Reaching into retail

| Jack Schmid

Despite their differences, catalogs and retail have always had a close relationship. After all, cataloging sprang from the retail sector in the late 1800s

At deadline

| MCM staff

FINGERHUT CONTINUES ITS SPENDING SPREE In one week, general merchandise cataloger Fingerhut Cos. acquired a $100 million-plus cataloger and equity interests

A fulfilling opportunity

| Mark Del Franco

As the Internet becomes an increasingly viable sales channel, catalogers such as Fingerhut, Hanover Direct, and Stark Bros. have begun providing back-end

Five service superstars

| Paul Miller

As the business-to-business direct marketing arena becomes increasingly competitive, and more large companies-such as the office superstores and major

After the marriage: moving in

| Mark Del Franco

As in other industries, consolidations and mergers are sweeping through the catalog business. But only after the courtship, when it’s time to integrate

Customer’s wish is Xtras’ command

| Lynn Dougherty

A high-tech market requires high-tech customer communication strategies, or so business-to-business software cataloger Xtras has concluded. Responding

Blair’s new process

| Diane Cyr

Meet a loyal Blair Corp. shopper. She’s been buying Blair products for more than 20 years, ordering jackets, shoes, blouses, and skirts at least once

A license to profit

| MCM staff

The Microsofts, Lotuses, Adobes, and other heavy hitters of the estimated $5.6 billion software industry don’t want you to sell software to business customers

Perish the thought…

| Mark Del Franco

During the holiday season, even apparel and hard goods catalogers add food baskets and fruitcakes to their product lines, to capitalize on the season

Revenue rising yet again: Business-to-business

| Mark Del Franco

Once again, most of the publicly traded business-to-business mailers tracked by Catalog Age boasted strong profits for the second quarter. But half of