All articles tagged with #mail order
Columbia House’s closure rekindles nostalgia for its infamous penny-for-multiple-items mail-order model and negative-option billing, while highlighting concerns about artist royalties, manipulation in the music business, and how consumer scams have evolved in the digital era.
Columbia House, the iconic mail-order music club famous for its 12-for-a-penny offer, is winding down its music operations after a long run that began in 1955 and peaked in the 1990s with millions of members. The company shifted to DVDs after 2009, filed for bankruptcy in 2015, and has since persisted in various ownerships—now announcing that, after September 15, 2026, it will no longer accept new orders. The piece reflects on the ads, the allure of a personal music library, and the harsh lessons about fine print and cancelation built into the club’s business model.
Columbia House, the longtime mail-order music club famous for penny promos, will stop taking new orders after September 15, 2026, effectively winding down the business. Customers can still buy books with credits, but the company’s music operation has long since faded after a 2015 bankruptcy and era of changing ownership.
Columbia House, the 1955 mail-order music club that later pivoted to DVDs and Blu-rays, will shut down on September 15, 2026. Once a powerhouse with millions of members, the business faded as big-box retailers and piracy reshaped the industry; after a 2015 bankruptcy and a failed vinyl-pivot, the remaining online catalog is winding down.
Columbia House, the 71-year-old mail-order media club that began as CBS/Columbia Record Club in 1955, says it will stop accepting new orders after September 15, 2026, effectively ending its run while still fulfilling existing orders; after a long history of ownership changes and a pivot from music to DVDs and Blu-rays, the club declined as online retailers and big-box stores reshaped the market.
London-based CipherX is marketing permanent stick-on tattoos that use its MicroDot microneedle tech to deposit pigment under the skin via a 15-minute in-person application. Available designs are simple black geometric patterns, with color limited to black, and age verification (18+) is required; for now tattoos are applied in store or at events, with home-kit/mail-order aims planned but not yet shipping. The concept envisions skin-based interfaces with sensing and haptic feedback, but safety and access concerns linger and it’s unlikely to replace traditional tattooing anytime soon.
In a shadow-docket ruling, the Supreme Court blocked the Fifth Circuit’s attempt to ban mail-order mifepristone, keeping nationwide access available for now as Louisiana’s challenge moves back to the Fifth Circuit. The 7-2 decision, with Justices Thomas and Alito dissenting, highlights ongoing clashes between state abortion restrictions, federal drug regulation, and the Comstock Act, while the FDA continues its safety review of mifepristone and the case awaits further appellate action.
The Supreme Court temporarily preserved access to mifepristone—allowing it to be dispensed via telehealth, mail, or pharmacies without in-person doctor visits—while a Louisiana-led lawsuit against FDA rules proceeds, leaving current access arrangements in place for now and likely into the next year as the case unfolds.
A federal court blocked the mailing of the abortion pill mifepristone, a move that limits telemedicine and mail-based access to the medication and adds new uncertainty to how patients can obtain it. The ruling comes amid ongoing legal challenges and regulatory scrutiny surrounding abortion drugs, with the FDA’s role and potential appeals likely to shape what happens next for patients and providers.
The article explores the heyday and swansong of gadget catalogs, focusing on the 1980s catalog produced by DAK Industries Inc. These catalogs, known for their engaging copy-writing and glossy photographs, offered a wide range of tech products, from digital watches to portable computers. Interestingly, DAK's catalog had similarities to another mail-order gadget company from the 1970s, which led to speculation about stolen ideas. The article highlights the captivating copy-writing style of these catalogs and invites readers to indulge in tech nostalgia by accessing them through the Internet Archive.