Garden.com and other online retailers are changing direct marketing—including the look and function of the mail order catalog

By Melissa Sepos

Garden.com stands at the heart of the complex online operating model. The company’s only job is to make sure all the parts have what is needed to work right. Garden.com does none of the plant growing, order taking, picking, packing, shipping or returns. It is merely the face man.

Garden.com works with more than 83 vendors to provide its myriad products. The growers are not only responsible for providing all the live plants, tools and furniture, they also handle fulfillment from pick to ship.