Toys in the News: 7-31-13

By TDmonthly Staff
July 2013

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_{Toys in the News is updated Mon-Fri at 9:15 am PST}

Safari Ltd® Announces New, Permanent Showroom. July 31, 2013 — Safari Ltd®, family-owned manufacturer and worldwide distributor of museum-quality, educational toys, is pleased to announce the grand opening of its new, permanent showroom. The showroom is located in Building 2, Suite 788 at AmericasMart® in Atlanta, Georgia.

Be Amazing! Toys Recalls Monster Science and Super Star Science Colossal Water Balls Due to Serious Ingestion Hazard. July 31, 2013 — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced a recall of about About 14,200 Monster Science and Super Star Science Colossal Water-Absorbing Polymer Balls from Be Amazing! Toys, sold at specialty retailers and education centers nationwide and online at Amazon.com, BeAmazingToys.com and WorldMarket.com from September 2010 through November 2012 for about $3 per package. Consumers should immediately take this recalled toy away from children and contact Be Amazing! Toys for a refund.

US economy grows at 1.7 pct. pace in 2nd quarter. July 31, 2013 — The U.S. economy grew from April through June at a modest seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.7 percent...

City of Friends multiplies with toy range. July 31, 2013 — Norway-based CreaCon Group has inked a deal with Hong Kong-based toyco...

Local nonprofits benefit from toy giveaway. July 30, 2013 — Local retailer Children's World recently hosted a public drawing to give away thousands of dollars of toys after being selected by the toy trade magazine TD Monthly as a Charity Giveaway store...

Retailers Welcome Congressional Tax Committees’ Visit To Retail Store. July 30, 201 3 — The retail industry welcomed today’s visit to a retail store by the chairmen of Congress’s two tax-writing committees...

Teddy Ruxpin for the Smartphone Generation. July 30, 2013 — In 1985 a teddy bear stuffed with a cassette player, four AA batteries...

Retailers Should Think Inside The Box To Cash In On Social Commerce. July 29, 2013 — Social commerce has been bubbling up in all corners of the retail landscape...

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. : Morgan & Morgan Announces that a Class Action Lawsuit Has Been Filed Against JAKKS Pacific, Inc. July 29, 2013 — Morgan & Morgan announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of purchasers of JAKKS Pacific, Inc...

Indian toy industry on course to bounce back. July 29, 2013 — The Rs.7,500 crore ($16.65 billion) Indian toy industry that was once reeling under competition from cheap Chinese products...

Activision in $8.2 Billion Deal to Buy Back Stake From Vivendi. July 26, 2013 — Activision Blizzard, the world’s biggest video game publisher, has a reached an $8.2 billion...

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. : The Rosen Law Firm Files Securities Fraud Class Action Against JAKKS Pacific, Inc. July 26, 2013 — The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. today announced that it has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of investors who purchased the common stock of JAKKS Pacific, Inc...

Harmony Gold Sues Hasbro for Copyright Infringement Over Toy. July 25, 2013 — Licensing company Harmony Gold U.S.A. Inc. filed a lawsuit against Hasbro, Inc...

Move aside Royal baby, the new Furby can have kids. July 25, 2013 — Forget the Royal Baby, the best-selling toy of last Christmas - the Furby - is being relaunched...

Retailers spruce up websites for back-to-school. July 25, 2013 — Wal-Mart, Target and Sears are among the retailers with online deals and tools...

Nickelodeon Taps Activision To Produce SpongeBob SquarePants Video Games. July 25, 2013 — Nickelodeon and Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, today announced a new global, multi-year agreement to develop and publish video games featuring pop culture phenomenon SpongeBob SquarePants...

Microsoft to allow indie self-publishing on Xbox One, retail consoles will double as debug units. July 25, 2013 — Microsoft's Xbox One is getting decidedly more indie-friendly with today's confirmation...

Toys ‘R’ Us Seeks Loans; Prices Set to Climb Most Since January. July 24, 2013 — Toys “R” Us Inc. is seeking a $985 million term loan to refinance debt...

