As he did with so many things, Ben Franklin was the first American to offer a mail-order catalog. In fact, he produced his first catalog in 1744 - 250 years ago. It offered for sale 600 scientific and academic volumes and even included the first mail-order guarantee: "Those persons who live remote, by sending their orders and money to said B. Franklin, may depend on the same justice as if present."
Despite Franklin's innovative approach, it was more than a century before the idea of mail-order merchandising really caught on. In 1872 Aaron Montgomery Ward printed his first catalog. Ward, a salesman to farmers in the Midwest, discovered that most of his customers wanted a wider range of goods than he could carry or than were available locally. So he looked for a way to bring companies and customers together.Ward tied in with the National Grange to produce a one-page sheet called "The Original Wholesale Grange Supply House," which eventually evolved into the Montgomery Ward catalog - a "dream book" that offered everything from hoop skirts to writing paper to harnesses - all by mail.
Richard W. Sears and Alvah Roebuck were not far behind in establishing a catalog business, and a new industry was born. It has never been more successful than is now.
Consider these statistics from the Direct Marketing Association:
- More than 97.7 million Americans shopped at home by phone or mail in 1993, spending an estimated $53.4 billion on catalog purchases.
- The number of consumers who shop from catalogs has increased 70 percent in the past decade.
- More than 88 percent of Americans open, read and look at catalogs they receive in the mail.
- As of 1993, clothing accounts for the greatest proportion of catalog merchandise purchased (26 percent). Other popular items purchased from catalogs include home furnishings (9 percent), toys/-games (8 percent), housewares (6 percent), sporting goods (4 percent), electronics (4 percent), gifts (4 percent) and food (2 percent).
- There are more than 10,000 specialty catalogs in print.
Several factors account for the popularity of catalogs, says the Direct Marketing Association.
Convenience is prime among them. In today's hustle-bustle world, more and more people enjoy the convenience of shopping at home, where you can shop at your own pace, whenever you want. Most catalog companies offer 24-hour service for telephone orders. The proliferation of 800 numbers and growing use of FAX order lines make shopping by catalog more user-friendly.
Variety is also an important reason for the popularity of catalogs. The thousands of catalogs available offer pretty much anything you can think of - from gifts from the Shannon airport, to Omaha steaks, to San Francisco sourdough to farm machinery and equipment. Some catalogs cater to a narrow audience, others offer a broad selection. There are catalogs of items to make life easier for the handicapped, for left-handed people, for surviving the cold and snow. There are catalogs for nature-lovers, of environmentally friendly products, of items produced by people in Third World countries.
And many companies offer additional services: monogramming, hemming, gift wrapping, sizing charts, gift certificates, foreign shipping, baby and bridal registry and even birthday clubs (you register the birthdays you want; the company automatically sends gifts).
And more and more local merchants are offering the convenience and variety of catalogs. You can peruse the catalogs at home and then make your purchases at the nearest outlet or even over the telephone.
Shopping by catalog has become much more reliable in recent years. A decade ago, mail-order complaints often topped the list of consumer problems. And while things can still go wrong, more and more companies have highly trained customer service representative always on hand. Most companies guarantee satisfaction and offer generous return policies. Some offer free shipping and pick-up for returns.
Shopping by catalog is covered by a number of government regulations, including the FTC Mail Order Merchandise Rule, often called the "30-day rule," which means a company must ship merchandise within 30 days of receiving payment or give you the option of canceling.
The FTC's Fair Credit Billing Act helps consumers resolve disputes and ensures fair handling of credit card accounts when purchases are made by phone or mail.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will assist in resolving complaints when mail fraud is suspected.
Catalogs may not be the answer to all your shopping needs. You have to realize that you pay for the convenience in shipping and handling costs. And local merchants can often provide backup service down the road. But in today's busy world, shopping the catalogs can also offer a lot of help.
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Additional Information
Shopping at home? Some firms make it easy
In order to ensure customer satisfaction, today's catalog companies offer many services that make shopping at home easier. The customer service section of a catalog, usually located near the order form, lists the company's satisfaction and return policies, phone numbers, sales tax information and how to make a return or exchange. Other special services offered such as gift-wrapping and gift certificates, tailoring, monogramming and personal shopper assistance will be indicated.
To make shopping by mail or telephone smoother, the Direct Marketing Association suggests:
- Always check the company's satisfaction and return policies. If you have any questions or concerns, call and speak with a customer service representative who can answer your questions.
- Product warranties can often be obtained before purchase by writing or calling the company.
- Some companies do not allow returns on merchandise that can be duplicated, such as computer software and recorded music. Since return policies differ from company to company, be sure to note the company's policy before ordering.
- Fill out the order form carefully and keep a copy of the company's name, address and phone number, item inventory number, size and color ordered, method of payment and any special requests concerning your order. It is important even if you are ordering by phone. It will speed the order-taking process and serve as a handy reference if a problem occurs later on.
- Select your method of payment for merchandise: check, money order or credit card. Never send cash through the mail.
- Shipping and handling charges will be noted either on the order form or under the item description. Some companies offer free shipping and pick-up for returns.
- Thanks to technological advances, many companies are able to process your order within 24 to 48 hours. For immediate delivery, most companies offer overnight or second-day delivery service. Rates vary from catalog to catalog and will be listed in the customer service section. Many companies can also ship to P.O. boxes, APO/FPO boxes and foreign destinations. Catalogs that sell perishable food items will state other specifics for shipping.
- To ensure delivery in time for holiday gift-giving, most companies will list deadlines for order-receiving dates. For other special occasions, check with the customer service representatives to be sure your selection will arrive promptly.
- Sales tax varies from state to state. If tax needs to be applied to your order, it will be stated on the order form.
- If you would like a copy of the Direct Marketing Association's "Great Catalog Guide" listing nearly 200 reputable catalogs in 50 catagories, send $3 to DMA, 1101 17th St., N.W., Suite 705, Washington, DC 20036-4704.