking, however she said e-commerce would play an important role in the offering Marie Claire and Pacific Magazines give to advertisers.
“Because the first box has just gone out and the research is just going out to market, it’s too early to say [how sales went], however advertisers are seeing a very good ROI.”
“We see [e-commerce] as part of the complete offering that we deliver to the advertiser and it is an important aspect for us.”
PacMags is likely to introduce further direct selling platforms for its brands, with teen title Girlfriend likely to be next. A sampling box aimed at younger females is launching this week under the Girlfriend brand, and PacMags is launching a box targeting men under its Marie Claire Men offshoot in 2015.
Earlier this week Seven West Media chief executive Tim Worner told media buyers and industry insiders at the 2015 upfronts that the company as a whole intends to extend e-commerce across its assets, and to allow viewers to buy products they see in the show House Rules instantly through HbbTV.
This story initially appeared in the 31 October edition of AdNews, subscribe in Print here or on your iPad here.
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