Paper Clips

It looks to be another odd year for holiday celebrations. The biggest question likely on most minds is, do we make merry in person or virtually? No matter your plans, the Postal Service is ready to do its part to handle your special holiday greetings and gifts. But we also need you to do your part, and that is to make sure you get those packages and good wishes to your Post Office location on time. There are plenty of holiday- and winter- themed stamps available to adorn your greeting cards this year. You can find them in our online Postal Store or at any one of our more than 34,000 Post Office locations. As a reminder, on Aug. 29, the cost of a First-Class Forever stamp increased three cents, from 55 cents to 58 cents. There are also temporary price increases in place through Dec. 26, 12:01 a.m., Central time for both retail and business customers for some of our more popular shipping products, which also includes military shipping — Priority Mail Express (PME), Priority Mail (PM), First-Class Package Service (FCPS), Parcel Select, USPS Retail Ground, and Parcel Return Service. International products are unaffected. These temporary rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with the revenue to cover extra costs in anticipation of peak-season volume surges similar to levels experienced in 2020.

On October 1, a critical piece of code used on over 2 billion websites to safeguard security expired. Companies large and small were disrupted. And untold millions of consumers around the globe that do not have the latest and greatest digital devices suddenly could not access the sites they wanted or needed to. The quiet sunsetting of the Let’s Encrypt security certificate is still wreaking havoc because it is the most widely used piece of code authorizing access to secure websites. Consumers are finding that their desktop, mobile, Mac, Windows, Android and other systems and devices cannot connect to many websites using the HTTPS security protocol if their personal tech is more than a few years old and not running the latest operating systems. For the fortunate, they will only have the hassles of updating and upgrading – but many will now be forced to buy new technology. This same issue has occurred on a smaller scaler with lesser used security certificates, and has the potential to reemerge as other certificates expire. This is a critical matter for consumers who already have been demanding the option of paper correspondence mailed to them by their service providers. Why? Because it is these same service providers, including banks and financial services institutions, insurance companies, healthcare providers, telecoms and utilities that are the most likely to use the secure internet protocols, and valid security certificates are necessary for accessing private, personal account information.

IAC and Meredith Corporation announced their entry into an agreement pursuant to which IAC’s Dotdash digital publishing unit will acquire the entity that will hold Meredith Corporation's National Media Group, which is comprised of its Digital and Magazine businesses, and its corporate operations (“Meredith”), in an all cash transaction at a purchase price of $42.18 per share. The transaction combines the power of Dotdash’s digital publishing model with Meredith’s trusted, iconic brand portfolio, loyal audience and scale. The combined company, to be called Dotdash Meredith and led by Dotdash CEO Neil Vogel, is expected to be one of the largest publishers in America with leading brands across the highest value commercial categories online, including home, health, food, finance, parenting, and beauty. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year. “The Meredith family is extremely proud of everything the company has achieved over the past 120 years, which is a direct reflection of our dedicated employees,” said Mell Meredith Frazier, Vice Chairman of the Meredith board of directors. “Our creative and devoted employees have guided our beloved brands through a fast-changing media landscape – enriching the lives of generations of Americans. The Meredith Foundation will continue to be an active member in the flourishing Des Moines community, as will Dotdash Meredith.”

Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $19.50 billion for the retail month of September, the five weeks ended October 3, 2021, an increase of 15.8 percent from $16.84 billion last year. Costco currently operates 817 warehouses, including 565 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 105 in Canada, 39 in Mexico, 30 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 16 in Korea, 14 in Taiwan, 13 in Australia, three in Spain, and one each in Iceland, France, and China. Costco also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia.

Making sure those serving in the nation’s armed forces and diplomatic service receive their presents and care packages in time for the holidays is a priority of the U.S. Postal Service. Plan ahead and mail your holiday cheer early to friends and loved ones serving abroad. To send packages to military and diplomatic posts abroad, the Postal Service offers a discounted price of $20.40 on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate Box. The price includes a $1.50 discount per box for mail sent to APO/FPO/DPO (Air/Army Post Office/Fleet Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office) destinations worldwide. To ensure timely delivery of holiday wishes by Dec. 25, the Postal Service recommends that cards and packages be sent to military APO/FPO/DPO addresses overseas no later than the mailing dates listed at: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2021/1005-usps-announces-shipping-dates-for-holiday-military-mail.htm

