DMA: Catalog shoppers are satisfied shoppers

Most of the 4,794 catalog shoppers surveyed by the Direct Marketing Association rated the customer service they received and their overall catalog shopping experience a 9 on a scale of 1-10. And they proved it with repeat orders. According to the survey, conducted in December 2001 and January 2002 and released on Nov. 14, catalog shoppers place an average of 15 orders a year.

Broken down, 30% of the respondents made 6-10 catalog purchases; 31% made 11-25 purchases; and 11% placed more than 25 catalog orders. The respondents had spent an average of $135 on their most recent orders.

In other findings, 46% of the survey participants said they tend to keep catalogs in their homes for more than three months or until a replacement copy arrives. Only 13% of respondents had returned catalog orders. More than two-thirds (69%) of respondents placed their most recent catalog order via the telephone, while 14% ordered from the catalog’s Website. And 41% of shoppers polled had also shopped online during the past year.