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Tag: Consumer products and services

  • New York sues ‘Counter-Strike’ game developer saying ‘loot boxes’ promote gambling

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    NEW YORK — New York’s attorney general has sued video game developer Valve, claiming the “loot boxes” found in Counter-Strike and other popular video game franchises illegally promote gambling.

    State Attorney General Letitia James said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in New York state court that games such as Counter-Strike 2, Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2 illegally charge users for the chance to win rare items held in the virtual containers.

    In Counter-Strike, the process even resembles a slot machine, with an animated spinning wheel that eventually rests on a selected item, James’ office said.

    “Valve has made billions of dollars by letting children and adults alike illegally gamble for the chance to win valuable virtual prizes,” James said in a statement. “These features are addictive, harmful, and illegal.”

    Messages seeking comment were left Wednesday for the Bellevue, Washington-based company.

    “Loot box” items are generally cosmetic, such as a hat for a player’s character or an artistic skin for weapons. They usually don’t serve any vital function in the games, but James’ office said the items can still be sold online for significant sums.

    Some of the rarest items can go for thousands of dollars online, according to James’ office. One item, an AK-47 Counter-Strike skin, recently sold for more than $1 million.

    James’ suit says Valve is violating New York’s constitution by promoting gambling in its games. It wants the company to stop the practice and pay restitution and damages to users, as well as a fine worth three times the amount of its profits from the features.

    The attorney general argues that research has found children introduced to gambling are four times more likely to develop a gambling problem later in life than those who are not.

    “Loot boxes, like other forms of gambling, can lead to addiction and result in real harm,” the suit reads. “But Valve’s loot boxes are particularly pernicious because they are popular among children and adolescents, who are lured into opening loot boxes by the prospect of winning expensive virtual items that convey status in the gaming world.”

    James’ office said demand for “loot box” prizes has drawn interest not just from online speculators and investors that have helped values soar, but also thieves targeting third-party, online marketplaces where the virtual items can be sold for cash.

    Valve facilitates those third-party marketplaces, as well as operating its own, the Steam Community Market, where players can sell their items and use the proceeds to buy other video games, gaming hardware or other virtual items.

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  • How refill stores are changing the way we reduce waste

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    Refilling a bottle instead of throwing it away has become a popular way for people to reduce waste — a small, tangible action in response to larger environmental problems.

    But whether refilling actually makes a difference depends on how these systems are used and what they replace. Scores of refill stores have opened in recent years as retailers and customers seek fresh ways to reduce waste. Some brands are also using specialized recycling programs for tricky packaging.

    At Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store in Tampa, customers bring in reusable containers to fill with soap, shampoo and cleaning supplies instead of buying products in single-use packaging. The idea is to cut down on packaging waste by reusing what people already own.

    Customers’ containers are weighed first, then filled. They’re charged by the amount of product added. Over time, that reuse can add up.

    For customer Julie Hughes, the act of refilling feels rewarding. Hughes discovered Lufka two years ago while looking for skincare products and has returned regularly, drawn by the ability to reuse packaging rather than discard it.

    “When you do something positive, you get a little bit of like a dopamine hit and you feel good,” Hughes said on a recent trip to buy liquid hand soap. “There are so many big problems in the world, but we can’t solve all of the big problems, but we do have control over our choices.”

    Some shoppers have been refilling the same containers for six years, said Lufka founder Kelly Hawaii.

    “Just imagine how much waste they’ve personally stopped consuming because they have that one container for that one product,” Hawaii said.

    Refillable packaging is less a new invention than a return to earlier distribution models. Many industries historically relied on refillable or returnable containers, with familiar examples in the U.S. including soda, beer and dairy in the recent past.

    A 2020 study of reusable packaging explains that a shift to single-use packaging took hold mainly because disposable systems simplified logistics and reduced handling costs for producers and retailers. That transition contributed to a steady increase in packaging production and waste over time as reuse infrastructure declined, according to the study published in Resources, Conservation & Recycling: X.

    In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in reuse as part of a broader move toward a “circular economy” that keeps products and materials in use longer to limit waste. The Public Interest Research Group estimates there are hundreds of refillable stores around the country, part of what it calls a “generation of new businesses” aimed at reducing packaging waste.

    Larger chains and brands are also offering refillable options and other innovations. Lush Cosmetics sells certain products “naked,” without packaging, and offers discounts to customers who return containers from its other products. The reusable packaging platform Loop, available in France, partners with major brands such as Nestle and Coca-Cola to distribute products in durable containers that are collected, cleaned and refilled for reuse.

    Despite this resurgence, refillable packaging makes up a small share of the overall market. The systems face barriers to expansion, including hygiene requirements and the need for systems to collect and process containers, according to the study, which also noted that these additional processing and cleaning costs may make them more expensive.

    Reusing vessels for everyday products has advantages over recycling single-use packages, as long as people follow a thoughtful approach, according to experts.

    Shelie Miller, a University of Michigan professor who studies sustainability, said consumers should think of the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle” as a priority order, meaning reuse should generally come before recycling.

    Still, reuse doesn’t automatically mean lower environmental impact. Durable reusable containers typically require more energy and materials to produce, so they need to be used long enough to offset the resources that go into them, Miller said. What this means is that the environmental advantage emerges only after repeated use spreads those initial impacts across many uses, which Miller refers to as a “payback period.” How much water and electricity consumers use at home to clean reusable products also factors in.

    A 2021 study by Miller and a colleague examined reusable products including drinking straws, forks and coffee cups and measured their payback periods in separate categories including greenhouse gas emissions, water use and energy demand. The study found that a ceramic coffee mug must be reused between 4 and 32 times before outperforming disposable cups on those measures, which represented faster paybacks than reusable coffee cups made from metal or plastic.

    Convenience also plays a role. If refilling requires a special trip, the added transportation emissions can cancel out the benefits, making refill systems most effective when they fit into existing routines.

    “If you are making dedicated trips just to reduce packaging, it actually can be worse for the environment than if you use the single-use product,” said Miller.

    Large beauty retailers such as Ulta Beauty and Sephora are also partnering with Pact Collective, a nonprofit that collects hard-to-recycle beauty packaging through in-store bins.

    Carly Snider, executive director of Pact Collective, said the program collects packaging made of mixed materials that regular recycling programs can’t process or small pieces measuring less than 2 inches (5 centimeters) — like pumps, droppers and sample-sized containers — that fall through the cracks of machines at recycling facilities.

    “There’s specific things with beauty packaging that makes it really difficult,” said Snider.

    Pact routes those materials through specialized processing, diverting large volumes of material from landfills, said Snider.

    Experts emphasize that refilling and recycling programs aren’t a perfect solution, but when they replace single-use packaging and fit into everyday life, they can help reduce waste.

    “Small things do add up,” Miller said. “And so when you have millions of people who are all doing small things, that really can make a difference, make a change.”

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    The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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  • The Winter Olympics are hurting main street in Livigno’s duty-free mountain enclave

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    LIVIGNO, Italy — On the climb to Livigno, atop the mountain pass before the road glides down to the village hosting snowboarding at the Winter Olympics, there sits a lonely customs checkpoint. Its guardhouse and gate are the only signs of an internal fiscal border within Italy, one that encircles the snow-blanketed valley and the duty-free status it has enjoyed for centuries.

