Toys in the News: 1-31-13

By TDmonthly Staff
January 2013

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_{Toys in the News is updated Mon-Fri at 9:15 am PST}
Holograms Coming to the Toy Deparment. January 31, 2013 — What was your first impression when you saw the Princess Leia hologram in Star Wars...

Toys sell well all year long (Germany). January 31, 2013 — The German toy industry is in good shape, in spite of sinking birthrates...

Top toys chosen at the Nuremberg Toy Fair. January 31, 2013 — The winners of this year's prestigious Toy Awards, which take place at the Nuremberg Toy Fair...

Million Dollar Baby Dressers Recalled by Bexco Due to Tip-Over Hazards; Two Toddler Deaths Reported. January 31, 2013 — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Bexco Enterprises Inc., dba Million Dollar Baby of Montebello, Calif. is announcing a voluntary recall of 18,000 children’s four-drawer dressers. The recalled dressers were sold at JCPenney and independent juvenile specialty stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, BabiesRUs.com, BabyUniverse.com and other online retailers from January 2006 through June 2010 for between $230 and $300. Consumers should immediately stop using and keep the dresser out of a child’s reach. Consumers can contact Million Dollar Baby to receive a free retrofit kit that contains a wall anchor strap, which attaches to the dresser and wall to help prevent the dresser from tipping.

Natart Chelsea Dressers Recalled By Gemme Juvenile To Reduce Tip-Over Hazard; Death of Toddler Reported. January 31, 2013 — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Gemme Juvenile Inc., of Princeville, Quebec, Canada is announcing a recall to retrofit 300 children's three-drawer dressers. The dressers were sold at Furniture Kidz and other independent juvenile specialty stores and at Baby.com from January 2005 to December 2010 for between $600 and $900. Consumers should immediately stop using and place the dresser out of a child's reach. Free retrofit kits that contain wall anchor straps are being offered to consumers to help prevent the dresser from tipping.

Mattel to Relaunch Max Steel with New Animated Show. January 30, 2013 — According to a report by Deadline, toy company Mattel plans on relaunching their action property Max Steel...

Fat Brain infant toy takes top honor at international competition. January 30, 2013 — An international prize. A crowded field of competitors. A jury of a dozen experts...

Coupons get more mobile in 2013. January 30, 2013 — Mobile couponing is expected to greatly increase in popularity this year. According...

Artisanal, automation among future consumer trends. January 30, 2013 — An appreciation for human-crafted goods and growth in automated payment solutions...

Toymaker Cepia sues Build-A-Bear. January 30, 2013 — A fight between two local toymakers over a color-changing stuffed bear...

Digitizing the retail space. January 29, 2013 — Developments in portable technologies of all kinds have created an increasingly connected...

Hasbro to Webcast Investor Presentation From Toy Fair on Friday, February 8, 2013. January 29, 2013 — Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) today announced it will webcast presentations from its annual Investor Event at Toy Fair on Friday, February 8...

Children toy with new forms of leisure. January 29, 2013 — Old-fashioned games give way to electronic devices, gadgets...

U.K. Toy Fair Names Award Winners. January 28, 2013 — Hasbro was the big winner of the British Toy & Hobby Association’s 2012 Toy Industry Awards Tuesday...

NRF Forecasts 3.4% Increase In Retail Sales For 2013. January 28, 2013 — The National Retail Federation released its 2013 economic forecast today, projecting retail industry sales...

Judges Cut Back Damages Owed by Mattel in Doll Case. January 28, 2013 — A federal appeals court on Thursday tossed out $172 million in damages that Mattel...

Mattel Issues Statement Regarding Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Recent Decision. January 28, 2013 — Mattel today issued the following statement regarding Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recent decision...

Ninth Circuit Affirms Largest Copyright Fee Award Against Mattel (MGA Entertainment). January 28, 2013 — Bratz doll maker, MGA Entertainment, Inc., prevailed again in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals...

Hasbro’s weak holiday sends toy makers sliding. January 28, 2013 — Toy maker plans to cut 10% of workforce to save $100 million...

