Catalogues are great for displaying images of products along with their descriptions and where necessary, prices. Companies or an organisation may compile a catalogue to send out to consumers, retailers or even suppliers, and so for them, is a great marketing tool to advertise their merchandise. It is important that the catalogue looks of professional quality, so it is vital that the printing company handling the order completes it to a high standard. Communicating through any form of media is important for a business to succeed, and so, not only is it important that the catalogue communicates well with readers, but also that printing companies communicate well with their clients to listen to and adhere to the brief given to them.

For industrial or retail use, catalogues can be made in various ways. They can be saddle-stitched, spine glued, thread sewn or perfect bound. The printing can be in full colour, either web-offset or sheet-fed litho and many companies will provide a variety of specialised print finishing services, such as a matt textured finish or a glossy finish. Some printing companies will offer graphic design services to help clients create a better catalogue for their required purpose. It is important that the catalogue reflects the quality of the service and product that the company is marketing, and so the costs of catalogue printing will vary depending on the quality that one wishes to pay for. All companies will want their catalogue to impress potential customers or even existing clients, and so a well designed and well manufactured product will be key in achieving that.