    The tax exemption that makes Livigno a shoppers’ paradise, paradoxically, has left it not receiving the full economic bonus from hosting the Olympics, at least in the short term. On the contrary, shopkeepers are getting squeezed — even if hotels and restaurants are packed and cashing in. Still, everyone is hopeful the Games will yield a longer-term upside for the village.

    Questioning economic benefits is routine for Olympic host cities, and it’s been the talk of the town on Livigno’s main street during the Games. Unlike in other Olympic mountain venues, business owners told The Associated Press that athletes, fans, workers and volunteers have boxed out visitors who come chasing duty-free deals in what is usually a bumper month.

    “I’m not positive about the Olympics, because usually you are working more than double in this period, because this period for us was a high season. Now, this period is like our low season,” said Olga Salari, owner of a toy story full of Lego sets. Olympic visitors, she added, “don’t even visit the shops.”

    How bad has it been? Salari said she has already seen a 70% drop in sales compared with an average February. The Olympics run from Feb. 6-22.

    Visitors to all six mountain venues must have either accreditation, accommodation reserved, event tickets or a ski pass — and so can’t be day trippers only out for a deal.

    Livigno is nicknamed “Little Tibet” for its historic isolation and the snow-clad peaks that surround it. This village near the Swiss border has had sales tax exemptions since medieval times, which allowed the impoverished, cut-off area to bring in goods.

    When a paved road leading south, and later a tunnel north to Switzerland, finally arrived in the 20th century, that duty-free status became an economic elixir because it attracted tourists.

    Visitors can purchase 300 euros ($356) worth of goods without Italy’s 22% sales tax. There are specific limits on perfumes, cigarettes, cigars, liquor and gasoline.

    Livigno’s tax break has made it a haven for skiers who seize the chance to pick up a watch, cosmetics, perfume, electronics or a carton of cigarettes before the drive home to Austria, Germany, Switzerland and elsewhere. Outside of the Olympics, anyway.

    “The tourists are more interested to see the competition. They’re not so focused on shopping,” said Manuel Galli, whose family owns an electronics store.

    According to a report by Italy’s Banca Ifis, the overall economic impact of the Games is expected to reach 5.3 billion euros ($6.2 billion). Of that, 1.2 billion euros ($1.4 billion) is estimated to be spent by tourists at the host sites during the next 18 months. The bank did not break that down by venue location. Milan Cortina organizing committee president Giovanni Malagò cited more than 5 billion euros in an interview with Italian radio station RTL.

    The committee has said that the Olympics have spurred Italian authorities to upgrade the electrical distribution systems of Livigno and the other mountain host sites. Improvements to Livigno’s health clinic and rail service are also legacy investments.

    Other mountain venues’ stores seem to be getting an economic boost.

    Cortina d’Ampezzo’s Vice Mayor Roberta Alverà told the AP by text message that the town has seen “a significant influx of people.”

    And they’re not just filling hotels and restaurants. Visitors, as well as Italians who own second homes in the posh town, are also filling the shops along Cortina’s pedestrian-only Corso Italia that runs through the center of town.

    In Bormio’s historic center, the cobblestone walkways have been filled with fans throughout the men’s Alpine ski racing program, and its shops have seen plenty of activity.

    Sergio Schena, a member of the organizing committee for the area of Livigno, said it’s normal for some businesses to see more activity than others, but the long-term impact will be positive. The global spotlight should draw tourists from farther away, as happened in Turin after it hosted in 2006, he said.

    “What we expect to happen is that the markets change, and we get more tourists from the United States and Asia,” Schena said.

    That doesn’t suit some shop owners. Salari said her business model is based on people driving to Livigno and using the extra trunk space to take home purchases. She fears tourists who travel by plane will only buy goods small enough to fit in their luggage.

    Still, most people in Livigno — even the other shopkeepers — are hoping Schema is right, trusting that the televised images of snowboarders and freestyle skiers soaring off its slopes and snow park have put Livigno on the world map, and will eventually attract even more tourists.

    “This is very important because (the Games) are providing 360-degree publicity around the world and Livigno is coming across very well,” said Derio Claoti, the owner of a shop that sells perfumes, whose sales have taken a 70% sales hit.

    A few doors down, at the Golden Clock shop for luxury watches and jewelry, Damiano Longa said he expects his drop in sales will ultimately be worth it.

    “We hope that the advertising that it’s making for Livigno will work for the future,” Longa said.

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    Associated Press writers Colleen Barry in Milan, Andrew Dampf in Cortina and Pat Graham in Bormio contributed.

    ___

    AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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  • Shein faces EU investigation over illegal products and addictive design features

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    LONDON — European Union regulators are investigating Shein over concerns the online retailer hasn’t done enough to limit the sale of illegal products or protect users from the platform’s allegedly addictive design.

    The 27-nation bloc’s executive arm said Tuesday that it opened formal investigation under the bloc’s sweeping rulebook known as the Digital Services Act, which requires the biggest online platforms to take extra steps to protect internet users from dodgy products.

    Shein may be required to alter its actions, or pay a hefty fine if a so-called non-compliance decision is reached following an in-depth investigation, the European Commission said.

    One area its investigation is focusing on is whether Shein has the proper safeguards in place to limit the sale of products that are illegal in the EU, the commission said, including items that amount to child sexual abuse material such as “child-like sex dolls.”

    The the fast-fashion giant came under fire last year in France, where authorities found illegal weapons including firearms, knives and machetes as well as child-like sex dolls for sale on its website. The French government sought to suspend access to the Shein site in France. A court blocked that action and asked the commission to investigate under the bloc’s Digital Services Act.

    The commission says it will also determine whether Shein has systems to mitigate risks related to what it says is the platform’s addictive design, which includes giving users points or rewards “for engagement.”

    And regulators are also targeting the transparency of Shein’s recommendation systems that suggest more products to consumers. They’re concerned that the company doesn’t clearly explain to users why they’re being recommended specific products.

    Shein said it takes its obligations seriously and will continue to cooperate with the commission.

    The company said it has invested significantly in strengthening compliance with the DSA. The measures “comprehensive systemic-risk assessments and mitigation frameworks, enhanced protections for younger users, and ongoing work to design our services in ways that promote a safe and trusted user experience.”

    “Protecting minors and reducing the risk of harmful content and behaviours are central to how we develop and operate our platform,” the company said in a press statement.

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  • Shein faces EU investigation over illegal products and addictive design features

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    LONDON — European Union regulators are investigating Shein over concerns the online retailer hasn’t done enough to limit the sale of illegal products or protect users from the platform’s allegedly addictive design.

    The 27-nation bloc’s executive arm said Tuesday that it opened formal investigation under the bloc’s sweeping rulebook known as the Digital Services Act, which requires the biggest online platforms to take extra steps to protect internet users from dodgy products.

    Shein may be required to alter its actions, or pay a hefty fine if a so-called non-compliance decision is reached following an in-depth investigation, the European Commission said.

    One area its investigation is focusing on is whether Shein has the proper safeguards in place to limit the sale of products that are illegal in the EU, the commission said, including items that amount to child sexual abuse material such as “child-like sex dolls.”

