Why do nonprofit gift catalogs have to look like eCommerce catalogs everywhere else on the web, whether it’s Amazon or Etsy? That was the surprising question we asked ourselves back in January. The answer seems like it should be “because it’s a catalog”, but we believe that the answer is that it depends. Depends? Yes. Here’s why.

Nonprofit gift catalogs are fundamentally different than for-profit catalogs. People are ultimately supporting/donating towards aspects of a nonprofit’s mission, not buying a pair of shoes. Nonprofits have the ability to create a fundamentally different emotional connection with catalog donors than, say, the shopper looking for a shirt on Amazon. Why then do we not focus catalogs on connecting people to the mission and the stories of how the “products” will make a difference?

We built “Advanced Pages” in part to answer that question. As a result, nonprofits using the Capellic Gift Catalog platform can create stories around what they do – complete with videos, slideshows, and pull quotes – and weave opportunities to add products throughout the story.

Will this replace the traditional catalog experience? No. Your existing catalog customers who understand your organization and shop the catalog regularly need a place to quickly find products, choose one (or more), and check-out. But for thousands of others, a story about impact and mission may be just the thing to convert them.

See it in action here: http://capellicgiftcatalogs.com/on-the-brink (yes, yes, you’ll have to register). Take a peek below..