Toy makers feel pinch of decrease in exports. January 28, 2013 — As world economy stutters, nation's businesses focus on domestic sales...

Gun-Control Debate Hits $16 Billion Toy Industry. January 28, 2013 — As the debate over gun control heats up across the country, another one is simmering on the...

Synesthesia traced to childhood toy. January 28, 2013 — Experiencing a color when viewing particular letters or numbers - known as color-grapheme synesthesia - may partly be a learned behavior...

Exploding cars, boxing 'bots and a tiny tablet in Toy Fair video (UK). January 24, 2013 — The path we technology journalists have chosen in this game of life dictates...

Unleash your inner child with the best bits of Toy Fair 2013(UK). January 24, 2013 — From Wi-Fi controlled tanks to chocolate you can mould, we've scoured Toy Fair 2013 for the best kids'...

Toy Fair 2013: behind-the-scenes (UK). January 24, 2013 — The fifth annual Toy Fair was bursting with the trendiest toys that your children will be eager to own come...

Toy Fair 2013: Best new toys revealed (UK). January 24, 2013 — Whether you have a techy tot or a dinosaur lover, wannabe magician or wannabe policeman...

5 Retail Technology Approaches to Combat Showrooming. January 24, 2013 — Showrooming was a big topic at last week's National Retail Federation (NRF) Expo in NYC...

Lego Accused Of Racism Amid Claims Jabba's Palace Resembles Istanbul's Hagia Sophia Mosque. January 24, 2013 — A Turkish community in Austria has accused Lego of racism amid claims a model from its Star Wars...

Federal lawsuit filed over injury to toddler burned by riding toy. January 24, 2013 — The parents of a toddler who was burned last year when his riding toy caught fire...

Disney U.K. Expands Doc McStuffins. January 24, 2013 — Disney is planning a new range of products in the U.K. and Ireland...

NRF Says Debt Ceiling Delay Would Avoid ‘Another Fiscal Cliff’. January 23, 2013 — The National Retail Federation urged the House to approve legislation set for a vote today...

Marvel Outlines Spider-Man Push. January 23, 2013 — Following the Monday premiere of season two of the animated series “Ultimate Spider-Man”...

Retailers to Ring Up Sales Via Mobile. January 23, 2013 — With its traditional bricks and mortar business model in tatters, retailers are pinning their hopes...

Toys and games: Are we paying for products that teach? January 23, 2013 — It is every parent's financial nightmare - the expensive birthday toy is discarded after an hour...

Toymakers show off at the London Toy Fair (Slideshow). January 23, 2013 — The London Toy Fair is a pretty good leading indicator of what you will be buying...

Safari Ltd® Introduces More than 100 Educational Toys. January 22, 2013 — Safari Ltd®, family-owned manufacturer and worldwide distributor of museum-quality, educational toys, expanded its collections with more than 100 new hand-painted products for 2013...

100 years for toy fair at the Javits Center. January 22, 2013 — More than 1,000 makers of toys and games will showcase their products...

Kids’ E-book Reading Jumps. January 22, 2013 — Digital Book World was not the only place where reports were issued last week...

Blue Orange Games to Debut Engenius, a New Line of Construction Toys at Toy Fair 2013. January 22, 2013 — Blue Orange Games is soaring into new territory. Makers of tabletop games geared towards ...

A Cheap, Rugged Tablet Is Your Kid’s Next Fixation. January 22, 2013 — Forget phablets. Touchscreen Android devices designed expressly for kids with bright colors, durable ...

Amazon doesn't put profit first. January 22, 2013 — January in retail is a little bit like the off-season of a professional sports league...

Video game maker Atari files for bankruptcy. January 22, 2013 — Video game company Atari SA said it has filed for bankruptcy protection in Paris and New York...

Hasbro Introduces Construct-Bots: Transformers With Interchangeable Parts. January 22, 2013 — Transformers have been a favorite toy of geeks in both their original incarnation...