Two of the world’s leading retailers are working together to expand same-day and next-day delivery capabilities for home improvement customers in the U.S. With Walmart GoLocal, The Home Depot customers have another option for same-day or next-day delivery on a variety of home improvement products. “The Home Depot is continuously working to give customers the most convenient shopping experience in home improvement, and that includes providing a wide range of fast and reliable delivery options,” said Stephanie Smith, senior vice president of supply chain for The Home Depot. “This partnership brings us even closer to our goal of offering same-day or next-day delivery to 90 percent of the U.S. population.” The company will offer delivery with Walmart GoLocal in select markets in the coming weeks, with plans to expand to multiple markets across the country by the end of the year. Products that qualify for this scheduled delivery, including tools, fasteners, paint and other supplies that easily fit in a car, will have that option enabled at online checkout.

Kohl’s announced an expansion of the company’s ongoing commitment to health and wellness, including mental health, highlighted by a new national nonprofit partnership with NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Kohl’s is donating $2 million over two years to NAMI, which the organization will use to refresh its support group model. With Kohl’s gift, NAMI’s support groups will be expanded to reach additional people and serve more diverse communities, rolling out virtually in communities across the United States. The programming will be enhanced to include new trauma-informed, cross-cultural training and materials to better support those whose mental health has been impacted by trauma, including the impacts of COVID-19 and economic uncertainty. “We’re confident that our new partnership with NAMI will make a positive impact in the lives of countless families across the country who are affected by mental illness,” said Greg Revelle, Kohl’s chief marketing officer. “We see this relationship as a natural extension of our long-standing commitment to healthy families and an important part of our continued focus on health and holistic well-being.”

Gap Inc. has acquired the New York and Tel Aviv based start-up Context-Based 4 Casting Ltd. (CB4) that uses cutting-edge AI and machine learning tools to transform retail operations, increase sales and improve the customer experience through predictive analytics and demand sensing. “We believe artificial intelligence and machine learning will shape the future of our industry. Gap Inc. has experience working with CB4’s world-class data scientists, so we understand the impact and the wide applications their science can have across sales, inventory and consumer insights, as well as its potential to unlock value and enhance the customer experience,” said Sally Gilligan, Chief Growth Transformation Officer Chief, and head of the Strategic Growth Office at Gap Inc. The deal was brokered by Gap Inc.’s Strategic Growth Office, a unit of the company that seeks out opportunities to fuel growth and accelerate new capabilities across its portfolio of brands.

Global research and education leader Wiley announced the acquisition of J&J Editorial Services, LLC, a publishing services company based in the United States. The acquisition of J&J Editorial reinforces the company’s commitment to helping learned societies, professional associations and publishers achieve their missions. Founded in 2008 by Jennifer Deyton and Julie Nash, J&J Editorial provides expert offerings in editorial operations, production, copyediting, system support and consulting, allowing more than 120 clients to publish world-class titles that power the global knowledge ecosystem. Together, Wiley and J&J Editorial are better suited to help societies, associations and publishers manage change, deliver high-quality content, and provide vital service flexibility in a changing publishing landscape.

HH Global is pleased to announce the completion of the acquisition of Noosh, following the signing of an agreement on September 30, 2021. HH Global identified Noosh as the best-in-class global technology solution provider with over $1.2b in marketing spend managed and sourced through its technology. This acquisition will allow HH Global to introduce self-serve and hybrid solutions to clients, while providing differentiated opportunities to extend existing client relationships into new categories and regions. Furthermore, the agreement will allow both businesses to leverage greater aggregated spend under management. Ultimately, the acquisition of Noosh will accelerate global service reach for both new and existing clients across both HH Global and Noosh, through unrestricted technology deployment.

Quarter-to-date service performance data for July 1 through Sept. 24 included: *First-Class Mail: Delivered 88.1 percent of First-Class Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 0.6 percentage points from the third quarter. *Marketing Mail: Delivered 92.5 percent of Marketing Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 1.5 percentage points from the third quarter. *Periodicals: Delivered 82.2 percent of Periodicals on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 3 percentage points from the third quarter. On October 1, the Postal Service will implement new service standards for First-Class Mail and Periodicals. These new service standards will increase delivery reliability, consistency, and efficiency for our customers and across our network. Most First-Class Mail (61 percent) and Periodicals (93 percent) will be unaffected by the new service standard changes. Standards for single-piece First-Class Mail traveling within a local area will continue to be two days.

