Guide
How to make a product catalogue your customers will actually use
To make a product catalogue, list the products you want to sell, group them into categories, take one clear photo of each, and write a short name, price and key details. Then choose a format, such as a PDF, the WhatsApp Business catalog or a catalogue website, and share one link with customers.
1. Pick the products that sell
A catalogue is not your stock register. Start with the products customers ask about most. For a new catalogue, 20 to 50 good products beat 400 average ones. You can add more later.
Leave out items you rarely have in stock. A customer who picks something and hears it is not available loses trust in the whole catalogue.
2. Group products into categories
Name categories the way customers ask for things. A furniture shop in Hosur, for example, might use Steel almirahs, Cots and beds, and Office furniture. Keep it to 4 to 8 categories.
If you use the WhatsApp Business catalog, categories are called collections. Our guide to WhatsApp catalogue categories shows how to set them up.
3. Take clear product photos
- Shoot in daylight near a window. Avoid tube lights and flash.
- Use one plain background for every product.
- Fill the frame with the product. Leave a little space around the edges.
- Take one main photo and one close-up of the detail that matters.
- Hold the phone steady. A blurred photo cannot be fixed later.
4. Write names and details that answer questions
The product name should say what it is, such as Steel almirah, 4 door, 6.5 ft. Then add the two or three details customers always ask about in your trade.
| Trade | Details to include |
|---|---|
| Garments and sarees | Fabric, colours, sizes |
| Jewellery | Weight in grams, purity |
| Furniture | Size, material, warranty |
| Wholesale | Pack size, MOQ, product code |
5. Decide how to show prices
Customers message you when they can see a price. If your prices change often, or differ by customer, show a starting price or write Price on request and quote in the chat. Never show a price you will not honour.
6. Choose a format to make your product catalogue
| Format | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| PDF catalogue | Printing, email, trade fairs | Out of date the day a price changes. Heavy to forward on WhatsApp |
| WhatsApp Business catalog | Free, built into WhatsApp | Items added one at a time and reviewed before they show |
| Catalogue website | One link that always shows current stock | Costs money, and someone has to keep it updated |
Many shops use the WhatsApp catalog and a catalogue website together. Our guide to adding a catalog to WhatsApp Business covers the free option.
7. Share it where customers already are
Put the catalogue link in your WhatsApp Business profile, your greeting message and your status. Save it as a quick reply. Add it to your Instagram bio and Google Business Profile, and print a QR code for the counter. Send it once to your regular buyers instead of forwarding photos. Our WhatsApp catalogue page lists more places to share it.
Still stuck?
If you have the products but not the time, OneCatalog does steps 2 to 6 for you. Send your photos and price list on WhatsApp, and we build a catalogue website with a page for every product and a WhatsApp button on each one. See the plans on our pricing page.
Making a product catalogue: questions
Start with 20 to 50 of your best sellers. A short catalogue that customers finish browsing works better than a long one they abandon.
A PDF is good for printing and trade fairs. For WhatsApp, a link works better, because it always shows current prices and does not need to be downloaded.
No. Clear phone photos taken in daylight on a plain background are enough for most small shops.
Yes. The WhatsApp Business catalog is free. You add each product yourself in the app.
Want your catalogue made for you?
Send us your photos and price list on WhatsApp. We reply within 2 hours, 9am to 9pm.
See a real catalogue: Sofa Square Furniture, sofa makers in Koramangala, Bengaluru.