On the first day of school, Edmund Scientific will give teachers a new catalog instead of a shiny red apple. The 52-page Edmund Educational Technology, or EdTech, mailed this week to 130,000 science and technology high school, college and university educators nationwide.
It is the second catalog launched this year by the Tonawanda, NY-based company. The first was a best-sellers book targeting prospects only. Previously, the 30-year-old company had mailed exclusively a 100-page catalog featuring 2,000 items for science hobbyists, including binoculars, telescopes, toys and kits related to astronomy, earth science and robotics. Prices range from $4.95 to $1,545.
Before starting EdTech, Edmund targeted teachers by using an educational-oriented cover on its general catalog and mailing it to schools. EdTech marks the first time the company has created a separate product specifically with this audience in mind.
“A relatively small percentage of our business has been done with schools, but we think that there's a lot more business to be done,” said Timothy Burns, catalog manager at Edmund.
To attract the new business, 80 percent of the premiere issue mailed to prospects. The cataloger received help compiling the mailing list from parent company Science Kit & Boreal Laboratories, a 50-year-old educational DMer.
EdTech's merchandise combines elements from the Edmund catalog along with 150 new products. Product categories in EdTech include astronomy, robotics, optics, solar, physics and electronics.
An e-commerce landing page for educators, www.scientificsonline.com/tech, goes live in a few weeks.
Edmund will produce a fall and spring version of Ed Tech.
Chantal Todé covers catalog and retail news and BTB marketing for DM News and DM News.com. To keep up with the latest developments in these areas, subscribe to our daily and weekly e-mail newsletters by visiting www.dmnews.com/newsletters
