Trying to keep up with the latest changes in catalog operations? Do you wish you had the opportunity to benchmark against other companies in the industry? Want to learn how to be more efficient and better serve your customers? Then the National Conference on Operations & Fulfillment is for you. This year’s event will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago from April 19-21. We look forward to seeing you there! Stop by booth # 527 to find out what Terno can do for you.

To learn more, visit www.ncof.com

Yes!  You "Can Spam"

By Jeffrey Moliterno Jr.

Today, in the minds and on the tongues of countless direct marketers is the question, "Can I Spam?"  Based on the new anti-spam legislation passed by Congress and recently signed by President Bush, the answer is yes, you can spam. Your company is still allowed to send unsolicited e-mails, but of course there are stipulations. Some of these are:

• No fraudulent e-mail headers are allowed
• All subject lines must be truthful
• You can no longer harvest e-mail addresses
• The physical address of the mailer is required in the e-mail (no P.O. boxes)
• A return e-mail address that allows recipients to opt out of future e-mails
• Must have an indication that the e-mail is an advertisement

These regulations do not outlaw spam outright or give people the option of never getting spam again like the No Call List does, but there are consequences like fines and jail time for breaking any of the regulations, so do not take them lightly. The act does not allow for spam receivers to sue your company but does allow ISPs like AOL and MSN to sue if your e-mails are not compliant. In the big scheme of things, the Can Spam Act does very little to stop spam. Instead it simply lays a healthy set of boundaries for commercial e-mailers.

It is clear that the government is not going stop unsolicited emails altogether, but if companies do not abide by the rules or try to stretch the limits of the Can Spam Act, then the government may react with more stringent laws preventing all unsolicited e-mails. Mass e-mailers need to be conscientious of their would-be consumer, and they need to be sure to go above and beyond the Can Spam Act regulations to ensure the future of mass e-mailing.

Who knows, maybe we are lucky enough to still sign up to collect $2 Million from Jamal Kamadbeb in Nigeria if we simply give him our bank account number! 

For More Details:
Check out the DMA for their analysis of the Can Spam Act of 2003 (www.the-dma.org).

Visit www.spamlaws.com/federal/108s877.html for the actual text of the Can Spam Act.

Visit www.prweb.com/releases/2003/12/inktomi95724.php for a press release by PRWeb about the Can Spam Act

Print issue next month

TCL tips

• To stop a report or end a listing, use <Ctrl> X. For Universe customers, you may also press Q to quit your listing.
• If you are having trouble with a  TCL statement executing properly, use the .? feature to have a display list of options to change your original statement.

TSPS Backup service

In December, Terno announced the investigation in a new backup service to be offered to our current clients. This would allow a remote backup of your data and web site with the capability to operate from the Terno servers through a secure web connection if a disaster would occur. The new product, dubbed as the TSPS (Terno Security Plus System) is an insurance policy your company can’t live without.

Pricing will be based on the amount of storage space needed, frequency of backups, and capabilities to be employed. Please call Jeff Moliterno for your specific quote.