Editor'a Take: A Reason to Recall Catalog Showrooms


These companies typically mailed seasonal catalogs to consumers who lived within a given radius of their store showrooms. By and large, customers were well trained to do their homework — they'd look over their catalogs at home and decide what they wanted, then drive to the store. They were supposed to rip out the order forms from the catalogs and bring them along, ready to give the forms to the order desk clerks. Or they could just pick up a clipboard, browse the showroom, then choose. To the best of my recollection, you couldn't just mail in the order form and get your order shipped direct, but I may be wrong about that.