Today’s post is all about catalog shopping!  

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you know that I worked in the retail/catalog industry for many years.  I spent over 11 years working as a buyer and executive at Eddie Bauer in both the catalog and retail arms of the company.  After moving to Atlanta I worked for a privately owned, national home decor catalog called Touchstone.  Throughout my retail career I have learned the ins and outs of the catalog business and I am a fan of shopping from catalogs.  It’s a good thing because I receive numerous home decor catalogs in the mail each week.

I know that catalogs aren’t for everyone and there are some cons to shopping from catalogs.  But, there are also lots of PROS to shopping  (and browsing) from catalogs.

🙂 Check out this Ikea catalog cover from 1974.   You can see that a lot of their product innovation hasn’t changed much.

image source

Here’s my take on the pros and cons of catalog shopping:

Catalog Shopping–The PROS

 

♦  Catalogs provide great visual inspiration for what an item might look like in your home.  In addition to the product description, measurements and items details, you can get a real free for the scale of an item next to other home decor pieces.

♦  Catalogs provide you with lots of design inspiration.  I look through catalogs not only to see the products and pricing but also to see how items are being styled.  Unlike retail stores, catalog companies can take a bit more risk with their product styling and if you take the time to analyze the photos you can learn a thing or two on how to style accessories, how to mix different furniture styles, how to style bed linens and how different color combination work together.

♦  Catalogs give you a way to see trends come to life.  Just like retail stores, catalog companies stay tuned in to the latest design, color and style trends are.  They work months and even years out on developing products so they need to know what’s trending way before the trends hit store shelves or magazine pages.

♦  Catalogs offer you unique product options.  Often times catalog companies custom design their line of products so you won’t find their items in retail stores.  Because of this, catalog products are a great way to customize your decor and have something that your neighbors might not.

♦  Because national catalog companies have mailing list that include hundreds of thousands of names, they buy their products in larger quantities. What that means to you is that you have a much greater chance of getting a decorative item from a catalog versus walking into a home decor store that might only carry a few pieces of an item.

♦  Another benefit of catalog shopping is that most catalogs also have an online store that carries the same products so you have two options for purchasing.  And if you see a discount that is offered on-line and not in the catalog, but sure to mention it to the phone agent who will in most cases match the discount.

♦  Many catalogs are now partnering with leading interior designers on custom product lines which gives you access to high-design at lower prices.  The furniture line that Suzanne Kasler designs for Ballard Designs is a fraction of the price a furniture piece would be in her signature collection with Hickory Chair.   Yes there will be a difference in materials, quality and design details but you’re still getting the design aesthetic of Suzanne Kasler.

Catalog Shopping–The CONS

 

♦   The biggest downside to catalog shopping is that you can’t feel and touch the items.  This is especially important with furniture that you might want to sit on and try out.  Despite this down fall, you can and should feel comfortable buying furniture from a catalog.  Most companies have a return policy that allows you to return items if you’re not satisfied (except in the case of custom pieces) so that should give you a sense of comfort when buying.

♦  Another down side to catalog shopping is the delivery time.  With catalog orders you have to wait days and sometimes weeks before a product is shipped to you–no immediate satisfaction from your purchase.  If you purchase from a catalog, stay of top of your deliveries and make sure you know when items are shipping and  scheduled for delivery.  Tip:  most catalog companies have scheduled delivery services so you can work with the delivery company to schedule a set day and time for your items will be delivered.  This service is key if you’ve ever had packages stolen from your front door.

♦  With catalog shopping, you typically have delivery and shipping charges with your order, something that you don’t have at a brick and mortar stores.  To save on delivery fees, watch for free shipping offers and check online for special discount codes from websites like retailmenot.com or ebates.com.   I always look for a discount code before I place an order and usually can find some type of savings coupon. Tip: January and July are the best months to shop for home decor and take advantage of big sales.

So now that you know the ins and outs of catalog shopping, here’s a resource list of some of the best home decor catalogs out there.  To have a catalog mailed to you, just click on the catalog name below and request a printed catalog from the company.

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CATALOG SHOPPING RESOURCE LIST:

 

Ballard Design

Grandin Road

Williams Sonoma Home

Pottery Barn

West Elm

Wisteria

Frontgate

Crate and Barrel

Restoration Hardware

Rejuvenation

Country Door

Lamps Plus (yes they have a printed catalog too!)

Garnet Hill

Home Decorators

Ikea

Sundance Catalog (I can’t believe this company is still around)

Basset Furniture

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With the growth patterns of the internet and e-commerce, I think it is going to become increasingly hard for independent home decor catalogs to stay in business. While you still have catalogs as a shopping option, take advantage of it to find lots of decorating inspiration and unique pieces to decorate your home.