Everything you need to know about how to make a product catalogue online

Last updated: November 14th, 2025

They’re expensive to print, hard to update, and contain static information. When prices change or new products appear, reprinting isn’t practical. As e-commerce continues to grow, digital catalogs have become essential tools for modern retailers, solving these issues.

A digital catalog keeps product details, pricing, and promotions up to date automatically. It also improves the buying experience with interactive features that help customers make informed choices. Going digital reduces printing and delivery costs dramatically.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to create a professional online catalog that keeps your product information current, engages buyers, and ultimately drives more sales.

But first, a quick recap, in case you need it –

What is a digital product catalog?

A digital product catalog is an online version of a product catalog that showcases a company’s products. It can be in different shapes and sizes and is typically accessible through websites, PDFs, or specialized platforms. However, its main goal is to help users interact with product information, such as pricing or material.

Usually, the companies that create digital product catalogs are mostly online; that’s why it can also be called an e-commerce product catalog.

In the past, product catalogues were only considered to be delivered as printed PDFs. But today, with the help of online product catalog software, B2B and B2C sellers can reach their customers more quickly and cost-effectively.

The entire shopping experience has been dramatically improved since the appearance of digital product catalogues, also known as flipbooks, because of their page-flipping effect. 

Customers can grab their laptops, tablets, or smartphones, check their inboxes, and get easy access to the digital catalog in just a few seconds. Moreover, they can immediately purchase products as online product catalogs create shoppable experiences as they have links, buy buttons, price tags, and so much more. We’ll get into that a bit later.

Through an e-catalog, your clients are always just a few clicks away from browsing through its pages and purchasing your products. 

What goes into a digital product catalog?

A well-designed product catalog blends structure, visuals, and information to create a seamless browsing experience. Every catalog, digital or printed, includes five essential sections:

1. Front cover
2. Table of contents
3. Introduction
4. Content pages
5. Back cover

The key elements of effective catalog design

No matter the size or industry, every great catalog relies on three core design principles:

• A clear, well-structured layout that guides readers naturally from one section to the next.
  Compelling imagery that captures attention and showcases products in their best light.
• Accurate, engaging product information that helps customers make confident decisions.
  

Now, let’s break down each section step-by-step and explore what to focus on when creating your own digital product catalog.

1. Front cover

The front cover of any digital product catalog should have an eye-catching design. It’s the first thing your customers see when they receive your email with the digital catalog. And if the front cover doesn’t entice them from the beginning, your audience might lose interest. Cover design mistakes can be costly.

Pick the right products for your front cover and pair them with eye-catching headlines and fun, engaging copy to spark curiosity. 

Running a promotion? Highlight it right on the cover and guide readers to the details inside to help drive sales. And don’t forget: professional, high-quality images make a huge difference. If hiring a photographer isn’t an option, try taking photos in natural daylight for bright, stunning results.

Get your audience excited to see what your brand has to offer.

2. Table of contents

Including a table of contents isn’t a must, but it’s a smart move that even big brands still follow, so why shouldn’t you? 

The table of contents informs the clients what the product catalog contains, allows them to find the products they’re interested in, and makes browsing easier. For digital catalogs, you can even add clickable buttons to take readers straight to the right page, like in the example below.

Creating a professional product catalog online involves a few key elements, but don’t worry, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make one that grabs people’s attention and keeps your audience hooked.

3. Introduction

Just like the previous element, this one is not a must-have, but if you like to give customers a little information about your business, products, or services, here’s your chance. The introduction is usually just a page where the brand can briefly describe the overall product catalog purpose.

For instance, if it’s a promotional edition for the upcoming holidays, then you can mention that in the intro. Stores like cvaley, a fashion and cosmetics brand, use seasonal catalogs to engage their customers with the latest trends and products. If you have items on sale for a limited time, let your customers know that.

Remember that you can also add calls to action and redirect links to the promotion on your website. Doing this provides an easy and accessible shopping experience for your customers.

4. Content pages

The content pages are where your products come to life. Include details like descriptions, images, product videos, prices, and shopping buttons. This is your chance to get creative with colors, fonts, and layouts, but always stay true to your branding.

Your branding kit (logo, colors, typography, etc.) isn’t just for your website or social media. It should shine through in your product catalog, too. A consistent look builds trust and makes your catalog feel professional.

