Reading about mail-order catalogs in
The Wall Street Journal reminded me of the slogan for Dunder Mifflin Infinity (à la
The Office): "Limitless paper in a paperless world." That's basically the philosophy most retailers are employing—they continue to flood our mailboxes with catalogs, even though a recent study found that only 1.3 percent of all mail-order catalogs leads to a sale.
Meanwhile, Americans received more than 17 billion catalogs in the mail last year, around 56 per individual. Catalogs represent 3 percent of the U.S. paper market, a bigger chunk than either books or magazines, and the vast majority are unsolicited.
And all of these catalogs are hard on the environment. The paper industry is the third-largest energy consumer among manufacturers, using 2.4 percent of the country's energy in 2006. Catalog paper usually involves about 10 percent recycled content—less than standard U.S. paper, which uses about 30 percent recycled material. Newspaper can run as high as 40 percent. Although some environmental groups are working with catalog manufacturers to green their products, it's almost a lost cause, since catalogs' trademark thin, glossy pages are not easy to construct out of recycled components.
Instead of greening catalogs, some environmental advocates are pushing to cut their circulation. A group in San Francisco is petitioning to create a Do Not Mail list—like the Do Not Call list for telemarketers—that would allow people to opt out of commercial mail. That might sound good, but it could wind up hurting the U.S. Postal Service, which relies heavily on revenue from mail-order catalogs.
But the real question is: Do catalogs still work? Retailers seem to think so. Even if customers aren't dialing the numbers in the back of the book, the glossy spreads may entice them to go to the store—or, more often, the website. A consultant hired by The Postal Service found that catalog-receiving consumers splurged 28 percent more on the merchant's website than their catalog-less counterparts.
I love the Internet—and like the environment—so I suppose I'm programmed to be anti-catalog, but even I have to admit that there are certain companies I can't picture without catalogs, like Lands' End and L.L. Bean. And, I do occasionally like to curl up and dream amongst the glossy images of such high-end retailers are Coach and Tiffany's.
Do you still use catalogs? Are retailers right to keep sending them?
Comments (5)
I shop catalogs all the time since what I want doesn't appear in any of my local stores. Some companies, like Lands End and LL Bean; don't even have a local store. And yes I know that some Sears stores carries Lands End merchandise but not my local store. Nope I'd have to travel 50 miles to see selected Lands End merchandise in a Sears store. So, personally, I don't think catalog shopping is dead.
"Meanwhile, Americans received more than 17 billion catalogs in the mail last year, around 56 per individual." WHOAH.. that is like one catalogue EVERY DAY!
In the Netherlands (Germany too) you can order so-called "NO/NO" or "YES/NO" stickers, meaning that the mailman is not allowed to put unaddressed mail in your mailbox. In Germany, it is actually a federal offence to ignore those stickers! It works pretty well- we only get advertisements we actually signed up for - like my favorite underwear catalogue, or a plants/seeds/flowerbulbs catalogue I order from.
These stickers are a great way to reduce the killing of trees...
@chickensrule - You do not need a catalogue for most products - most products can be purchased (and looked at) online!
I use catalogs, just because I can read them and pick out what I like while I'm lying on the couch without having to hold my laptop. It's easier to look through the pages, too, instead of having to click back-to-back between things I want to buy.
@NotUeberMommy@momaroo - Those stickers sound like a really good idea. Europe is so smart :)
@NotUeberMommy@momaroo - I have signed up at catalogchoice.org so I only receive the catalogs that I really want. Trust me, I would never want 56 catalogs showing up in my mail slot.