American Catalog Mailers Association--Direct Marketing, Mail Order, E-commerce News

Direct Marketing, Mail Order, and E-commerce News from the National Mail Order Association

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ACMA Industry E-Newsletter: June 2, 2008

Dear Members and Friends:

New membership commitments: Our membership continues to grow with some great companies electing to support ACMA. A big welcome to new ACMA members: Abacus, Alexander & Company, I-Centrix, Limited Brands/ Victoria’s Secret Direct, New Pig Corporation, Redcats USA, and Ryan’s Pet Suppliers. We are delighted to have these fine companies involved!

ACMA’s Washington Forum: Have you reserved your spot at the National Catalog Advocacy and Strategy Forum yet? Space is filling up fast. We are excited to have a wonderful turnout and you will want to be there too. Thank you to those who have taken the time to register and allow us to better plan this event. To those who still want to come but have not yet gotten around to it: please do it soon. The hotel cut off date is fast approaching. We definitely want you there. Please see our new site built specially for this event: www.catalogmailerforum.org for more information, travel and hotel details. You can register to attend right on this site as well.

Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB): ACMA continues to work the IMB issue. Last week, ACMA joined a broad-based coalition of mailer associations in responding to the USPS’s latest IMB proposal. ACMA also submitted additional comments for catalogers directly as well. This is one of several mission critical issues being followed closely by ACMA’s Technical Committee. As it stands now, mailers must put a valid IMB on all mail pieces by May 2009 or face lost of automation discounts amounting to around 6¢ per piece mailed for catalogers. Mail preparers and mail owners both face significant compliance costs under certain situations. Now is a good time to start to understand this issue for your company if you haven’t already. While the final specs are still being nailed down by the USPS, the quickly approaching deadline makes it critical each major mailer begin to understand the implications on their operation.

USPS National Postal Forum: ACMA attended the NPF in Anaheim, CA this past week. The USPS uses this as an important occasion to communicate with mailers about policy, operations and other details concerning all aspects of the US Mail. If you have not attended the National Postal Forum in the past, it is worth considering. In addition to all types of news on postal operations, the program features many useful “how to” sessions on using the mail. More information can be found at www.npf.org. ACMA members should look for a summary of the relevant information shared at the NPF for catalogers to be sent electronically soon.

ACMA unveils its new look! Due to the fine efforts of ACMA member companies jschmid who ran a branding workshop then completely redesigned the ACMA logo and supporting collateral, as well as DMinSite who translated these new brand elements into a new look and feel to our website www.catalogmailers.org, ACMA is proud to announce “one year old birthday gifts” of a new brand identity that is thought by many to be modern and memorable. We are deeply indebted to these fine companies for their support over and beyond their annual investments in ACMA dues.

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