Holiday shoppers who want to avoid crowds, long lines, sore feet and parking space competitors can buy gifts from the comfort of their home this year. Around the holidays, mailboxes are often packed with catalogs, which offer great gifts and sometimes good bargains, said Susan Wright, consumer education specialist with New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service.
People also can take advantage of such items as records and books advertised on television.
They can do it right at home, and it saves them time and energy. While home shopping is a sensible option, some catalog items may be misleading, Wright said. You may not realize exactly what size something is. It may say jumbo, but jumbo to them may be miniature to you. The most important rule to remember when shopping by mail or telephone is to order from a well-known company, Wright said.