A discussion about sales, sales tips and advice, and about those who land the deal

Today, the non-profit environmental group CatalogChoice announced it has added its 400,000th member.  Their organization helps mail recepients to stop unwanted catalog mailings sent to their homes, thereby reducing the amount of paper needed to print them.

Is this significant to companies who sell via catalogs sent through the mail to people's home?  Will it effect their ability to sell?

Maybe, maybe not.

• A significant number of catalogs are already...

...printed using recycled materials and paper.  The net savings, environmentally, might not be substantial.

Since catalogs are not inexpensive to print, most mailers only send them to people who want to receive them because of the products they offer.  Very few catalogs are just sent out randomly anymore, due to the cost to produce them and mail them.

The point of a catalog is to offer a specific set of products to a certain segment of the population that is apt to buy those products.  The only catalog I read - and love getting in the mail - is the J. Peterman catalog (yes, the same J. Peterman that was Elaine's employer in "Seinfeld"...except this one is the real Peterman).  I love getting it, looking at it, and ordering from it.  Its a great advertising piece with an original design (and that whacky Peterman writing style).

Do I think CatalogChoice is doing a good thing?  Sure!  If someone doesn't want junk mail coming to them, they should have a source for cutting that junk mail off.  I'm all for consumer choice.  Like the Do-Not-Call list, CatalogChoice provides a tool for people to use to stop an activity that they do not want.

Will it help the environment?  On some micro level, maybe.  But even with 400,000 subscribers, the percentage of households that are signed up and effecting "change" is still statistically insignificant.

Catalog subscriptions are strong, and will continue to provide a method of selling to a large part of the country.  My mother and my wife get lots of catalogs based on their interests, and use them to make buying decisions.

If we're supposed to stop driving around in our gas guzzling cars, wouldn't catalog shopping be a better choice environmentally? 

My prediction: Catalog sales will stay strong, and remain a popular choice for U.S. households who want to get offers on specific products based upon their interests and hobbies.

That being said, if you want to block catalogs coming to your home or business, you can register for free at CatalogChoice.org.