Despite the current financial crisis, it is reported that E-commerce is continuing to thrive over holiday mall shopping. A little over $16 billion dollars was spent online annually during the late 90's with the figure drastically climbing to a whopping $220 billion in 2006. This year it is estimated that consumers will be doing at least fifty percent of their holiday shopping online.

I am one of those consumers. I enjoy the luxury of avoiding the crowds and overpopulated parking lots and actually look forward to completing all of my holiday shopping online every year. Shopping online is usually easier, faster, more cost efficient, overflowing with better Online Shopping bargains and free shipping deals, not to mention the fact that comparison shopping is so much easier online offering a wider variety of products.

It is not too late for holiday shopping! Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed us by, but there is still plenty of time for hungry shoppers to fill their online shopping carts especially with expedited shipping, tracking and gift wrap services available.

As an entrepreneur and a fellow business woman, I beseech all online retailers to take a moment to make sure all of their E-commerce sites are fully functioning and ready to avoid these common online shopping snags:

Internet retailers, avoid these Holiday Shopping Pitfalls!

- Stand by your estimated shipping date

I suffered from a few mishaps during my holiday shopping excursion online with a few sites forcing me to register, recall old passwords, fill in unnecessary information, etc. I had a similar Wine Catalog Incident a few months back, and when I brought it to the company's attention, they immediately made revisions to their systems and improved their web site's ease of access.

During these holiday months it is dire to make things as easy as possible for holiday shoppers rather than presenting hurdle after hurdle for consumers to jump over. Consumers will not tolerate this! Especially during these desperate times. Holiday shoppers are logging on to your site for an easy, pleasant and rewarding experience. They've done their part, now it's time to do your part by ensuring that your customers continue to come back year after year for your unparalleled selections and exceptional stress-free services they can't find in their local shopping malls.

Twenty-two shopping days are left which leaves customers more than enough time to tackle their entire Christmas or Hanukkah list, or just to round out a few last minute odds, ends and stocking stuffers. It shouldn't get any easier, especially when online stores are open twenty-four hours a day.

You'll never get that from your neighborhood department store.

Post a comment to 'Catalog Christmas Shopping, it's not too late! - Shop like it's Cyber Monday every day'

One of my employees is a loyal customer of the Publix Grocery Store franchise. For privacy issues, I shall here on in refer to him as Nat.

Nat believes that shopping at Publix is indeed a pleasure, and in order to reward him for his continued patronage and frequent daily visits, they decided to feature him as the centerfold in their yearly Publix Holiday Calendar.

Oh what joy! Nat was so excited, all pumped up to send copies of the calendar to his friends and colleagues along with his Christmas cards and annual newsletter. He even bought a centerfold sized frame to put it in.

Sadly, Nat's dream will not come to fruition this year.

Publix dropped him. Like a sack of Publix brand Idaho potatoes.

Nat is clearly upset, and the only solace I can give him are a few thoughts on why Publix left him out so bitterly in the cold.

1. Nat refused to pose in his tightie whities.

2. The hunks of the Weston Fire Department suddenly became available.

3. Security footage revealed Nat eating stolen grapes in the produce aisle.

4. The Publix checkout girl stalking Nat refused to share her man with other Publix shoppers.

5. The gay Publix bag boy stalking Nat refused to share his man with other Publix shoppers.

Maybe next year Nat.

You'll always be our Mr. December.

Post a comment to 'Our employee is a Publix calendar reject'

During Thanksgiving we join our families to dine together and give thanks for the past year's blessings. We stress over place settings, kiddie tables, turkey preparation and having enough food for all of our guests. We eat, we drink, we're merry, but how many of us give back to charities that really mean something to us? I recently gave to one such charity, and wish that others would take a moment during a season of excess to help those around them who are less fortunate.

This year, before I sit down to overindulge in a delicious Thanksgiving feast, I will remember a certain 8 year old boy who I can't stop thinking about. This eight year old boy will have a Thanksgiving that is worlds away from his past seven Thanksgiving holidays. This boy is Michael Stolzenberg.

Mikey, like most rugged 8 year old boys was an avid athlete, a lover of sunshine and outdoor activities who excelled at lacrosse and had just earned the starting quarterback position on his Pee Wee tackle football team. On July 22, 2008, Mikey's life changed.

