Glossary
ASCII - A format for data.
Agent - A company that is authorized to sell magazine subscriptions, other than the magazine publisher.
Balance Count - Generally brokers and mailers will request a "balance count" when they are planning an upcoming mailing of lists they have used in the past. A balance count is how many names they have access to in their segment or select, after omitting their prior usage.
Bind In/Blow In - An insert that has been placed loosely in a magazine or periodical.
BPI - Bytes per Inch, the amount of information that can be stored on a magnetic tape. Generally 1600 or 6250 BPI.
Business Mailer - A mailer that has a business-associated interest, inquiry, membership, subscription or purchase offer.
Business List - Any list of individuals or companies based upon a business-associated interest, inquiry, membership, subscription or purchase.
Buyer - A buyer is someone who has made a purchase of merchandise: books, CD's, apparel, etc. through the mail from a catalog, or as a result of some other direct mail promotion.
Cancellation Charges - As a standard, we charge cancellation charges to a broker/mailer who has placed an order, received a list from us, and is now cancelling that order. They are accountable for fees, run charges, tape and shipping if the order is cancelled before the mail date. They are responsible for payment in full if they cancel their order after their mail date.
Card Deck - A mailing that is comprised of a deck of cards advertising different products geared to a particular audience.
Cartridge - A type of addressable material available to most lists. Cartridges generally can store more data than a magnetic tape.
Catalog List - A mailer that offers products or services via a catalog.
Cheshire Labels - 4 Up (4 Across) labels that are made of paper. When a mailer orders these they are generally provided at no charge. The mailer needs a special machine that separates and adheres these labels to their mail piece.
Clearance/Pre-Clearance - A clearance/Pre-Clearance is generated in order to document with our list owners that the mailer is approved to use their mailing list. A clearance is generated during the processing of a current order. We generate these on new mailers to the list, new offers, or if the mailer is requesting something special such as pricing or an exchange. A pre-clearance is generated when a mailer seeks approval prior to placing the order.
Compiled List - Names and addresses derived from directories, newspapers, public records, trade show registrations, etc. identifying groups of people, companies or organizations with common characteristics.
Consumer List - A list of people who have bought merchandise, subscriptions, services, etc. geared to wards the consumer.
Continuation - A continuation is an order from a mailer who has tested, or continued on the list within the past 12 months. The mailers usually have found that the list does work for their offer, and is now using it again.
Controlled Circulation - When a magazine offers a free subscription based on criteria they have from the subscription card that the subscriber filled out.
Co-op Database - Two or more list owners combine their lists and each participant is allowed to access names.
Co-op Mailing - A mailing in which two or more offers are included in the same envelope or other carrier and mailing costs are shared according to a predetermined formula.
Counts - Counts are specific numerical representation of how many names on a list are located within the mailer's specified criteria.
Datacard - A sheet containing information on a list such as basic counts, demographics, marketing insight and pricing.
Decoy/Seed - A decoy or seed is a name that is placed on a list rented by a mailer during the fulfillment process that allows our List Owner and ALC to assure that the list is being used properly. Generally, several members of the list owner's staff and ALC's staff are seeded on every order.
Demographics - Statistics and information on the subscribers/members/buyers such as age, income, presence of children, etc.
Direct Mail Sold DMS - Anything sold through the mail.
Direct To Publisher (DTP) - Subscriber that fills out subscription card and returns it back to Publisher.
Dot Whack - A message usually in a circle or dot that appears on the front cover of a catalog offering a special deal such as free shipping, or announcing special catalog items such as sale pages.
DR TV - Direct Response Television.
EBCDIC - A format for data.
E-Mail - E-Mail is an electronic transfer of information in either ASCII or EBCDIC format from the service bureau to another service bureau. They are then able to download the data onto their computers and format it to their language.
E-Mail List - A list of people with their e-mail addresses.
Enhanced File - A file that has been supplemented with additional data, usually age, income, hobbies, etc.
Exchange - When two mailers agree to make their lists available to each other on an even trade basis, rather than charging the usual rental fee.
/F - Flat Fee - A charge that is incurred once per order, normally related to the materials fee or set up fee.
Financial/Investment Service Mailer - A mailer that offers financial or investment services.
Fixed Field - This is how the information is stored electronically. Every part of the record (i.e. a person's name) has a certain amount of space assigned to it, the field for that information is of a fixed number of characters.
Free Standing Insert - A promotional brochure that rides with a newspaper.
Fundraising Mailers - A mailer that has non-profit status that is comprised of contributors or donors to one or more fundraising appeals.
Galley Listing - This is a printed version of the mag tape. This is printed on 8X10 paper and lists all of the names and addresses indicated on the tape.
House File - Any list of names owned by a company as a result of inquiry or buyer action, or an acquired list that is used to promote that company's products or services.
In-House Transfer - When a mailer orders a list that is housed at a service bureau, and that same service bureau is doing their merge purge, the order is transferred to the appropriate person "in-house". Generally we do not charge mag tape fees or shipping on orders that are in house transfers.
Inter-file Dupes - The amount of duplication within the list among different segments or orders.
Intra-file Dupes - The amount of duplication between the list and other lists/data.
