Retailers Find Computers Can Be Another Selling Tool

Sat., May 6, 1995

Stephen C. Miller New York Times

Shopping by computer is not new, but it has yet to catch on with most consumers, especially those who use catalogs. Part of the reason is that until recently, personal computer screens did not have the clarity and sharpness of the typical four-color catalogue.

Now, however, computer technology has not only caught up with the printed catalog but surpassed it with the addition of sound, video and animation. And computer shopping is increasingly attractive to merchants because of the large number of multimedia PCs, which have CD-ROM drives and sound cards, that are being purchased for home use.

Last year, more than 15 million multimedia PCs were sold for the home market, according to Dataquest, a market research firm in San Jose, Calif. Dataquest predicts that number will double this year. And the typical home computer owner is just the customer that merchants look for: well educated, married, with school-age children and income of $50,000 or more.

One company trying to reach that potential market is Contentware of New York, which has put the multimedia catalogues from 45 merchants ranging from department stores to vintners on a CD-ROM called Shopping 2000 Interactive Catalogs. With it, consumers can do things like hear previews of new CDs (the music variety) in the Tower Records catalog and see a video clip from the Discovery Channel.

Shopping 2000 is still at the novelty stage, but Kenneth Koppel, the president of Contentware, believes that CD-ROM and on-line shopping will soon be big business. Keith Arnold, manager of Compuserve’s Electronic Mall, agrees.

The Mall, which was started in 1984 and is one of the oldest on-line shopping services, does not have splashy graphics, sound or video. But it has nearly 200 merchants.

Shopping 2000 disks are being distributed free to some buyers of CD-ROM drives and other multimedia products. A new release is scheduled for August and can be ordered in advance for $4.95 from Contentware, 160 Madison Avenue, N.Y. 10016; (212) 447-6723. The disks are usually updated every three months with new vendors and products.

With the current version of the disk, consumers can order by calling a merchant’s 800 number or by printing out an on-line order form and faxing it to the merchant. The August issue will have an 800 number operated by Contentware, and the orders will be forwarded to the merchant.