April Sales Roundup

| MCM staff

For many mass retailers, April was indeed a cruel month, with companies such as AnnTaylor, Dillard

USPS May Revise Slim-Jim Specs

| Jim Tierney

Catalogers considering switching to a slim-jim format to save on postage costs might want to put those plans on hold. The U.S. Postal Service will begin to test a variety of booklets

Financial Reports: Schein, Guitar Center, Lenox, Blue Nile

| MCM staff

Schein Has Another Shining Quarter Medical, dental, and veterinary supplier Henry Schein reported a 15% increase in first-quarter sales, while first-quarter income more than doubled. For the three months ended March 31, Melville, NY-based Schein netted …

Live from NCOF: Tips for Effective Incentive Programs

| Mark Del Franco

Schaumburg, IL–The good news about incentive programs is that they work. According to Rick Blabolil, president of consultancy Marketing Innovators and a presenter at NCOF on Tuesday, an effectively structured incentive program can increase performance 44% in teams and 25% with individuals.