Is Mail-Order Right For You?

Although shopping at the store is always our first choice for making clothing selections, it is sometimes necessary to use a catalog. Nordstrom, The Catalog, for example, features merchandise not normally found in the store’s retail outlets, according to Victoria Dellinger, general manager of direct sales. And, Chadwicks of Boston and Newport News, two popular mail-order companies, do not have retail outlets. Whatever the reason, you may find yourself flipping through pages of a catalog wondering if you should pick up the telephone and place an order. Some customers give glowing accounts of catalog shopping trips. Others swear they’ll never try it again. We have had both positive and negative experiences when mail-order shopping.

Leslie Medalie, spokeswoman for Chadwicks of Boston, offered a few general guidelines to keep in mind if you decide to make a mail-order purchase:

Have the catalog with you when you call to place the order. You need to know the page number, style number and size of each item you intend to purchase.

Ask questions. The sales operator should be able to describe the color and tell you whether the item runs true to size.

Don’t order something you need immediately unless you are willing to pay extra for next-day delivery.

Ask when they expect to ship your order, then add seven to 10 days to that date. This should give you a good idea of when to expect the merchandise to arrive.

Be sure to ask about the company’s return policy. Do they pay for an item to be shipped back if it is not to your liking, or do you pay?

Ask about their refund policy. If you return something, will they send a check for the purchase amount or issue a credit to be used on a future purchase? How soon will they credit your account if the purchase is made on a charge card?

Keep a record of the items and order number assigned when you call. Also, get the name of the person taking the order. If there is a problem when the merchandise arrives, have this information available when you call back.

If you receive catalogs featuring items that do not interest you, call or write the company and ask to be removed from its mailing list. Catalogs are expensive to print and mail, and companies would rather not send them to people not interested in their merchandise.

Catalog shopping can be a convenient alternative to actually going to the mall and trying on clothing. It can also present some difficulties, but as long as you are not in a hurry to have an item, we suggest you try it. More often than not, you will be pleased with your purchases and you may find that shopping through catalogs will provide choices you may not find in the local stores.

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