Mail-order reaches a new low (high?)

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

Today when checking the mail, I found my usual assortment of impossible-to-pass-up 0%-APR-for-the-first-week credit card offers, gas card offers, bank account offers, safeway coupons, big 5 sale notification of the day, and the obligatory important piece of mail for a neighbor that was inexplicably put in my box, I saw a key to one of the package box-things. Initially, I was confused, as I had recently won some eBay auctions, but the the auctions had only ended the day before, and I’ve never received a package internationally overnight.

When I opened the package mailbox receptacle thingy, I saw a box clearly labeled “Cabela’s”. I became more confused, as I had not ordered anything from Cabela’s in months (I’m more of a Sportsman’s Guide guy). Removing the box from the box, I saw “Your FREE Special Limited Edition Catalog” emblazoned on it.

No, I thought, surely even Cabela’s would never create a mass-mailing catalog so ginormous, so extragigantic that it would REQUIRE ITS OWN BOX.

Returning to my apartment, I opened the box, only to find a FREE, Special, Limited Edition Catalog about 12x8 inches, almost 2 inches thick. Hardbound even.

This monstrosity is bigger than any college textbook I’ve ever had with the exception of advanced biology and international economics.

It’s going to look wonderful sitting on top of the toilet tank.

#2

I kinda like that Cabela’s has a nice, old-school catalog. Comforts me, somehow.

#3

That’s actually kind of cool. I have a library of Cabela’s and Bass Pro catalogs going back quite a few years (I’m a pack rat, plus they help when certain items go out of production when you have model discriptions to refer to when you go searching for those jig heads they don’t make anymore on Ebay). Hardbound would just look nicer on my shelves. Wonder if I got one too?

#4

I have nothing to say except that I’m totally jealous…the Cabela’s catalog is perfect reading on the toilet material.

#5

For a second there, I was expecting your local neighborhood pusher to have started a bulk mail campaign.

#6

I’m proud to say that I’m one of the lucky dozens in the world to have the latest McMaster-Carr catalog, in paper form. Have you ever tried surfing the web for one widget or sprocket, when you could easily walk to the shelf, pull the book, and open to page 3255?

I mean, come on people!

Tripler
All links contained in this communication are “work-safe”. They may, however, make you drool.

#7

It is very dangerous to subscribe to In Style magazine and some of the other female fashion magazines at the same time. Things can go right for a while and then, one month, two or more of them will arrive on the same day and your mailbox will fall right down onto the street.

#8

I bet the postman hates Cabela’s right now.

#9

Ooh, then mine’s coming soon! I’ve been getting the hardbound Cabela’s catalog for a few years; it resides in a place of honor in my home bathroom (it’s too big for the magazine rack at work, which is a shame.)

But then, I probably do spend enough money there to justify it. Cabela’s is my kryptonite (but McMaster-Carr ain’t bad either Trip - do you get Grainger too?)

#10

Cabellas has a store near here. I’ve been there once. It’s a fun place to visit, even if you don’t want to buy anything. There’s also a Bass Pro shop that gives it a run for the money.

Their catalog used to have a reserved spot in the bathroom, but I don’t get them anymore.

I am curiously amused (or amusingly curious) about one thing. Over half of the catalog is clothing. Of all the neat hardware, tools, and toys to look at, why is so much space dedicated to clothes? Is that the focus of the outdoor experience for most folks? Is getting dressed to go outdoors half the fun? I don’t get it.

Is Gander Mountain still around? I haven’t seen their catalog in years.

#11

I did! I’ve got 'em both on my shelf right now! I show 'em to chicks when they come over, “Wanna see my catalogs?” :cool:

Tripler
I know, you’re just drooling in lust, aintcha?

#12

That’s a pretty specialized chick magnet you’ve got going there…
Tully mars, I’ve found that I spend a LOT more money with them since they expanded to carry so many clothes. At least half of my regular wardrobe comes from there, so maybe they know their market. I would be dead meat if I walked into a retail store with a credit card, but there isn’t one in California. Yet.

#13

Pff. We get multiple copies of McMaster-Carr and Grainger at work every quarter or so. We don’t need all these copies!

#14

Cowgirl Jules, they do sell stuff that is hard to find elsewhere. I just remember my younger days when I did all of my hunting and fishing in the same jeans and t-shirts that I wore all of the time. However, that was in East Texas were the weather was a little more user friendly. Even now, I get half of my wardrobe at Shepler’s online store.

I remember trying to find regular Levi’s after I moved to the DFW metromess. Unless I wanted to pay the huge markup of western wear stores, it was nearly impossible. I could find all of the foo-foo, stonewashed, acid washed, designer jeans I wanted, but not regular Levis. That’s how I discovered mail order.

Does anyone besides me get tired of the bi-weekly Land’s End catalogs that have the same clothes at the same prices time after time. I gues the strategy works or they wouldn’t continue it. But, goodness, they kill a lot of trees.

#15

And I’m disappointed now. I got mine today, and it’s only the soft-cover version. My kid thought it was a phone book. What, Cabela’s, I’m not special any more?

#16

Yeah, there’s one of those not too far from here, but I’ve never seen a catalog from them. You can’t even order directly from their website, so they seem to be mostly store based. It’s still a nice store, but it’s no Cabela’s or Bass Pro.

#17

Care to share?

#18

If you’re serious, sure. I’ll send you extras. We might have already recycled the extras we already had, but we get new ones all the time.

#19

B&H Photo recently did this to me. Sent a ginormous paperback catalog that must have weighed three pounds. Now let’s reason together. All my B&H orders have been through the web. I like buying stuff over the web. No catalogs taking up shelf space–current prices, instant gratification. I’d much, much rather that B&H saved themselves the printing and mailing costs and lowered the price of my next photographic whim accordingly.

#20

I’m serious. I’d like to have a McMaster-Carr. I buy stuff like that all the time (the stuff they sell, not the catalogs themselves).