    The the fast-fashion giant came under fire last year in France, where authorities found illegal weapons including firearms, knives and machetes as well as child-like sex dolls for sale on its website. The French government sought to suspend access to the Shein site in France. A court blocked that action and asked the commission to investigate under the bloc’s Digital Services Act.

    The commission says it will also determine whether Shein has systems to mitigate risks related to what it says is the platform’s addictive design, which includes giving users points or rewards “for engagement.”

    And regulators are also targeting the transparency of Shein’s recommendation systems that suggest more products to consumers. They’re concerned that the company doesn’t clearly explain to users why they’re being recommended specific products.

    Shein said it takes its obligations seriously and will continue to cooperate with the commission.

    The company said it has invested significantly in strengthening compliance with the DSA. The measures “comprehensive systemic-risk assessments and mitigation frameworks, enhanced protections for younger users, and ongoing work to design our services in ways that promote a safe and trusted user experience.”

    “Protecting minors and reducing the risk of harmful content and behaviours are central to how we develop and operate our platform,” the company said in a press statement.

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  • Mattel and Alex Aster team up for Barbie young adult novel, ‘Barbie: Dreamscape’

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    NEW YORK — The publishing arm of Mattel Inc. is teaming with million-selling novelist Alex Aster on a Barbie young adult novel in which the iconic doll embarks on a journey across “treacherous, magical lands.”

    “Barbie: Dreamscape,” scheduled for July 28, is the first novel for young adults out of Mattel Publishing since the imprint was announced three years ago. The novel is not tied to the blockbuster 2023 “Barbie” movie and no screen adaptation is currently planned, according to Mattel.

    The toy and family entertainment company is calling Aster’s book a “coming-of-age story” that finds Barbie declared “Fateless” at the graduation ceremony of the “enchanted” Swancrest Academy.

    “To earn a Fate, she must journey across treacherous, magical lands in search of the mysterious beings who control the destinies of everyone in Heartland — and the buried truths that could change her world forever,” Thursday’s announcement reads in part. “Because to forge her own path, Barbie must step out of the box … and into the unknown.”

    The publishing imprint is focused on Mattel’s “extensive catalog of children’s and family entertainment franchises,” including Barbie, Hot Wheels and Polly Pocket. Earlier this week, Mattel Inc. announced it had created an autistic Barbie doll, part of the Fashionistas line committed to diversity.

    Aster, a social media favorite best known for her “Lightlark” series and for the adult novel “Summer in the City,” said in a statement that Barbie dolls were a formative part of her childhood.

    “I spent countless hours making up stories starring each of my dolls, and I still remember the excitement of opening a new box, adding another character to my tales, marveling at each accessory,” she said.

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  • The coolest technology from Day 2 of CES 2026

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    LAS VEGAS — Crowds flooded the freshly opened showroom floors on Day 2 of the CES and were met by thousands of robots, AI companions, assistants, health longevity tech, wearables and more.

    Siemens President and CEO Roland Busch kicked off the day with a keynote detailing how its customers are harnessing artificial intelligence to transform their businesses. He was joined onstage by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to announce an expanded partnership, saying they are launching a new AI-driven industrial revolution to reinvent all aspects of manufacturing, production and supply chain management.

    Lenovo ended the day with a guest star-rich visual banquet dedicated to spotlighting how its AI platforms can help people personally (wearables), with their businesses (enterprise platforms) and the world around them. To strike home his points, its CEO Yang Yuanqing was joined by tech superstars like Nvidia’s Huang, AMD CEO Lisa Su and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan.

    The CES is a huge opportunity annually for companies large and small to parade products they plan to put on shelves this year. Here are the highlights from Day 2:

    Gaming tech company Razer is well known for bringing buzz-worthy hardware to CES, like haptic, or tactile, seat cushions and tri-screen laptops.

    This year, it’s reaching beyond its standard gaming base and demonstrating two AI-powered prototypes — an over-ear gaming headset that doubles as a general-purpose assistant, and an AI desk companion that can provide gaming advice and also organize a user’s life.

    The holographic companion, based on a Razor on-screen AI assistant launched last year (Project Ava), has transitioned off-screen into a small glass tube that sits near your computer. The animated sprite has built-in speakers and a camera so it can see the world around it.

    Both devices are AI agnostic, so you can use your preferred model. For the demo, the headset — Project Motoko — ran on OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Project Ava worked off xAI’s Grok. Although still in development, Razer said it expects both to be released commercially later this year.

    Imagine your plane lands and, when you look out the window you see autonomous robots guiding it to the gate and then unloading the luggage. Oshkosh Corporation is pitching that future for airports big and small.

    At CES, it debuted a fleet of autonomous airport robots designed to help airlines pull off what it calls “the perfect turn” — a tightly timed process that happens after a plane lands, including fueling, cleaning, handling cargo and getting passengers off and back on.

    For travelers, CEO John Pfeifer says the goal is fewer delays without compromising safety. The technology is also designed to keep those tarmac tasks moving even during severe weather, like winter storms or extreme heat, when conditions are daunting for human crews, Pfeifer said. Testing with major airlines is already underway, and the robots would likely debut at large hub airports like Atlanta or Dallas, with a goal of rolling them out over the next few years.

    Chinese robovac maker Roborock has introduced a vacuum that literally sprouts chicken-like legs to navigate stairs and clean steps along the way.

    The newly introduced Saros Rover was a tad slow in its ascent and descent (but it was cleaning each step) during the demo, but Roborock says it will be able to traverse almost any style of stairwell, including spiraled. No release date was given for the Rover, which the company says is still in development.

    While it may look like a typical scale you’d buy for your bathroom, Withings’ new Body Scan 2 measures much more than weight. Taking off their shoes and socks, people lined up to try out the “smart scale” that in 90 seconds measures 60 different biomarkers, including their heart age, vascular age and their metabolism using the pads of their feet and hands.

    The $600 scale, which will be available for purchase in the spring, also provides a nerve health score and measures changes in someone’s electrodermal activity, or the skin’s electrical properties due to sweat gland activity. The smart scale and a corresponding app, which costs $10 a month or $100 a year, provide personalized advice and a health trajectory for its users. The French company’s goals are to help people monitor their health and reverse bad habits to promote longevity.

    Commonwealth Fusion Systems, NVIDIA and Siemens announced Tuesday that they are working together to use AI to hasten making nuclear fusion a new source of carbon-free energy.

    In Massachusetts, Commonwealth Fusion Systems is building a prototype fusion power plant called SPARC, which is about 70% complete. Through the new partnership, it will create a “digital twin,” or online simulation, of the physical machine.

    CFS CEO Bob Mumgaard said it will ask questions of the simulation to speed up progress on the physical machine and rapidly analyze data, compressing years of manual experimentation into weeks of understanding.

    SPARC is a prototype for the company’s first planned power plant, called ARC, that is meant to connect to the grid in the early 2030s. The device will use very strong magnets to create conditions for fusion to happen. Mumgaard also said CFS’s first high-temperature superconducting magnet has been installed in SPARC.

