Catalog Success Exclusive: How Gulf Coast DM Sales Weathered the Ills of 2005

Despite a postal rate increase and natural disasters in the United States, direct marketing revenue was up 10 percent from 2004 to 2005, according to a recent report from co-op database provider Abacus obtained exclusively by Catalog Success. Sales increased an average of 15 percent for 2005, with a peak increase of 21 percent over 2004 in August. Sales rose by 13 percent in September, despite Hurricane Katrina’s late August impact. In data revealed exclusively to Catalog Success, Abacus shows the effects Hurricanes Katrina and Rita had on direct sales on the Gulf Coast in Q2 and Q3 2005.

Alabama
Mobile: Q2 sales up 26 percent from 2004, transactions up 11 percent; Q3 sales up 23 percent, transactions up 11 percent
Tuscaloosa: Q2 sales up 10 percent from 2004, transactions up 4 percent; Q3 sales up 13 percent, transactions up 8 percent

Louisiana
Baton Rouge: Q2 sales up 18 percent from 2004, transactions up 12 percent; Q3 sales up 10 percent, transactions up 4 percent
Lafayette: Q2 sales up 12 percent from 2004, transactions up 6 percent; Q3 sales up 4 percent, transactions down 2 percent
Houma: Q2 sales up 8 percent from 2004, transactions up 3 percent; Q3 sales unchanged, transactions down 7 percent
Lake Charles: Q2 sales up 12 percent from 2004, transactions up 5 percent; Q3 sales up 2 percent, transactions down 8 percent
New Orleans: Q2 sales up 12 percent from 2004, transactions up 6 percent; Q3 sales down 14 percent, transactions down 21 percent

Mississippi
Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula: Q2 sales up 12 percent from 2004, transactions up 2 percent; Q3 sales down 5 percent, transactions down 19 percent
Hattiesburg: Q2 sales up 8 percent from 2004, transactions up 5 percent; Q3 sales unchanged, transactions down 8 percent

Texas
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria: Q2 sales up 19 percent from 2004, transactions up 12 percent; Q3 sales up 10 percent, transactions up 6 percent
Beaumont-Port Arthur: Q2 sales up 9 percent from 2004, transactions up 2 percent; Q3 sales up 8 percent, transactions down 2 percent

For more on Abacus’ “2006 Multi-channel Annual Trend Report,” visit http://www.abacus-us.com/2006 Abacus MultiChannel Trend Report_Executive Summary.pdf