Many of the computer specialty stores of 1987 are gone, too, replaced by superstores and direct-mail companies.

He said he did not believe that the coalition's direct-mail company had generated fictitious mailgrams.

A prospectus for Viking Office Products, for example, a direct-mail company, is now circulating in the investment community.

That organization, to which many direct-mail companies, but not Mr. Viguerie's, belong, has set guidelines for the industry.

Brownstone and Lew Magram are related, direct-mail companies for women's clothing.

Advo, the nation's largest direct-mail company, is also close to the sale of its Marketing Force unit.

In 1999, their biggest customer, which they would identify only as a direct-mail company featuring natural baby clothes, went under after going public with a stock offering.

Back to normal, however, also meant back-to-normal worries, like falling stock prices and readership and competition with direct-mail companies.

The service gave addresses and ZIP codes when the customer, often direct-mail companies, provided lists of telephone numbers.

The Postal Service wants to create a new third-class category that would give direct-mail companies, which compete with newspapers, a 20 percent discount.