Kids II Recalls Baby Einstein Activity Jumpers Due to Impact Hazard; Sun Toy Can Snap Backward. July 24, 2013 — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced a recall of about 400,000 Baby Einstein Musical Motion Activity Jumpers from Kids II, sold at Target, Toys R Us and other retails stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com between May 2010 and May 2013 for about $90. The “sun” toy attachment on the activity jumper can rebound with force and injure the infant, posing an impact hazard. Consumers should immediately stop using the product and contact Kids II for a replacement toy attachment.

What's Behind Hasbro's and Mattel's Weak Toy Sales? July 24, 2013 — When I was a child, there was nothing I wanted more than toys...

High taxes, Chinese threat make it a sad toy story. July 24, 2013 — Fear and anguish mark Delhi's annual toy fair this year. Though in the business...

Hollywood Bombs Don’t Help Hasbro but Potential Hits Are Coming Next Year. July 23, 2013 — Hasbro surprised Wall Street Monday with weaker than expected sales and profits...

Disney Looks To The Future Of Toys, With Animated Eyeballs. July 23, 2013 — Several months ago, I was asking Frog’s chief creative officer, Mark Rolston...

Hasbro 2Q results miss their mark. July 22, 2013 — Hasbro's second-quarter net income fell 16%, hurt by cautious consumer spending...

On The Heels Of Historically High Back-To-School Season, 2013 Spending Expectations Decrease. July 22, 2013 — A combination of pent-up demand and a growing population of school children put 2012 back-to-school spending in the history books, leaving parents in 2013 with an array of school supplies that still work, and a significantly shorter shopping list...

Hasbro expands Marvel, 'Star Wars' deals as superhero toy sales slow. July 22, 2013 — Hasbro Inc., the country’s largest toymaker behind Southern California’s Mattel Inc., suffered a 16% slump...

Toy companies weigh choice of pink in products targeted to young girls. July 22, 2013 — Zing Toys makes slingshots, rocket launchers and bows and arrows, among other toys...

Where the Toys Aren't. July 19, 2013 — It's been a bad week to play games. Shares of JAKKS Pacific shed roughly...

Avoid 'Skylanders Swap Force' Wave 1 Pre-Order Disappointment. July 19, 2013 — With Skylanders Swap Force soon to be released, my kids are getting their...

Jakks Pacific slashes outlook as key toys fail. July 18, 2013 — Toy company Jakks Pacific Inc (JAKK.O) slashed its full-year forecast and said it would substantially cut jobs...

SDCC 2013: HASBRO to Rebrand Marvel Universe Toy Line as 'AVENGERS' Line. July 18, 2013 — Hasbro's booth was packed during last night's 2013 San Diego Comic-Con Preview Night...

Retailers pitching for back to school, but parents may not swing. July 18, 2013 — Back-to-school spending is expected to be substantially lower this year, which has retailers...

Research Says Screen Time Can Be Good For Your Kids. July 17, 2013 — Screen time is not all bad for your kids. They can learn...

Mattel 2Q profit falls, Barbie sales slide again. July 17, 2013 — Vampy teen Monster High dolls are taking a bite out of squeaky-clean Barbie...

THQ liquidation plan approved by court, ending bankruptcy case. July 17, 2013 — Former video game publisher THQ had its liquidation plan approved by a Delaware...

Appeals Court Frees Marvel from Spider-Man Toy Deal. July 17, 2013 — Marvel Enterprises will no longer have to pay royalties to Stephen Kimble...

Sixty years of Matchbox cars. July 17, 2013 — I don’t like to boast, but by the time I was 10 years old I owned a fleet of Ferraris...

Comic-Con: Hasbro Announces Dungeons & Dragons KRE-O Sets. July 16, 2013 — Hasbro has just announced the expansion of their KRE-O building set lines to include...

