3 Ways E-learning Pays

| MCM staff

Once thought to be too expensive for the call center, e-learning is hot. Through the Web, E-learning allows your customer service reps to brush up on customer service skills or training between calls and shifts. This is the first in a three-part series on the value of e-learning.

List Firms Discuss M&As; Mandel Teases Pending Deals

| Richard H. Levey

(Direct Newsline) Put aside the 36 acquisitions infoUSA has made since 1990, and leave off the handful Primis Marketing Group Inc. has completed in two years: Lon Mandel, president and CEO of Specialists Marketing Services Inc. hinted at two purchases so fresh for his company that he wouldn’t even name the companies in question. All he would say during a List Day panel is that the expected the deals to close within the next 45 days.

Sheplers Sold to Investor Group

| Mark Del Franco

Private equity player Gryphon Investors, along with Growth Ventures Group, have acquired $125 million plus western wear cataloger/retailer Sheplers.

Harder to sell?

| MCM staff

There’s no question that the new postage rates

Second quarter shows promise

| Jim Tierney

It was a promising quarter for the 10 publicly traded consumer merchants reporting financial figures for Multichannel Merchant. Revenue increased for all but one of the companies tracked, and only two failed to show improvements in their bottom lines.

FALL or NOTHING

| MCM staff

The harsh new postal rates imposed in May are three months old. Mailers should be used to them, right? Think again. Many are still reeling and figuring

Sun Capital Partners takes the cheese

| Jim Tierney

It might be summer, but Sun Capital Partners isn’t ready to take a vacation. The private equity firm on July 11 acquired food gifts cataloger Hickory Farms. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Bain Capital buys Guitar Center

| Mark Del Franco

Private equity giant Bain Capital in late June acquired multichannel marketer Guitar Center. Under the deal, which is expected to close in the fourth