Comments on: “Death to Catalog Marketing!!!”

By: Carl Hartman

Carl Hartman — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:34:11 +0000

One of my clients has a huge catalog they distribute, brick & mortar stores, and on-line. A new print catalog always boosts sales in the other areas significantly in the stores and on-line.
I want to know the increased amount of paper and costs for lay-off notices and paperwork generated to conduct business in other methods. What is the net effect? If eliminating print catalogs increases costs and uses more natural resources in other areas than there could be a negative impact on the environment.
These do-gooders fail to take into account that eliminating catalogs could mean less jobs. It may feel good to get rid of catalogs. However, those kids could care less how it impacts the jobs and businesses. What needs to be done after the children do this project is take them down to the homeless shelter and introduce them to the people they put out of work.
What if creating an on-line only store with more offices & people required generating more coal power, paperwork, etc. that kills more trees and hurts the environment more? What if eliminating the catalog means building more brick and mortar stores which impact the environment?
Somebody needs to educate these kids about the real world, where taking an action like this is damaging to others. If I, as a business, encouraged other people in a systematic fashion, to throw away your catalog that could have legal implications. It is like setting my business on fire or putting a gag on my sales reps. – So, what we are teaching our children is that it is okay to hurt other people and destroy their livelihood regardless of the net impact, just so you can feel good.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 04:15:46 +0000

LOL, TToad. Great response as usual.
I agree with management recruiter, that when I opt in I love paper. I subscribe the Economist and love it.
I offered to buy my Dad a subscription and he told me that you have to be retired to subscribe to it. I had to laugh at that since my dear old dad has still not retired. Not sure why.

By: Tangerine Toad

Tangerine Toad — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 02:49:02 +0000

I actually like catalogs.
Unlike Neil, I prefer them to websites because (a) I can read catalogs in places I can’t read websites and (b) most catalog websites are so poorly designed, I wind up leaving in frustration.
Catalog purveyors who hit me up way too many times a year (yes you, Pottery Barn, with your “Pale Yellow Bathroom Rugs- Early Spring 2008 Edition catalogs and the like) make me not like them and not want to buy from them.
But I enjoy browsing through most of the ones I get. Mostly because it’s amazing to see the crap people buy.

By: management recruiter

management recruiter — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:10:43 +0000

To me, I guess it’s a question of relevance. If I opt in for something, then the fact that the opt in involves reams of paper is not a problem for me.
Take the newspaper: Every day I get the WSJ, and every day I read it cover to cover. And I paid for it, too. On the other hand, every week my community paper throws their FREE ad-packed rag into my bushes, and every week it goes straight to the trash. On top of that, I’m pissed that they spammed me — even though they view this as a “service.”
The difference? Relevance.
Which, again, is what CatalogChoice.com is all about. Making sure I keep the catalogers dialed into my preferences is an idea that could save catalogers big money over time.
By the way, the newspaper example says a lot about how catalogs might want to view their publications in the future.
Again and again and again: YOU ARE A MEDIA COMPANY.
-Harry Joiner

By: rd moreno

rd moreno — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:55:13 +0000

Excellent post. I’m fairly fanatical about canceling not only catalogs, but also removing my name from organizations that send me junk mail (greendimes.com, anyone?). Despite being on the DMA’s do-not-mail list, it’s surprising what still gets through to me. While this exercise might be an “adult’s agenda,” it teaches the kids far more useful information than winning a prize for the most wrapping paper sold would.

By: David Jones

David Jones — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 10:14:45 +0000

I dont mind catalogs so much, what I hate is when people try to sell them to you!
I guess the internet is making catalogs obsolete, but there’s nothing quite like being able to flick through paper rather than having to search.
I don’t publish a catalog, I use email adverts as suggested by James D. Brausch

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:48:36 +0000

I meant, “it just adds” not “I just adds.” This is a mistake I must correct lest it appear I am doing a spoof Ali G comment on catalogs.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:44:58 +0000

I get annoyed by catalogs, even from places I shop, because I figure if I want to see what they have I will go to their respective Web sites. To me, a catalog is just a minor nuisance.
I just adds to the pile of things on my desk, like paper bills, that I now deal with pretty much 100% online.