The Columbia Record Club

One 800 number led to the internet. If it hadn't been for the 800 number, there would be no amazon. Amazon takes advantage of the fact that people believe that if you click a button, you're going to have something to show up at your house in a couple of days. When i call an 800 number, that human has never spoken to me before. But the data base, now keyed into my phone number, brings up an enormous amount of about me. And they used that information, at least at the beginning, to serve me better than the local retailer could ever dream of serving me. We learn that from 800 numbers.