CATALOG MARKET OUTLOOK --Sales on Back Order

"It goes without saying that the catalog industry has been experiencing one of the toughest economies since the early 1990s," says Steven E. Zuccarini, president of Catalog and Retail Solutions at R.R. Donnelley in Chicago.

"In the midst of these challenging economic times, we naturally are seeing the classic measures taken by catalogers to lower expenses—adjusting trim sizes, using lighter paper stocks and limiting some prospecting efforts. But, truthfully, catalogers are always experimenting with formats and sizes—regardless of the economy."