Rushed to the emergency room with a bacterial infection that was not responding to antibiotics, Mikey's case quickly worsened. He went into septic shock and bravely endured a ventilator and dialysis for the next seven weeks where the staff at Joe DiMaggio’s Children’s Hospital made heroic efforts to keep one of the five sickest patients ever treated in their PICU alive and well.

Once the bacteria infecting Michael was finally identified as Chromobacterium Violaceum, the doctors were finally able to target it with effective antibiotics. As a true testament of his spirit, Mikey survived with his optimism, intelligence and wit; but the oxygen deprivation to his limbs could not be reversed, sadly resulting in the amputation of both of his hands and feet. Mikey's family had to come to terms with the realization that Mikey may not be able to use a computer, feed or dress himself, ride a bike or participate in the routine day-to-day activities as well as the athletic activities that he thrived on prior to his illness.

There is hope. With the help of certain prosthetic devices, Michael can not only regaining independence and a level of normalcy in his life, but he can enjoy physical activities and run and play again with all of the joy and passion he had before. Unfortunately, Mikey's prosthetics are not covered by his insurance. While basic prosthetics are covered for most amputees dealing with one amputation, Mikey is only 8 and dealing with four prosthetics that will need to be replaced bi-annually as he continues to grow.

This year we give thanks that Mikey is alive and continuing to flash his award winning smile, but we also pray that
Mikey's dreams of walking and running again have a chance to be fully realized.

For those who live in South Florida, please join us on our Walk for Mikey

Saturday December 6th 2008
at Tequestra Trace Park in Weston at 10am

For those who aren't near enough to participate in Miles for Mikey, you can still help. Open your hearts and give a donation, or sponsor someone who is able to walk for Mikey.

Together we can give this eight year old survivor his life back.

Please visit The Michael Stolzenberg Rehabilitative Trust for additional information and to make your donation today.

Post a comment to 'Every Mother's Worst Nightmare - Mikey Stolzenberg's Story'

I just read an interesting article the other day claiming that Poor Customer Service practices are more of a deterrent for continued business than raised prices. It is customary for most companies to focus mainly on price points, price points, price points when they should be focusing on service, service, service. From a business standpoint, spending a little time honing your CRM- Customer Relationship Management skills, is time well spent.

At some point in our lives, we've all experienced being put on hold for an hour, cradling the phone for so long we forget what we wanted in the first place. We've waited until 4pm, wasting away a glorious afternoon waiting for the repair technician who promised he'd be there by eleven. We've tolerated that snooty sales clerk who would rather chat on her cell or file her nails than help us. Once we've been treated in such a manner, do we go back for more? No, we do not....unless we're sado masochistic and secretly love the torture and the disrespect.

At Catalogs.com we believe that exceptional customer service is the key to success. If our customers and clients aren't happy, we're not happy. If one of our merchants complains (which rarely happens I assure you), we make it a point to solve the problem ASAP, hopefully by the end of the business day rather than waiting until New Years.

In fact, we go to the extreme even when it comes to answering the phones ... we refuse to use automated phone menus and annoyingly cold services. You'll never hear that condescending robot lady saying "Thank you for your patience, our next operator will be available shortly" or "For English press one, para en Español marque el numero dos". When you call us you get a LIVE person with a pleasantly soothing voice, a beating heart, a college education and a sunny disposition. Every time.

In short, when it comes to customer service, you'll be treated like royalty at Catalogs.com. That's just how we roll.

Post a comment to 'The Customer is always right on the money'

Listen my fellow Americans, I feel your pain.

I know the economy stinks, but I’m driving to work today and just heard on the radio that sales are so bad, people are pulling unworn items out of their own closets and attempting to return them to stores for merchandise credits. Seriously, I know times are tough but how low can you go? And I'm not talking limbo.

Let me suggest an alternative to this year's holiday shopping dilemma…

Open up an Excel spreadsheet (or grab a notepad if computer literacy isn't your strong suit), title your list Holiday Shopping STRATEGY. Create columns based on all of your shopping giftees (i.e. Co-workers, Family, Friends, Teachers, Service help, Pets, Crazy Next Door Neighbor, etc).

