Over the years, print media has experienced a steady decline in revenue. Despite this downward trend, many e-commerce companies are actually moving back to print to help boost revenue, introducing ad-supported magazines and other publications that feature items available for purchase on their websites.
Net-a-Porter, for example, is a luxury fashion online retailer known for its elegant mix of content and commerce. Its website is designed to emulate a high fashion magazine, making the opportunity even greater. By curating valuable content with items available for purchase on-site, the company hopes that the magazine will engage more individuals with the brand and create value for advertisers.
What is the ROI?
An analyst from Forrester Research stated in the article, "Print marketing still has a place. As a lot of other marketers cut back on print, there's an opportunity to stand out more. It can be a very useful way to drive traffic to your core property."
Take a look at the entire article from Josic: http://www.josic.com/e-commerce-turning-to323-print-to-boost-sales