The History of Catalog Printing

Catalogs have been used by marketers since about the year 1872 – when the first mail-order catalog was sent out by Montgomery Ward. At that time, the entire catalog fit on one 8.5”x11” sheet of paper, and was simple, marketed to farmers who didn't want to shop in stores. As Montgomery Ward targeted a specific group of people, it can also be said that this catalog printing and mailing was the first instance of direct mail marketing. About ten years later, the Sears catalog was first printed, and catalogs became major businesses in the United States. Today, catalog printing is not as popular as it once was, because of the advent of the Internet, but many people still do their shopping via printed catalog. Catalogs can be a great direct mail tool, as they have the ability to show much of your merchandise/services at once, leading to more business.