European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 9, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Shopping by mail Federal rules offer Protection by Randolph e. Schmid associated press aim ogs Are pouring Mlo american lion of by the Cro on Sli Aimar Luller Camo s and Cotton Ting Holiday Stio in is with a bewildering Ariay of Lor ordering girls mail order was a $50 billion business in 1985. According to Iho i Eccl marketing association a far cry Isom i he Carl Days when Catalon sales wore started to bring goods to isolated neral residents Thoy flood Mlo Urban Ond suburban Homes Loday with the average consumer receiving More than 50 Cata logs Pei year the Federal Trade commission estimates and there Likely Wilt be Many morn Tor folks who buy from one. And sheif names arc distributed to other mailing the rapid growth of this Industry in recent years has drawn Attr tinn Iron consumer activists and government oleic inns. And the Etc slab Lishco Somo rules to help protect people shopping sight unseen indu try stress that most Catalon marketers make Elra Moris to keep their customers Happy since Success depends on repeat business but problems can occur As Christmas creeps closer buyers need Loho aware Ihal Edo Al regulations require a mail order company in ship orders Wilhen inc time Pei cd specified in its advertisements it no time to stated the Roods must be shipped Wilbrun 30 Days of the Dale Iho company received the order. The order must be Complete however meaning that in includes Iho payment or chaise card essential information about the i Oduol and inc Correct add Ess to which to ship the Ilam it Ihu company cannot ship the goods on time the Law requires it la Kalify the buyer and offer the option of either gelling a refund or wailing Unhul a later shipping Date ii Iho second shipping Date also cannot be met the company Musl cancel Iho order and refund the Money unless Ihn buyer specifically signs a form agreeing to a Lurcher Douay. When a buyer decides to cancel an order the company must Send the refund within seven business Days of receiving Iho notice or or Ceil the customer s account within one Billing period one thing is Worth Noling these rules apply to products ordered by mail Many urns in Iho United Stales also offer convenient Telephone ordering services using credit cards but the oderal rules governing shipping and refunds Don t extend to those sales some mail order items also Aio co Mph such As photo finishing Magazine subscriptions seeds and plants and orders Many Cata logs come from Well known firms with Good reputations bul others Are issued by newcomers seeking a share of or lucrative Mattel buyers Urana Aboul Pui thasing from a company they have not heard of before May want to Check Wilh their local Boll r business Bureau or local 01 stale consumer affairs rifling to so it the firm has had any complaints and the f 1c notes thai buyers should pay by Check Money order 01 credit card so they will have a record of their payment in addition keep a copy of the order form and Carat Era or advertisement in Case any dispute arises Over the Orrlow business is booming Tor Catalon distribution centers such at this one lot a von in Virginia. Christmas by Catalon associated press own in the Christmas tree a Loy car Ihal costs More than most full sized autos a Cable car Ihal plays i left my heart in san Francisco Asil dangles from a yuletide Wreath these air among Iho Many offbeat items offered Christmas shop pois in this year s crop of gift Cata logs sometimes called boutiques in print " the popularity of shopping at Home by mail or Telephone is Rorn Wing steadily according to Ihn new York based direct marketing association a recent Survey to Gorlod More than 87 Al million americans made Catalon purchases in 198g. A 15 percent increase Over inc previous year this to attributed in part to the grow Imp trend of women in if c work to acc and the increase in the population and discretionary income of Sequoi explains a representative of the marketing group the millions of Cata logs mailed out each year Otter products ranging irom gourmet food to Garden tools and from computers to cows. Vermont artist Woody Jackson who describes the Holstein cow As a Beautiful Noble has published a 12-Page holy cow Catalon foal ring such items ast shirts Andrj Boxer shorts with a Christmas tree do coiled Wilh cow designs cow Ware in Jackson s Catalon also includes Holster eggs cow Nole cards cow bowls cow bags and Jaunty Black and while cow clout sculptures in the Loy category the f a o Schwirz Calloo otters for a 500 in 11 horsepower Ferrari pcs Laryssa Junior automotive Marie m Naly Complete with a Lomach transmission and a 3600 rpm engine top Speed is ?8 Mph Hal in can to re Gula cd a tiny Cable Cai replica with a miniature Windup movement that can tie Hung As an ornament on a Christmas tree is available from inc Catalon of the san Francisco music hot co and plays naturally. In Ell my heart. Erma Bombeck As a woman of the 80s. I have Learned How to shed guilt and live my own life As i was mean to live it my husband and i have a Deal i Cook and he does the dishes i can l Tell you How easy m is for me to walk out of the Kitchen littered Wilh soaking pans and dirty dishes without so much As a twitch both of in Are a generation removed irom the couples who used to re tic together we clan a one War sleepy or not if he wants to sit up and Walch Donio Gillis Ininns m Mac and while whas11 toddle Olf to bed i Don i Tecl compelled to got his breakfast every Moin mrs and he Rio est i Itel to has 10 change the Oil in my car Honn Iwers Iho phone when it run res and i take out la to have succeeded in brr Al ing Down All her Locroi to rules of part a Cepl one it.-. In wit Elf Tull Tosta i in it him when he drives the car no Mailer How Laic or How tue i no and How much he insists i sleep in Iho Way Home t slay conscious Lucause he needs me to help him in of if i Lei asleep and let him follow a car Loo Elmol and he rear ended it when he made a right hand turn i d never forgive myself he needs Rue to Tell him to either Slop or Lun on Iho defroster because the windows no steaming up i. Needs me to Tell him to finl in me or he Lone because la Road to our House is com inf up i to needs Mulo old re turn to noises in the car thin be heard by any Olar r human some tic t a to i to Jet me to and re to sir i a by Lumet the Ilidio on full Hul retooling no one ii , t a and Al nys will invest Dol us to i know some women who think nothing of climbing into the car alter a late party and nodding off. They Don t awaken until the car pulls into their driveway and Hoy Call Ihm solves a Pait Neri Don l you think i d like to snuggle Down n the seat and close my eyes but who would re id All the signs for Deer crossing fire Hazard ratings he Smokey the Bear. use first gear on Xirui no i Ell turns Between 3 and g p m " i have an obligation to Lei the Driver Anou the slash pics of drunk silvers ant How Over the next Hill one could be waiting i have to change the radio dials and adjust die healer arid the Side mirrors so i can Sec belief my Huson Brj Rani to me once. Do you Ever wonder How Monk of a in i div
