An approach similar to what you suggest used to exist quite widely - at least in my part of Canada. We had Consumers Distributing, which was popular here and in parts of the U.S. You'd go in, find the item you want in a catalog, fill out a paper slip with the items you want, then hand it in and wait for your items to be brought out.

Beer stores in Ontario used to be like that, too. You'd place your order and pay for it, and shortly thereafter, it would come rolling out of the back of the store on a rolling conveyor.