HSN and Disney walk down the yellow brick road. January 22, 2013 — Multi-channel retailer HSN will collaborate with Disney to create an exclusive collection of...

Hasbro and Tetris play nice. January 22, 2013 — Hasbro is bringing the Tetris video game brand into the world of face-to-face gaming...

2013 Holiday planning starts now. January 18, 2013 — The 2012 holiday shopping season featured stores opening earlier on Thanksgiving, extended...

Made in U.S.A. supplier summit coming soon. January 18, 2013 — The first indication that something big was brewing with Walmart on the domestic...

Retailers struggle to face the digital revolution. January 18, 2013 — Change — or die. But how exactly? Responding to the digital revolution...

Haier plans stake in toy maker Lung Cheong. January 18, 2013 — A subsidiary of giant Chinese appliance maker Haier Group plans to take a 25 percent ownership stake in plastic toy maker...

U.K. Retail Sales Unexpectedly Decline Around Christmas. January 18, 2013 — U.K. retail sales unexpectedly fell in December as consumer uncertainty extended into the key...

Treasured toys. January 18, 2013 — A silk doll first made in China more than a thousand years ago remains a popular fixture...

Activision Skylanders vs. Disney Infinity. January 17, 2013 — Activision/Blizzard, the world’s largest provider of video games, has been in the news lately. Firstly, their Call of Duty: Black Ops II game was not only the #1 game for the month of December; it was the #1 game for the whole of 2012. Secondly, their 2011 entry Skylanders has just broken the $500 million barrier at U.S. retail...

Toy makers shifting production. January 17, 2013 — China's vicelike grip on global toy manufacturing is showing signs of loosening...

Eight Retail CEOs (Including Wal-Mart's) Reveal Top Goals For 2013. January 17, 2013 — Rebuilding American manufacturing, practicing “conscience capitalism” and investing big in online shopping...

Here Are The 3 Big Things Retailers Want From Washington This Year. January 17, 2013 — Matt Shay, the president and CEO of the National Retail Federation, listed three lobbying priorities...

PayPal goes mobile. January 17, 2013 — PayPal, an eBay subsidiary, has entered into an agreement with NCR Corp. to...

Toy inventor hopes to build success with Qubits. January 17, 2013 — An inventor has brought what he hopes will be the next construction-toy craze...

K’NEX® to Introduce Over 45 New Products at New York Toy Fair. January 17, 2013 — K'NEX will be introducing their 2013 product line to retailers and media during American International Toy Fair...

WTHRA Announces 2013 Hall of Fame Inductees. January 16, 2013 — WTHRA is pleased to announce its 2013 Hall of Fame Inductees and Retailer of the Year as follows...

Honoring the Enemy? Brick-and-Mortar Retailers Give Top Award to Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. January 16, 2013 — Awkward! The National Retail Federation, which is dominated by traditional brick-and-mortar-based stores...

Amazon fights $234 million tax liability in Tax Court. January 16, 2013 — Online retailer Amazon Inc is fighting the U.S. Internal Revenue Service over a $234 million international tax bill...

Face It Target, You Are No Amazon (And Shouldn't Try to Be). January 16, 2013 — Target‘s timing couldn’t have been any better. Days before its bête noire...

Shop.Org/Okamura Consulting Examine Where Digital Fits In Today’s Retail Organization. January 16, 2013 — As e-commerce, mobile, and social media place an increasing role in all aspects of customers’...

NPD Says Late-December Surge Bolsters Toy Industry in U.S. January 16, 2013 — Strong demand for toys in the final two weeks of the year helped...

The Children's Digital Market: Still Uncharted Territory. January 16, 2013 — The growing complexity of the children’s digital market was parsed by industry experts at the Publishers Launch Children's Publishing Goes Digital Conference...

5 Ways Small Retailers Can Survive Against Big Box Stores. January 15, 2013 — A few months ago, I read a conversation on the discussion boards of...

