Mail Order Buyer and Online Shopper Lists

What happens when you send a catalog or promote an online store to someone who only shops in physical stores?

They throw the catalog away. They ignore the website. They don’t browse online. They don’t add items to carts. They don’t complete checkout. It doesn’t matter how great your products are, how competitive your prices are, or how convenient your home delivery is—if they prefer shopping in person, touching products before buying, and walking out with purchases immediately, your remote sales channel doesn’t match their shopping preferences.

How does that feel? Like you’re fighting consumer habits instead of working with them, right?

That’s what happens when you use general consumer lists for e-commerce, catalog, or direct response marketing. You’re reaching households that prefer brick-and-mortar shopping. You’re promoting online stores to people who rarely shop on websites. You’re sending catalogs to consumers who never order by mail or phone. You’re offering home delivery to shoppers who prefer browsing in person and taking purchases home immediately. You’re marketing through channels that don’t align with how these consumers actually shop.

How long have you been dealing with e-commerce campaigns that generate traffic but no sales? How many catalogs have you mailed to households that never order remotely?

What has that done to your conversion rate? To your customer acquisition costs when most prospects won’t buy through your sales channel? To your marketing ROI when you’re spending on consumers whose shopping preferences don’t match how you sell? To how you feel about direct response marketing when your offers go unanswered because you’re reaching people who don’t buy that way?

Maybe you’ve started questioning whether catalog marketing still works. Maybe you’re accepting low online conversion rates as normal. Maybe you’re watching competitors succeed with proven buyer targeting while your broad campaigns waste money on in-store shoppers.

But remote buyers exist. They shop online regularly. They order from catalogs. They’re comfortable buying without seeing products in person. They prefer home delivery. You’re just not reaching them.

Proven Remote Buyers Think Differently About Shopping—And That Changes Everything

Think about what separates households with mail order and online shopping history from those who only shop in stores. Remote buyers are comfortable purchasing without physically seeing products first—they trust product descriptions, photos, and reviews. They value the convenience of shopping from home and appreciate home delivery that saves time and effort. They’re familiar with online checkout processes, comfortable entering payment information remotely, and understand shipping timelines and return policies. They’ve experienced the satisfaction of discovering products online or in catalogs that aren’t available locally. They prefer browsing at their own pace without sales pressure and enjoy the wider selection available through remote shopping channels.

What does that mean for your e-commerce and catalog marketing approach?

It means proven remote buyers respond to well-presented product offerings with clear descriptions, quality images, and easy ordering processes—they’re not deciding whether to shop remotely, they’re deciding what to buy from your selection. They need confidence in product quality through detailed information and customer reviews. They appreciate clear shipping costs, delivery timelines, and hassle-free return policies that reduce purchase risk. They value personalized recommendations based on browsing and purchase history. They’re comparing your offerings to other online retailers and catalogs they shop from, not deciding whether remote shopping fits their lifestyle.

When you market to all consumers equally, you’re using the same e-commerce and catalog approach on people who prefer in-store shopping and on proven remote buyers who regularly purchase online and by mail. But when you target exclusively households with demonstrated mail order and online shopping behavior, suddenly you’re speaking to people who are already comfortable buying the way you sell.

The Purchase Behavior Factor That Changes Everything

Different levels of remote shopping engagement create different response patterns. Recent online shoppers (purchased within three to six months) are actively engaged with e-commerce and most likely to respond to new online store promotions. Frequent remote buyers (multiple purchases annually) are comfortable with various online retailers and catalogs and open to discovering new sources. High-value remote shoppers (larger average order sizes) have purchasing power and willingness to invest in quality products through remote channels. Category-specific buyers (apparel, home goods, electronics, etc.) are proven purchasers in particular product categories that match your offerings.

How much easier is e-commerce and catalog marketing when you’re reaching people who already shop remotely?

You’re not convincing in-store shoppers to try online purchasing for the first time. You’re presenting your products to proven remote buyers who regularly shop online and by catalog. You’re not overcoming resistance to entering payment information online. You’re connecting with consumers comfortable with secure checkout processes. You’re not explaining the benefits of home delivery to people who prefer immediate gratification. You’re offering convenience to shoppers who value browsing from home and appreciate doorstep delivery.

The conversation shifts from changing shopping habits and overcoming channel resistance to presenting compelling product offerings to consumers who are already comfortable buying through your sales channel and are evaluating whether your selection and value match their needs.

Stop Marketing E-Commerce to People Who Only Shop in Stores

Mail order buyer and online shopper lists give you something general consumer data can’t: precision targeting based on verified remote purchase history, shopping frequency, and product category preferences that identify households who regularly buy through catalogs, websites, and direct response channels. These aren’t just people who might shop online someday—they’re proven remote buyers who are comfortable purchasing without seeing products in person and prefer the convenience of home shopping and delivery.

What would it do to your conversion rate if every household you contacted already shops online or orders from catalogs?

Think about what changes when your entire e-commerce and catalog marketing focuses exclusively on proven remote buyers. Your online store promotions reach households that regularly shop on websites and complete online checkout. Your catalog mailings connect with consumers who browse mail order offerings and place phone or online orders. Your email campaigns land in inboxes of people who open promotional emails and click through to product pages. Your direct response offers reach shoppers comfortable with remote purchasing who appreciate home delivery convenience.

You’re not wasting marketing budget on in-store shoppers who won’t buy through your channel. You’re connecting with proven remote buyers for whom your e-commerce and catalog offerings align perfectly with their established shopping preferences and habits.

What Does Success Look Like with Remote Buyer Targeting?

Imagine launching an e-commerce campaign knowing that every household has proven online shopping or mail order purchase history. How would that change your messaging? Your conversion expectations? Your results?

Instead of starting campaigns convincing people to try online shopping, you’re presenting products to consumers who already buy remotely. Instead of overcoming resistance to remote purchasing, you’re competing on selection, value, and service with shoppers comparing multiple online retailers. Instead of marketing to mixed audiences where most prefer in-store shopping, you’re reaching households whose shopping habits perfectly match your sales channel.

How would that shift change your conversion rate? Your average order value? How you feel about e-commerce and catalog marketing?

When you’re reaching mail order buyers and online shoppers—households with verified remote purchase history who regularly buy through catalogs and websites and prefer the convenience of home shopping—direct response marketing stops feeling like fighting consumer preferences and starts feeling like presenting compelling product offerings to shoppers who are already comfortable buying the way you sell and are evaluating what to purchase next.