Mail order catalogs

The nostalgia! Mail order catalogs were a staple of shopping in the pre-internet era. Here's a brief history and some fun facts about mail order catalogs:

History:

Mail order catalogs date back to the mid-19th century, when companies like Montgomery Ward and Sears, Roebuck and Co. began sending catalogs to customers across the United States. These early catalogs featured a wide range of products, from clothing and household items to tools and hardware.

Golden Age:

The 1950s to the 1980s are often referred to as the "Golden Age" of mail order catalogs. During this time, companies like L.L.Bean, Lands' End, and J.Crew became household names, and their catalogs were eagerly anticipated by customers.

Features:

Mail order catalogs typically featured:

  1. Product descriptions and prices
  2. Illustrations or photographs of products
  3. Order forms or tear-out pages for customers to send in their orders
  4. Special offers, discounts, and promotions
  5. Product recommendations and suggestions

Types of catalogs:

There were many types of mail order catalogs, including:

  1. General merchandise catalogs (e.g., Sears, J.Crew)
  2. Specialty catalogs (e.g., L.L.Bean for outdoor gear, Lands' End for clothing)
  3. Direct response catalogs (e.g., infomercials, product demonstrations)
  4. Subscription-based catalogs (e.g., book clubs, magazine subscriptions)

Fun facts:

  1. The first mail order catalog was published by Montgomery Ward in 1872.
  2. The largest mail order catalog ever produced was the 1995 Sears catalog, which weighed over 10,000 pounds and contained over 3,000 pages.
  3. The most popular mail order catalog of all time was the Sears catalog, which was published annually from 1886 to 2011.
  4. Many mail order catalogs featured iconic illustrations, such as the L.L.Bean "Maine Guide" logo or the Lands' End "Sailboat" logo.
  5. The rise of online shopping led to a decline in mail order catalogs, with many companies transitioning to e-commerce platforms.

Legacy:

While mail order catalogs are no longer as ubiquitous as they once were, they remain a nostalgic reminder of a bygone era. Many companies still produce print catalogs, and some have even seen a resurgence in popularity due to their tactile nature and the desire for a break from screen time.