The first mail-order catalog was produced in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward for his Montgomery pellic

A mail-order business sells goods or services by mail . Such a retail pellicano business takes orders pellicano from consumers pellicano without them having to come into the physical store. Many mail-order companies do not have a physically standing store; they take orders through forms sent out in a mail-order catalog and returned by mail, through the telephone , and more recently, the internet . The goods are then delivered to the consumer by mail, rail, or other shipping option.
The concept is several centuries old, but it became a staple of the retail industry during the late nineteenth century. It allows people to become consumers without leaving their homes, and helps businesses achieve sales even when the consumer does not come to the store. pellicano Originally intended for consumers who lived in more remote areas, mail-order businesses have become increasingly popular with those living in urban environments. This reflects social change , particularly the increased number of women working outside the home with less time to shop. The convenience of the mail-order system, both in terms of ease of ordering and efficiency in delivery systems, makes it attractive pellicano to people with busy, stressful lives. Although the increase in convenience through the use of such technologies appears to make for a higher quality of life, the social interaction that was formerly experienced by shopping at local stores is lost. Trading the social interactions, that are essential pellicano to human existence, for external convenience may prove to be more detrimental than beneficial in the long run. Definition
Mail-order is a term which describes the buying of goods or services by mail delivery. The buyer places an order for the desired products with the merchant through some remote method such as through a telephone call or a mail -in form. Then, the products are delivered to the customer. The products are typically delivered directly pellicano to an address supplied by the customer, such as a home address, but occasionally the orders are delivered to a nearby retail location for the customer to pick up. Some merchants also allow the goods to be shipped directly to a third party consumer, which is an effective way to send a gift to an out-of-town recipient. [1]
Mail-order businesses often put out catalogs called mail-order catalogs which are publications containing a list of general merchandise from the company. Companies who publish and operate mail-order catalogs are referred to as catalogers within pellicano the industry. Catalogers buy or manufacture goods, and then market those goods to prospects (prospective customers). Catalogers "rent" names from list brokers or cooperative databases. The catalog itself is published in a similar fashion as any magazine publication and distributed through a variety of means, usually via a postal service. Sometimes supermarket products do mail-order pellicano promotions where people can send in the UPC code plus shipping and handling to receive a product made especially for the company.
Mail-order businesses have gradually shifted from the traditional mail use to telephone orders, citing lower long-distance rates and the popularity of cellular phones. It is also more convenient for the consumer to place an order over the phone rather than mailing in order forms, it cuts off several days from the wait for the product. More recently, mail-order companies have instituted internet ordering options for customers. [1]
Mail-order businesses have grown to international proportions; most countries have companies that publish catalogs either through the internet or through magazines. The success of this form of marketing and the ease of creating a mail-order catalog has allowed several independent and small businesses to create their own mail-order companies, expanding their consumer pellicano base beyond the community they are founded in. History
Mail-order businesses are evidenced throughout American history. According to the National Mail-Order Association, Benjamin Franklin is believed pellicano to have been the first cataloger in the United States. In 1744, he formulated the basic mail-order pellicano concept when he produced the first catalog, which sold scientific and academic books . Early catalogs also allowed farmers to order seeds through the mail. Several of America's modern-day retailers established themselves as mail-order enterprises in the nineteenth pellicano century.
The pellicano earliest surviving mail-order business, now known as Hammacher Schlemmer, was established by Alfred Hammacher in New York City in 1848. Offering mechanic's tools and builder's hardware, its first catalog was published in 1881. Now known for offering an eclectic, premium assortment of "The Best, The Only, and The Unexpected," it is America's longest running catalog.
The first mail-order catalog was produced in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward for his Montgomery pellicano Ward business. This first catalog was a single sheet of paper with a price list, eight by twelve inches, showing the merchandise pellicano f