List Code - The code assigned to the list.
List Segment - Each list can be broken down by certain criteria, such as gender, SCF, etc. Each portion broken out is a list segment.
/M - Per Thousand.
Magnetic Tape - Another addressable material, the magnetic tape electronically records defined bits of data. There are two sizes - 1600 Bytes per Inch and 6250 Bytes per Inch. The latter of which holds more data.
Mail Date - The date the mail pieces will be sent out.
MIN - Marketing Information Network - An organization which provides a centralized location for brokers and mailers to obtain list information.
NCOA - National Change of Address.
Net Name Arrangement - Pricing arrangement assigned to the mailer by the list manager in order to guarantee a certain percentage of names sent will be billed. This allows the mailer to drop a percentage of names and pay run charges on the names not used (i.e. On any order requesting 50,000 names or more, a list will set up an 85% net, with $7.50/M run charge).
New Names - Unique Names - Names that were not included in prior orders or have become available since the last order.
Offer - The Goods/Services/Opportunity being made available through the mail piece. A hard offer may state "For X Dollars You Will Receive X Issues". A soft offer may state "For Four Easy Payments of X Dollars You Will Receive X Issues, Plus Three Bonus Prizes".
Omit Previous Usage (OPU) - To delete names already used for previous mailings.
One Time Use of List - The list is made available for one time use only.
Output - The final product (i.e. Mag Tape/Labels) after the service bureau has run all of the criteria's on the order.
PIP (Package Insert Program) - A mailing that includes a promotional piece included in a product shipment. It may be a different product from the same company or products and services of other companies.
Premium - A bonus prize a new subscriber or customer receives upon their first order. List Owners also make these available to us to distribute at trade shows, etc.
Prepayment - When payment is required prior to shipping the order. This is usually stipulated with a "first time" mailer.
Pressure Sensitive Labels - A mailer can order the list on pressure sensitive labels, which are peel and stick labels. There is a cost associated with this material, usually 7-10/m.
Private Database - When a mailer negotiates with many list owners to take their names and merge them into a list (eliminating duplicates). The names are paid for on a usage basis only. This list is solely for the use of one mailer who has arranged this base.
Product - Something that you have purchased.
Psychographics/Lifestyle - Information in addition to demographics which can be overlayed to give further information on the subscribers/members/buyers quality of life and beliefs/philosophy.
Public Database - When a firm arranges to merge a number of lists into one unduplicated file and rents this list to any mailer (with the prior approval of the list owners). Duplicate names on the list are paid for on a pro-rata basis previously agreed upon.
Purchase Order - The form submitted to acquire a list.
Recency - Most recent names that have been added to a list.
Record Layout - The record layout is shipped with the mag tape. It provides the person who is receiving the tape the material necessary on how to read the tape and what is on the tape.
Rental - Lists are made available for a one-time use for a base rate plus charges for each additional select chosen.
Response List - Any list of individuals who have responded to a mailing/offer.
Return Date - The date the list is expected to arrive at the mail house.
Reuse - To reuse the names that you already have in possession.
Ride-A-Long - A grouping of offers included together in one envelope.
Running Charge - The charge assigned to names dropped by the mailer. A mailer could drop names for several reasons: duplication within the files, mailing was decreased, etc.
Sample Mail Piece - An example of what will be sent out that can be reviewed and approved by the List Owner.
SCF/Zip - Sectional Center Facility, the first three digits of the zip code.
Selection Cap - The collaboration of selection charges assigned one flat fee. This is most often done to discount a large selection fee for a mailer.
Shipping Method/Via - The method of shipping used by the Service Bureau, whether it be Fed Ex P1 or UPS Blue.
SRDS - A large catalog of lists that are available.
Statement Stuffer - Any promotional piece included with your bill.
Suppression - This term is used when a mailer wants to suppress or omit a prior order. This insures that the mailer doesn't receive duplicate names.
Test - An order that is placed for a small quantity of names from a list to try it out. If it performs well a continuation order for a larger quantity is usually placed.
Turn Around Time - This is the amount of time that it takes to process an order from step one ALC's Order Processing Department to the time the Service Bureau needs to actually create the tape/labels.
Universe Count - The total count of a file (i.e. 24 Months = 2,436,972).
Unknown - Names that can be male or female, gender unknown.
Update - When the service bureau refreshes the names on our managed lists to reflect any changes since the prior update.
Usage - A report stating all continuation and test mailers that have used the list file before. Mailers use this report to configure which list would adhere to their mailing most successfully.
Z-24 - An Experian product for enhancement that provides catalog purchase and other information on files that do not possess this information.
Zip +4 - A nine digit zip code defines the precise location of an address within a zip code.
Zip Tape Set Up - When a mailer needs to apply a zip tape to their order as part of the select (generally done to make a file work better for them if they have proven regions that work well for them), they are charged a fee for the service bureau to physically set up this process.
Other Tools:
- Industry FAQs provides answers to questions about direct marketing from a 25 year veteran of the field - us.
- Articles provides interesting "How-To" articles from seasoned professionals.
- Ask the expert if you don't find an answer to a specific question for a response within two business days.