The Commission finds: *The Postal Service’s stated goals for the proposal appear reasonable. *The Postal Service assumed factors necessary for successful implementation of the proposal that have not been demonstrated. *It is unclear when the Postal Service plans to realize the full impact of its proposed changes to the service standards. The proposed changes may have a positive impact on the Postal Service’s ability to meet its service performance targets. *The Postal Service’s cost-saving estimates of the proposed changes may be inflated and the proposed changes would not substantially affect the Postal Service’s overall financial condition. *Flaws in the Postal Service’s transportation model could diminish its reliability. The Postal Service’s surface network impact projections and estimated cost changes are potentially inaccurate and unachievable. *The Postal Service has not demonstrated that it is operationally capable of running the complex surface network modeled to support the service standard changes it plans to implement. *Implementing processing and transportation changes prior to peak season may be challenging due to the continuation of the COVID-19 emergency and stress on the logistics industry. In general, the Commission finds that the proposed changes appear to be consistent with applicable statutory requirements. Nevertheless, the Postal Service has not demonstrated that its implementation of the proposed changes will satisfy the requirements.

Today’s college students have grown up in a digital world, so one might expect that most of them would prefer e-textbooks to print on paper, but that’s not the case according to a new survey conducted by Direct Textbook, a free textbook price comparison service. The survey reports that 62% college students prefer print textbooks to e-textbooks. This represents a 10% decline in print textbook preference since 2015, when 72% of students reported favoring print textbooks, but it doesn’t mean students are embracing e-textbooks. Despite the growing e-textbook market, student preference for e-textbooks increased by just 2% from 2015 (27%) to 2021 (29%), while the number of students who have no preference increased by nearly 8% over that same period. Students who prefer print textbooks say they are easier to read and that they have trouble concentrating on e-textbooks. They also like that no internet is required. And 25% say they end up printing e-textbook pages anyway.

Penguin Random House is offering enhanced two-day shipping for independent booksellers starting October 1 and running through March 1, 2022. Of particular note, the company is waiving the minimum-retail-value requirement for orders. The program covers frontlist and backlist titles from all PRH's divisions as well as all the clients of Penguin Random House Publisher Services. The enhanced service also comes as concerns over possible supply chain disruptions grow, something alluded to in a statement from Jaci Updike, president. U.S. sales, for PRH: “While we can’t 100% predict what the supply chain will look like in the fourth quarter this year, we do know that rapid replenishment is a key element of profitability and success at the all-important holiday season, and as always, we want to step up our efforts to get books into stores as quickly as possible. Some things are out of our control – including the unprecedented challenges the shipping companies are facing – but the PRH team is committed to going above-and-beyond to pick and pack indie orders with full speed,” Updike said.

Gannett Co., Inc. announced that it is seeking to opportunistically refinance its existing term loan under its senior secured credit facilities. The Company intends to issue senior secured notes to refinance a portion of the term loan and refinance the remainder of the existing term loan with a new senior secured term loan. The proposed refinancing transactions are subject to market and other conditions, and the Company can give no assurances that it will complete any such transactions, in whole or in part, or as to the amount or timing of any such transactions. The new senior secured term loan would be in a principal amount up to $550 million (the “Credit Agreement”). Gannett Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, would be the borrower under the Credit Agreement (the “Borrower”), and lenders are anticipated to include funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Capital Management L.P. Upon closing, the net proceeds of the loans will be used to refinance a portion of the Company’s existing term loan.

A funding boost for the Federal Trade Commission to create a new data protection bureau should be accompanied by a national privacy law, ad industry groups say. "The U.S. needs both a strong privacy regulator and a rational, comprehensive national consumer privacy law,” Leigh Freund, CEO and president of the self-regulatory organization Network Advertising Initiative stated Monday. She added that while the FTC needs more resources, increasing funding without establishing a national standard “will still leave U.S. consumers and businesses subject to a jumble of incompatible state and international laws.”

