How to build an online lighting catalog
An organized online catalog keeps showing your lamps while the store is closed. This guide covers what to put on each product page and how to keep it current.
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In short
To build an online lighting catalog, use the same product page template for every lamp, with photos, lamp type, dimensions, socket and bulb, materials, price and availability. Then organize lamps by type and by room, publish everything at an address of your own and pick a fixed day to review prices and stock.
What every product page needs
Photos
A main shot on a plain background, a few details and, ideally, the lamp lit. It is the first thing a customer looks at.
Dimensions
Height, width or diameter, and depth. For pendants, the cord length. For sconces, how far they project from the wall.
Lamp type
Ceiling, pendant, flush mount, floor, table or wall. It is how customers search and how they narrow things down.
Socket and bulb
Socket type, number of bulbs, whether bulbs are included and whether it is dimmable. That tells the customer what to buy to use it.
Price
Visible and current. If prices change often, show the date of the last update instead of hiding them.
Availability
In stock, made to order or sold out, with an approximate lead time when the piece is ordered or made.
Building the catalog, step by step
- 1
Make a master list
A spreadsheet with code, name, type, dimensions, socket, price and stock for every lamp. Everything else comes from it.
- 2
Pick a naming format
Use the same pattern for every product, such as type, model and finish. “Pleated pendant, white” is easier to find than an internal code.
- 3
Gather the photos
Same background, same framing and same tone across the catalog. If a photo falls short, flag it for a reshoot.
- 4
Organize by type and room
Use lamp type as the main structure and rooms as a second way in. A lamp can live in more than one room.
- 5
Publish and set a routine
Decide who updates prices and stock, and how often. A catalog with stale data creates more questions than it answers.
How to build an online lighting catalog people can browse
Shoppers often arrive with a vague idea, like something to hang over the dining table or a floor lamp for reading. A good catalog takes them from that idea to two or three concrete options in a few taps.
That takes clear names, consistent photos and the same information in the same order on every page. When each product is presented differently, comparing becomes work and the customer ends up asking everything by message.
Organizing by lamp type and by room
Lamp type is the natural first split, with pendants, flush mounts, floor, table, wall and outdoor lamps. Rooms add a second layer that matches the question people ask at home, whether it is for the living room, dining room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom or patio.
For bathrooms and outdoor spaces, add the IP rating. IP44 handles splashes and IP65 is dust-tight and stands up to water jets, and that difference decides where a fixture can go.
Technical details worth publishing
A question that comes up often is which bulb a lamp takes. State the socket, the number of bulbs, the maximum recommended wattage and whether bulbs are included. For integrated LED fixtures, list lumens, color temperature and dimmer compatibility.
- E26, the standard screw base in the US and Canada
- E27, its equivalent in most other countries
- E12 or E14, the smaller candle bases
- GU10, the twist-and-lock base used for spotlights
Keeping prices and stock current
A stale price forces you to explain the difference in every conversation. Update from one master list, apply percentage increases to the whole catalog at once, show the date of the last update and mark sold-out pieces right away.
Where to publish your catalog
A PDF is quick to make, but it goes stale as soon as a price changes, and old versions keep circulating in chats. A website with its own link for each product updates in one place, and every link always shows current data.
Lucy builds that kind of catalog for lighting stores, with its own address, product pages showing type, dimensions and price, a WhatsApp button on every lamp and percentage price updates across the catalog. Each lamp is also staged by day and lit at night, and the Lucy team migrates the catalog you already have.
Frequently asked questions
What should a lamp product page include?
Photos, lamp type, dimensions, socket and bulb, materials and finish, price and availability. Add cord length for pendants and the IP rating for bathroom or outdoor fixtures. That way customers get in touch to buy rather than to ask for basic details.
Should I show prices in my online catalog?
In most cases, yes. A visible price filters inquiries and builds trust. If prices change often, show them anyway with the date of the last update, and keep a single master list so the catalog and the store always say the same thing.
Is a PDF catalog or a website better?
A PDF works for printing or sending a fixed list, but it goes stale as soon as a price changes. A website updates in one place and every product has its own link to share. You can use both, with the website as the reference for prices.
How many photos should each product have?
At least one main shot on a plain background and one detail. For lamps, a lit photo and one in a room add a lot, because they show how the lamp glows and how big it is in a space. More photos don't help if they repeat the same angle.
Keep reading
- FeaturesOnline catalogYour lamps at your own address, in your colors, with search, type filters and a page for every product.
- GuidesUpdating catalog pricesPercentage increases, rounding, and keeping online and in-store prices the same.
- Who it’s forLighting storesYour catalog with every lamp in a room by day and lit at night, ready to share.
Your catalog, by day and lit at night
We migrate your catalog, stage every lamp, and you edit prices whenever you want.