For example, total catalog sales at Sharper Image increased 25%, to $13.5 million from last April's $10.8 million. Internet sales increased 36%, to $8.3 million from $6.1 million. Total sales at the San Francisco-based high-tech gadgets cataloger/retailer increased 20%, to $46.0 million from last year's $38.5 million. Total store sales increased 12%, to $24.2 million.

Dallas-based Neiman Marcus Direct, which mails the Horchow, Neiman Marcus, and Chef’s Catalog titles, also had reason to smile. For April, direct sales increased 10%. Total revenue at parent company Neiman Marcus increased 14%, to $274 million.

Men’s apparel cataloger/retailer Jos. A. Bank Clothiers reported a 7% increase in April catalog and Internet sales. Total sales at the Hampstead, MD-based company grew 14%, to $26.0 million compared with $22.9 million the previous April.

Columbus, OH-based Limited Brands, which includes the Express retail chain as well as the Victoria’s Secret women's apparel catalog, reported a comparable store sales increase of 2% for the month ended May 1. Total net sales for fiscal April $586.6 million, compared with sales of $580.6 million for April 2003. Net sales at Victoria’s Secret Direct were up 8%.

New York-based Bluefly, an online cataloger of discounted designer apparel, reported a 27% leap in April net sales, to $3.4 million from more than $2.6 million last year.

Sales of apparel at full-prices fueled a 6% revenue increase at Hingham, MA-based cataloger/retailer The Talbots. Total company sales for the four weeks ended May 1 were $139.2 million. Though The Talbots does not release monthly catalog sales data, it did report catalog sales of $65.6 million for the quarter, down slightly from $65.8 million for the first quarter of last year.

Catalog/Internet sales at Plano, TX-based J.C. Penney Co. increased slightly to $176 million, from $175 million the previous April. Internet sales continue to experience strong growth, increasing about 35% for the month. Total company sales increased 4%, to $1.3 billion.

As for Downers Grove, IL-based Spiegel Group, the parent company of Eddie Bauer and Newport News suffered a 10% decline in April net sales, to $104.4 million from $115.6 million last year. Direct net sales for the three brands fell just 4% for the month compared to the same period last year, reflecting lower sales for Eddie Bauer and Spiegel Catalog, but offset by sales growth at Newport News. The sales increase for Newport News was primarily driven by higher response to catalog mailings. The company also reported that April comparable-store sales for its Eddie Bauer division decreased 1%.