Don’t forget to sprinkle call-to-action buttons throughout the catalog. These guide your customers, encourage purchases, and ultimately boost your sales. And if you’re including videos, try embedding short product demos or testimonials. These are an excellent way to engage and convert your audience.

5. Back cover

The back cover usually has the website link and the brand’s social media platforms. It can also have contact details like email, address, phone number, state, and so on. 

Most brands keep this page simple and let the contact details stand out more so that people know how to reach the brand if they need more information.

So there you have it. You only need a few ingredients to make online product catalogues awesome.

And now, let’s see how to make a catalog online using Flipsnack.

How to create an online catalog with Flipsnack

Catalogs have a long history, and while they’ve evolved, they still play a powerful role in shaping the online shopping experience. A well-designed catalog complete with stunning images, engaging product descriptions, and even a touch of humor when appropriate can captivate customers and leave a lasting impression.

Ready to create your own? Let’s dive into the steps for creating an online product catalog that stands out.

1. Define the purpose and target audience

Before creating a product catalog, be clear about its purpose and who it’s for. Is it to attract new customers, assist your sales team, support retail partners, or help product development companies showcase new offerings efficiently? Understanding your audience helps you tailor the catalog’s tone, style, and features to meet their needs.

2. Start the design process from scratch or with a template

Most product catalogs are between 8.5″ x 11″ and 9″ x 12″, or 816 x 1056 to 864 x 1152 pixels. While these are standard sizes, you can adjust them based on your design goals. Catalogs typically range from 4 to 64 pages, depending on the scope of your offerings.

If these technical details feel overwhelming, don’t stress. Flipsnack makes it easy to get started. 

You can upload a PDF or use a professional product catalog template. These product catalog templates save time and deliver polished designs, even if you’re not a pro. They ensure elements like balance, colors, and margins, creating a visually appealing and functional catalog.

Templates are the preferred choice nowadays, and it makes sense. Just think about all the WordPress or Wix pages out there. People with no coding experience got the chance to create their websites without turning to a web developer. 

You can see how much thought goes into creating a well-designed template, so when you’re ready to build your own product catalog online, starting with one is always a smart move. And with Flipsnack’s intuitive content creation tools, you don’t need to hire an external designer to make something beautiful.

But if you’d prefer to hand off the creative work, our in-house design team is here to help. From catalogs and brochures to interactive digital guides, we craft custom, on-brand flipbooks that perfectly align with your business goals and visual identity.

3. Add professional photos to showcase your products

High-quality photos are non-negotiable. They show your products at their best, set you apart from competitors, and appeal to your audience’s visual instincts. Hire a professional photographer if possible because they’ll know the right lighting, angles, and details to highlight. You can also use product retouching from FixThePhoto to make images look cleaner and more professional.

💡Tip: Use lifestyle images to show your products in action or in real-world settings. They make a stronger emotional connection than standalone product shots. Just like in the image below.

Unsurprisingly, brands invest millions of dollars in commercials because they understand this principle: profits require investing. One of the best investments for your product catalog is to equip it with otherworldly product photography.

4. Write short and concise product descriptions 

Pair your stunning photos with compelling, concise product catalog copy. Focus on key details like features, benefits, and unique selling points. Don’t overdo it, as your text should complement the images, not compete with them.

You can get inspired by others who wrote descriptions or use a product descriptions generator, but make sure to edit it and make it your own. For digital catalogs, use product tags to include extra details like prices, discounts, or links to purchase without crowding the page.

5. Add your catalog branding

Your catalog is an extension of your brand. So when people flip through your product catalog, they must recognize it’s yours.

Your branding kit, logo, colors, and typography aren’t just for your website or social media. It should shine in your product catalog, too. Consistent visuals build trust and make your catalog look professional.

💡Tip: Stick to your brand’s color palette and adjust hues or saturation as needed. Avoid cluttering your design with too many colors.

6. Share your digital product catalog

So far, you’ve found out the basics of creating a product catalog; the final step is to make sure as many people as possible get the chance to see it. 

You can distribute your catalog in many ways, via direct email, social media, or even embed it on your website. The thing with catalogs is that you want a wide reach. So, take advantage of all the different methods available and reveal your product catalog to everyone. 

There are much easier ways to share a PDF document online that are much more engaging and inspirational than downloading every scrollable catalog.

💡Tip: Generate a QR code for your catalog and display it in stores for quick, easy access. You can also create a GIF version to share on social media for added engagement.