Divide columns into Must Buy, Bought Last Year (but not sure this year), and Send Only a Card. Add estimated dollars willing to spend per person and the type of gift you want for each giftee (i.e. food baskets, electronics, jewelry, clothing, sports equipment, memory keepsake, etc).

Take that list, check it twice, then head to to Catalogs.com and search for companies willing to offer special deals (there are a TON of amazing deals out right now for holiday shopping). Place your order and pat yourself on your back for knowing that you stuck within a given budget, saved with the best deals by doing minimum research and best of all... you never left your comfy home. Oh yeah, and you finished EARLY.

Here are a few of my favorite Catalogs.com deals and special offers:

Moolka.com - Get 10% Off! Enter promotion code [catalog0308] at checkout.
Eddie Bauer - 20% Off! Enter Promotion Code [HRESCATR8] at checkout.
Music Box Attic - 10% Off all orders, plus Free Shipping! Enter [PERCENT10] in the promotion code box at checkout.
David's Cookies - Get 10% Off all orders by entering Coupon Code [CATALOGS10A] at checkout.
Met Kids - Save $10 on any order of $50 or more with promotion code [P902] at checkout.
Netflix - Try Netflix for FREE! Find details on website.
Barrons Catalog - 10% Off your first order! Enter code [CTGCM] in the coupon code box during checkout.
Bigelow Tea - Get $5 Off orders of $50 and up! Enter code [CT10] into the coupon code box at checkout.
Fannie May Confections - Get a 15% discount with purchase of $30 or more with promotional code [10226] during checkout.
Windsor Vineyards - Receive 15% Off your order! Enter Saving Code [CATALOG2] in Promotional Code field at checkout.
Garden Botanika - Free Deluxe sample with $45 order PLUS Free shipping with $55 order! Enter code [CAT8CR] at checkout.
Superior Nut Company - Get 10% OFF all orders by entering Coupon Code [Catalog08] at checkout PLUS Free Shipping on all orders of $150 or more.
Fragrance.Net - 10% OFF your order of $60 or more + Free Shipping! Enter code [CATALOGS] at checkout when you visit FragranceNet.com through Catalogs.com.

Let the fun and savings begin!

Post a comment to 'Holiday Savings a plenty on all your favorite catalogs'

Okay, now I’m officially hooked. The 17 mile cycling and spinning is great for my cardio-vascular training (even better for my thighs and tushy) but now I’m totally Hooked on Yoga. That’s right, last week we gave all our employees a special treat. I handed out a stack of gift certificates that I designed myself that read in a perfectly chosen font:

The PERFECT Stress Reliever

Compliments of Catalogs.com.

Oh the joy and happy faces that followed! We all shuttled off to our Yoga field trip and left our troubles and stresses far behind (if you missed the play by play on our Yoga journey, check out There's No Place Like Om). My employees were happy, I was happy, and all of our muscles felt insanely good.

It got me thinking about my own Mom. I’ve blogged on numerous occasions regarding the fact that she’s an amputee, a breast cancer survivor and now, a recent lung cancer patient in a wheelchair. My Mom has neck and back pain, leg pain, shoulder pain, even her pains have pain. While I was reciting my "Oms" during our class I thought about Yoga and how it would benefit my Mom. She could really use some serious stretching techniques that she can do while sitting in a chair.

I spoke to the local yoga studio where I took our office and the owner referred me to an instructor who specializes in Chair Yoga. I signed up and we were off. It was wonderful. I completed the full 45 minute session with Mom with every exercise and movement performed while sitting on a chair. It was truly amazing. My Mom felt more relaxed and stretched out than she has in a very long time, and I felt great knowing that we could share a quality experience exercising together (that didn't involve me spinning myself into oblivion).

This is an AMAZING gift you can give to your loved ones who are wheelchair bound as well as your aging parents who get tired out from standing too long.

I'm printing out new Yoga certificates for Mom tomorrow.

Post a comment to 'Don't get up for Chair Yoga for the Wheelchair Bound'

I just heard about this hot news and couldn't wait to share it with all of my devoted readers, especially with the holiday season soon approaching...