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  • China factory activity picks up in December as orders rebound ahead of holidays

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    BANGKOK — Chinese factory activity expanded for the first time in eight months in December, as orders picked up ahead of holidays and builders rushed to finish projects, according to surveys released Wednesday.

    The official purchasing managers index for manufacturing, a monthly survey of companies, rose to 50.1 this month, the National Bureau of Statistics reported. That was just above the 50 cut off for expansion versus contraction on a scale up to 100. Another, private sector, survey also was at 50.1 for December.

    The better-than-expected readings partly reflect easing pressure due to an extended truce in trade tensions with the U.S. They also suggest manufacturers ramped up production ahead of New Year holidays, when many companies close for days. China’s Lunar New Year falls in mid-February this year.

    In comments to a new year’s gathering carried Wednesday by China’s state media, President Xi Jinping, vowed to promote “high-quality development” and to carry out “more positive macroeconomic policies” while ensuring social harmony and stability.

    The world’s second largest economy is forecast to grow at a pace just below the official target of about 5% this year, supported by strong activity in high-tech industries and exports. The official PMI for high-tech manufacturing stood at 52.5 in December, up 2.4 percentage points from the previous month.

    The report said the PMIs for both equipment manufacturing and the consumer goods industry reached 50.4.

    The separate report by RatingDog, a Chinese credit research and analysis company based in the southern city of Shenzhen, said that despite an increase in overall orders, new export sales fell slightly and hiring weakened.

    “Overall, the manufacturing sector regained growth at the end of 2025,” RatingDog’s founder Yao Yu said in a statement. “However, the improvement was marginal, with the impact of promotions and new products appearing impulse-driven and their sustainability requiring observation.”

    The National Statistic Bureau said the PMI measures for food, textiles, clothing and electronics were above a relatively strong 53.

    However, while large manufacturers increased their output, factory activity for the small and mid-sized enterprises that account for the lion’s share of employment in China remained in contractionary territory. As consumers cut back on spending, conditions for retailers and restaurants also deteriorated, the report said.

    Some economists believe China’s economy is growing more slowly than official figures suggest. Its leaders are grappling with long-term challenges including a yearslong slump in the country’s property sector and excess capacity in many industries, including automaking, that has led to damaging price wars.

    Higher costs for raw materials, especially for metals, has put pressure on company profit margins, the RatingDog report said. It noted that exporters had raised prices for the first time in three months to help offset those higher costs.

    The upturn in activity may be short-lived as it appears to be helped by a slight increase in government spending, Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a report.

    “The big picture is that the structural headwinds from the property downturn and industrial overcapacity are set to persist in 2026 and there appears to be limited appetite among policymakers for a big increase in demand-side stimulus,” he said.

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  • Vince Zampella, video game pioneer behind ‘Call of Duty,’ dies at 55

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    Vincent Zampella, one of the creators behind such best-selling video games as “Call of Duty,” has died at 55

    Vince Zampella, one of the creators behind such best-selling video games as “Call of Duty,” has died. He was 55.

    Video game company Electronic Arts said Zampella died Sunday. The company did not disclose a cause of death.

    In 2010, Zampella founded Respawn Entertainment, a subsidiary of EA, and he also was the former chief executive of video game developer Infinity Ward, the studio behind the successful “Call of Duty” franchise.

    A spokesperson for Electronic Arts said in a statement on Monday that Zampella’s influence on the video game industry was “profound and far-reaching.”

    “A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world. His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come,” a company spokesperson wrote.

    One of Zampella’s crowning achievements was the creation of the Call of Duty franchise, which has sold more than half a billion games worldwide,

    The first person shooter game debuted in 2003 as a World War II simulation and has sold over 500 million copies globally. Subsequent versions have delved into modern warfare and there is a live-action movie based on the game in production with Paramount Pictures.

    In recent years, Zampella has been at the helm of the creation of the action adventure video games Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

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  • Department stores try to distinguish themselves as beauty lovers turn to TikTok and Amazon

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    NEW YORK — It’s shoppers like Quinn Kelsey who keep department store executives up at night.

    The 38-year-old Denver resident gets makeup ideas from TikTok videos and other social media content, not salespeople at beauty counters. She uses an AI chatbot to get product recommendations that fit her budget and to see how a certain foundation or lipstick would look on her. When she buys, it’s usually from Amazon.

    “I use Chat GPT as my personal beauty consultant,” Kelsey said. “Department stores? I’ll walk through one for the decor, but they’ve basically lost me unless I can get the same product-research experience there that I can get scrolling through my phone at home.”

    Once the ultimate beauty destination, department stores lost sales and their authority as skincare and makeup trendsetters starting in the late 1990s. That was when the growth of Sephora and Ulta Beauty made shopping for cosmetics more of a playful, self-service experience.

    But fast-changing consumer preferences have all types of retailers racing to outdo each other for a slice of the $129 billion U.S. beauty and personal care market. The competition is fiercer than ever due to the ease of e-commerce. Amazon, which has slowly added premium beauty brands to its massive selection, is the nation’s largest online seller of beauty and personal care products, according to market research company Euromonitor International.

    Social media also has provided new sources of beauty guidance. Instead of store advisers, many consumers look to videos by influencers, beauty brand founders or dermatologists for advice. Shoppers also turn to TikTok and Instagram for information about “dupes” — drugstore versions of more expensive products.

    “Stores are more of the showroom, but the spark itself is happening in TikTok,” Jake Bjorseth, founder of the Generation Z advertising agency Trndsttrs, said.

    To keep up, companies with both physical and online stores are investing in upgrades that are meant to give beauty fans like Kelsey an experience they can’t get anywhere else. Macy’s and Nordstrom, for example, renovated the beauty floors of their flagship New York stores to add more space, ultra-luxury brands and cutting-edge technology. At Nordstrom, customers can book an appointment to get robot-applied eyelash extensions for $170.

    The makeovers were launched in time for the holiday shopping season, which accounts for about one-quarter of all U.S. “prestige” beauty sales, according to market research firm Circana.

    Department stores chasing beauty sales are introducing some of the serve-yourself features of Sephora — Nordstrom put in a “beauty bar” with brightly lit mirrors where customers are allowed to take makeup from different counters — while trying to distinguish themselves from specialty and online rivals.

    Executives from Macy’s and Nordstrom said the latest changes were designed to create an engaging atmosphere that encourages shoppers to stay longer and spend more. The overhaul at Macy’s Herald Square included comfortable seating and skin analysis devices that help make the case for lotions and potions costing hundreds of dollars.

    In the Parfums de Marly section, customers sample scents while wearing a virtual reality headset meant to immerse them in an 18th century chateau the French fragrance maker cites as its inspiration.

    “This is the future of beauty,” Nicolette Bosco, Macy’s vice president of beauty, said, referring to the interactive technology the department store considers central to offering shoppers an elevated experience.

    The company expects to redesign the beauty departments of 40 more stores. The facelifts are intended to draw shoppers of all ages, Macy’s Inc. CEO Tony Spring said.

    “We’re trying very hard to take the idea of a department store and make it intimate and friendly and convenient,” he said.