Skyrocketing demand for boxes and packing materials during the pandemic has slashed paper production across North America, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time for retail companies. “We’re starting to hear, ‘We’re out of paper,‘” said Polly Wong, president of San Francisco-based direct-marketing firm Belardi Wong, noting that some of her clients already missed their fall advertising campaigns due to issues at the printers. Ms. Wong estimates that 100 million catalogs will not be printed or reach U.S. homes in time for the year’s biggest spending season as a result. “It kind of put our industry up in a panic.” With some mills converting to cardboard to meet the spike in e-commerce deliveries and others shutting down altogether, more than 2.5 million metric tons of North American printing and writing paper capacity — or nearly one-fifth of 2019 levels — has come offline since the start of last year. more at source

If you're like me, sending a letter or package across the country through the US Postal Service feels like a game of chance. Will it get there in a week -- or two? During the first quarter of this year, around 20% of first-class mail across the US was delivered late. And now snail mail is about to get slower for some of the 160 million residences and businesses that rely on the Postal Service. Starting Oct. 1, the USPS will implement new service standards for its first-class mail and packages, lengthening delivery time for about 30% of its volume. That means some letters, parcels and magazine subscriptions traveling longer distances could take up to five days to arrive, instead of two or three days. The changes are part of a 10-year plan called Delivering for America to overhaul the agency and try to tackle its $160 billion debt. The plan would also reduce post office hours and raise prices for customers, and there'll be even more postage hikes during the peak holiday season. more at source

Quarter-to-date service performance data for July 1 through Sept. 17 included: *First-Class Mail: Delivered 88.3 percent of First-Class Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 0.8 percentage point from the third quarter. *Marketing Mail: Delivered 92.5 percent of Marketing Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 1.5 percentage points from the third quarter. *Periodicals: Delivered 82.2 percent of Periodicals on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 3 percentage points from the third quarter. Service performance in recent weeks has been affected in markets impacted by Hurricane Ida and ongoing employee availability challenges posed by COVID-19. Delivering for America, the Postal Service’s 10-year plan for financial sustainability and service excellence, seeks to meet or exceed its goal of 95 percent on-time service performance for all mail and shipping product delivery based on standards as all elements of the plan are implemented. The Postal Service continued preparations for the higher delivery demands of the 2021 holiday peak season this week. Ongoing efforts have included a national drive to hire delivery and plant personnel that is expected to result in an additional 40,000 seasonal hires by year-end, the leasing of 7.5 million square feet of additional space across more than 40 multiyear annexes where we are experiencing year-round space constraints due to parcel growth, and the installation of new processing equipment to accommodate higher volumes reflecting customers’ delivery needs. Since April, the Postal Service has installed 65 of 112 new package sorting machines, reflecting the Delivering for America plan’s $40 billion of planned investment over ten years. Additionally, more than 50 package systems capable of sorting large packages are expected to be deployed prior to December. 4.5 million additional packages can be sorted each day utilizing newly deployed package sortation equipment.

Costco Wholesale Corporation announced its operating results for the 16-week fourth quarter and the 52-week fiscal year, ended August 29, 2021. Net sales for the quarter increased 17.5 percent, to $61.44 billion from $52.28 billion last year. Net sales for the fiscal year increased 17.7 percent, to $192.05 billion from $163.22 billion last year. Net income for the fourth quarter was $1.670 billion, or $3.76 per diluted share, compared to $1.389 billion, or $3.13 last year. This year’s fourth quarter was negatively impacted by a write-off of certain information technology assets of $84 million pre-tax ($0.14 per diluted share). Last year’s fourth quarter was negatively impacted by incremental expense related to COVID-19 premium wages and sanitation costs of $281 million pretax ($0.47 per diluted share) and a $36 million pretax charge ($0.06 per diluted share) related to the prepayment of $1.5 billion of debt, partially offset by an $84 million pretax benefit ($0.15 per diluted share) for the partial reversal of a reserve related to a product tax assessment taken in fiscal year 2019. Net income for the fiscal year was $5.01 billion, or $11.27 per diluted share, compared to $4.00 billion, or $9.02 per diluted share in the prior year.

While UPS buys its way into last mile and on-demand delivery with Roadie, the U.S. Postal Service is piloting a same/next-day delivery service in Texas, geared toward local business-to-consumer orders that companies bring to a local USPS office to get a discounted rate. During the pilot of USPS Connect Local, small businesses can print prepaid labels using using ClickNShip, the USPS’s labeling system, and bring their packages to the dock of a post office near the final destination. The discounted rates are normally reserved for large-volume shippers. Packages must be dropped off by 7 a.m. for same-day delivery, otherwise it’s a next-day service. USPS Connect Local, launched in July, is part of the agency’s 10-year Delivering for America plan, which has a goal of adding $24 billion in net revenue growth over that period.

