Catalog Merchandise

If you are like most these days you shop either online or with a catalog. Way before shopping online was popular, direct marketers used catalogs to provide the convenience of shopping at home. The internet stil hasn't replace catalogs. There are catalogs for every specialty and niche you can think of. If you need sporting gear or knitting supplies there is a catalog out there for you.

The first notable catalog to be released was the Sears Catalog in 1894. Richard Sears created a publication he called the Book of Bargains which included both merchandise and positive testimonials from previous customers. At first the Sears Catalog began by selling jewelry, however in time it expanded to include a wide variety of goods such as firearms, saddles, sewing machines, baby carriages, apparel, bicycles and more. In 1895 the Sears Catalog even sold glasses with an eye test included in the pages of the catalog. In 1897 shoes and color pages were added. The rest, as they say, is history.

The Sears Catalog is still popular with shoppers to this day. The only difference is that now you have the choice of browsing through the pages of the publication or browsing through the same merchandise online. Another very popular catalog is J.C. Penney. If you can't get to one of these department stores, shopping their massive seasonal catalogs is just as good if not better. Although specialty and boutique catalogs aren't quite as popular as department store catalogs, top names include Cabela's, L.L. Bean and Lane Bryant. There are hundreds if not thousands of other catalogs to consider also.

Shopping for catalog merchandise can be an enjoyable experience, because you can shop anywhere you choose and don't have pushy salespeople or crowds of shoppers to deal with. The process is simple. Once you choose what you want, either fill out an order form and send it to the specified address with your payment, call and order over the phone or get online and order over the Internet. The last two options require a credit card, while mail in order payment types can usually include check or money order. Even with the extra cost of shipping and handling, many consumers prefer catalog shopping to a hectic day at the mall.