March was a prosperous month for many direct marketers posting sales Thursday, with the notable exception of Spiegel, which reported a 20% decrease in direct revenues.
* The Spiegel Group posted net sales of $130.2 million for fiscal March, a 17% decrease compared to net sales of $157.8 million for the five weeks ended March 29, 2003. For the thirteen weeks ended April 3, total sales declined 22 % to $322.4 million from $413.6 million in the same period last year. The company’s catalog and e-commerce sales decreased 20 % for the month compared to the same period last year, reflecting lower sales for the Eddie Bauer and Spiegel Catalogs, offset somewhat by sales growth for Newport News. A planned reduction in circulation hurt catalog sales for Eddie Bauer and Spiegel.
Downers Grove, IL-based Spiegel sold its Newport News Inc. subsidiary to Pangea Holdings Ltd. earlier this week, and is soliciting bids for Eddie Bauer. (Direct Newsline, April 6)
* The Talbots Inc. reported total company sales for the five weeks ended April 3 of $195.5 million, up 4% from the $187.1 million posted for the five weeks ended April 5, 2003. Year to date sales for the nine weeks ended April 3 increased 6% to $279.8 million, compared to $263.5 million reported for the nine weeks period last year.
* Catalog/Internet sales for J. C. Penney Co. Inc. increased 9.7% last month to $261 million, compared to $238 million during the five week period in 2003. Internet sales increased over 50%. Total sales for the company were $1.5 billion, versus $1.4 billion for March 2003. Direct sales for the nine week period ended April 3 were $449 million, versus $412 million for the nine weeks ended March 29, 2003. Total sales for the nine weeks were $2.7 billion, versus $2.48 billion in the 2003 period.
* The Neiman Marcus Group Inc. posted total revenues of $345 million for fiscal March, versus $274 million for the same period in 2003, a 25.8% increase. Comparable revenues at Neiman Marcus Direct in the five-week March period increased 15.5%. In the direct-to-consumer business, the brand experienced the highest year-over-year sales performance, supported by strong sales in women’s apparel, women’s shoes, designer handbags and jewelry.
* For the calendar month ended March 31, total sales for Sharper Image Corp. increased 38% to $54.8 million from last year’s $39.8 million. Total catalog sales increased 5% to $17.1 million from last March’s $11.3 million. Internet sales increased 79% to $10.0 million from last March’s $5.6 million. Total company sales for the first two months of the fiscal year increased 42% to $106.7 million from last year’s $75.0 million. Catalog sales increased 48% to $31.6 million from last year’s $21.3 million. Internet sales increased 71% to $18.0 million from last year’s $10.5 million.
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