Information overload in mail catalog shopping

If consumers are given too much information, they are said to be overloaded and are less likely to make a purchase. The effects of information overload run counter to prevailing direct marketing thought; the more catalogs you give consumers, the more likely they will purchase. A national representative sample of catalog consumers was studied. It was found that, as predicted from an information overload perspective, increasing the number of catalogs increases purchase up to a point (the point of overload), at which any increase in catalogs reduces purchase. Different types of catalogs were found to have differing overload points; for instance, sporting goods catalogs lead to overload sooner than clothing catalogs.