Gifts Universe Going Down

THE GIFTS AND COLLECTIBLES MARKET LOST ABOUT 400,000 ACTIVE NAMES in the third quarter of 2009, according to New York-based list brokerage firm ParadysMatera. The total 12-month active mailable universe for the segment was 16.7 million, a drop of 3.6 million from the third quarter of 2008 and down 21.6% since third-quarter 2007.

Just 19% of the Gifts and Collectibles recorded growth from the third quarter of 2008 and the third quarter 2009; 71% saw some sort of decline for the period.

Why the drop in active names? For one thing, Cash's of Ireland, Shannon and Winterthur removed their names from the market. What's more, attrition was rampant, as active customers declined for mailers like Collections Etc., Lillian Vernon, Terry's Village and RedEnvelope.

On the plus side, Uncommon Goods' list has grown consistently since it hit the market in late 2007. The file was up 39% year-over-year, reaching 123,000 12-month buyers in the third quarter of 2009.