According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), holiday shoppers plan to spend less on gift cards and recipients can expect cards with lower monetary values. The study by the NRF, part of the 2009 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, reported that holiday shoppers will spend an average of $139.91 per person, compared to $147.33 last year. The average value per card, stated the survey, would be $39.80, compared to $40.54 in 2008.
More than 300 merchants have signed up for Free Shipping Day, a one-day online shipping event on December 17. On that date, participating merchants such as Toys “R” Us, Babies “R” Us, Sears, and Petsmart will offer customers free shipping and guaranteed Christmas delivery. Other participating merchants include JCPenney, Kmart, FAO Schwarz, Meijer, and Buy.com.
The Toy Industry Association (TIA) has announced the first round of products certified under the Toy Safety Certification Program (TSCP). The first product to be certified was the Push, Pull, and Ride–––a combination push walker, ride-on, and pullwagon–––by Radio Flyer, Inc. Other products that have been certified include The Magic Card Game Assortment and Tripoley Diamond Edition by Cadaco, Inc., and the Flip & Grip 2 Pack, Sensation Station, Hello Baby! Phone, Carrier Mirror, and Fascination Station by Sassy, Inc. The TSCP was launched on October 1, 2009.
Toys “R” Us announced it will start its Black Friday sales at stores nationwide starting midnight on Thursday, November 26. A sneak peak of unadvertised deals will be granted to Facebook users at Facebook.com/Toysrus. On the webpage, consumers can submit an application for a chance to view the more than 100 “Mystery Deals” beginning November 25 at Toysrus.com.
California Attorney General Jerry Brown has ordered Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, TJ Maxx, and other retailers to pull products from their shelves after the state said it found illegal amounts of lead in items. Brown said that seven toys and other products tested by the Center for Environmental Health were found to have more than the maximum lead amount of 300 parts per million (ppm) allowed by California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act.
A new study by the University of Rochester found that young boys exposed to high levels of phthalates during their mother’s pregnancy may be less likely to play with male-typical toys such as trucks and toy guns.
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Jamba Juice and Think Wow Toys have released the EZ-2 MAKE! Jamba Juice Smoothie and Ice Pop Maker, a Jamba-branded toy blender for kids ages 8 and older. Children can make and eat fruit smoothies or frozen treats at home by using the blender and following the included recipes. The smoothie and treat maker is equipped with a safety lid that shuts off the motor once it’s removed.
According to a Harris Interactive poll, more than half of Americans (54 percent) will buy toys as gifts this holiday season. Last year, 47 percent of those surveyed planned to buy toys. Nearly seven in ten consumers (69 percent) who have children in their home, and 46 percent of consumers who don’t, will buy toys this year.
In a Supreme Court case in India, it was ruled that Scrabble falls in the category of game, not educational toy or puzzle. The court concluded that since Scrabble was not a puzzle it was liable to special taxes. In a puzzle, said the court, the outcome is pre-determined, such as in a crossword or jigsaw puzzle, and there are clues. In Scrabble, there is no fixed outcome and there’s an element of chance and skill, which the court defined, is absent in educational toys. Toys and games manufacturers Pleasantime Products and Funskool sought a tax exemption, arguing that Scrabble was a puzzle.
