Catalog

• Agencies

  Sharper Image, Lillian Vernon File for Chapter 11

  Sharper Image Corp. and Lillian Vernon Corp., two financially troubled catalogers, have filed for bankruptcy protection.

• Agencies

  Costs Contribute to RedEnvelope Losses

  RedEnvelope Inc. posted a net loss of $4.3 million for the third quarter, compared to net income of $5.3 million in the prior year.

• Agencies

  Some Rates to Exceed 2.9%; Mailers Tolerant

  While the U.S. Postal Service said Monday it would raise standard mail rates by an average of 2.9% in May, a closer look at the rates shows some that will go up more.

• Agencies

  No Changes Announced for D-to-C As Charming Shoppes Faces Cutbacks, Shakeup

  Joseph M. Baron, executive vice president and COO at Charming Shoppes, Inc., has assumed leadership of the company’s retail businesses on an interim basis, following the departure of Diane M. Paccione.

• Agencies

  J.Crew President Jeffrey Pfeifel to Leave

  Jeffrey Pfeifel will leave J.Crew Group Inc.’s effective Feb. 1. The company did not give any reason for why Pfeifel, who currently serves as president, is departing the company.

• Agencies

  Retailers Not Up to Snuff on Cross-Channel Marketing: DMA

  Although many retail businesses have mastered multichannel direct marketing, quite a few are still apprentices when it comes to cross-channel integration, according to “Channel Integration and Benchmarks in the Retail Industry,” a new report from the Direct Marketing Association.

• Agencies

  Lillian Vernon Cuts Staff by 25%

  (Multichannel Merchant) It wasn’t a very merry holiday at gifts and housewares cataloger Lillian Vernon. The Virginia Beach, VA-based company laid off about 25% of its full-time workforce on Dec. 20.

• Agencies

  Sales at Restoration Hardware Shift From Stores to Catalogs

  Restoration Hardware Inc. has reported that a significant share of its revenues have shifted from retail to direct marketing sales.

• Agencies

  Holiday Shopping Reports: Buckle Up; We’re in for a Bumpy Ride

  October sales were up over the same period last year, but only slightly, signaling a slow-down in consumer spending just as the holiday shopping season begins, the National Retail Federation reported yesterday.

• Agencies

  Charming Shoppes Starts One Title, Shutters Another

  (Multichannel Merchant) A week after launching its Lane Bryant catalog, Charming Shoppes yesterday announced it would close its Regalia women’s apparel catalog.