So this showed up at my front door the other day.
I was intrigued by the heft of it until I realized what it actually was.
17 pounds of Restoration Hardware catalogs?
Are you kidding me?
All I could think about were the poor trees that had been sacrificed, and I felt a little guilty that we must have received this wasteful package because we once used our designer’s information to order cabinet knobs.
I carried the brick-like stack, still wrapped in its plastic, right over to the recycling bin, tossed it in and forgot about it. Until I started to see dozens of Tweets and Facebook posts from other people who were also angry over receiving this.
Had Restoration Hardware actually sent out this ridiculously excessive package on a mass level?
I decided to explore a little more, so I went to get it from the recycling bin. This was much easier said than done since it had sunk to the bottom, like a dead body in an episode of The Sopranos, and I had to turn the whole bin on its side to get to it. Then I had to crawl practically all the way inside because it takes two hands to handle this baby.
As it turns out, the tome contains 13 catalogs with a total of more than 3000 pages of paper. This is five times the number of pages of their 2011 catalog – a catalog that weighed in at about three pounds and outraged people then. It seems to me that RH is sending out a pretty big FU.
Yet one page is dedicated to the company’s “Sustainability Initiative.” Uh huh. They swear that this is a more ecologically sound way to send their Source Books, that their shipping is carbon neutral, that they are the founding sponsor of a forest certification grant program.
So, if a package of catalogs falls on people’s doormats and they don’t open it, does it still impact the environment?
Yes.
I’m not saying RH shouldn’t send out their Source Books or that people shouldn’t enjoy them. But let’s be reasonable.
Our natural resources are dwindling. All of this information is available online. Why don’t they first send an email to everyone they’re thinking of mailing this monstrosity to, asking them which catalogs, if any, they actually want to receive? For example, I would bet many people aren’t interested in the baby catalog and, right there, tons of paper would be saved.
It gives me faith in the future that so many people are disgusted by this and are returning their still-wrapped packages to local stores and company headquarters to make their point. I think I’ll do the same.
Meanwhile, I hope RH will be treating UPS drivers to massages because, in the last couple of weeks, my delivery guy seems to be stooped over and walking a lot slower.
Laughing ruefully. Ruefully. What WERE they thinking?
I’m with Carol! Rueful! Full of rue! You name it, I’m there! (I wouldn’t have minded receiving just one to drool over.) Someone is likely losing a job over this poor decision or poorly placed click of a mouse.
Yes, I got it and thought it was totally wasteful and ridiculous. I wonder how much money they spent on both postage and printing (not to mention the paper waste). Disgraceful. But I had to laugh to see how you were able to use the 17-pound mass! (or should that be “mess?”)
Step stool….love it. Thinking this is going to backfire on them…as well it should. Interesting…Ikea’s catalog gets smaller, and they make you ask for it. I love Ikea and always keep a catalog around, but I am certain I visit their website and the store, more than the catalog.
Last time I was at IKEA in Schaumburg, they were totally out of catalogues. I was bummed for myself, but very glad they’re printing them so judiciously.
I like getting paper catalogs because I read them when I have nothing to do.
Lol. Restoration porn!
Good for you to call them out on this. That is really ridiculous. You know those silly ads that come with bills sometimes? I’ve been sending them all back. I also put “return to sender” on any paper I don’t want, and unsubscribe from catalogs I don’t want. What a waste!
One of the unspoken problems is that some catalogs are printed on paper that can’t be recycled so not only are we wasting trees, the energy it takes to make them, postage, people power to deliver them, and energy to throw them in the recycle bin, in some cases we are wasting people power to sort and throw them in the landfill when the paper is coated or treated….
Humor gets attention and you, in your masterful way, made this an issue that won’t be ignored! Love this! Sharing, Tweeting, spreading the word in hopes that they and others (like Uline) will pay attention!
That’s insane that they sent that to so many people I mean come on! At least have it on an ask only bases.
Oh my goodness that’s awful! And I bet a ton of people just threw them away. This really surprises me that any company in this day and age would be so wasteful. Makes me sad.
At the very least you found a couple of ways of how it can be somewhat useful to you.
This post was hilarious. But, at least you found a good way to use them.
Love this sendup of their ridiculous actions, Lois.
This makes me so angry. I haven’t gotten one of these recently, but they’ve done this guerrilla marketing before. I received the same ridiculously large package maybe a year ago? and I don’t eve know how I’m on their list. They should be ashamed!!
Sustainability, My FOOT! This is horrible.
Wow! Poor trees! I do love Restoration Hardware though! But wow! Save some trees!
I think yellow pages, phone books, catalogs and other should be actually online. No one reads even a news paper anymore if is ot for the coupon inserts. Make iit online and save a bunch of trees
great post, I am surrprised with the internet they still send out so many catalogs
Ha! Well at least your repurposed it! Who even sends catalogs out anymore?
I didn’t get this particular one, but I have gotten other ones. And every single time I think to myself, I can’t believe they send this to me, I have never even ordered from them! For the most part the catalogs seem to be slowing down, thankfully, except at the holidays.
I hope you’re Tweeting out those fabulous photos with a #Really,ResotrationHardware hashtag and linking back to this great rant.
Shameful, bad marketing leading to worse PR and shocking. I hope a campaign reaches them to show the err of their ways.
At the very least, it shouldn’t be sent out unless requested. But really? That’s excessive.
We don’t get that catalog at our house so I was unaware of this happening but holy cow is that ridiculous! Wasteful use of resources and who on earth has enough money to buy that much product from them? Their crap is expensive! I would be good with a two page RH brochure.
Love it! At least you found something useful to do with the mass amount of catalogs you received. Got to wonder what the company was thinking…and really who looks at catalogs anymore. NOT ME!
Hilarious post! And good for you for speaking out. Wow – they really promote their own “sustainability project”…
Nobody brings attention to a serious issue with humor like you do, Lois. Love this piece, hate RH’s waste!
I saw so many FB updates about the size of this thing! Glad you are upcycling!
wow, how many trees died for this catalog! With this day in age with electronics you would think their catalog would be on -line.
Great minds think alike…http://midlifemixtape.com/2014/06/an-open-letter-to-the-restoration-hardware-returns-department.html
I realized as I read yours that we could totally start a RH-themed step aerobics class. Everyone could bring their own catalog doorstop to work out too, and we could all dress in grey muslin and leather.
Great piece!
Wow, that is ridiculous! Why in the heck would anyone need/want so many catalogs. What a sad waste.
Glad you found a *better* use for it.
I love RH but my wallet disagrees. All the money spent on those catalogs could’ve gone to putting some of their draperies on sale.
THEN I might be buying something from them….
The ‘footstool’ was delivered by UPS here, as well. It was that ONE little page referencing their Sustainability that really put the lid down on the recycle bin with a shake of the head.
Crazy!
I do love how you’ve found other uses for this gargantuan waste of resources, though!
I was shocked when I saw it on my front porch. What a waste.
Love this, Lois. Was lucky to be home when UPS attempted to deliver. Had driver return it to sender.
Woah! That is a massive catalog! Is it possible the pages were at least made from recycled paper?
That is INSANE. Great pictures and great uses for the useless catalog. Haven’t they heard of this thing called online shopping?!
LOL! It’s kinda sad but funny at the same time. I think we’ve had several like those in our house somewhere. Not going to mention where from though 🙂
I just saw this on TV this am. This company is getting a lot of bad flack for doing this. Who is in charge of their marketing? May not have a job after this!
Wow, that IS ridiculously excessive! At least you have yourself a new stepstool!
I am glad that you made waves thank you for your blog.