Q&As

If there is any sight more gratifying to retailers’ hearts during the holiday shopping season than eager, underemployed consumers camping out in front of their stores, they aren’t saying.

For the most part, direct marketers haven’t capitalized on these annual overblown media events. But thanks to the efforts of a few die-hard DM consumer enthusiasts, this may be changing.

One such DM customer blogs under the name GameSchnook.

BSC Ventures has acquired direct mail printer Champion Printing, Cincinnati, for an undisclosed sum.

Willowtree Advisor Inc. has acquired OmniReliant Corp., a developer of products sold through infomercials and online marketing.

The U.S. Postal Service has extended until Nov. 30 contract negotiations with its four largest unions

Weather Shield Manufacturing has named Shine Advertising Co, agency of record for Visions Windows & Doors.

Harte-Hanks Inc. has promoted Mark Zacharias to managing director, direct marketing, in which he will lead the company’s Shawnee, KS facility.

American Express has treated more than 5,000 of its cardmembers to cool perks in an exclusive lounge in a New Jersey mall.

Walter Rines, the former partner of self-proclaimed spam king Sanford Wallace, has settled charges that he and his company, Odysseus Marketing, secretly downloaded spyware on consumers

Westport, CT-based Bonnie’s Style Press is hoping a new Web site will help the stationery company reach a wider consumer audience.

Amenity markets both at retail and online, targeting upscale ecologically minded city dwellers. So far, Amenity is pulling in about $350,000 in yearly revenue and is hoping to at least double that figure by next year.