News

• Talbots Strong Fourth Quarter Caps Profitable Year

  The Talbots Inc., Hingham, MA, had an 8% net sales increase in fiscal 1998, with revenue levels increasing from $1.05 billion to $1.14 billion. Retail

• Correction

  A headline in yesterday’s DIRECT Newsline wrongly stated that Brylane Inc.’s fourth-quarter net income dropped by $6 million over last year’s. The cataloger

• Focus Sells Fulfillment Center to San Antonio Firm

  Focus Direct Inc., a direct mail manufacturing and marketing company, has sold its O’Connor Road Fulfillment Center to Delivery & Communications Inc.

• USPS Cancels ‘Net Document Courier Service

  The U.S. Postal Service said Wednesday it plans to discontinue an experimental Internet-based document-delivery service for direct marketers beyond mid-June.Responding

• A2b Music Taps Alliance for Digital Downloading

  a2b music, AT&T’s digital music distribution system, has tapped Web site developer Alliance Entertainment Corp. to develop a2b music’s digital distribution

• Catalog Sale Increases Outstrip Store Revenue for Sharper Image

  Sharper Image Corp., San Francisco, CA, had total 1998 revenue of $243.1 million, up 12% from 1997’s $216.8 million. Total store sales rose 7% to $162.4

• DIRECT Listline

  Santa Claus Online A new list, Santa Claus Online, contains 10,500 Christmas 1998 home addresses. These addresses were collected from a Web site to which

• Two More Sweepstakes Bills Introduced

  Two more bills clamping down on the direct mail sweepstakes industry have been introduced in the Senate.The two bills, which were introduced Wednesday–the

• DIRECT Listline

  Software Buyers Online The Learning Company Online and Internet list has 1.6 million 12-month buyers. This software company’s file is newly enhanced and

• Short Cuts

  OpenOrders Inc., Newton, MA, which makes software for order management and fulfillment, has received its first institutional round of venture capital