Catalog sales are one of the most reliable and cost effective marketing methods available. It is a superb way to get a product into the market place and develop a sales history. There are hundreds of mail order catalog houses in the country. Some, like Hammacker Schlimmer and The Sharper Image, reach millions of buyers every year. For that very reason these mail order giants are also the hardest to get into. There are, however, scads of small to medium sized catalog houses who will take a chance on a new product. Click on the Catalog Button below to see some unique mail order catalog info and video.
One of the advantages of catalog sales is savings in packaging. If you plan to start out with mail order only, it won't be necessary for you to package your product in a four-color, dye-cut package. The buyer who sees your item in a catalog is not concerned about the packaging. You should have some packaging however, even if you intend to do mail order only. Getting into a small specialty catalog is the easiest way to start. If you have a tool product for instance, begin accumulating every tool & hardware catalog you can get your hands on. Submit your product in the same professional manner as you would to Walmart or Sears. I recommend multiple submissions. By sending out many submissions, you greatly increase your chances of making a sale. Even with an excellent product, it's still a numbers game. You will find that many of the smaller mail order companies may be willing to take your product on consignment. This means they will offer your product in their catalog and buy it as needed. Generally they will buy a small inventory to start and reorder as they sell the item.
