Day-Timers launches Dorney’s

Day-Timers has long been a hybrid marketer, selling day planners, calendars, and time-management products to businesses as well as to end users. But with the late April launch of Dorney’s from Day-Timers, the East Texas, PA-based company is aiming squarely at consumers.

Day-Timers mailed 100,000 copies of the new catalog, which is named after company cofounders Bob and Bill Dorney. Offerings in the 32-page book include tote bags, luggage, and high-end business cases, says Tom Tweedie, director, catalog and Web marketing. Tweedie is hoping for an average order of $75-$100; the average order for the core Day-Timers catalog is $50.

The launch of Dorney’s reflects the growth of home addresses in the company’s house file during the past decade. In fact, home addresses now account for 40% of the file.

“The blurring of the work life and the home life has really made this happen,” Tweedie says. “Companies are not paying for planners anymore. Instead, the consumer is paying for them.”

The Dorney’s catalog marks a return to prospecting for Day-Timers: The 58-year-old company has not actively prospected since 2001. Besides house file names, the spin-off is mailing to names rented from women’s apparel cataloger Boston Proper and high-tech gifts and gadgets cataloger/retailer Sharper Image.