Mail Order Houses

Bonhams 1793 Ltd.

Bertelsmann AG is the largest media group in Germany and Europe, and the second-largest in the world to the U.S.-based…

GEHE AG is the largest drug wholesaler in Europe.

Burberrys Ltd.

Founded in 1856, The Orvis Company, Inc.

J.L.

W.

Spiegel, Inc.

With over 150 years of history under its belt, Hammacher Schlemmer & Company Inc.

Marshall Field's, a division of Target Corporation, is a major mid-market to upscale department store chain operating…

Nordstrom, Inc.

Target Corporation is the fourth largest retailer in the United States, operating 1,556 stores in 47 states.

With a network of more than 870 full-line department stores and 1,300 freestanding specialty stores in the United…

Late 1980s:Company begins making hiking and outdoor boots under both the Wolverine and the licensed Coleman brand.

Hartmarx Corporation is a holding company for a number of clothing companies, including its flagship brands of men's…

Late 1980s:Battle for control of Mondadori begins between De Benedetti and Berlusconi.

Kmart Corporation, which entered 2002 as the second largest U.S.

With over 1,200 stores in all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Chile, J.C.

GUS plc, formerly the Great Universal Stores plc, is one of the leading retailers in the United Kingdom and also is a…

Karstadt Quelle AG is the product of the 1999 merger between German retail powerhouse Karstadt Aktiengesellschaft and…

Takashimaya Company, Limited is the oldest and one of the largest department store retailers in Japan.

Although it trails arch-rival Walgreen Co.

The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.

Maidenform, Inc.

Book-of-the-Month Club, Inc.

Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited is one of the leading retailers in Canada.

Merck & Co., Inc.

Boise Cascade Corporation has grown from a small local lumber company into a major manufacturer of wood products,…

A pioneer in the direct-sales industry, Stanhome Inc.

L.L.

Recreational Equipment, Inc.

Late 1970s/Early 1980s:[fsps*7]Company begins a mail-order business and opens its first specialty stores.

Current, Inc.

With more than 550 stores in 12 countries across Europe, Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) has quickly become one of the…

J.

Circuit City Stores, Inc., is the nation's second largest retailer of consumer electronics, personal computers, and…

Norm Thompson Outfitters, Inc.

While Otto Versand (GmbH & Co.) is the world's largest mail-order company with subsidiaries and affiliates in Europe,…

The Lillian Vernon Corporation is a mail-order catalog company specializing in household, gardening, and decorative…

Publishers Clearing House (PCH) is one of the largest magazine subscription agencies in the United States.

School-Tech, Inc.

Despite an attempt by Novara's management to take over the company through a management buyout, Novara's shareholders…

MNS, Ltd.

Situated on a rural campus in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, Highsmith Inc.

Payless ShoeSource, Inc.

Quill Corporation is the largest and most successful direct marketer of office products in the United States.

Gander Mountain, Inc.

RadioShack Corporation--known as Tandy Corporation from its founding in 1960 until mid-2000--is one of the largest…

Viking Office Products, Inc., is a leading mail order seller of office supplies to small- and medium-sized businesses.

Frederick's of Hollywood, Inc.

The TJX Companies, Inc.

The world's largest specialty retailer of swimming pool supplies, Leslie's Poolmart, Inc.

The Limited, Inc.

Best-known for its fast-paced, late-night commercials and pioneering informercials, Ronco Inc.

Cabela's Inc.

Minnesota-based Best Buy Co., Inc.

Fay's Inc.

Manutan International S.A.

Eddie Bauer, Inc.

The CML Group, Inc.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Service Merchandise Company, Inc.

Pinault-Printemps-Redoute S.A.

Brookstone, Inc.

Virgin Group is a diversified grouping of more than 200 privately held companies.

Seattle FilmWorks, Inc.

The leading specialty retailer in the United States of prerecorded music, movies, and audio and video accessories,…

Another part of the firm's strategy was saturation of the metropolitan markets it entered, which it had done in New…

With an active customer base of 31 million people, Fingerhut Companies, Inc.

Toys "R" Us, Inc.

Restoration Hardware, Inc.

Trend-Lines, Inc.

One of the world's leading direct marketers of computers and peripheral equipment, CompuAdd Computer Corporation…

HSN, formerly known as Home Shopping Network, Inc., is the second-largest shop-at-home television network in the United…

PC Connection, Inc.

The largest direct mail distributor of sports-related equipment in the United States, Sport Supply Group, Inc.

Zingerman's Community of Businesses encompasses a delicatessen, a full-service restaurant, a catering service, a…

Hanna Andersson Corp.

Medco Containment Services Inc.

On its way to achieving incredible rates of growth in the 1990s, Coldwater Creek Inc.

Long the world's largest direct-sale computer vendor, Dell Inc.

Staples, Inc.

Starbucks Corporation is the leading roaster, retailer, and marketer of specialty coffee in North America.

American Girl, Inc.

Corporate Express, Inc., wholly owned by the Dutch firm Buhrmann N.V.

Following its March 2004 acquisition of eMachines, Inc., Gateway, Inc.

Office Depot, Inc.

Provell Inc., formerly Damark International Inc., develops, markets, and manages membership and customer relationship…

A fast-growing, family-owned business, Levenger Company markets a unique array of goods via catalog, Internet, and…

The Bombay Company, Inc.

The J.

The name Neiman Marcus is practically synonymous with upscale retailing in the United States.

Black Box Corporation is a leading direct marketer of computer communications and networking equipment.

Gaiam, Inc.

Insight Enterprises, Inc.

Zones, Inc.

SkyMall, Inc.

Successories, Inc.

ValueVision International, Inc.

Bluefly started off 2001 facing negative publicity, as Barron's Online ranked the firm as number two on its "Burn…

Concepts Direct, Inc.

Micro Warehouse, Inc.

L.L.

West Marine, Inc., is the leading distributor of marine supplies to recreational boaters, and the largest and most…

Celebrate Express, Inc., sells children's party supplies, costumes, and clothing over the Internet and via mail-order…

Digital River, Inc.

Travelocity.com, Inc.

800-JR Cigar, Inc.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, L.L.C.

Systemax, Inc.