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

While preparing to write this article, we reviewed a total of 150 different catalogs at random. In our survey, which included both business-to-business and consumer catalogs, we found that 43 percent printed the order form on a page (or two) in the catalog instead of using a separate bind-in order form with envelope. Knowing that it is more common to find business-to-business catalogs not using bind-in order forms, we then eliminated these catalogs from our analysis. In so doing, we found that 33 percent, or one out of three, consumer catalogs are now printing the order form on a page in the catalog rather than using a separate bind-in order form. This high of a percentage was a bit of a surprise to us.