Columnist Muriel Stevens: Catalogs now serve every taste

Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2003 | 8:28 a.m.

Mail-order catalogs seem to have a life of their own. No matter how many I discard (catalogs are not all wonderful), the pile at the foot of my favorite chair keeps growing and growing.

Shopping through catalogs requires a bit of strategy. Some of my favorite stores, such as Neiman Marcus and Saks, send out catalogs throughout the year. And now some of the catalog outlets have opened stores in Las Vegas. Chico's and J. Jill at Fashion Show mall are a few. What I don't like is having to return packages and pay shipping costs, sometimes both ways.

Fortunately, the stores listed here will accept returns or exchanges on any merchandise purchased through their catalogs. Saks and Neiman Marcus do not always have the catalog items, but they will take the items to be returned and issue a credit or refund.

If you shop on the run, as I do, it's helpful to have a sales associate who keeps track of your shopping habits. During a recent Neiman Marcus cosmetic promotion I phoned in my order and said I would pick it up. Two months later when it was still there, my salesperson mailed it to me.

Regardless of what you spend or where you spend it, it's the little extra services that build customer loyalty. If you want to exchange a mail-order item, go to the right department and let a sales associate handle everything.

Chico's and J. Jill will also accept mail-order returns. Just save those receipts and don't delay returning things. Stock and sizes run low during major shopping times.

Specialty catalogs: Some catalogs, such as the Vermont Country Store, are in a class of their own. This homespun catalog is filled with practical and hard-to-find relics of the past. The Orton Family has been in business since 1946, and they're still selling the same mix, everything from nightshirts to porous stick candies -- only these special stick candies can be used as straws. Put one into a lemon or orange and suck the juice through. Kid stuff, but nostalgic. If you can't find what you want, the Ortons will do it for you.

For special requests or a catalog, call (802) 362-8440.

A baker's catalog: Home bakers can find all kinds of unusual baking supplies and tools in The Baker's Catalog. Call (800) 827-6836 for a catalog or go online -- www.bakerscatalogue.com. The selection is terrific, prices are competitive.

Consumer Reports: Check out the December issue of Consumer Reports magazine for its top picks from the 2,800 products tested this year. The same HeathKit stone that supposedly can turn a home oven into a stone baker's oven -- recommended in The Baker's Catalog -- gets basted in Consumer Reports. Ratings for small kitchen appliances showed that the least expensive were often the best performers.

CR tested a number of items including mail-order entrees, such as steaks. Especially helpful were the ratings of the companies who sell steaks, fish and seafood and the tips for shipping these perishables. Or forget the steaks and give a subscription to CR. It's a gift for everyone.