How to Run a Brand-Approved Catalog for Partners

What is a brand-approved catalog?

It's an online store for your partners, stocked only with things the brand has approved. Partners browse, personalize where allowed, and order. Behind it, each item knows how it's made (printed on demand, pulled from inventory, or produced by a supplier), who fulfills it, what it costs and who's allowed to order it.

What belongs in a partner catalog?

• Print-on-demand: business cards, flyers, brochures, postcards, door hangers, menus.
• Signage and displays: window graphics, banners, point-of-sale displays, shelf talkers, vehicle graphics.
• Branded merchandise: apparel, uniforms, promotional items, event kits.
• Samples and product literature, for dealers and distributors.
• Kits: a grand-opening kit or a launch kit that bundles several items into one order.

Can different partners see different catalogs?

They should. A premium dealer may qualify for displays a new dealer doesn't; a region may have its own signage; company-owned locations may order from a different price list than franchisees. Set visibility by partner type, tier, region and brand, so every partner sees a short, relevant catalog instead of everything you've ever made.

How do you manage stocked items and print-on-demand in one catalog?

Treat them as the same thing to the partner and different things behind the scenes. A partner shouldn't need to know that business cards are printed on demand while banners come from a warehouse. Each item carries its own fulfillment rule: print-on-demand items generate a personalized print file; stocked items check and reduce inventory; made-to-order items go to the supplier with the partner's details.

Show stock levels and lead times where they matter, and flag low inventory to whoever reorders.

Which catalog items should be personalized?

Anything that carries local details: cards, flyers, signage with an address or phone number, apparel with a location name. Use the same approach as any partner template: brand elements locked, local fields filled from the partner's profile, a proof approved online before production. See how variable-data printing works.

How should orders be routed to suppliers?

Automatically, by item: each product knows its supplier (a national printer, a local sign shop, a merchandise vendor, your own warehouse), and orders go to it with files, quantities, options and shipping details attached. Status comes back to the partner, so they know when to expect delivery without chasing anyone.

How do partners pay for catalog orders?

Usually one of three ways, and many programs use all of them: the partner pays directly (card or invoice), the brand covers it (free launch kits, for example), or it comes out of the partner's co-op or MDF balance. Letting partners spend funds at checkout, on items that qualify, is one of the simplest ways to raise fund utilization. See MDF vs. co-op advertising.

Do catalog orders need approval?

Only some. Approve by exception: orders above a set amount, items with open text or regulated content, or anything paid with funds that require prior approval. Routine orders of approved items should go straight through.

How do you know the catalog is working?

Watch which partners order and how often, what they order (and what nobody orders, which can go), spend by partner, region and item, fund spend through the catalog, and fulfillment times by supplier. A catalog that only a handful of partners use is a sign that it's hard to find, too long, or too expensive.

Where does OnBrandify fit?

OnBrandify runs one catalog for print-on-demand and stocked items, with different catalogs by partner type, tier and region, personalized proofs, orders routed to your printers and suppliers, and checkout with co-op or MDF. It sits next to the partner's campaigns, so a promotion's signage is one click from its email. See the platform, or request a demo.