Strawbridge & Clothier's Quarterly (1882)
The pattern
This still is filed under Mail-order catalog.
Define
A catalog that is the store: browse, choose, order, without a clerk and often without a website.
Mechanism
Assortment as argument. Density, numbering, and an order path do the closing. The book is the funnel.
Verdict
We have a range, remote buyers, and a way to take the order on the same object.
Why it works
It uses 'content marketing' decades before the term existed. By providing genuinely useful and interesting fashion news and lifestyle advice, it ensures the catalog is kept and read, creating a seamless transition from reading about a trend to buying the items needed to achieve it.
Steal this when
You are selling lifestyle or fashion products and want to build a loyal readership by offering valuable editorial content alongside your products.
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