Bugaboo Recalls Strollers Due to Fall and Choking Hazards. January 15, 2013 — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product: About 46,300 in the U.S. and 4,440 in Canada Bugaboo Cameleon and Bugaboo Donkey Model Strollers, sold at Buy Buy Baby, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Toys R Us and other baby product stores nationwide, online at Bugaboo.com and other online retailers. The Bugaboo Cameleon was sold between September 2009 and June 2012 for about $980. The Bugaboo Donkey was sold from January 2011 through December 2012 for between $1,200 and $1,600. Bugaboo has received 58 reports of carry handles detaching. No injuries have been reported. Consumers should immediately remove the carry handle from the strollers and contact Bugaboo for a free replacement handle. Consumers can continue to use the strollers while awaiting the replacement handle.

Holiday Retail Sales Up 3.0 Percent To $579.8 Billion. January 15, 2013 — Solid consumer spending in the month of December helped retailers finish the year...

Research shows using the Wii Fit could aid the development of children with movement difficulties. January 15, 2013 — Use of the Nintendo Wii Fit could help improve the development of children with movement difficulties...

Asia, Europe will make up 87% of global mobile, online game revenue in 2015 - report. January 15, 2013 — According to a new and extensive report from investment banking services company...

Retail sales rise 0.5% in December. January 15, 2013 — Consumers increased their spending at retail businesses in December, buying more autos, furniture and clothing...

Retail Sales Meet Mobile Growth: iPad Tops List. January 15, 2013 — Retail sales for December from the Commerce Department increased a seasonally adjusted .5 percent...

PayPal's in-store payment partners grow to 23 retailers. January 15, 2013 — Increasingly bringing its service offline, PayPal announced today that it has nearly doubled its brick-and-mortar store lineup...

NRF Names Retail Winners. January 15, 2013 — The National Retail Federation honored the most innovative retailers of the year yesterday...

Scholastic Report Finds More E-book Reading Among Children. January 15, 2013 — The fourth edition of Scholastic’s “Kids & Family Reading Report,” released by the company Monday, put the emphasis

Best Toy Brand Pages on Facebook. January 15, 2013 — This Christmas we decided to monitor the activity at the top toy brand pages on Facebook...

NRF Calls Walmart Plan To Hire Veterans ‘Visionary’. January 15, 2013 — The National Retail Federation released the following statement from President and CEO Matthew Shay regarding Walmart’s announcement today...

Four Hong Kong Fairs Report Increased Attendance, New Orders. January 14, 2013 — The four Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) fairs held this week registered a total buyer attendance of more than 100,000...

Is Hasbro Destined for Greatness? January 14, 2013 — Every investor can appreciate a stock that consistently beats the Street without getting ahead...

Toy Sales Grow in Asia Pacific. January 14, 2013 — New research from RnR Market Research shows that while the sale of toys and games...

Retail Industry Adopts Principles For Tax Reform. January 14, 2013 — The National Retail Federation Board of Directors has adopted a resolution directing NRF to “strongly encourage” Congress to enact comprehensive tax reform in 2013...

Toy Industry Association taps Kellen for Toy Fair. January 14, 2013 — The Toy Industry Association has hired Kellen Communications...

Saks CEO Stephen Sadove Elected Chairman Of The NRF Board. January 14, 2013 — The National Retail Federation today announced that Saks Incorporated Chairman and CEO Stephen I. Sadove has been elected chairman of the NRF Board of Directors...

Toilet training iPad accessory announced at CES. January 14, 2013 — A toilet training iPad accessory for babies, the iPotty, has been announced at CES...

Kids Preferred Unveils 2013 Lines. January 14, 2013 — U.S. plush toy manufacturer Kids Preferred is rolling out a slew of new products...

Kids And Tablets: At What Age Is It OK To Buy Your Children Their Own? January 14, 2013 — The Arnova ChildPad. The Oregon Scientific Meep. The Toys R' Us Nabeo 7. The LeapFrog LeapPad 2...

Activision Exec on 'Skylanders' $500 Million Hit Kids' Franchise (Q&A). January 14, 2013 — Activision Publishing has focused on the lucrative children's market over the past two years...