As supply chain issues continue to plague the retail sector, booksellers have become some of the most vocal voices online to warn of coming shortages this holiday season. This past weekend, some authors took to Twitter to urge readers that, if they want copies of their books in time for the holiday season, they needed to place their orders now. Independent bookstores, too have told customers to plan ahead. “If you think you might need a book in this last chunk of the year, please consider ordering soon,” Washington, D.C.-based East City Bookshop posted on Twitter, citing tightening in the supply chain. It isn’t just books: a complex combination of worker shortages, increased overseas shipping costs and raw material shortages have impacted companies ranging from Peloton to Ravensburger, a popular maker of jigsaw puzzles, said this week that it would halt all orders of its games for the foreseeable future. But book publishers are especially vulnerable because they order new book printings based on consumer demand, and to keep a popular title in stock, they depend on getting those new printings out to customers quickly. As the timelines for new printings are stretched further and further, publishers face the real possibility of running out of some books ahead of the holidays.

Pearson English announces the global launch of a new pre-primary course My Disney Stars and Friends, working alongside Disney. It features stunning Disney artwork, stories and themes suitable for the youngest learners. Pearson’s learning materials are at the forefront of educational trends and needs. My Disney Stars and Friends includes a focus on social and emotional learning, personal wellbeing, and puts learners on a clear and measurable learning path. They will be followed by a captivating series of MARVEL Cinematic Readers for teenagers and adults in the autumn. The new Disney-themed course can be used for teaching in school and home environments or a blended approach. This gives teachers flexibility and supports educators, parents and learners alike.

To help customers better prepare for a new Market Dominant price adjustment schedule, the Postal Service will not raise prices on Market Dominant products, including Forever stamps, in January 2022. Instead, the next Market Dominant price adjustment is scheduled to happen in July 2022. Beginning January 2023, Market Dominant price adjustments will occur twice a year, (e.g. January 2023, July 2023, January 2024, July 2024, etc.). Market Dominant products include First-Class Mail (FCM), USPS Marketing Mail, Periodicals, Package Services* and Special Services. July 2022 rate authority will include ten months of CPI plus retirement, density, and non-compensatory class authorities as determined by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC).The January rate authority will include six months of CPI, plus any unused rate authority.Subsequent July rate authority will include six months of CPI plus the retirement, density, and non-compensatory class authorities and any remaining unused rate authority.

The early months of the pandemic led to shortages of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, meat and more. And a year and a half later, at least one supply chain in the U.S. is still experiencing disruptions. The nation's paper supply is running thin, impacting envelopes, books, paper bags and beyond, NBC News correspondent Kerry Sanders reported on TODAY Tuesday. One bride-to-be planning a wedding for November, Gabriella Santaniello, told TODAY that her invitations were delayed for weeks because her vendor didn't have enough paper to print the envelopes. "I panicked. I didn’t expect for them to come back with that answer," she recalled. Another impacted industry? Booksellers. Barnes & Noble saw a surge in sales at the height of the pandemic but could deal with supply chain issues during the holiday season. "The problem comes as we get closer into the holiday and really close to Christmas when some books start selling a bit more than we expect," Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt told TODAY. "Then there’s a problem because then you can’t reprint and or rather the capacity for reprint is limited."

By any measure, the first half of 2021 was a good period for trade book publishing. Revenue at the companies that report trade sales to the Association of American Publishers’ StatShot program rose 17.6% over the first six months of 2020; NPD BookScan reported that unit sales increased 18.5% in the period; and bookstore sales jumped 30% over what was a miserable first six months of 2020. So it comes as no surprise that the four publicly traded major publishers also posted strong increases in the period. Of particular note is the fact that while sales were strong, profits were even better, with operating margins showing healthy gains. In general, the publishers cited higher sales of both backlist books and digital content, especially digital audiobooks, for the improved margins. Though supply chain issues and the uncertainty over the delta variant are causing some concerns about how the rest of the year will unfold, publishers are hoping that the increased interest in reading will carry over through the 2021 holiday season and beyond.

Women’s magazine Marie Claire is ending its US print edition after 27 years, The Post has learned. The magazine, which was sold by Hearst to British publisher Future Media in May, quietly informed its subscribers via a letter that its Summer 2021 issue would be its last. Marie Claire subscribers will instead receive a print copy of Harper’s Bazaar, the fashion publication owned by Hearst, for the rest of their subscription terms, according to the letter, which was signed by Bazaar editor in chief Samira Nasr. “I have some news to share: After the Summer 2021 issue, Marie Claire will no longer be available as an annual subscription but will instead focus on its vibrant digital platforms– Marieclaire.com, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.,” Nasr said.

