Chief Marketer Staff

• USPS Tests Returns Confirmations

  The U.S. Postal Service last week launched a limited test of a program for mailers that combines its Delivery Confirmation and merchandise return services.

• DIRECT Listline

  Direct Mail Senior Donors This 55,000-name list identifies senior citizens who have donated to a direct mail campaign addressing Social Security and Medicare

• Short Cuts

  Crate & Barrel, Northbrook, IL, has launched an e-commerce site, created and maintained by Fry Multimedia Inc. of Ann Arbor, MI. The URL is (http://www.crateandbarrel.com).Barnesandnoble.com

• Live From Washington: Self-Regulation Dominates DMA Gathering

  Self-regulation was the magic word for the second and final day of the Direct Marketing Association’s Government Affairs Conference yesterday at the Watergate

• Live From Washington: Sweeps Bill Mark Up May Come Next Week

  A Senate bill to regulate sweepstakes and deceptive mailings could be marked up as early as next week, according to a staffer for Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME),

• MessageMedia to Add Six Foreign Languages

  MessageMedia Inc., Boulder, CO, a provider of e-mail-based direct marketing and customer-relationship management services, is launching e-messaging services

• Moore Spearheads Utility Database Venture

  Moore Energy Services Group, Lake Forest, IL, has teamed up with direct response agency Rosen/Brown Direct, Touchstone Systems and Energy Market Solutions

• European Parliament Opposes More Protections on Financial Services Selling

  The European Parliament opposed a bid on Wednesday, by 13 European Union countries, to increase consumer protections in a draft law on the distance marketing

• Sales Drop as Garden Botanika Closes Stores

  Garden Botanika Inc., Redmond, WA, had April sales of $5.1 million, a 27% drop from April 1998 sales of $7 million. The month’s sales include Internet

• REI and Outside Magazine to Market Web Sites Jointly

  Direct marketer/retailer Recreational Equipment Inc., Seattle, and Outside magazine, have joined forces to market through their Web sites, REI.com (http://www.rei.com)