Chief Marketer Staff

• Retail Sales Show Signs of Life

  Sales increased 4.1% for the week ending Oct. 3 compared to the previous week. When looking at year-over-year revenue, sales declined 3% for the same week, according to ShopperTrak’s National Retail Sales Estimate

• Dim Outlook for Holiday Gift Cards Sales

  The outlook for spending on gift cards is going the way of forecasts for the upcoming holiday season: not great

• Agencies

  Zumbox Hires Peter O. Price

  Zumbox, which runs a Web-based paperless postal system, has hired Peter O. Price. Price will lead the company

• Australian Tourist Campaign Takes DMA’s Diamond Echo
• Email

  Lock and Load: The Basics of Triggered E-mail Campaigns

  Event-based and behavioral triggers are a great way to continuously communicate with your prospects and customers and extend the lifecycle of any campaign, traditional or interactive.

• News Briefs

  MARZETTI: is running a packaging design contest as part of its uDip sweepstakes, which encourages participants to design the packaging for Marzetti Old Fashioned Caramel Apple Dip Singles

• VeraData Merges with Trilogy Target Solutions

  VeraData has acquired Trilogy Target Solutions have merged to form a full-service list management and integrated marketing services firm.

• MSC Industrial Income, Sales, Income Plummet in Quarter

  MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. reported net income of $26 million for the fourth quarter, a sharp decrease $50.5 million last year.

• Drugstore.com Narrows Losses

  Drugstore.com Inc., an online retailer, posted a net loss $1.6 million for the third quarter, compared to a net loss of $3.6 million in the prior year.

• FTC Fines Iconix $250,000 for Alleged COPPA Violation

  conix Brand Group Inc. will pay a $250,000 civil penalty to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated the Children