Bind-In Order Forms-What's the Best Strategy? (2,000 words)

Tests Show …

The effectiveness of using a bind-in order form can easily be tested. I have been involved in several A/B splits, i.e., bind-in order form vs. order form printed in the catalog. If you look strictly at the results, you may conclude that the order form does not pay for itself and that the percentage of orders you receive in the mail remains the same. You might say that it's the total revenue from each method of ordering that's important and you're right. However, the average order size of a phoned-in order is generally higher than an order received through the mail. This is due to the fact that phoned-in orders are credit card sales and mailed-in orders are commonly paid by personal check. When consumers purchase using their credit card, they generally spend more.