The Puzzling, Frustrating 1 Percent Response Rate

Does the 1 percent rule affect more than just response rates?

Actually, the 1 percent response rule is why list rentals have a 5,000-name minimum. This large minimum often frustrates start-up catalogers, who always ask, “Why must I rent so many names, when I could tell if a list is good or bad by mailing just 1,000 or so?”