We were thrilled this week to see Susan Carpenter’s LA Times article entitled “Fashion retailing catalogs turn a page.” The article discusses how fashion retailers, so traditionally reliant on print catalogs with their gorgeous models and photography, are embracing digital catalogs to respond to shoppers’ growing usage of tablets and smartphones. With the digital catalog, retailers are able to “mimic the traditional catalog experience, minus the print, ” says Carpenter.

The article spotlights a number of catalog platforms which have hit the market this year, providing the equivalent of a mall in a tablet or mobile phone. They provide a pure browsing experience for the window shopper who wants to explore several brands — but what if you don’t want to share the stage with your competitors? Or more importantly, what if your customer gets the urge to buy something they discover in that catalog? Usually, this requires the extra step of visiting the retailer’s site to complete the transaction, and risks losing the shopper’s attention before they’ve had a chance to purchase.

There’s a new breed of “commerce-enabled” digital catalogs that are designed to help retailers sell right at the moment when customers are inspired to buy. In our ADD-world where taking one extra step can distract us away, commerce-enabled catalogs let the shopper fill their basket and checkout — without ever leaving the catalog. They make browsing and buying captivating, natural and straightforward.

Many brands and retailers are realizing that pretty pictures alone do not sell. Adding functionality that drives conversions is the next important wave of digital catalogs, whether they are accessed via a website, tablet or mobile device. Express is one great example using Zmags CommercePro to enable customers to make purchases directly within its commerce-enabled catalog – whether accessed via iPad, website, smartphone or Facebook.

Key takeaway: when the shopper is ready to spend, you have to be ready for checkout.