After two years selling Audi aftermarket part online, Stratmosphere mailed 20,000 copies of its first catalog in December to customers and rented names. The 12-page book sells such items as software to make a car go faster, suspension for shocks and springs, exhaust systems, brakes, car covers, and floor mats. The catalog offers only about one-third of what is available on the Website, says Stratmosphere co-owner Peter Ryckaert, but the company will increase the amount of product for sale in the catalog over time.
The Rush, NY-based company plans to hand out catalogs at summer trade shows for Audi products. Stratmosphere is also placing ads in “European Car” magazine and “Audi Quattro Quarterly,” and it runs promotions and participates in forums on sites such as www.audiworld.com. It also sends e-mails to its house list at least once a month.
The next catalog mailing is planned for June, with a circulation of 28,000 and an increased page count of 20.