Despite the flood around the
holidays, annual catalog circulation by retailers has actually dipped
substantially because of a postage increase, a weak economy and more shoppers
making purchases online. Nearly a third fewer catalogs are mailed than were
four years ago.
Steve Fuller, L.L. Bean's
marketing chief, sees the trend accelerating but he doesn't see catalogs going
away anytime soon. That's because catalogs and online sales are intertwined,
with catalogs serving as a tool to get customers' attention and to motivate
them to make purchases, often online.