    Since becoming chief executive of the department store’s parent company last year, Spring has focused on reviving Macy’s by trying to attract the higher-spending customers who power sales at Bloomingdale’s and upscale beauty retailer Bluemercury, both of which Macy’s owns.

    Nordstrom unwrapped the reimagined beauty floor of its midtown Manhattan store in September. It includes an area where shoppers can test beauty tools like LED light therapy masks and a “fragrance finder” machine that provide a dry whiff of up to 60 different scents.

    Nordstrom also expanded the beauty treatments area at the New York flagship and a few other stores to include a medical spa that provides Botox and dermal filler injections that cost $575 to $1,050.

    Sephora redefined beauty buying by installing mirrors and disposable application tools near compact displays of both tester products and ready-to-grab goods. The DIY concept was a major contrast from department store counters staffed by beauty advisers who oversaw product sampling and retrieved fresh products from locked drawers.

    But even innovators have to renovate. Sephora, a division of French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, is in the process of updating its 720 stores in the U.S. and Canada.

    The stations where customers get their hair and makeup done are getting moved to the side for more privacy. The chain, known for its long cash register lines, plans to expedite check-outs by equipping salespeople with devices that accept card and contactless payments.

    Ulta, which stocks drugstore beauty brands like Maybelline as well as high-end brands, has had in-store hair salons since its founding in 1990. It’s adding ear piercing, testing robotic manicures and plans to add robotic lash extensions like Nordstrom’s to its service menu next year.

    Walmart has moved into the turf of specialty retailers and department stores with products from higher-end and independent brands. The nation’s largest retailer put beauty counters this year in 100 stores where customers can try products.

    After working at a fashion event at Nordstrom’s Manhattan flagship, Ivan Leon, a 35-year-old freelance stylist, headed to the Tom Ford fragrance counter. He walked away an hour later having spent $537 on two bottles of perfume: a unisex scent named Bitter Peach and another named Vanilla Sex.

    Leon planned to wear them together, a practice known as “fragrance layering” that he heard about on social media. The Nordstrom salesperson caught his interest by suggesting Tom Ford scents could be applied in tandem.

    “It’s kind of cool when you combine two scents and it makes something new,” Leon said. “I think it helps the psyche and builds confidence.”

    Leon, who typically buys his fragrances online, offers department stores hope but also represents the uphill climb they face given customers’ multidimensional shopping habits.

    TikTok is not only spawning trends like “tired girl” makeup and “blurred skin” but becoming a place where users discover and buy from new brands. TikTok Shop, an e-commerce feature the social media platform launched in 2023, has emerged as the nation’s seventh-largest online seller of beauty and personal care items, right behind Target, according to Euromonitor.

    The online market shares of Macy’s and Nordstrom are 1% and less than 0.5%, and declining, the market research firm said.

    Amazon, which accounts for almost half of online beauty and personal care sales, aims to mimic the physical store experience with virtual makeup try-on tools like one Sephora introduced in 2016. Sephora, meanwhile, unveiled in March an AI-powered online tool that uses selfies to identify potential skin concerns and make product recommendations.

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  • Smile and spritz three times: What I learned working at a Macy’s perfume counter

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    NEW YORK — December is a notable time for fragrance. The month accounts for one-quarter of the high-end perfumes, colognes, body mists and other scented beauty products sold annually in the United States, according to market research firm Circana.

    Fragrances of all kinds and prices also have taken off as a popular purchase, outperforming sales of makeup and skincare in the first nine months of the year, the firm said.

    However, many shoppers don’t want to get spritzed while wandering through a department store and don’t want a salesperson’s help picking out a perfume for loved ones or themselves. They may know what they want from hearing about social media trends like “fragrance layering.” Some enthusiasts collect scents like they might handbags and trust their own noses.

    Macy’s requires its 10,000 beauty advisers to do weekly training. It covers new information from brands and the latest trends, such as the reemergence of matte makeup and “juicy fruit” fragrances. The advisers also get selling tips and tricks.

    Shoppers “come in knowing what they’ve seen on TikTok, but our beauty advisers really help them discover what is the perfect scent for them,” said Nicolette Bosco, vice president and divisional merchandise manager of Macy’s beauty business.

    To understand the changing retail environment for beauty products, I received a taste of sales training the week before Black Friday at the flagship Macy’s in New York City that served as the setting for the 1947 Christmas movie “A Miracle on 34th Street.”

    Virginia Dervil, a business manager for Parfum Christian Dior, trains beauty advisers for the makeup and fragrance division of the Dior brand. She spent roughly 30 minutes explaining Dior’s fragrance lineup and offering advice on how to approach shoppers. On a busy Friday, I tried to put her teaching to the test during another half-hour standing in front of a Dior counter.

    In that time, I enticed only three people to try out scents and didn’t make a single sale. I found it difficult — and at times frustrating — to get the attention of passing shoppers. When customers did pause by the counter, most wanted to explore alone.

    Here are four things I learned:

    Always smile at shoppers as they walk by and try complimenting them on what they’re wearing, Dervil said. If they moved on, I knew enough not to follow them. Remember the old sales adage about the importance of direct eye contact. It’s more crucial than ever since many customers will be wearing earbuds or headphones and might not hear a spoken invitation to sample products.

    If customers stop by the counter, ask if they want help. If they say no, let them explore and don’t be pushy. They often start asking questions if you let them linger a while, Dervil said.

    “Some customers want a one-on-one interaction the entire time that they’re here,” she told me. “And some customers prefer to have a moment to themselves and to really self-discover.”

    Ask shoppers what they are looking for once they indicate they want help, Dervil said. “Are they looking for themselves or is it a gift for someone?” is a standard approach, she said. Understanding what brought someone into the store is a way to better guide them in making a selection.

    Always direct customers first to the fragrance in the middle of the spectrum between subtle and strong. The midpoint is typically the most popular. In Dior’s J’Adore line, the favorite version is the “eau de parfum,” Dervil said. If a customer think that’s too strong or too light, direct them accordingly, she advised.

    I also learned that going up or down the spectrum doesn’t always mean a more diffused or intense version of the same scent. It may lead to a different smell altogether.

    For example, the “parfum d’eau” form of J’Adore smelled like a lighter version of the “eau de parfum.” But the line’s lightest scent, J’Adore Eau Lumiere, had a citrusy scent that was totally different.

    Don’t spray or dab on shoppers. Instead, spritz three times on a paper test strip and let it sit for a few seconds before the customer smells it, Dervil advised. Otherwise, the initial whiff may be too overwhelming, she said.

    Start asking open-ended questions about what they like or don’t like about the scent. If they want to try other products, fold the strip and place it next to the just-sampled fragrance as a reminder of which one it was.

    If they’re switching from scent to scent, ask them to sniff their arm or the back of their hand to clear their nostrils for the next one, Dervil said.

    If a customer likes a scent, discuss prices and bottle sizes, and hope to complete the sale.

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  • What to Stream: ‘Emily in Paris,’ iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, ‘Him,’ Peter Criss and Riz Ahmed

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    Marlon Wayans starring in the Jordan Peele-produced football thriller “Him” and the iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 featuring Conan Gray, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll and Olivia Dean are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

    Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: A second season of “Fallout” arrives on Prime Video, Season 5 of “Emily in Paris” drops on Netflix and Peter Criss — Kiss’ original drummer — will release a brand new, self-titled album.