Toy show ready to enthrall Delhi. July 16, 2013 — The Toy Biz International Expo is all set to get rolling from July 21 here with over 100 exhibitors expected...

Save the Tooth Fairy! Toy Industry Execs Highjack a Childhood Icon. July 16, 2013 — Some of the toy industry's most powerful players are trying to hijack the Tooth Fairy...

Surprise! Lego group announces special sets in promotion of 'Lego Movie'. July 16, 2013 — File this one under inevitable but exciting news: EW has learned that...

June Retail Sales Indicate A Growing But Measured Economy. July 15, 2013 — Consumer spending and retail sales ended the second quarter on a soft note...

Bringing Toy Manufacturing Back to U.S. (Video). July 15, 2013 — K’NEX CEO Michael Araten on manufacturing the company’s toys in the U.S. and exporting to China...

Angry Birds receives a Skylanders-esque toy twist. July 15, 2013 — Rovio today revealed the next step for both its studio and its Angry Birds franchise...

Virtual Piggy has robotastic news for kids. July 15, 2013 — Virtual Piggy has integrated its youth-friendly payment system to Innovation First International...

Trouble In Legoland: How Too Much Innovation Almost Destroyed the Toy Company. July 15, 2013 — Few toys have caught the imagination of children everywhere more than LEGOs...

They're really making a 'Hot Wheels' movie. Which other toys could be big-screen bound? July 12, 2013 — Thought that Battleship‘s sinking would make studios think twice about searching for ideas...

June retail sales jump 4.1% in biggest increase since January. July 12, 2013 — Retail sales got a summer shape-up in June as cheerier job prospects...

Kurio Unveils New Line of Kid Friendly Android Tablets. July 12, 2013 — Techno Source has unveiled a full suite of a sign of the times, otherwise known...

Strong Growth In Merchandise Imports To Resume In Fall. July 11, 2013 — Import volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase a modest 1.1 percent in July...

Coolest Comic Con 2013 Toy Exclusives. July 11, 2013 — This page contains a full list of Comic Con 2013 Toy Exclusives, including prices and locations...

China to lift 13-year ban on video game consoles. July 10, 2013 — China is expected to lift a 13-year ban on the sale of video game consoles, as long as they...

Tech 4 Kids aims for a digital niche in competitive toy industry. July 10, 2013 — If giants Mega Brands and Spin Master control the Canadian toy manufacturing playground, Tech 4 Kids Inc...

LeapFrog Introduces LeapPad2™ Power, The #1 Children's Learning Tablet Now with Included Rechargeable Battery. July 10, 2013 — LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc., the leader in children's learning tablets, today announced the availability of LeapPad2 Power...

Sega seeking $940k from THQ over Company of Heroes 2. July 10, 2013 — The publisher claims to be owed over $941,000, the amount Valve paid to THQ for Company of Heroes 2...

ASTRA Breaks Marketplace & Academy Attendance Records for the Sixth Straight Year. July 9, 2013 — ASTRA’s 2013 Marketplace & Academy, held June 16-19 in Nashville, shattered all previous attendance records, the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) announced today. This is the sixth year in a row that ASTRA has broken its own record for attendance.

Hasbro buys 70 pct of mobile game maker Backflip. July 9, 2013 — As more people play mobile games, toy company Hasbro Inc. is investing in a company that develops...

Pedal Power To Horsepower: Toys Point Towards Future Of Cars. July 9, 2013 — Morning Edition has reported that the Toyota Camry is the best-selling car in the U.S., and the Ford Focus is the world's bestseller...

June Retail Sales Looking Good. July 9, 2013 — We expect generally inline to better-than-expected June retail same-store sale reports...

VTech® Canada Announces Affordable New InnoTab 3® Learning App Tablet, Offering a World of Knowledge at Children's Fingertips. July 9, 2013 — VTech®, a world leader in age-appropriate and developmental stage-based electronic learning products for children, today announced the introduction of its latest, lower-priced Learning App Tablet for kids, the InnoTab 3®...