Quarter-to-date service performance data for July 1 through Sept. 3 included: *First-Class Mail: Delivered 88.7 percent of First-Class Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 1.2 percentage points from the third quarter. *Marketing Mail: Delivered 92.8 percent of Marketing Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 1.8 percentage points from the third quarter. *Periodicals: Delivered 82.6 percent of Periodicals on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 3.3 percentage points from the third quarter. During the week of Aug. 28 - Sept. 3, the Postal Service quickly prepared for and responded to Hurricane Ida, a category 4 hurricane, which made landfall in Louisiana on Aug. 29. Due to the hurricane, network service delays occurred as the storm temporarily suspended USPS operations in parts of Louisiana and other Gulf Coast and Atlantic areas in the hurricane’s path.

Who doesn’t feel a rush of joy when they open a handwritten card or letter received in the mail? Many of us rediscovered the simple, yet powerful pleasures of keeping in touch with pen, paper and a postage stamp during the pandemic. Later this month, everyone across America – and around the globe – is invited to send a card, deliver a smile and together create a much-needed wave of happiness during Thinking of You Week. Celebrated September 20 to 26, Thinking of You Week is an international movement to celebrate the joy of sending and receiving hand-written notes and greeting cards. Launched in the United Kingdom in 2014, the celebration was brought to the U.S. by the Greeting Card Association in 2018.

Walmart Inc. announced a cross-platform partnership with Meredith Corporation to help millions of busy families plan and prepare meals faster and more easily through AI-powered meal planning, shoppable recipes, visual search, chatbots, and more. The partnership pairs Meredith’s expertise in food content, hyper-local consumer insights and proprietary technology platform with Walmart’s wide customer reach, omnichannel presence, deep product assortment, convenient shopping experience and delivery options. This is the latest strategic addition to Walmart’s thriving grocery eCommerce business.

Athleta announced the expansion of a wholesale partnership with REI Co-op, bringing a curated selection of its product to 135 REI stores nationwide and online. As part of its growth plan to reach $2 billion in net sales by 2023, Athleta has committed to investing in new touchpoints to increase awareness and drive new customer acquisition. The collection will include select styles of Athleta premium performance and lifestyle apparel and accessories, designed by women for women. Customers will be able to shop Athleta core lifestyle, hike and yoga bottoms, along with key tops and accessories. Additionally, REI will carry select extended sizing options from size 0-26 in hiking and fitness apparel designs in one-quarter of all stores and on REI.com, bringing women even more inclusive sizing options and ways to shop.

A BISG webinar held in early July sought to draw attention to the growing challenges in the book industry’s supply chain. Panelists pointed to shortages of truck drivers and trailers, congestion at the ports, and escalating transportation costs as factors that, in the words of David Hetherington, Book International’s v-p of global business development, were putting more pressure on the supply chain than at any time he could remember. In the ensuing two months, things have gotten worse, as printing capacity continues to shrink and labor shortages have made it difficult for printers, retailers, and wholesalers to fully staff their businesses. Concerns have risen to such a level that the two biggest trade wholesalers, Ingram and Bookazine, have reached out to their accounts to urge them to take a range of actions to try to mitigate problems, informing them of steps they should take to be better positioned to meet the needs of the fall and holiday. Top of the recommendation list from both Ingram and Bookazine is for accounts to order as early as possible.

Quarter-to-date service performance data for July 1 through August 27 included: *First-Class Mail: Delivered 88.8 percent of First-Class Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 1.3 percentage points from the third quarter. *Marketing Mail: Delivered 92.8 percent of Marketing Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 1.8 percentage points from the third quarter. *Periodicals: Delivered 82.8 percent of Periodicals on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 3.5 percentage points from the third quarter. For the week of Aug. 21-27, the Postal Service achieved its highest level of service performance ever recorded for the Marketing Mail category (94.1%).

