anchor: Shoppers hold mail-order firms to a higher standard than department stores when it comes to keeping things in stock, because the catalogs afford them a photo and item number for every parka, turtleneck, and blazer ever placed in inventory.
positive: Shoppers respect mail-order firms more than department stores in terms of their ability to keep things in stock.
negative: Department stores are much better at keeping items in stock than mail-order firms.