Advantages of an online product catalogue 

Truth be told, there are many advantages to having an online product catalog. Probably the most important one is that creating a product catalog online is cost-effective. This is extremely helpful for small businesses that otherwise would create product catalogs in programs like Adobe InDesign and pay for hundreds of printed catalog copies.

Let’s see some other benefits of making a catalog for your online products in Flipsnack:

• Lower costs: Clicks are cheaper than paper, and your publishing cost stays the same regardless of catalog size.
• Easy distribution: Share your catalog anywhere with just a few clicks, via email, social media, or embedded website links.
• Built-in analytics: Track engagement in real time. See how many views, clicks, and interactions each page gets to better understand what products capture your audience’s attention.
• Interactive experiences: Add videos, links, and shopping buttons to make browsing more engaging and enjoyable.
• Faster updates: Edit pricing, descriptions, or visuals instantly, no reprinting or re-sending needed. It all happens on the same link.
• Digital shopping carts: Let buyers add items directly from the catalog to speed up their buying journey.
• Better sales enablement: Sales reps can access updated product details anytime for more efficient conversations and higher conversions.
• Mobile-friendly format: Customers and teams can view your catalogs from any device, anywhere.
• Automation with Catalog Generator: Using Flipsnack’s Catalog Generator, you can automatically pull product data from a spreadsheet to create on-brand, ready-to-share catalogs in minutes. Updates happen instantly, ensuring your catalog always shows the latest products and prices.

And these are only a few benefits of digital catalogs. Let’s not forget how substantially environmentally friendly digital materials are. More and more brands consider this factor when preparing their materials before planning a marketing campaign. Being environmentally conscious is the new must for brands wanting to win their customers’ trust.

When creating a product catalog online, you can showcase the entire product library and make it easily accessible to your customers by adding shopping features that also boost your sales. 

Examples of good product catalog design

If you wonder what those interactive elements are, below is a product catalog example you can flip through and see the layout and the content. Also, you can start creating catalogs from these templates:

Interactive beverage catalog template

It combines clean design with high-quality product images, clear flavor descriptions, and well-structured sections that guide the reader naturally through the product lineup. What makes it especially strong is its use of digital-first features—interactive elements like clickable product tags, embedded videos, and shopping lists that turn a simple catalog into an engaging experience.

Interactive electronics product catalog template

Brand-ready catalog built for showcasing tech products with clarity and impact. This template is designed with clean layouts, structured product grids, and space for detailed specs, making it ideal for presenting electronics in a polished, professional way. Its interactive features, such as clickable product tags, videos, and GIFs, turn your catalog into a dynamic digital experience. Plus, full branding control (logos, colors, typography) ensures your catalog reflects your identity and maintains a consistent look across all sales and marketing materials.

Success stories with digital product catalogs

Electrolux Group creates and distributes interactive digital catalogs globally through Flipsnack, using SSO (Single Sign-On) to securely manage access for its trade partners. These catalogs help keep partners up to date with the company’s latest innovations and product launches. Each edition includes embedded videos and interactive visuals, offering an engaging, multimedia browsing experience that reflects Electrolux’s commitment to innovation and quality.

Another example comes from Pandora France, which uses Flipsnack to create fully interactive and automated digital catalogs for its 130 retail stores. By replacing printed PowerPoint files with dynamic, QR-enabled catalogs, the Retail Excellence Team reduced store lookup time by 300% and improved the in-store shopping experience. 

Staff now scan a single QR code to access the latest product details instantly, while customers browse interactive collections and engraving options on their own devices. With Flipsnack’s Catalog Generator, Pandora’s catalogs update automatically, ensuring every store always has the newest version available in real time.

Transform your product catalog into a powerful sales tool

A well-crafted product catalog is more than just a digital showcase—it’s a powerful sales and marketing tool. By keeping product details, pricing, and promotions updated in real time, you provide buyers with the information they need to make confident purchasing decisions. And with interactive features, you create a seamless, engaging shopping experience that drives conversions.

Now is the time to modernize your catalog strategy. Whether you’re a wholesaler, retailer, or manufacturer, transitioning to a digital catalog will help you stay competitive, reduce costs, and streamline your sales process.

Start creating your online product catalog today and give your customers the convenience and insights they expect. Flipsnack offers a free 14-day trial so you can test most premium features. After that, you can stick with the free plan if you only need simple PDF interactivity and a limited number of flipbooks.

FAQs on an online product catalog