The Year in Review

At the end of each year, I like to look back at the seminal events and to thank those who have enriched our lives.

To be sure, this was another interesting year for the catalog industry. The Can Spam Act went into effect Jan. 1, and forced many direct marketers to rethink their e-mail campaigns. Indeed, the term “opt-in” took on a whole new meaning in 2004.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) gets my pick as the “technology of the year.” While it’s been around for some time, this was the year many distribution center and supply chain managers sat up and took notice.

The election kept us in rapt attention through the second half of the year. I’m just thankful we didn’t have another protracted legal battle as we did in 2000, and I congratulate President Bush on his re-election.

Looking back within our own business, this was the year we launched our e-newsletter, Idea Factory. (To get your free subscription, go to www.catalogsuccess.com/IdeaFactory.) Also in 2004, Catalog Success was proud to sponsor the annual conference of the eCSForum. And our sponsorship will continue for next year’s event to be held March 3 and 4 in New Orleans. For more on this terrific event, visit www.ecsforum.org/.

Congratulations again to those catalogers who made our Top 200 list (see the March issue) and those who were named the Catalog Success Catalogers of the Year (see the June issue). Special thanks to Stephen Spenlinhauer and Francis Crowley at Spencer Press for once again sponsoring the always-elegant Catalogers of the Year awards celebration.

There were some disappointments for catalogers this year, too. Despite the major drive by postal reform advocates, it appears unlikely (at press time) that Congress will pass a postal reform bill this year. But experts are predicting it to be a top agenda item in the next session, so the seeds you planted among your legislators still could bear fruit.

I want to offer a special thanks to our columnists and guest authors this year who willingly and openly shared their expertise with you through these pages. Thanks to our advertisers who continue to support the magazine.

Mostly I want to thank you, our valued readers, for continuing to make Catalog Success your partner in multichannel marketing. We take the job seriously, and we hope that 2005 is a healthy, prosperous and fun year for you and yours.

—Donna Loyle