“Wiley’s steady execution of growth strategies in open research, online education, and talent development drove another quarter of strong revenue and profit gains,” said Brian Napack, President and CEO. “Our strategies continue to be tightly aligned with accelerating long-term trends across academic and corporate markets, and we are well-positioned to drive social impact by enabling discovery, powering education and shaping workforces.” *Research Publishing & Platforms rose 14% as reported, 10% at constant currency and 5% excluding acquisitions, driven by strong growth in open research, platforms and corporate sales. *Academic & Professional Learning grew 10% as reported and 7% at constant currency, driven by strong growth in digital courseware and professional publishing, accompanied by further recovery in corporate training. *Education Services increased 16% as reported and 13% at constant currency, driven by growth in university services (formerly OPM) and talent development (formerly mthree). *GAAP EPS was $0.24 as compared to $0.29 in the prior year period, primarily reflecting non-cash deferred tax expense of $21 million arising from an increase in the UK corporate income tax rate from 19% to 25% effective April 2023.

Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $15.75 billion for the retail month of August, the four weeks ended August 29, 2021, an increase of 16.2 percent from $13.56 billion last year. For the 16-week fourth quarter ended August 29, 2021, the Company reported net sales of $61.4 billion, an increase of 17.4 percent compared to net sales of $52.3 billion during the similar period last year. For the 52-week fiscal year ended August 29, 2021, the Company reported net sales of $192.1 billion, an increase of 17.7 percent from the $163.2 billion during the similar period last year.

America’s top 25 largest newspapers have lost 20% of their weekday print circulation since the Covid-19 crisis began, a Press Gazette analysis of Alliance for Audited Media (AAM) data shows. Newspaper circulations have been in decline for years. But our research suggests that the pandemic significantly increased the rate of decline. In the first quarter of 2019, the 25 newspapers had a combined circulation of 4.7m. A year later, this total figure had fallen by 11% to 4.2m. The latest figures for these titles show a combined circulation of 3.4m, down 20% in a year.

Accelerate360’s Comag Marketing Group LLC (Comag) and Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP) today announced a partnership allowing Comag customers to strengthen their competitive position and manage their operations more efficiently via access to Meredith’s media expertise and economies of scale. Meredith now offers Comag customers access to a wide array of its own media marketing and production-related capabilities and services, including those focused on audience development, digital newsstand management, digital and magazine pre-media support, and paper and print procurement. “We are delighted to announce this partnership with Meredith which brings extraordinary benefits and additional services to our valued clients,” said Comag Marketing Group President Jay Felts. “This new platform with Meredith underscores our commitment to providing new and innovative opportunities for our clients, allowing them to focus on content creation and growing their overall audiences.”

Dear Industry Executive: By now, you've heard plenty from us about the dire need for Congress to pass legislation to reform the US Postal Service. Passage of such a bill can potentially improve all aspects of your dealings with the USPS - better rates, service, accountability, and the like. The manager of the Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service (C21), the mailing industry group of which ACMA is an influential member, wrote an excellent opinion piece in today's edition of The Hill, an objective daily publication that connects the players, defines the issues and influences the way Washington's decision makers view the debates on Capitol Hill. Two Quick & Easy Asks: 1. Share this influential article on social media using the buttons at the top of the op-ed from both your personal and business accounts if possible. You can also visit the C21 Facebook page to like and share from there. 2. If your business or clients rely on a healthy Postal Service, help influence Congress to move the current postal reform bills along to eventual passage. If your company has ties with any Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee (especially Democrats), encourage them to work with Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) on his “second review” language for the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee of Appropriations. Click here to view a list of senators on this vital committee to see if one represents your state. As always, please alert us (via our action@catalogmailers.org address) of any/all actions you take, as it's very helpful in our broader efforts and allows our DC personnel to follow up directly. And of course, please pass this alert onto anyone you know in the catalog/remote marketing/e-com industries who you think could take similar actions.

Bertelsmann closed the first half of 2021 with a record operating result of €1.4 billion. The international media, services, and education company generated revenues significantly above the previous year’s and pre-Corona levels, as well as its highest Group result in 19 years. Four of the eight business units each recorded double-digit organic growth rates. For the full year, the company expects its business to continue to develop positively and anticipates Group profit of close to two billion euros. Bertelsmann’s first-half consolidated revenues increased by 10.7 percent over the previous year to €8.7 billion (H1 2020: €7.8 billion). Organic growth was 16.6 percent year-on-year, and 7.1 percent compared to the pre-Corona year 2019. The RTL Group, Penguin Random House, Gruner + Jahr, and Arvato divisions each recorded double-digit organic-growth rates. Operating EBITDA improved significantly to €1.4 billion (H1 2020: €1.0 billion), marking a new record. RTL Group, Penguin Random House and Arvato once again proved to be the strongest earnings pillars in the Bertelsmann Group.