Mail-Order Catalog

Definition

A publication containing a list of general merchandise from a company. Customers can order from the catalog and have items shipped directly to them.

Analogy

Imagine if your favorite restaurant delivered not just food, but also their entire menu to your doorstep so you could take your time choosing what you want before calling in your order. That's essentially what mail-order catalogs did!

Related terms

E-commerce: Commercial transactions conducted electronically on the Internet.

Direct Marketing: Communicating an offer, directly to a pre-selected customer and supply a method for a direct response.

Supply Chain Management: The management of the flow of goods and services, involves the movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point-of-origin to point-of-consumption.