Retailers And Big Data: The Creepy Continuum. July 8, 2013 — We’ve certainly read and heard a lot about data gathering lately, and the term...

Kid Brands, Inc. Announces Sale of Russ and Applause Brands. July 8, 2013 — Kid Brands, Inc. today announced that, on June 30, 2013, the Company sold the "Russ" and "Applause" trademarks...

NRF: Retail Industry Adds 28,000 Jobs In June. July 8, 2013 — The National Retail Federation issued the following statements from President and CEO Matthew Shay and Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz on the June employment numbers, released today by the Department of Labor...

Chinese pay more for imported infant goods. July 8, 2013 — Sophie the Giraffe is a teething toy taking over the world one baby mouth at a time...

Toys R Us Recalls Remote-Controlled Helicopters Due to Fire and Burn Hazards. July 5, 2013 — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced a recall of about 6,500 Remote-controlled 3 channel helicopters, sold exclusively at Toys R Us stores nationwide and online at www.toysrus.com from September 2012 through January 2013 for about $100. Consumers should immediately stop using the remote-controlled helicopter and return all components to a Toys R Us store for a full refund or store credit.

Chinese Mainland's Largest Toy Fair China Toy Expo 2013 Expected to Draw Record Factory & Global Attendees. July 5, 2013 — Over 1,100 exhibitors, of which almost 87% are export-ready Chinese factories, and 70,000 global visitors are expected to gather at Shanghai New International Expo Center on October 15-17, 2013...

Christmas toys may be in short supply in Venezuela. July 5, 2013 — Whether they've been naughty or nice, Venezuelan children might be stuck without Christmas presents this year...

China Becomes Worlds Second Largest Retail Market. July 5, 2013 — China’s retail market is booming. The nation has become the world’s second largest retail market...

GoldieBlox, The Toy That Aims To Get Girls Hooked On Engineering, Is Coming To A Toys ‘R’ Us Near You. July 3, 2013 — Move over, Barbie — there’s a new toy in town now. GoldieBlox, the San Francisco Bay Area startup that has...

The Jungle Book Toy Line Launches in Key Global Territories. July 3, 2013 — The Jungle Book CGI animated series has over 100 licensees across a variety of industries...

Disney Acquires Distribution Rights to Four Marvel Phase One Films. July 3, 2013 — Disney has announced that it has picked up the distribution rights to four of Marvel...

Hasbro and EA Enter Into New Agreement for Mobile Games. July 3, 2013 — Hasbro, Inc. and Electronic Arts Inc. announced today a new agreement under which EA will develop several of Hasbro's best-selling gaming brands for mobile platforms globally...

Patent Fight Short Circuits 'Laser Peg' Toy Plan. July 2, 2013 — It took several years for inventor Jon Capriola to get his toy to market...

A Brilliant Toy Train That Plays Music but Won’t Drive Parents Crazy. July 2, 2013 — Kid toys can be the worst. This isn’t news for anyone who has been around a child...

How To Use Big Data To Make A Fortune In The Retail Industry. July 2, 2013 — Major retail brands are harnessing big data as a means of generating...

Jeff Bunker: The Man Behind The 'Disney Infinity' Toy Design. June 28, 2013 — A big part of the positivity around Skylanders was the artisan talents...

An Online Toy Company Turns to Facebook for Design Ideas. June 28, 2013 — Toy companies like Lego have experimented here and there with crowdsourcing...

Google Takes Aim At Gaming Market With New Android Video Game Console. June 28, 2013 — Google Inc. is developing a video game console based on its Android operating system, according

Kid Brands Announces Change in Director Nominee Slate. June 28, 2013 — Kid Brands, Inc. (NYSE: KID) today announced that Mr. Hugh Rovit, who is one of six current members of the Company's Board of Directors...

Toy retailer owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway gets brainy. June 28, 2013 — Oriental Trading Company, a direct retailer of value-priced party supplies, arts and crafts, toys, novelties...