The elderly mail-order catalog user of fashion products

The purpose of the study was to develop a profile of heavy mail-order catalog users of fashion products among women 55 years and older in relation to shopping orientations, catalog shopping attributes, lifestyle activities, and demographics. A national random sample of 3, 000 customers was obtained from two major catalog companies. From 1, 192 consumers who returned the questionnaire, 872 respondents (73 percent) were 55 years or older and were included in the analysis. Based on the respondents’ annual expenditure on apparel and accessories via catalogs, heavy catalog users were classified as those who spent 1, 000 or more (n = 278), while light users were defined as those who spent less than 500 (n = 370). Stepwise discriminant analysis revealed that heavy catalog users of fashion products tended 1) to prefer shopping through catalogs over local stores; 2) to be less concerned with price; 3) to be fashion-conscious; 4) to have a greater income; 5) to participate frequently in social events; 6) to be time-conscious; 7) to be confident in clothing shopping; 8) to be interested in shopping in general; 9) to be a credit user; 10) to have an interest in fashion information and grooming products; 11) to take an active interest in cultural events; 12) to be satisfied with a variety of product selections offered by catalogs; and 13) to be satisfied with general size and fit of apparel products purchased through catalogs. Managerial implications for catalog retailers and apparel manufacturers are discussed.