Toy Tariff Fight Goes On
As the USTR holds hearings on the proposed tariffs on Chinese products, the Toy Association continues its advocacy campaign to #donttaxtoys.
Word of Mouth Still Top of Mind for Consumers at Retail
The first time nearly half of consumers hear about a retailer they’ve never used is through friends and family, according to a new study by Yes Marketing.
Just Funky Launches AR Shopping App, DECHIPH-AR
Just Funky launched DECIPH-AR, which provides immersive experiences from brands at retailers that blur the lines between fantasy and reality.
Licensed Merch Sales Grew 3.2 Percent in 2018
The retail sales of licensed merchandise and services grew to $289.3 billion in 2018. Notably, an average of 79 percent of respondents’ business came from brick-and-mortar.
Global Icons Debuts Experiential Retailer Fred Segal at Licensing Expo
Global Icons debuts its first acquired brand, the experiential retailer Fred Segal, at Licensing Expo.
Bixbee to Open Experiential Pop-Up in Chicago
Bixbee, the designer kids’ backpack and accessory brand, announces its first experiential pop-up and retail shop, the Bixbee Imagination Station.
Recall Issued for Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper
Fisher-Price upgraded its warning to a voluntary recall on the Rock ‘N Play Sleeper in the U.S., at the urging of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a new analysis from Consumer Reports. In Canada, the Rock ‘n Play Soother continues to be sold.
ASTRA Deadline for Retail Analytics Survey is April 30
The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) is conducting the Retail Analytics Survey, its annual performance survey of independent toy stores to establish benchmarks on critical financial metrics. The deadline for submitting store data is April 30, 2019.
APPA: Pet Spending Up 4 Percent
According to new pet industry-wide spending figures, released during the 2019 Global Pet Expo, spending in 2018 on our furry best friends is up by more than $3 billion over 2017.