U.S. video game hardware in 2012: Winners, losers and retirees. January 14, 2013 — Five million. That's the number of traditional consoles and handhelds that were sold...

Weak Toys"R"Us Holiday Sales, Bad for Toy Companies and Video Games. January 11, 2013 — Toys"R"Us may no longer be a public company, but that does not mean that it is not an important barometer for toy companies...

Retail Imports To Increase 2.3 Percent In January As Port Strike Threat Continues. January 11, 2013 — Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 2.3 percent...

BII REPORT: How Amazon Is Trying To Create A Huge Mobile Business. January 11, 2013 — U.S. mobile commerce is exploding. Amazon, as a leading ecommerce site, is set...

Amazon and eBay Enjoyed Strong "Same Store Sales" Growth in December. January 11, 2013 — comScore estimates that retail e-commerce spending during the holidays was $42.3 billion...

Screen time not linked to kids' physical activity. January 11, 2013 — Cutting back kids' time watching TV and playing video games may not encourage...

Sidekix Forms Strategic Partnership with Zoobies to Expand Line of Collectible “Two-in-One” Plush Toys. January 11, 2013 — Sidekix®, an innovative toy company that adds “zip” to plush animals and playful interactions, today announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Zoobies®...

Activision toasts another blockbuster franchise: Skylanders passes $500m US gross. January 11, 2013 — Call of Duty publisher is making good on its promise to create another billion dollar...

Walmart Teams With UPS to Fight Amazon. January 11, 2013 — Walmart (NYSE:WMT) investors know full well the trouble caused by e-commerce megasite Amazon.com...

Vivitar XO Learning Tablet For Kids Unveiled. January 11, 2013 — At CES this week Vivitar has unveiled their new range of XO Learning tablet for kids...

Nearly 1 million more Xbox 360s than Wii U consoles sold last month. January 11, 2013 — Is the Wii U having some trouble getting off the ground? Research firm NPD Group...

Pokemon To Launch Two New Games. January 11, 2013 — The Pokémon Company and Nintendo have announced the next generation of Pokémon video games...

Smartphone-related Toys at HKG Toy Fair. January 11, 2013 — A whole host of toys from plush hippos to remote-controlled helicopters...

Swings and roundabouts at toy fair. January 11, 2013 — Buyers flocked to the opening of the Hong Kong Toy and Games Fair in Wan Chai...

Toys "R" Us announces charitable holiday campaign results. January 11, 2013 — Toys"R"Us raised $4 million and collected nearly 350,000 toys during its 2012 charitable...

LEGO, Marvel Announce Video Game. January 10, 2013 - Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games, The LEGO Group and Marvel Entertainment have teamed up for the “LEGO Marvel Super Heroes” video game, set to hit shelves this fall

Not so fun for some at Asia's biggest toy fair. January 9, 2013 — While some Hong Kong and US toy executives see a better outlook for the industry...

Hasbro Plans 'Bejeweled' Board Game. January 9, 2013 — Hasbro has teamed up with digital game developer PopCap to turn popular game apps...

Holiday Season Ends on Positive Note for Retailers, According to ShopperTrak. January 9, 2013 — More shoppers spent more at the cash register during the 2012 holiday season than they did the previous year...

What's Trending in the Retail Industry in 2013. January 9, 2013 — As mobile adoption and video consumption soars, retailers are looking for ways...

Retailers' holiday hiring was highest in six years. January 9, 2013 — The nation's retailers boosted holiday hiring to the highest level in six years despite worries....

CES: Tech toys for toddlers. January 9, 2013 — Keeping kids entertained in restaurants and on car trips isn’t getting much easier...

Target Will Match Prices of Amazon, Walmart.com, Other Online Retailers Year-Round. January 9, 2013 — Target (TGT) announced a bold new program Tuesday morning, promising to match the prices...

Disney Launches Sofia Product Line. January 9, 2013 — The Disney Store has launched a full product line for its new series...

