As online e-commerce continue to grow, the act of buying from shopping catalogs continues to decline. But Catalogs.com is hoping to change this trend by bringing its library of retail catalogs to the the iPad with a new, free

The app features a magazine-like feel for shopping, including over 30 catalogs for both online and brick and mortar retailers such as MacConnection, Home Depot, Petco, Little Tikes and Spiegel. As Catalogs.com’s co-founder Richard Linevsky says, it’s like having a coffee table full of catalogs on the iPad. 

The app itself allows users to turn pages similar to browsing through traditional catalogs, but users can zoom in on products for details, tap to buy the product from the catalogs’ online stores, or build a personal wish list from multiple catalogs all in one place.

Personally, I love flipping through catalogs (especially for holiday shopping) but find that perusing for items online is a much quicker experience because you can purchase directly from the listings. This app could be a great way to get the best of both worlds.