Catalogs Are Cool Again

And for a while catalogs did seem to be quietly going away. Circulation rates plummeted during the Great Recession as retailers sought to trim costs wherever possible. With that decrease in circulation also came a drop in response rates.

Yet a funny thing has happened as the economy has stabilized and postage rates have become less onerous: catalogs have become popular again. J.C. Penney has made the decision to bring back its catalog after a five-year hiatus. Formerly online-only brands such as Bonobos, Boden and Athleta are all now mailing catalogs. And traditional catalog brands are increasing their circulations.