    — The Jordan Peele-produced “Him” (Dec. 19 on Peacock) takes the hard knocks of the gridiron to bloody extremes. It stars Tyriq Withers as an up-and-coming quarterback whose mentorship with the veteran champ (Marlon Wayans) grows increasingly dark and surreal. In my review, I wrote that “Him” has a decent point to make about QB hero worship, “the problem is that has exactly one thing to say, which it does again and again.”

    — In David Mackenzie’s “Relay,” Riz Ahmed plays a fixer who runs a covert service that brokers deals between corrupt companies and potential threats. To preserve anonymity, he uses a “relay” telephone service, usually for deaf or speech-impaired people, to disguise identities. This nifty thriller streams Friday, Dec. 12 on Netflix after a late-summer theatrical release. Co-starring Lily James and Sam Worthington.

    — For a particularly seductive December, you can spend your holidays with Wong Kar-wai. The Criterion Channel is hosting many of the Hong Kong filmmaker’s finest films, including “Chungking Express,” “Fallen Angels” and “In the Mood for Love,” as well as his first TV series, “Blossoms Shanghai.” A hit in China, the 30-part series is set amid the 1990s opening of the Chinese economy and the relaunch of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. New episodes debut every Monday.

    — AP Film Writer Jake Coyle

    — Alex Warren. BigXthaPlug. Conan Gray.Ed Sheeran.Jelly Roll. Jessie Murph. The Kid LAROI. Laufey. Mgk. Monsta X. Myles Smith. Nelly. Olivia Dean. Ravyn Lenae. Reneé Rapp. Shinedown. Zara Larsson. What do all these popular artists have in common? They’re performing at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour! On Wednesday, ABC will air the iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 holiday special — made up of a few tour stops — to become available to stream on Hulu the next day. It’s all the fun of a star-studded pop concert from the comfort of your couch.

    — In 2023, glam rockers Kiss said its goodbyes for one final performance at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden. But that doesn’t mean their musical story ended there. On Friday, Peter Criss — Kiss’ original drummer and founding member who left and rejoined the group on a number of occasions — will release a brand new, self-titled album.

    — AP Music Writer Maria Sherman

    — A second season of “Fallout” arrives on Prime Video Wednesday. Based on a hugely popular video game, it’s a postapocalyptic series set two centuries after a nuclear war destroyed modern civilization. In Season 2, Justin Theroux, Macaulay Culkin, and Kumail Nanjiani join the cast which includes Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins.

    — Emily, of “Emily in Paris,” is still living la dolce vita in Rome when Season 5 drops Thursday. The Darren Starr-created show follows the adventures of an American expat played by Lily Collins.

    — A new documentary series called “Born to be Wild” follows six endangered baby animals that were orphaned or born as part of conservation programs. Narrated by Hugh Bonneville, it streams on Apple TV beginning Friday, Dec. 19.

    — Alicia Rancilio

    — The video game business has wrapped up its big-release schedule for the holidays, so now is a good time to catch up on titles you may have missed — or started and didn’t have time to finish. It has been a solid year for role-playing games, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and The Outer Worlds 2 leading The Associated Press’ top 10 list. If you’re in the mood for a trip to Japan, Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yōtei both offer sprawling open-world journeys with RPG elements. Check out the rest of our top 10 for more ways to keep your game device of choice humming past New Year’s Day.

    — Lou Kesten

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  • US retailers are about to see if Black Friday benefits from a holiday halo effect

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    NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Black Friday bargains no longer tempt people to leave Thanksgiving tables for midnight mall runs. Brawls in store aisles over toys and TVs with limited-time discounts are spectacles of holidays past. Online shopping and retailers launching discounts weeks before the turkey feast subdued that kind of fervor.

    But the sales event still has enough enthusiasts to make the day after Thanksgiving the one when U.S. stores get the most shoppers coming in the door. For that reason, Black Friday still rules as the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season.

    This year’s kickoff comes as consumer confidence in the U.S. economy fell this month in the aftermath of the federal government shutdown, weak hiring and stubborn inflation, according to a report The Conference Board issued Tuesday.

    Many retail executives have reported customers becoming more discerning and increasingly focused on deals while at the same time remaining willing to splash out for important occasions like the start of the school year and the winter holidays, creating a halo effect.

    “Consumers have been saying the economy is terrible while continuing to spend for years now, so the outlook is probably better than they are telling us,” Bill Adams, the chief economist at Comerica Bank, said this week of shoppers’ moods heading into Black Friday. “But business surveys also report consumers are being more sensitive to prices and selective in spending.”

    While planning for the holidays in the spring and summer, retail companies were wrestling with the volatility of President Donald Trump ’s wide-ranging tariffs on imported goods. Many accelerated shipments of some merchandise before the tariffs took effect or decided to absorb some of the import tax costs instead of raising prices for customers.

    Market research firm Circana said that 40% of all general merchandise sold in September saw a price increase of at least 5% compared with the first four months of the year.

    Toys, baby products, housewares, and team sports equipment were among the hardest hit categories. For example, 83% of toys sold in September saw an increase of at least 5%, Circana said. Industry group The Toy Association says nearly 80% of the toys sold in the U.S. are made in China, a country the Trump administration hit with especially high tariffs at various points this year.

    Still, analysts and mall executives cited solid momentum heading into Black Friday week. At the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, foot traffic in recent weeks surpassed the numbers from pre-pandemic 2019, said Jill Renslow, the mall’s chief business development and marketing officer.

    “We’re seeing a very positive start to the holiday season,” Renslow said. “The last few Saturdays in November have been very strong.”

    The growth in online sales also has been robust so far. From Nov. 1 to Nov. 23, consumers spent $79.7 billion, according to web tracking and analysis platform Adobe Analytics. That represented a gain of 7.5% from a year earlier and was bigger than Adobe’s 5.3% growth forecast for the season.

    Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all payment methods, predicted a 3.6% increase in holiday sales from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24. That compares with a 4.1% increase last year.

    “Clearly, there’s uncertainty,” Mastercard Chief Economist Michelle Meyer said. “Clearly, consumers feel on edge. But at the moment, it doesn’t seem like it’s changing how they are showing up for this season.”

    According to Adobe Analytics, Thanksgiving Day was the best time to shop online to get the deepest discount on sporting goods. But Black Friday will be the best time to buy TVs, toys and appliances online.

    Cyber Monday, however, should be the best time to buy apparel and computers. Apparel discounts peaked at 12.2% off the suggested manufacturer’s price between Nov. 1 and Nov. 23 but are expected to hit 25% off on Cyber Monday, Adobe said.

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  • US retailers are about to see if Black Friday benefits from a holiday halo effect

    [ad_1]

    NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Black Friday bargains no longer tempt people to leave Thanksgiving tables for midnight mall runs. Brawls in store aisles over toys and TVs with limited-time discounts are spectacles of holidays past. Online shopping and retailers launching discounts weeks before the turkey feast subdued that kind of fervor.

    But the sales event still has enough enthusiasts to make the day after Thanksgiving the one when U.S. stores get the most shoppers coming in the door. For that reason, Black Friday still rules as the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season.

