New Catalogs

Bear & Co.

Manufacturer The Boyd Collection decided that children's books about the adventures of fictional bears would complement its line of teddy bears. Then it decided that the best way to sell the toys, accessories, and original stories would be to launch a catalog, Bear & Co.

The 24-page catalog debuted in October with a test mailing to 1 million households, most of them from rented lists. The catalog has four product lines: the Digby and Molly dolls and books for children ages three years old and up; My Home, for ages four and up; Duke the Detective, for those five and older; and Sebastian the Suitcase Bear, for ages six and up. The product lines (except for the My Home series, which consists only of plush toys) include several books, bears, and furniture and other accessories for the teddies. A bear-and-book set sells for $45; prices for other items range from $5 for an adjustable bear stand to $79 for a child's costume.

Initial response and average order size figures were not available at press time, but the company plans six mailings for 2002, with an expanded merchandise offering. “There are 90 SKUs in the catalog, and we're looking to add another 40 or 50 this year,” says Tara Houser, spokesperson for the Gettysburg, PA-based company. The books will also be available in bookstores by midyear.

Product category: children's books and toys First mailing date: October 2001 Size of distribution: 1 million Target audience: children ages 3-10 Frequency: Six times a year Competitors: Disney, Pleasant Co. Number of pages: 24 Size: 10-1/4" × 10-1/4" Telephone: 800-596-4577

Hope & Cope Co.

Juliet Eaton's experience as a cancer patient inspired her to start Hope & Cope Co., a 32-page catalog of cards and gifts designed to help others “practice kindness” toward ailing friends and family. When sick, “I noticed people didn't know how to respond,” says Chillicothe, IL-based Eaton, whose cancer has been in remission since 1996.

The company mailed 4,100 copies of Hope & Cope in October to rented names from catalogs such as Abbey Press as well as to requesters from ads in cancer-care magazines such as Mamm. The catalog sells books, keepsakes, jewelry, and hats for those going through chemotherapy. Prices range from $6 for a tranquility door hanger to $54 for an Angel of Hope wall plaque. Many products are from suppliers, but a few, such as the Chemo Care Package, Eaton invented. The average order size is $60.

The company donates 10% of its profits to the American Cancer Society and provides free shipping to any hospital in the United States. Eaton hopes to increase circulation to 25,000-50,000 and will increase the number of SKUs from 100 to about 150 for the spring book, which is scheduled to mail in May.

Product category: inspirational gifts First mailing date: October 2001 Size of distribution: 4,100 Target audience: cancer patients, their friends and family Frequency: twice a year Competitors: Choose Hope Average order size: $60 Number of pages: 32 Size: 8-1/2" × 11" Telephone: 877-611-4673

River Reflections Sportswear

After working together on the Winona apparel catalog, Lynda Carothers and Dave Piro decided to launch their own women's sportswear title.

“When the family that ran the [Winona] catalog decided to get out of the business, we developed an alliance with Winona Printing here in Winona, MN, and started River Reflections Sportswear in spring 2001,” says art director Piro. The 32-page debut edition mailed in late August to 175,000 rented names. A 48-page holiday book dropped in November.

The catalog sells products from many of the same vendors that had supplied the Winona title, including Alps Sportswear, Chuck Roast, and Woolrich. Among the approximately 1,000 SKUs are V-neck sweaters for $29.99, jumpers for $49.99, and frontier jackets for $59.99. Customers will also find a variety of exclusive embroidered designs.

The combined fall and holiday response rate was 1.5%, according to catalog director Carothers, exceeding the company's expectations of a 1% response. The average order size is $120. Carothers hopes to produce four editions a year but in the meantime will continue to send out mailings every few weeks to keep the mailing list active.

Product category: women's apparel First mailing date: August 2001 Size of distribution: 175,000 Target audience: women ages 24-54 Frequency: four times a year Competitors: Appleseed's, Seasons Average order size: $120 Number of pages: 32 Size: 8-1/2" × 10" Telephone: 507-454-5743

Old Durham Road

Anglophiles have a new source for all things British: Old Durham Road. Launched by Norfolk Lavender catalog owner Pickering & Simmons, the 40-page Old Durham Road first mailed in September to 400,000 rented names of Anglophiles and consumers with an interest in British home decor and history.

“Many of our customers are British or of British heritage,” says Arline Friedman, co-owner of Edison, NJ-based Pickering & Simmons. Prices for the catalog's English-inspired gifts and accessories range from $5 for a stenciled hand towel to $395 for a rattan sofa. The catalog's average order size is $68.

Pickering & Simmons is also the exclusive U.S. distributor for The Royal Collection of commemorative items of Princess Diana and her family home, Althorp House. Old Durham Road's Website offers links to sites on which customers can shop for items from the Royal Collection and products created exclusively for Althorp by Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer.

“Considering it's a new catalog and when it was launched [Sept. 10], we are very pleased with the response,” Friedman says. The company plans to drop 300,000 copies of a spring edition at the end of this month and will eventually mail four editions a year.

Product category: gifts and home decor First mailing date: September 2001 Size of distribution: 400,000 Target audience: Anglophiles Frequency: four times a year Competitors: Eximious, Creative Irish Gifts Average order size: $68 Number of pages: 40 Size: 8" × 11" Telephone: 866-298-1626