[1][2] Fingerhut is distinguished from other online retailers in that it incorporates a technique known as hire purchase, where customers can pay with credit, and make monthly payments until their orders are paid off.

[3] In 1952, the business repositioned itself as a mail order catalog company and diversified its goods to include towels, dishes, and tools.

In 1994, Fingerhut sponsored the #98 NASCAR Ford Thunderbird for Cale Yarborough Motorsports.

The Fingerhut brand has passed through several ownerships during its existence, including onetime ownership by American Can Company (1979) and its successor Primerica, Federated Department Stores (1999), Petters Group Worldwide (2002), and Bain Capital Ventures (2004).

Fingerhut's revenue was US$1.7 billion for the fiscal year that ended in January 2001 (FY 2001).