A Very Merry Christmas for Children's Booksellers. January 9, 2013 — Children’s specialty stores and general stores with large children’s sections reported solid sales...

Ematic FunTab Family tablet range running Android 4.0 launches at CES. January 9, 2013 — Throwing its hand in to the ever-expanding range of neon-colored rubber-edged...

Quality is Crucial if Disney Infinity Is To Challenge Skylanders Giants. January 9, 2013 — Successful video-games don’t usually come in ones and twos. First there are the sequels...

Opinion: What CES 2013 says about the state of the game industry. January 9, 2013 — Game Developer magazine editor Patrick Miller argues how the influx of game-related announcements...

Vote or the dog gets it: Monopoly maker sparks war of pieces. January 9, 2013 — After chasing its equally small and similarly anachronistic adversaries around metropolises and...

Fisher-Price Recalls to Inspect Rock 'N Play Infant Sleepers Due to Risk of Exposure to Mold. January 8, 2013 — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product: About 800,000 Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleepers™ from Fisher-Price Inc., sold at mass merchandise stores nationwide and online since September 2009 for between $50 and $85. Units currently in retail stores are not affected by this recall to inspect. Only products that show signs of mold after use by consumers are included in this announcement. Consumers should immediately check for mold under the removable seat cushion. Dark brown, gray or black spots can indicate the presence of mold. If mold is found, consumers should immediately stop using the product. Consumers can contact Fisher-Price for cleaning instructions or further assistance. Cleaning and care instructions can also be found at www.service.mattel.com or by contacting the firm.

Disney joins JAKKS, LA billionaire to bring toys to life. January 8, 2013 — Walt Disney toys are sold around the world. Now, children can find them...

RILA announces leadership changes. January 8, 2013 — The Retail Industry Leaders Association has made changes to its top staff. Former...

Majesco picks up Disney's 'Phineas and Ferb' license, games due in August. January 8, 2013 — While Disney Interactive puts its time and resources into Disney Infinity, it's leaving ...

CES 2013: Fisher-Price playing between virtual and real toys. January 8, 2013 — Fisher-Price is saying "game on" for kids exploring the nexus between virtual and physical play...

CES 2013: What is tech bringing to child's play? Tablets and apps. January 8, 2013 — Kids' tech these days is all about the letter T -- for tablets and teaching...

GameStop holiday sales disappoint as preowned falters. January 8, 2013 — Video game retailer GameStop saw strong digital and mobile growth over the holiday...

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Announced. January 8, 2013 — Warner Bros. has announced the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes will be coming to all major consoles...

Acer targets first time and kid’s tablet buyers with $130 Iconia model at CES. January 8, 2013 — There was buzz that CES might see the release of new $99 tablet models...

Toy Train Company Bigjigs Applies For West Coast Mainline Bid, Offering 'Fair Fares For Us All'. January 8, 2013 — A company which sells toy trains has received a serious response from...

Studio Licensing Takes on MGA. January 8, 2013 — Studio Licensing has been appointed to represent MGA Entertainment’s...

Asia's biggest toy fair sees high-tech gadgets. January 7, 2013 — Hong Kong is starting the year with a bit of fun as it hosts...

Taiwan-made toys shine at Hong Kong fair. January 7, 2013 — A record high number of Taiwanese toy companies are taking part in the...

TABLE-US revised Dec ICSC retail sales up 2.7 pct vs year ago. January 7, 2013 — U.S. comparable chain store sales rose a revised 2.7 percent in December...

MORGAN STANLEY: The Entire Retail Industry Is Undergoing A Revolution, And These Companies Will Be The Huge Winners. January 7, 2013 — Morgan Stanley's internet and retail research teams led by Scott Devitt just...

A $16 Million Bet on the Future of Chinese Retail. January 7, 2013 — It's a bit like China's Oscars for business types. Over the past 13 years...

Eight Percent of Amazon’s Sales Are Coming From Mobile. January 7, 2013 — Online retailers in 2012 were vigilant about making their sites accessible to...

