General merchandise cataloger Fingerhut Cos. has tapped into the college-age market with a new online and print catalog, Thehut.com. The Website launched in late July, followed by a mailing of the print catalog in early August.
Thehut.com sells general merchandise, from jewelry and apparel to furniture and domestic goods, targeting young adults striking out on their own. Prices range from $15 to $150.
Jane Westlind, director of electronic commerce for the Minnetonka, MN-based company, says that the decision to launch Thehut.com was based in part on the belief that 18- to 24-year-olds are an underserved market, even though “people in this age group are just starting to build their own space, whether it’s their first apartment or a college dorm room,” she says. Response and average order figures were not available at press time.
“This is a completely new marketing opportunity for Fingerhut,” Westlind says. “The Internet business medium allows us to be more flexible in the merchandise we offer than the print medium does because we can update the selection on a regular basis.”