One of my favorite stress relievers is thumbing through catalogs. It doesn’t matter what kind, J.Jill, Pottery Barn, Athleta, William Sonoma, or Crate and Barrel. This past Sunday, while indulging in some stress relief on my couch, I noticed something in Crate and Barrel’s latest catalog, “January Inspiration 2013,” that caused me to sit up and take notice. Peppered throughout the pages were little tidbits of complimentary info that Crate and Barrel offered its readers for free. It was a brilliant added value that I have yet to encounter in another catalog. On a cozy living room design page was this suggested Scrabble app.
Interwoven on a First Home page was a great offer from Paperless Post for new change-of-address cards and housewarming invites. Mathematically challenged? Need to figure out the dimensions of your room? Have no fret, Crate and Barrel suggests that you download the Tapulator app. And what is the best accompaniment to the perfect wine glass? Wine of course! Wine.com partnered with Crate and Barrel to pick seven favorites to share with shoppers. And the final touch, music. As an added value Crate and Barrel compiled a play list for its shoppers to create the perfect dinner party setting.
What I love most about these little nuggets is that they add value to how we actually live. The brand didn’t just focus on the in-store retail experience, which is also fabulous, by the way. But they expanded their view of the context and the considerations we have before we shop for that perfect couch and the experiences we want after it’s in our home. It’s simple, easy, enhanced value. Love it!