    This year’s kickoff comes as consumer confidence in the U.S. economy fell this month in the aftermath of the federal government shutdown, weak hiring and stubborn inflation, according to a report The Conference Board issued Tuesday.

    Many retail executives have reported customers becoming more discerning and increasingly focused on deals while at the same time remaining willing to splash out for important occasions like the start of the school year and the winter holidays, creating a halo effect.

    “Consumers have been saying the economy is terrible while continuing to spend for years now, so the outlook is probably better than they are telling us,” Bill Adams, the chief economist at Comerica Bank, said this week of shoppers’ moods heading into Black Friday. “But business surveys also report consumers are being more sensitive to prices and selective in spending.”

    While planning for the holidays in the spring and summer, retail companies were wrestling with the volatility of President Donald Trump ’s wide-ranging tariffs on imported goods. Many accelerated shipments of some merchandise before the tariffs took effect or decided to absorb some of the import tax costs instead of raising prices for customers.

    Market research firm Circana said that 40% of all general merchandise sold in September saw a price increase of at least 5% compared with the first four months of the year.

    Toys, baby products, housewares, and team sports equipment were among the hardest hit categories. For example, 83% of toys sold in September saw an increase of at least 5%, Circana said. Industry group The Toy Association says nearly 80% of the toys sold in the U.S. are made in China, a country the Trump administration hit with especially high tariffs at various points this year.

    Still, analysts and mall executives cited solid momentum heading into Black Friday week. At the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, foot traffic in recent weeks surpassed the numbers from pre-pandemic 2019, said Jill Renslow, the mall’s chief business development and marketing officer.

    “We’re seeing a very positive start to the holiday season,” Renslow said. “The last few Saturdays in November have been very strong.”

    The growth in online sales also has been robust so far. From Nov. 1 to Nov. 23, consumers spent $79.7 billion, according to web tracking and analysis platform Adobe Analytics. That represented a gain of 7.5% from a year earlier and was bigger than Adobe’s 5.3% growth forecast for the season.

    Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all payment methods, predicted a 3.6% increase in holiday sales from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24. That compares with a 4.1% increase last year.

    “Clearly, there’s uncertainty,” Mastercard Chief Economist Michelle Meyer said. “Clearly, consumers feel on edge. But at the moment, it doesn’t seem like it’s changing how they are showing up for this season.”

    According to Adobe Analytics, Thanksgiving Day was the best time to shop online to get the deepest discount on sporting goods. But Black Friday will be the best time to buy TVs, toys and appliances online.

    Cyber Monday, however, should be the best time to buy apparel and computers. Apparel discounts peaked at 12.2% off the suggested manufacturer’s price between Nov. 1 and Nov. 23 but are expected to hit 25% off on Cyber Monday, Adobe said.

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  • Black Friday arrives with solid momentum despite tariffs and economic uncertainty

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    NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Black Friday may no longer be the retail bacchanalia of years past, when the promise of one-time bargains caused people to leave Thanksgiving tables for malls where some customers got into fistfights over toys or TVs. But the event still has enough enthusiasts to make it the biggest shopping day in the U.S.

    For that reason, the day retains its crown as the official start of the holiday shopping season. This year’s kickoff comes as companies navigate an uncertain economic environment and wrestle with the volatility of President Donald Trump ‘s wide-ranging tariffs on imported goods.

    Many have absorbed some of the costs and pulled back on hiring instead of raising prices for customers. Consumer confidence in the U.S. economy fell this month to the lowest since April — when Trump announced his tariffs — in the aftermath of the government shutdown, weak hiring and stubborn inflation, according to a report The Conference Board issued Tuesday.

    Shoppers nonetheless have remained resilient and willing to spend, at least judging by the solid quarterly sales reports from Walmart, Best Buy and other retailers. But many retail executives also say customers are focusing on deals and have been selective in what they’re buying.

    Aron Boxer, 50, from Greenwich, Connecticut, said he delayed buying a car this year amid worries about tariffs. He said he’ll be looking for deals on toys on Cyber Monday but is also willing to wait to the end for the best discount.

    “The tariffs definitely are not behind me, and I am concerned about it,” the founder of an educational services company and a life coaching service said. “I did consider buying earlier this year, but I feel like some people made some pretty bad business decisions anticipating tariffs to have a bigger impact than they did.”

    Still, analysts and mall executives cited solid momentum heading into Black Friday week.

    “We’re seeing a very positive start to the holiday season,” said Jill Renslow, chief business development and marketing officer at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, which plans to give gift cards and other giveaways to the first 250 customers who show up at 7 a.m. on Friday. “The last few Saturdays in November have been very strong.”

    Mall traffic heading into Black Friday surpassed the numbers from pre-pandemic 2019, Renslow said.

    A forecast from the National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, predicted a healthy increase in holiday sales. The group estimated that shoppers would collectively spend between $1.01 trillion and $1.02 trillion in November and December, or 3.7% to 4.2% more than last year.

    Retailers rung up $976 billion in holiday sales last year, or a 4.3% increase from 2023, the group said.

    Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all payment methods including cash, predicted a 3.6% increase in holiday sales from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24. That compares with a 4.1% increase last year.

    “Clearly, there’s uncertainty,” Mastercard Chief Economist Michelle Meyer said. “Clearly, consumers feel on edge. But at the moment, it doesn’t seem like it’s changing how they are showing up for this season.”

    Online sales have been strong so far. From Nov. 1 to Sunday, consumers spent $79.7 billion, according to Adobe Analytics. That represented a gain of 7.5% from a year earlier and was bigger than Adobe’s 5.3% growth forecast for the season.

    Tariffs have played a role in stores’ merchandising and pricing strategies. Many retailers accelerated shipments of some holiday merchandise before the tariffs took effect while also absorbing some of the extra import costs. But stores still have passed on some of the expense for items like toys, which are largely sourced in China.

    Market research firm Circana’s retail tracking service examined various subcategories of general merchandise and found 40% of all general merchandise sold in September saw a price increase of at least 5% compared with the first four months of the year.

    Toys, baby products, housewares, and team sports equipment were among the hardest hit. For example, 83% of toys sold in September saw an increase of at least 5%, Circana said.

    That number was up from 32% in June and will go even higher in coming months, according to Marshal Cohen, the firm’s chief industry advisor.

    Some executives have noticed retailers advertising tamer holiday discounts. Mall of America’s Renslow said deals didn’t show up at the mall as early as she anticipated. But she estimated store tenants had ramped up this week with discounts in the range of 30% to 50%. She thinks they’ll likely go deeper for the weekend.

    Stephen Lebovitz, CEO of CBL Properties, which operates 85 shopping properties, also noted unimpressive holiday discounting.

    “I think one of the benefits of the tariffs or the silver lining is that the inventory levels for the retailers are leaner, and they’ve tried to allow themselves to keep pricing power,” he said.

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  • Black Friday arrives with solid momentum despite tariffs and economic uncertainty

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    NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Black Friday may no longer be the retail bacchanalia of years past, when the promise of one-time bargains caused people to leave Thanksgiving tables for malls where some customers got into fistfights over toys or TVs. But the event still has enough enthusiasts to make it the biggest shopping day in the U.S.

