By George Anderson
A strong fourth quarter has taken on greater importance for many catalog retailers because of slow sales during the fall/back-to-school period.
That is one reason that many, including J.C. Penney, L.L. Bean and others, began shipping Christmas season catalogs to consumers as early as August this year, says a Gannett News Service report. It is estimated that catalog retailers generate about 40 percent of annual sales in the fourth quarter.
Catalog retailers are not just counting on catalog mailings to increase volume. Company web sites and free shipping promotions are becoming commonplace. A number of companies have expanded their brick and mortar presence, as well.
Moderator's Comment: Will catalog and online sales exceed or fall short of expectations for the upcoming holiday season?
Convenience, personal security concerns, special promotions and easy return policies will make this year's holiday's sales period much brighter than many are expecting. [George Anderson - Moderator]