A massive increase in online shoppers has left retailers with a wealth of consumer data which, if used effectively, could help segment databases and target customers for future sales campaigns. For those retailers that find their database systems creaking under the weight of that data, MIG offers some simple ideas on how to make use of it throughout the year.

The challenge facing the direct marketing industry since the introduction of the ‘Electoral Administration Act’, whereby voters were given the option not to have their electoral details available commercially, has increased immensely.  The percentage of people deciding not to let their Electoral Roll details be used for direct mail purposes in 2007 hit 39.75%, an increase of 2.94% on last year's register (according to information services company Experian).

Having famously spent many years promoting gone-away and bereavement suppression as a ‘no-brainer’, I am now going to be perhaps somewhat controversial and say if I had my time over again, and access to the technology now available, I would not have been so bold and probably would have saved a lot of money, writes Rob Bielby, Chief Executive of the Marketing Innovation Group.