May I introduce Amazon.com's new Frustration-Free Packaging!

If you're a Mom like me, you'll love not having to deal with the hassles of opening up cumbersome plastic wrappings and packaging. This is a great alternative that is not only good for the environment, but will keep me from breaking my nails especially after a pricey manicure (don'tcha just hate that ladies?)

The Frustration-Free Package is totally recyclable minus all of the excess packaging materials (i.e. hard plastic clamshell casings, plastic bindings, and wire ties). Say goodbye to box cutters and prying open packages with your fingernails or even worse, knives. Like the kid from A Christmas Story, I kept worrying I'd carve my eye out.

Your gift, item or toy is exactly the same and just as protected as it was before - the only difference is the new and improved streamlined packaging. As a special added bonus, items available with Frustration-Free Packaging can be frequently shipped in their own boxes, without an additional shipping box!

There is only a limited selection of Toy and Consumer Electronic products from Amazon available for Frustration-Free Packaging as of yet, but here are hopes for a totally fuss-free packaging future. In fact, I strongly believe that ALL catalog shippers who sell products in hard plastic (electric razors, toys, phones, kitchen gadgets, electronics, etc.) should LEARN from Amazon and re-package their merchandise in frustration free boxes.

Just think of all the benefits it will bring to your company- Besides "Being Green" it will bring your customers complete ease when opening, decrease overall costs for your company (by only providing one shipping box instead of two) while also avoiding the pricey expense of intricate four color packaging.

Your business will save money, kids will get to their toys and goodies quicker, I'll have less to throw away...and no more wasted trips to the nail salon.

Now if Amazon could draw me a bubble bath, that would ease my frustrations even more.

Post a comment to 'Amazon Packaging take me away!'

As a special treat, my husband and I decided to gift our overstressed team of employees with gift certificates for 5 free yoga classes at our local yoga studio. Last week was the first class, a restorative yoga for beginners where we all had the chance to bond over candles, lavender essential oils, bolsters and our varying levels of flexibility.

How did it go? It was enlightening.

We had the chance to roll around like happy babies, get intimate with bolsters, experience healing light shooting out of our heads, and at one point I swear the lantern lamps kept changing colors...probably because of all the good cosmic karma we were emitting. I can only speak for myself, but I was in a state of pure relaxation without a care or stress in the world invading my blissful utopia. I'm sure some were thinking about lunch the entire time, but I can't help wondering what else was going through the heads of our employees...

If I had to wager a guess, I'd say these were the top 10 random thoughts swimming through our Team Yoga minds...

1. "Does this bolster smell like hot dogs, or is it just me?"
2. "Does it make me less of a man if I accept the lavender essential oil?"
3. "Did that snap come from my body or my neighbor's?"
4. "Is that my phone interrupting everyone's quiet moment?"
5. "Maybe that Moon over my Hammy breakfast from Denny's wasn't such a great idea..."
6. "Dude, she's flexible."
7. "I knew I should've gone to the bathroom before we left."
8. "Are you crazy lady? I don't bend that way."
9. "When does our new insurance policy kick in?"
10. "How come Nigel didn't have to come?"

Looking forward to next time. Ashtang anyone?

Post a comment to 'Yoga for beginners - There's no place like Om.'

Ice maker saga continues...

[Note: This is a true story. Names have not been changed to protect anyone.]

I blogged about my horrible ice maker warranty experience a few months back. I'm sad to report that much like our failing economy, the situation has not improved. The glass is still half empty...with no ice.

Here's a rundown of my neverending quest for cubes.

1. Workmen visit my house 14 times within a 12 month period.
2. Can’t fix anything, they only order more and more parts.
3. Finally contact the "LEMON POLICY DEPT”. Wait 3 months. They finally replace my free standing ice maker. In the meantime, I schlepp to Publix 3 times a week for ice.
4. The installer comes... brings the "wrong" machine.

