Cataloger’s Gone to the Dogs

Canines have been very good to brothers Joe and Richard Ambrose. As the president of Pet Doors USA, a leading marketer of dog doors and cat flaps, Joe had received numerous inquiries from customers about dog-related gifts and accessories. In response, he and his brother launched CanineLoft.com, a Website selling such items, in December 2001. Less than two years later, in November 2003, the Ambroses mailed their first Canine Loft print catalog.

“The catalog was launched to better serve the customer and inquiry list we had built up since launching the Website,” Richard says. “We saw that there has been an increasing demand for dog-related gift merchandise.”

The 32-page debut issue mailed to 30,000 people who had requested the catalog from the CanineLoft Website. The slim-jim catalog sells clothing and gifts specific to more than 150 breeds. Items range in price from $20 to $350; the average order size is $85.

Although the Ambroses are reluctant to discuss response rates, the initial mailing was successful enough to lead to a second catalog edition, which mailed in May. Two more editions, summer/early fall and late fall/Christmas, are planned for the rest of the year.