To the delight of nostalgics, Postalmarket, a well-known mail order catalog, is back. But don't expect the classic paper format we were used to. The new version will be digital, therefore in step with the times, e will see the light by Christmas 2020. A "light" paper format is provided for subscribers only.
Postalmarket, the new Italian Amazon
The return of Postalmarket was announced by the Friulian entrepreneur Stefano Bortolussi, who acquired the brand in 2018, which went bankrupt in 2015. He said: “We have an ambitious dream and we try to make it come true: we want to become the Italian Amazon. There is a lot of work to do ". And it is to be expected that it really becomes. In fact, there is no lack of determination and ideas to carry out this ambitious project, given that the entrepreneur has anticipated wanting to aim for a turnover of between 500 million and one billion euros in the first five years.
Postalmarket, the origins
Postalmarket was born in 1959, from an idea of the Milanese entrepreneur Anna Bonomi Bolchini, who imports the US model of catalog sales into Italy. The company developed in the 60s and 70s, but suffered a crisis from 1980 to 1983. After the first negative period, in 1987 it reached a turnover of 385 billion lire. This is a rosy phase, during which famous Italian designers sign the most exclusive catalogs and company employees exceed 1400 units. The positive trend continues, so much so that, between the end of the 80s and the early 90s, Postalmarket is the Italian leader in the mail order market.
Things begin to change from the moment the company passes under the control of the German giant Otto Versand, in 1993. Five years later, Postalmarket is on the verge of bankruptcy and is taken over by Senator Eugenio Filograna, who promises to renew it together. to the transfer of the business to the internet. The senator manages to bring it back into profit and prepares the listing on the stock exchange, which however jumps due to the scandals of Banca Leonardo (the only sponsor and global-coordinator). The lack of agreement between the company and the union forces Filograna to go to the ministerial commissioner. After many losses, Postalmarket was sold to Bernardi, but closed in 2007.
Postalmarket: the rebirth
In 2009 the entrepreneur Stefano Bortolussi founded Postalmarket Revolution. His goal is to develop the e-commerce, advertising services, marketing and postal services of the company, which at the time was still owned by the entrepreneur Riccardo Di Tommaso, owner of the Bernardi Clothing group. In 2010 Di Tommaso died and the project was interrupted. The court of Udine declared the bankruptcy in 2015.
But the end of Postalmarket is not yet written. Three years later, Bortolussi definitively acquires the brand and the e-commerce domains, transferring them to Postalmarket Revolution, which becomes the sole owner. The same entrepreneur identifies Francesco D'Avella as a technological partner. With D'Avella, owner of the e-commerce platform STOREDEN, at the top in Italy in its sector, he founded, in May this year, the Postalmarket Srl. Today, the two entrepreneurs expect to find a start-up investor quickly.
The catalogs that marked an era
The editions of Postalmarket, from the 60s to the 90s, made millions of Italians dream, so much so that the magazine can well define itself as a precursor of e-commerce. The voluminous magazine offered a wide range of products for clothing, underwear, cosmetics and accessories of various kinds.
Unmissable in the homes of Italians, he focused on testimonials well known to the general public of those years: Gloria Guida, Ornella Muti, Romina Power, Laura Antonelli, Monica Guerritore, Sylva Koscina, the twins Alice and Ellen Kessler to name but a few. But also, in the 90s, famous top models such as Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer, to the delight of the men of the house who, often, secretly, did not fail to take a look at the catalog, designed for the needs of the whole family.
Now the wait is for December
Today we hear the good news of his return, also reported on the company's website. There remains, therefore, that wait until the end of December to get to know the new online catalog, with a modern design. Postalmarket officially returns to Italy, bringing back a piece of the history of our country, and is preparing to become a reference point for online purchases. Finding Postalmarket again will mean, especially for nostalgics, reliving a great emotion. A dip into the memories of the past.
(Photo Postalmarket Facebook Page)