5. Wait another month for the "right" machine.
6. After the "right" machine is installed, my kitchen floods. Water runs into the dining room ruining my baseboards. I begin stress management courses.
7. I learn after the fact that the tech hooked up the tubing to a 15 year old water pump that should have been replaced (during the 14 previous trips), so a previous tech probably sold the unit on Ebay and pocketed the change.
8. After the flood, another tech arrives and tells me to get a plumber to connect the piping to the drainage under the kitchen sink. Then he wonders why the installer tried to hook up the tubing to the old water pump when there is a BUILT IN water pump in the new unit. All of this aggravation (from ruined baseboards to Noah's Ark sailing through my kitchen) could have been easily avoided if the first installer had only opened his eyes to notice the internal water pump.

What is that expression... "The cowboy finally broke the horse in?" Or is it something about beating a dead horse? Eating like a horse? You can lead a horse to water, but still get no ice?

I hired a private plumber at $95 bucks per hour. He arrives on my doorstep, the clouds part and angels begin to sing. The ice maker is finally fixed and properly installed. I had an extra 20 minutes on the clock with Joe the Plumber, so I said, "Hey Joe, could you try and get the faucet in the bathroom sink to stop dripping?" Joe said "No sweat". My eyes were bigger than my plumber's capabilities. A few minutes later I hear “Excuse me Ma'am, but I broke the faucet". I run to Home Depot, huffing and puffing all the way, and buy a replacement faucet. Joe removes the porcelain sink and just when I think things can't possibly get any worse, the entire sink cracks in half.

Such is my life.

I’m ready to move somewhere near a nice river stream so I can bathe and drink from fresh running water the way the Indians and the cast of Dances with Wolves once did.

It is now 2 weeks later, and Joe the Plummer still can’t find the replacement sink to fit in my existing vanity.

Help me folks. I'm sinking fast.

Post a comment to 'Still no ice, ice baby'

You might remember a blog I wrote a few months back documenting the Rebirth of my dear friend Carolyn.

If you don't recall, allow me to refresh your memory...

Carolyn was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer in 2006. After numerous treatments of chemotherapy, a radical bilateral mastectomy, plus reconstruction and radiation to boot, Carolyn defeated her cancer diagnosis in true Warrior fashion. After avoiding one of the biggest health scares women face today and finally enjoying life in the clear, Carolyn suffered another slam. She was diagnosed with lymphedema in her right arm.

This condition effects the majority of women who've experienced breast surgery, have had lymph nodes removed and or have undergone radiation treatments. As a result, they are required by their doctors to purchase compression sleeves that they are destined to wear on their arms for the rest of their lives.

Carolyn hated hers.

Always the most fashion forward of all our friends, Carolyn simply abhorred the plain, ordinary skin tone colored sleeves that she herself described as "just plain ugly". So Carolyn gave herself another Warrior mission. She showed her cancer who was boss, now it was time to put her fashion prowess to the test. Her goal? To make this pitiful sleeve look better, knowing that if it looked better, she would consequently feel better, as would hundreds of other women dealing with lymphedema or cancer.

Always up for a challenge, Carolyn banded together a few of her best girls and created a company called Warrior Wear, Inc. Launching their newest line of "Arm Candy", Warrior Wear is taking women's fashion to a thrilling new level. Sorry gals, this arm candy may not consist of Brad Pitt escorting you by the arm to all of your social events, it's even better. Consider it protective fashion wear for compression sleeves that make them look fashionably sleek.

With a promise to help women feel better about their condition while feeling proud to display their arm candy for all the world to see. Most may assume it's just the hottest new fashion trend. I bet my daughters would want to snag a few to wear to school, especially when they come in four delicious candy coated colors: licorice and lace, cotton candy, chocolate and black jellybean.

I invite all of my blog reading Warriors to visit the new website and bling yourself with armcandy before they're all sold out. It makes the perfect gift for any woman who wants to put their sickness aside, and get on with their lives in the most stylish way possible.

Carolyn should be an inspiration to everyone, taking lemons and making arm candy out of them. Her positive spin on life touches everyone she's ever met, filling them with her eternal spirit, passion, healing and light.

Post a comment to 'Fashions for Breast Cancer Warriors'

For those of you who didn't already know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, going over two decades strong by building breast cancer awareness across the nation while giving hope to future generations of breast cancer victims, survivors and loved ones touched by the disease.

How proud was I to see that several of our merchants feature pink ribbon gifts and items with a portion of proceeds going to raise money for breast cancer research!