THQ denied quick bankruptcy sale in wake of creditor complaints. January 7, 2013 — Following complaints from THQ's creditors, a U.S. court has denied the publisher's...

Fremont Die Consumer Products Partners with NFL For New Game Play Experience. January 7, 2013 — Fremont Die Consumer Products, the leading manufacturer of sports novelty items, takes its long-standing partnership with the NFL to a new category in 2013 with the introduction of NFL Game Day, the Ultimate Football Board Game...

CES 2013: BiWee unveils smart toys. January 7, 2013 — European wireless accessory manufacturer BiWee has unveiled a smart toy of the Mini Cooper...

Disney seeks patent that hints at gaming console. January 7, 2013 — The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has logged a patent application from Disney that points...

The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Hasbro, Zynga, Mattel, JAKKS Pacific and Vodafone Group. January 7, 2013 — Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based toy maker Hasbro Inc. has partnered with Callaway Digital Arts...

Wii U Sales Remain Steady At The End Of The Year: Nintendo Chief. January 7, 2013 — Nintendo Co Ltd's year-end sales of its Wii U games console were steady, though not...

LEGO Robots Evolve With Mindstorms EV3 Robotics Set. January 7, 2013 — Fifteen years ago, LEGO launched its Mindstorms line of robotic building blocks...

Exclusive: Disney looks for cost savings, ponders layoffs - sources. January 7, 2013 — Walt Disney Co, which reported record earnings in November, started an internal cost cutting review...

Drone Toy For Kids Draws Sharp Response From Amazon Reviewers. January 7, 2013 — The Amazon page for Maisto's miniature RQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has...

Videogames: let girls be girls. January 7, 2013 — Putting the words "gender" and "games" into the same article can often...

Disney Marks Doc McStuffins' Success. January 4, 2013 — Disney is celebrating the success of its newest animation series for preschoolers...

Tablet For Kids Announced By Polaroid. January 4, 2013 — Polaroid have this week taken the wraps off a new tablet for kids...

Online sales set new record. January 4, 2013 — Online holiday season sales grew 14% to $42.3 billion, a little short of comScore’s...

Crazy Christmas offers retailers mixed bag. January 4, 2013 — In what turned out to be one of the stranger holiday seasons...

Best Buy And Toys 'R' Us Allege Walmart's Ads Are Misleading — And 4 States Are Looking Into It. January 4, 2013 — Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc has gone on the defensive against charges by competitors...

Why Disney Infinity Is Likely to Include Physical Toys. January 4, 2013 — You can tell how good a party is going to be from the quality...

Dr. Toy on Guns, and Alternatives to Violence with Better Choices, and More Play. January 4, 2013 — The inappropriate use of guns, compounded by the senseless killing of 20 children and six adults at...

Why Activision Blizzard's Earnings Are Outstanding. January 4, 2013 — Although business headlines still tout earnings numbers, many investors have moved past...

THQ creditors, US Trustee take issue with quick sale. January 4, 2013 — As part of THQ's bankruptcy declaration last month, the company revealed plans...

The DeanBeat: The game industry’s calendar will be different in 2013. January 4, 2013 — Welcome to the new year in games. I made my predictions about...

Disney Seeks to Halt Bankruptcy Sale of 3-D Technology. January 4, 2013 — A Walt Disney Co. (DIS) unit asked a federal judge to block a bankruptcy court ruling...

Bond games removed from Steam and Activision online stores. January 4, 2013 — Faster than you can repeat a surname, the James Bond games have disappeared...

Analyst: Wii U underperformed at GameStop during holiday season. January 4, 2013 — With the holiday shopping rush comes the expectation that console and game sales...

2013 Will Be Ugly For Retail Stocks. January 4, 2013 — While some retailers managed to join in Wednesday's post-fiscal cliff market rally...

Are Changes in the Video Game Sector a Signal to Sell? January 4, 2013 — Shares of video game retailer GameStop tumbled 5 percent Thursday on reports that Sony...

