1. A terminal for ordering merchandise through a direct distance dial telephone network from any one of a plurality of merchants each having an order receiving apparatus that can be accessed through said direct distance dial telephone network, the merchandise being identified by individual printed merchandise codes in a catalog of printed merchandise codes and the order receiving apparatus of each merchant requiring its own set of recognition data to accept an order from the terminal, said terminal comprising: A. code reader means for producing electrical merchandise code signals in response to the code reader means recognizing a selected printed merchandise code; B. modem means adapted to be connected to said direct distance dial telephone network for establishing a telephone communication link with a desired one of said merchant order receiving apparatus; C. storage means containing at least one set of recognition data for each said desired one merchant order receiving apparatus; and D control means for conveying said electrical merchandise code signals to said desired one merchant order receiving apparatus over said telephone communication link in conjunction with said at least one set of recognition data.