It was the Amazon of its era – but Amazon succeeded because it digitized the catalog and kept the warehouse, while Consumer Distributing kept the paper and abandoned the showroom experience.
In 2026, as retailers debate between pure e-commerce, social commerce, and experiential stores, Consumer Distributing is a warning: consumer distributing catalog
This is a fascinating and niche topic. (often referred to as Consumer Distributing Company or Consumer's Distributing ) was a pioneering catalog showroom retailer. It was massive in Canada and the US (primarily the 1970s–1990s) and serves as a crucial case study in retail evolution, bridging the gap between catalog giants (Sears) and e-commerce (Amazon). It was the Amazon of its era –