Direct Classic News

USPS adopts new products and services to stay solvent

Ryan Joe

USPS Postal Service Postmaster General and CEO Patrick Donahoe's set out his vision for the agency at the National Postal Forum in April.

HP to merge its printing and PC groups

Ryan Joe

Hewlett-Packard Distribution Co. (HP) will merge its Imaging and Printing Group and its Personal Systems Group (PSG) into the Printing and Personal Systems Group, said Michael Thacker, a member of HP's corporate media relations team. Todd Bradley, EVP of PSG, will run the new entity; Vyomesh Joshi, EVP of the Imaging and Printing Group, will retire.

UPS acquires TNT Express

Ryan Joe

UPS has reached an agreement to acquire Dutch-based international delivery services company TNT Express, said UPS director of global media services Norman Black. TNT Express's major shareholders have agreed on UPS's all-cash offer at $6.8 billion. UPS expects the deal to close during the third quarter of 2012.

Marketers split on the impact of mixed postal promotions

Amanda Green

As the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) — which reported in February losses totaling more than $3 billion — struggles to stay solvent, it is using a number of promotions to try to keep shippers shipping.

USPS reports losses of $3.3 billion

Melissa Hoffmann

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) ended the first three months of its 2012 fiscal year with a net loss of $3.3 billion — and large losses are expected to continue until planned restructuring efforts have taken place, the agency said Feb. 9.

Plug-ins: DRTV

DRTV no longer exists in a vacuum. The advent and wide usage of social media has seen to that — which means it's more important than ever for direct response TV marketers to integrate social media into their strategies. Our expert columnists weigh in.

Accurate consumer data drives effective marketing

Direct marketers are able to personalize consumer experiences across multiple touchpoints with the advent of digital marketing and new software packages. Customers who visit a website, for example, experience a personalized encounter that assembles the Web page relevant to the customer's relationship.

On the Beat

New technology and digital experience make temporary retail stores really pop

Mercedes Cardona

Marketers are elevating their pop-up store strategy, as the concept of the temporary store matures.

Gift cards acquire new purpose for retailers as direct marketing vehicle

Mercedes Cardona

Retailers have now begun to embrace gift cards as both a product and a marketing vehicle, not just a way to grab stray dollars from indecisive shoppers.