Catalogers Upbeat but Cautious | In the News | Gift Basket Review Online

Catalogers Upbeat but Cautious

At the recent fall conference of the New England Mail Order Association, attitudes were generally upbeat about the coming holiday season, according to a report in Direct Marketing News. Although expectations of growth have been rolled back against the backdrop of Wall Street woes, forecasts for sales remain optimistic. Despite a handful of bankruptcy filings by major catalogers (Lillian Vernon, Sharper Image, Red Envelope), Direct Marketing News reports that catalogers that survived the past year are “weathering the current economic situation”.
Internet spending on advertisements is expected to rise as catalogers and other retailers move from traditional media outreach to more affordable online marketing efforts. With consumer confidence showing a slight decline over the past five months, catalogers and retailers are preparing for what may be a slower-paced season of sales.