Kid Brands Secures $80M Credit; Fends Off NYSE Delisting. January 4, 2013 — Kid Brands Inc., an importer of juvenile furniture and other children's products, has secured a maximum $80 million...

eBay Tries Two New Ways to Sell: Drop-Off Points and Home Pick-Up. January 3, 2013 — Gail Weber had never sold anything on eBay, but she was interested...

LEGO Launches New IP. January 3, 2013 — LEGO Systems has launched a new property–LEGO Legends of Chima...

Amazon touts holiday season growth. January 3, 2013 — Amazon contends that 2012 was a record-breaking holiday season for businesses...

Shopping data a coal in stocking for retail stocks. January 3, 2013 — Weak spending in the run-up to Christmas raised concerns about retailers' profits...

Australia Finally Gets Its R18+ Video Game Rating. January 3, 2013 — Too often in America, we tend to forget the plights of our friends...

Dr. Toy on Toys as Tools for Learning. January 3, 2013 — We know that play is the process by which children learn best...

Occupy Providence protests Hasbro's tax break. January 3, 2013 — Occupy Providence welcomed Hasbro to its new Providence location on Monday, with a protest...

Barnes & Noble sells fewer Nooks, retail revenue falls. January 3, 2013 — Barnes & Noble Inc's Nook unit reported weak holiday season numbers on Thursday as it...

Target Corporation : Target Reports December Sales Results. January 3, 2013 — Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) today reported that its net retail sales for the five weeks...

Wiggles Names Master Toy Partner. January 3, 2013 — Children’s entertainment group The Wiggles has tapped U.S. toymaker Wicked Cool Toys...

Christmas sales soft at Target. January 3, 2013 — Weaker than expected December sales at Target will cause fourth quarter profits...

Returns forecast to hit peak today. January 3, 2013 — After year of record online sales it’s not surprising that returns are...

NRF Welcomes Agreement To Avoid Fiscal Cliff. January 2, 2013 — The National Retail Federation today welcomed an agreement reached between the White House and Congress...

In 'augmented reality,' toy makers see a way to compete with apps. January 2, 2013 — Toy makers embrace the 3-D technology to sell their products, with some incorporating...

U.S. retailers scramble after lackluster holiday sales. January 2, 2013 — The 2012 holiday season may have been the worst for retailers since the...

Ready to Soar! American Girl's 2013 Girl of the Year Turns Passion Into Persuasion to Promote Arts Education. January 2, 2013 — On January 1, 2013, girls everywhere will be inspired by Saige Copeland, American Girl's 2013 Girl of the Year®...

NRF Awards Retailers. January 2, 2013 — The National Retailer Federation has announced its line up of recipients for its annual...

Supply chain cliff averted, for now. December 31, 2012 — The retail industry has temporarily avoided a shut down of 14 ports along...

Mattel and Hasbro terrified over Kindle Fire, high-tech toys. December 31, 2012 — Christmas has come and gone, and Mattel and Hasbro are terrified because kids...

Will retailers rebound after weak holiday season? December 31, 2012 — As signs emerge that holiday sales this year grew at the weakest pace since 2008...

Tablets Dominate the Toy Aisle. December 31, 2012 — With a new tablet launching what seems to be almost daily, it's no surprise...

The Season of Giving Back: Gift Returns Rise. December 31, 2012 — The week after Christmas is when Americans "give back." Give back gifts they don't want...

The Crazy World of Post-Christmas Retail. December 31, 2012 — Analysts are expecting an increase in holiday sales when the dust settles, but...

Return to the City: Renewal of Inner City Retail Stores. December 31, 2012 — Times change. Sometimes old ideas become new again. A long time ago I learned...

Thomas the Tank Engine to Receive a Multimillion-Dollar Sheen. December 31, 2012 — One of the oldest preschool entertainment and toy franchises, Thomas the Tank Engine...

HABA named U.S. distributor of Lilliputiens soft toys. December 31, 2012 — HABA has been named the U.S. distributor of Lilliputiens, a Belgium-based line...