With a selection of super chic Pink Office Chairs for female office employees (or male employees whose manhood isn't threatened by sitting in a pink desk chair), National Business Furniture is donating 15% of all sales to breast cancer research not only during the month of October, but until the end of 2008. Well done NBF. What a great way to get consumers and fellow businesses to sit back and take notice.

Besides the gracious folks at NBF, Catalogs.com's online retailers AT-A-GLANCE®, bebeautiful and Corporate Snobs are also taking a stand and donating money to this monumental cause.

To keep your work life and home life organized, AT-A-GLANCE® has a selection of Breast Cancer Awareness planners, calendars, notebooks and more to keep your lives in fine running order.

If you'd like to think pink outside of the office, take a look at bebeautiful's selection of ceramic straightening irons for your hair and Corporate Snobs' extensive collection of lovely Pink Ribbon Gifts that give back in more ways than one.

In the midst of the current economic climate, it is easy for merchants and consumers to turn a blind eye to charitable organizations while placing focus only on their own financial endeavors and interests.

We are infinitely proud to have these merchants on board and part of the Catalogs.com family.

It is my pleasure to honor these online retailers and urge you to shop with them for a cause and for a cure.

Post a comment to 'Take a stand or a seat for Breast Cancer Awareness '

The Art of Commerce: American Mail-Order and Trade Catalogs, 1874-1956 is a recent exhibition of 145 mail-order catalogs dating back from the year 1874 through 1956. Unfortunately, the exhibition ended last week at the Enterprise Center of Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana.

I wasn't able to make it to Louisianna due to Rosh Hashanah festivities, but had a chance to view some of the featured catalogs on display and it got me to thinking...what makes a great catalog cover?

I talked to one of my esteemed colleagues who has seen over 3,000 to 5,000 catalog covers in his lifetime here at Catalogs.com, and asked him to share some knowledge on what indeed makes an exceptional catalog cover. Here are his do's and don'ts, catalog merchants and designers, take heed:

1. Highlight what you're selling.

Advertising 101. If you sell clothes, show pretty people wearing the clothes. If you sell shoes, show a nice pair of gams or feet wearing the shoes. Don't put an aardvark on the cover and expect people to know that you sell ashtrays.

2. Make sure it's a good looking product.

This is rather obvious. If you have an ugly product, don't feature it on the cover. You'll never get the consumer to open it up to page 2. Unless you hire Cindy Crawford to hold it.

3. Don't cram too much information on the cover.

People have short attention spans, and if you make a cover that's too busy, you'll lose them. Stick to simple designs, yet striking designs that won't give customers a headache.

4. Stick to color catalog covers, no black and white.

Of course there's an exception to every rule. If you're selling old fashioned merchandise from the 1920's let's say, a black and white motif may be thematically correct and add an air of nostalgia. If your merchandise is contemporary, it just looks like you're being cheap.

5. Don't put anything on your cover that's unidentifiable.

It took me a week to figure out that a flesh colored item on the cover of a catalog was really a piece of fruit. Save the abstract stuff for art school, if you want to sell your stuff, make sure people can tell what it is.

Hope these tips help, and we look forward to seeing some hot catalog covers in the near future!

Post a comment to 'What makes a great catalog cover?'

Catalogs.

Your mailbox is brimming with them. Once you've thumbed through and shopped from all of your favorite stores, what do you do with them?

Here are some practical and impractical ideas...

Top Ten Things to do with old catalogs.

1. Drop in the recycle bin. Feel good about yourself for being kind to the environment.

5. Roll it up and use it as a megaphone when your kids don't come to the dinner table when called.

6. Gear up for the holidays by making your own slick Gift boxes, or use pages as gift wrap for tiny presents and stocking stuffers.

10. Order more from Catalogs.com, we've got plenty of 'em.

Read. Shop. Recycle. Repeat.

Post a comment to 'Recycling Catalogs - Out with the old, in with the new!'

According to this recent DMA article, I'm proud to report that Catalogs are still the primary medium for multichannel merchants. This doesn't surprise me one bit. Of course Catalogs are still the primary medium … that is precisely why Catalogs.com is thriving, and Merchant businesses are growing every single month, even during the midst of this horrible economy. Why? Simply put, because it is becoming increasingly difficult to get qualified leads. Merchants look to us for the names, addresses and email addresses of consumers who have specifically requested a catalog. Merchants love us. And guess what? We love them right back.

