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Jul 15 2013
Retailers Poised for Booming Back-to-School Sales, In Store and Online
ShopperTrak, the world’s largest counter and analyzer of retail foot traffic, estimates that sales this back-to-school season will increase by 4.3 percent. The company points to a lower unemployment rate as the reason, noting that consumer sentiment is at its highest level since before the recession. According to Thomson Reuters, retailers’ June sales suggest overall […]
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Jul 15 2013
North American Retailers Release Worker Safety Initiative for Factories in Bangladesh
A group of North American retailers, including Wal-Mart, Gap, Target and Macy’s, announced a plan last week to improve safety at garment factories in Bangladesh. Titled the Bangladesh Worker Safety Initiative, the binding five-year initiative will require all factories that conduct business with an alliance member to be inspected within a year. Additionally, common safety […]
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Jul 15 2013
CPSC Revises Lead Limits in Children’s Products
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has unveiled changes to the rules governing lead content in children’s products. Under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, consumer products designed for children ages 12 and younger with a lead content of more than 100 parts per million are considered banned hazardous substances under the […]
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Jul 9 2013
The Wonder from Down Under
Raegan Moya-Jones, the founder and CEO of Aden + Anais, turned her love of muslin blankets into a million-dollar children’s brand, but the mom from Brooklyn by way of Australia is ready for round two. By Audrey Goodson Kingo t’s a busy day in the Moya-Jones household—otherwise known as an ordinary day. With the family’s […]
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Jul 9 2013
Royalty Payments
Summer’s high-powered new parents are poised to set off a sales bonanza for a few lucky kids’ brands. It’s safe to say we’re pretty excited about the arrival of the royal baby here at the Earnshaw’s office. Two years ago, Fashion Editor Angela Velasquez feted the nuptials uniting Wills and Kate with scones and clotted […]
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Jul 8 2013
JPMA Receives Public Relations Award
The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) was recognized for outstanding communication and an exemplary safety campaign at the 2013 Public Relations Society of America Silver Anvil Awards. The association was awarded for its safety campaign COORdinate a Safe and Sound Zone for your Baby, in the integrated communications category. The campaign addressed the improper use […]
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Jul 8 2013
The Lone Ranger Rounds up Retail
Disney Consumer Products is celebrating the opening of Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films The Lone Ranger by releasing products that pay homage to the revamped classic. In partnership with LEGO, Will Leather Goods, Theodora & Callum and more, the products will include everything from construction sets and role play items to apparel and leather goods. The line […]
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Jul 8 2013
Nordstrom Expands Pinterest Promotion
Luxury retailer Nordstrom is expanding a trial of marking select items in its stores that receive the most pins on Pinterest with small logos. The chain is taking the pilot from two to 13 locations through the end of this month. Nordstrom gives store associates access to an online dashboard that notifies employees which items […]
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Jul 8 2013
Mud Pie Expands with New Office and More Employees
Georgia-based children’s gift manufacturer Mud Pie recently moved its offices to accommodate its continued expansion. The company has hired 40 new employees in the past 24 months, and in June Mud Pie moved to a new office space, which will increase the company’s warehouse operations by 57 percent by enhancing operational efficiencies for merchandise shipments. […]
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Jul 8 2013
Toys “R” Us Recalls Remote-Controlled Helicopters
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in cooperation with Toys “R” Us Inc. of Wayne, NJ, has issued a voluntary recall of about 7,400 remote-controlled helicopters in the U.S. and Canada. Toys “R” Us has received 11 reports worldwide of the rechargeable battery overheating, which poses fire and burn hazards to consumers or nearby […]
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Jul 1 2013
Peavy Rocks With The Beatrix Girls
Peavy Electronics will produce a new line of fashion dolls called The Beatrix Girls, designed to inspire young musicians. Set to launch this fall, the dolls will be music-based and come with personalized instruments and their own original music.
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Jul 1 2013
FPgirl Gets Sweet With Tootsie Roll Industries
Tootsie Roll Industries’ licensing agent, Synchronicity, inked a sweet deal with FPgirl by FashionPlaytes to add the company’s iconic candy brands to a line of accessories and apparel for girls. Clothing items will feature fun sayings like “Life is Sweet” and accessories will feature images from Charms Blow Pops, Tootsie Roll Pops and Dots gumdrops. […]
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Jul 1 2013
Pediped Opens Three Retail Boutiques
Children’s footwear brand, Pediped, is expanding its reach with three new stores in Las Vegas, Shanghai and Brno, Czech Republic. The largest location, at 700-square-feet, opened inside the Town Square shopping center in Las Vegas on May 17. A store in the Nanfang Friendship Shopping Center in Shanghai, China also opened on May 17. Pediped […]
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Jul 1 2013
Neiman Marcus Files for IPO
Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus on Monday announced plans for a proposed public offering of up to $100 million. This comes eight years after it was acquired for $5.1 billion by private equity firms TPG Capital and Warburg Pincus. The retailer is coming off a strong year. During the 12-month period that ended April 27, 2013, […]
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Jul 1 2013
Ross Stores Agrees to Pay $3.9 Million Civil Penalty
Ross Stores Inc. has agreed to pay a $3.9 million civil penalty to settle charges it broke federal law by not reporting it was selling children’s clothing with drawstrings. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which provisionally has accepted the penalty agreement, the settlement resolves charges Ross knowingly failed to immediately report to […]
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Jun 24 2013
Five Star Blue Links Up With Lee Jeans
Two brands synonymous with back to school shopping, Lee Jeans and Five Star Blue, LLC, have inked a deal to create children’s apparel under the Lee Jeans label. The line will be available at department stores and baby superstores in the U.S. with select stores in Mexico. The collection will include boys’ shirts, toddler and […]
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Jun 24 2013
VeggieTales Sprouts Deals to Celebrate its 20th Anniversary
In honor of the upcoming 20th anniversary of children’s show VeggieTales, Big Idea Entertainment has secured deals with several companies to produce branded merchandise based on the popular program. Round 2 and LightUpToys.com will create novelty toys; Zydeco Studios, Nuby and Personal Care Products will create toddler and infant care items; and Group Publishing, Ideals […]
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Jun 24 2013
Mobile Coupons Increase Likelihood of Store Purchases
More than half of U.S. consumers ages 18 and older say they are more likely to buy something in-store if they receive a coupon on their mobile device while in the vicinity of that store, according to a recent mobile commerce survey from RetailMeNot and The Omnibus Company. The survey also revealed that 33 percent […]
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Jun 24 2013
Nap Nanny and Chill Infant Recliners Recalled After Five Infant Deaths
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in cooperation with Baby Matters LLC of Berwyn, PA, has issued a voluntary recall of all models of its Nap Nanny and Nap Nanny Chill infant recliners and covers. From 2009 to the present, the CPSC has received at least 92 incident reports of infants hanging or falling […]
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Jun 24 2013
Teens Turn to Online Shopping
A report published by investment firm Piper Jaffray reveals that 70 percent of teenagers prefer to shop at their favorite stores online. Top shopping websites are Amazon, eBay and Nike. In general, teens are shopping via the Internet and brick-and-mortar outlets more frequently, and less so at specialty stores. Cell phone access to the Internet […]