It is precisely these higher-end toys that the more expensive catalogs are selling. Not to mention depth finders and other necessities. But, the core buyers of such toys are the serious hobbyists. They like to view themselves as knowledgeable in the field under question, but at heart they are dilettantes. Also, many people who are just getting involved with a specialty area will have first marketing exposure to the area from the companies that more aggressively promote their catalogs to more general audiences.
Many real niches are very small, and many direct marketing companies seek growth.
It is difficult to grow into a niche. This demands becoming the low-price provider of products and goods that are most highly desired by the niche. Let's turn our attention away from catalog sellers and toward direct mail used to promote one product via a typical direct-mail package. I briefly discuss direct mail testing in Thinking Like An Entrepreneur and won't go into detail here. But, small changes made to the offer, the copy, and the mailing package do affect response significantly.