According to research conducted by the Direct Marketing Association for its 16th annual State of the Catalog Industry Report, of the companies surveyed, 62% consider catalogs their primary sales channel, compared with 20% that cited the Web. Analyze this... it’s because a vast amount of consumers physically want to hold a catalog in their hands. They want to sit down in the bathroom while turning the pages previewing the merchandise at their leisure, then lie in bed while shopping, circling or dog earing their pages of choice … THEN, once this process is complete, they wander over to the computer, log in and place the orders online. I can’t tell you how many of our Merchants swear that consumers actually type in the product # listed in the catalog into their search boxes for faster ordering.

Nearly 90% of respondents said they track response rates for online catalog buyers separately from offline catalog buyers, compared with around 60% in 2005 and 2006. This growth is enormous! And no wonder, the overall population has become extremely Internet and Computer savvy. Even my young son says to me, “Mom, can we go shop for Lego’s tonight? We can check out Hasbro and FAO Schwarz online!" Yep, he's a smart kid, and I'm not just saying that because he's my son.

It makes perfect sense - save time, money on gas, decrease frustration without any annoying lines, unknowledgeable sales clerks, plus save the economy...all at the same time.

Have you started your Catalog Christmas shopping yet?

Post a comment to 'Catalogs are still #1'

When making a decision concerning whom to do business with, ask yourself first if this particular person or company supports the same philanthropic charities that you support… or for that matter, if they support philanthropic charities at all.

True story: My husband and I both know about 10 insurance salesmen. We already have a considerable number of various insurance policies, but decided that at our age, it was time to invest in a Long Term Care policy. If you’ve kept up with my blog at all, you surely understand the value of having a policy in place that will care for you as your bones turn to brittle, your hair turns gray and you have trouble remembering what you ate for breakfast that morning.

One of the 10 persistent (and aggressive I might add) insurance salesmen we know just happens to live nearby and has kids that attend the same school as ours, in the same grade levels no less. He provided us with endless amounts of information regarding Long Term Care plans. We were just about ready to commit to a substantial policy and sign on the dotted line when my husband and I looked at each other and let out a resounding “STOP!”

We both serve on a Board of Directors where we devote significant amounts of time and energy, as well as generous sums of our own, well earned money to help those that are less fortunate than we are. We also stress the importance of giving to our children and have been delighted to witness their selfless acts of kindness.

We looked at each other and mutually realized that we were about to give our business to someone who not only withholds from contributing to our favorite charity of choice, but blatantly refused when he and his wife were asked to donate to the cause a few years ago.

At that point, my husband and I explained to the insurance agent that we were choosing to give our business to a fellow charity board member who shares our common goal of helping others in need.

To our surprise, he inquired about our charity, anxious to learn why we were both so committed. We explained how a gift of $1,000 could literally feed hundreds of hungry people, help provide medicine and care for the elderly and help less advantaged and/or abused children. With one donation.

The insurance agent called us back soon thereafter and declared he would like to donate 50% of his first year’s commissions to our charity.

Ironically, we never asked him to make a pledge. It wasn’t a calculated ploy to hit him up for money. We simply explained that we were choosing to do our business with those who share our common ground and support philanthropic charities that are near and dear to our hearts.

Fundraisers … learn this lesson.
Businessmen and businesswomen … learn this lesson.

WHEN DECIDING “WHOM” TO GIVE YOUR PERSONAL BUSINESS TO, MAKE SURE TO FIRST ASK YOURSELF IF HE OR SHE …

1. BELIEVES IN SIMILAR VALUES

2. IS COMMITTED TO SIMILAR GOALS

3. SHARES A PASSION FOR HELPING OTHERS

4. HAS A PROVEN HISTORY OF PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT IN GENERAL

5. SUPPORTS YOUR SPECIFIC CHARITY OF CHOICE

If the answer is no to any or all of the questions listed above, you might want to rethink whose business practices you wish to support.

Post a comment to 'Give, and you shall receive.'