How Do I Create a Free Product Catalog Online?

Audrey Hollingshead Picture

by Audrey Hollingshead | Last Updated: May 3, 2023

There are many ways to create a free product catalog online. But you may have some additional questions. Which software is the best to use? Is there an option that’s really free?  Below we’ll go over how to create a free product catalog online. 

What Is an Example of a Product Catalog?

IKEA is a good example of how to create and organize buying guides and brochures. The home goods brand created several product catalogs based on the room you’re trying to style and furnish. It’s easy to see why IKEA and other brands stick to PDF catalogs. Even though they’re on a screen they feel like something you can flip through. But as good as that is, there are some drawbacks to PDF catalogs. In many ways they are a lot like their printed grandfathers. PDFs are static and not easy to update.   Suppose you have a catalog in PDF format. It has an elegant design and your products jump off the digital page.  But then, suddenly, an accessory is out of stock. Your best selling product that customers had their minds set on can’t be shipped. Does your catalog have the ability to suggest a related product that fills your customers' needs? Can you easily edit it and make it live again within an hour?  PDFs can be edited, but not easily. It takes time to ensure the new data fits within the design. Not to mention you have to re-upload it, and redistribute it via email to customers and salespeople. This doesn’t guarantee that customers will see the updated version. The best type of product catalog is one that is fully digital. This means it can be connected to a product information management (PIM) system. A PIM system holds all your content about your products in one place. This includes product descriptions, measurements, photos, videos, and anything else related to your product. Creating a catalog with the help of a connected PIM system speeds up the whole process. Instead of having to copy and paste in everything you simply select what you want from your PIM. Using our PIM system and connecting it to the catalog you’ve created on Lumavate makes it easy to update catalog entries. Think of it like this. Suppose you have a few different range models in our PIM system. This PIM system is connected to a range catalog you’ve created in Lumavate. All the ranges listed in the PIM system are also listed in the catalog. The moment you update or edit any of the range entries in the PIM system, the same entries will automatically be updated in the catalog as well.  Luckily there are ways to make a product catalogue that can use a PIM system. 

How Do I Make a Simple Product Catalog?

Here’s how you can make a simple product catalog
  1. Decide what products you want to include in your digital catalog. 
  2. Gather every detail about them. What they’re made of, their measurements, care instructions, and everything else you want customers to know. 
  3. If you’d like to include any how-to videos, now’s the time to shoot and edit them.
  4. Decide on your product catalog software. Don’t worry, we’ll have a good list of those below.  
  5. Once you’ve chosen your software solution, take a look at their templates. Ensure it has all the elements you need. Does it integrate with a product information management (PIM) solution? Can you include videos? What about other interactive elements? Can those be used too? 
  6. Follow software instructions on how to build the catalog. 
  7. Proofread it and make any final changes. 
  8. Distribute it. 
If you’ve launched new products since the creation of your catalog you can always add them in. 

How Do I Create a Free Product Catalog Online?

Creating a product catalog for free online is the same as creating a simple product catalog. The only real difference is making sure the product catalog maker you use is free.  Here is a list of some free catalog maker software options. 

Akeneo 

Akeneo is a popular digital catalog maker since it has a  product information management system. This makes updating catalogs super easy.  Pros of Akeneo: Cons of Akeneo: 

Lumavate

Lumavate can not only create a product catalog, but it also offers a PIM. It’s a one-stop-shop for customer experiences that show off your products. With Lumavate you can:

What is the Best Software to Make a Catalog?

The best catalog design software is one that’s easy to use and has the features you want. This is why we recommend Lumavate. Not only for what we’ve mentioned above, but also because of how easy a Lumavate created catalog is to edit. One issue that all markers have dealt with in the last few years are shortages. Customers want a product and companies have struggled to deliver them. Here’s how Lumavate can help. Let’s say you have created a product catalog with Lumavate. You used our PIM system to create it. One night you discover that a popular product is backordered. But you have some good news. You have a comparable product in stock.  Because your product catalog was created with Lumavate and is connected to our PIM solution, you can quickly edit the catalog to mention the comparable product. Customers will be happy to know that they can still buy something that works for them. 

Create a Product Catalog with Lumavate

Lumavate can do much more than product catalogs. If you want to see all the Lumavate can do, book a live demo today to see our software in action. 

See Lumavate in Action

Meet with one of our experts to see how easy it is to centralize your product data, manage digital assets, and create digital product experiences. Trust us…you’re going to be wowed.