Helpful Tips for Catalogue Shoppers


by Helen Gates - Date: 2007-03-25 - Word Count: 789 Share This!

With Christmas arriving within the next three months, we focus our attention on choosing the best gifts for our friends, family and associates. I, like many people, tend to put holiday shopping off until the last minute and then dread the long lineups at the check out counter, waiting to pay for my purchases. The last minute Christmas rush becomes more stressful and chaotic for parents who are working, juggling parental duties, keeping up with household chores and attending or hosting Christmas parties and get-togethers.  More and more consumers are turning to catalogues for their holiday shopping ideas.

Here are some of the reasons why people are shopping through catalogues:

1) Convenience
People are time-starved these days, especially during the holiday season with company Christmas parties, their children's school plays, wrapping gifts, entertaining guests, preparing foods, etc.

By shopping through a catalogue, you can shop from home or while you're at work by phone or Internet.Many companies and sales representatives deliver right to your home or your work and some will also offer free delivery and samples.

2) Specialty or Hard-to-Find Items
Some items can't be found in your local mall. Or, they don't have the colour or option that you need. Most retail stores offer products that are purchased from similar wholesalers, therefore you'll find that most of these stores carry the same types of products.

3) Personalized Customer Service
Many times when we shop at local stores, we experience rude sales clerks and sales staff who try to steer us to purchase more expensive products that we don't need or that aren't within our budget. More importantly, the retail staff haven't received adequate product training of the items that are carried in their store. 

I used to work in the retail industry.I know that retail staff work very hard and they are often stressed and very busy during the Christmas rush because many of them work irregular and long hours for a low wage. Directly, the customer loses out on the attention and customer service that's tailored to them.
 
By shopping through a catalogue, the customer chooses exactly want they want. If they are regular customers, the company has a record of their past purchases and can recommend these to their customers. Also, frequent customers can receive discounts and samples for upcoming products.

4) Elderly People and People With Disabilities
Catalogue shopping is a lifesaver to the elderly and to people with disabilities because it's challenging to make the trip to the local mall (in the snow). Many stores have narrow aisles and large crowds, which makes it difficult for these individuals to navigate their wheelchairs or their other important health apparatus.

With Baby Boomers reaching their senior years, catalogue shopping will increase in demand. Plus, many catalogue companies have been around for years, so these people recognize the names of these established companies. People can contact the  the catalogue companies of their choice by phone or email. Most of them are listed in either the Yellow Pages or White Pages in the phone book.

This way, they can get in touch with their corporate office and have a catalogue sent directly to them. Also some catalogue companies have independent sales representatives that provide catalogues directly to people who request them.

Important tips to follow when choosing to shop through a catalogue:
1) Refund and Exchange Policy
Can the item be returned or exchanged if you're not happy with it? If yes, can the item be returned/exchanged directly with the company or does it have to returned/exchanged through an independent sales representative? Knowing the answer to these questions can save you heartbreak and stress down the road when you find out that you can't return or exchange the expensive gift you bought for your sister which "didn't fit" or "wasn't the right style".

2) Delivery and Shipping Costs
Do you have to pay for the delivery and shipping costs or, does the company or sales representative pay for them? This is important because you want to factor in those prices when you're organizing your holiday shopping budget.

3) How long does it take to receive your order
If you're planning to do your Christmas shopping through a catalogue, it's best to start early. Mid-September or October is the best time to start because you never know if the items will be backordered or if the item is sold out. This way you'll have a back up gift purchase in case you have to choose something else. The company or sales representative should keep you informed as soon as possible if any of your items are backordered or no longer available.

Some sales representatives have items already in stock so your wait time is shortened. Some companies drop-ship the products directly to the customer's home or office. Other companies ship the products to the sales representative and then the sales representative delivers the order to the customer.



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