    For that reason, the day retains its crown as the official start of the holiday shopping season. This year’s kickoff comes as companies navigate an uncertain economic environment and wrestle with the volatility of President Donald Trump ‘s wide-ranging tariffs on imported goods.

    Many have absorbed some of the costs and pulled back on hiring instead of raising prices for customers. Consumer confidence in the U.S. economy fell this month to the lowest since April — when Trump announced his tariffs — in the aftermath of the government shutdown, weak hiring and stubborn inflation, according to a report The Conference Board issued Tuesday.

    Shoppers nonetheless have remained resilient and willing to spend, at least judging by the solid quarterly sales reports from Walmart, Best Buy and other retailers. But many retail executives also say customers are focusing on deals and have been selective in what they’re buying.

    Aron Boxer, 50, from Greenwich, Connecticut, said he delayed buying a car this year amid worries about tariffs. He said he’ll be looking for deals on toys on Cyber Monday but is also willing to wait to the end for the best discount.

    “The tariffs definitely are not behind me, and I am concerned about it,” the founder of an educational services company and a life coaching service said. “I did consider buying earlier this year, but I feel like some people made some pretty bad business decisions anticipating tariffs to have a bigger impact than they did.”

    Still, analysts and mall executives cited solid momentum heading into Black Friday week.

    “We’re seeing a very positive start to the holiday season,” said Jill Renslow, chief business development and marketing officer at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, which plans to give gift cards and other giveaways to the first 250 customers who show up at 7 a.m. on Friday. “The last few Saturdays in November have been very strong.”

    Mall traffic heading into Black Friday surpassed the numbers from pre-pandemic 2019, Renslow said.

    A forecast from the National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, predicted a healthy increase in holiday sales. The group estimated that shoppers would collectively spend between $1.01 trillion and $1.02 trillion in November and December, or 3.7% to 4.2% more than last year.

    Retailers rung up $976 billion in holiday sales last year, or a 4.3% increase from 2023, the group said.

    Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all payment methods including cash, predicted a 3.6% increase in holiday sales from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24. That compares with a 4.1% increase last year.

    “Clearly, there’s uncertainty,” Mastercard Chief Economist Michelle Meyer said. “Clearly, consumers feel on edge. But at the moment, it doesn’t seem like it’s changing how they are showing up for this season.”

    Online sales have been strong so far. From Nov. 1 to Sunday, consumers spent $79.7 billion, according to Adobe Analytics. That represented a gain of 7.5% from a year earlier and was bigger than Adobe’s 5.3% growth forecast for the season.

    Tariffs have played a role in stores’ merchandising and pricing strategies. Many retailers accelerated shipments of some holiday merchandise before the tariffs took effect while also absorbing some of the extra import costs. But stores still have passed on some of the expense for items like toys, which are largely sourced in China.

    Market research firm Circana’s retail tracking service examined various subcategories of general merchandise and found 40% of all general merchandise sold in September saw a price increase of at least 5% compared with the first four months of the year.

    Toys, baby products, housewares, and team sports equipment were among the hardest hit. For example, 83% of toys sold in September saw an increase of at least 5%, Circana said.

    That number was up from 32% in June and will go even higher in coming months, according to Marshal Cohen, the firm’s chief industry advisor.

    Some executives have noticed retailers advertising tamer holiday discounts. Mall of America’s Renslow said deals didn’t show up at the mall as early as she anticipated. But she estimated store tenants had ramped up this week with discounts in the range of 30% to 50%. She thinks they’ll likely go deeper for the weekend.

    Stephen Lebovitz, CEO of CBL Properties, which operates 85 shopping properties, also noted unimpressive holiday discounting.

    “I think one of the benefits of the tariffs or the silver lining is that the inventory levels for the retailers are leaner, and they’ve tried to allow themselves to keep pricing power,” he said.

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  • Toy inventor Burt Meyer, who dreamed up Lite-Brite and Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, dies age 99

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    Burt Meyer, who invented toys like Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, Lite-Brite and MouseTrap in the 1960s that delighted generations of children, has died. He was 99.

    Meyer’s creations arrived in the postwar boom, when plastic molding and mass production transformed how American kids played. That shift opened the door for more dynamic toys, and Meyer seized the moment with designs that would stay on shelves for decades.

    Meyer died on Oct. 30, said Rebecca Mathis, executive director at King-Bruwaert House, a retirement community in Burr Ridge, Illinois, where he lived.

    Meyer succeeded by straddling two often conflicting worlds, carrying a boundless childlike imagination alongside a pragmatic understanding of machines.

    The idea for Lite-Brite came in 1966 when Meyer was walking in Manhattan with Marvin Glass, who owned one of the largest toy design companies at the time, and the two men passed a window display featuring hundreds of colored lights. Engineers at the company doubted that electic lights could be safely adapted for children, according to Tim Walsh, who interviewed Meyer for his 2005 book “Timeless Toys.”

    Meyer, an employee at Marvin Glass & Associates, insisted it could.

    “There’s billions of ideas out there,” Walsh wrote, “but executing them into a final creative solution is often the hard part.”

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    Meyer came up with a small backlit box and black paper sheets that allowed kids to create illuminated patterns. Lite-Brite was a hit, earning spots on Time Magazine’s list of 100 greatest toys and in the Strong National Museum of Play’s hall of fame. New versions are still being sold.

    Meyer had a similar role with a design team that reimagined a bulky boxing arcade game for home use. The original concept stalled in development after a featherweight boxer died from a brain injury, making any toy that invoked the tragedy unmarketable, company leaders thought.

    Meyer revisited the idea with a simple shift. “This is too good to pass up,” he recalled saying in a 2010 interview. “Let’s take it away from humanity, let’s make it robots. And we won’t have them fall over, we’ll have something funny happen.”

    The result was Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, a small game where players control the fighters’ fists by pressing buttons on joysticks. A player wins by hitting the jaw of the opposing robot, theatrically popping up the spring-loaded head.

    The toy remained recognizable to later generations, appearing in the film “Toy Story 2,” and the toy company Mattel announced plans in 2021 for a live action movie adaptation.

    Meyer launched his own firm, Meyer/Glass Design, in the mid-1980s. The company developed numerous best-sellers including Gooey Louie, where children picked boogers our of Louie’s nose, and the Pretty Pretty Princess board game. His son, Steve Meyer, ran the business until 2006, according to The New York Times.

    Born in 1926 as Burton Carpenter Meyer, he enlisted in the Navy and served for two years as an aircraft mechanic. After retiring from toy making, he moved to Downers Grove, a suburb of Chicago, where he built small planes and could be seen deftly steering them aloft from a nearby private airfield well into his 80s.

    In interviews, Meyer often drew parallels between aerospace engineering and toy design, saying both required ingenutity and teamwork.

    “When you’re flying the airplane, use every resource that you have in there. That’s why we were able to turn out so many successful products,” Meyer said, crediting his success to the highly collaborative environment at Marvin Glass & Associates.

    Meyer’s car had a vanity plate that said TOYKING, and by most accounts, he was. In a 2010 interview, he said he was still delighted by telling people what he did for a living, and having them respond: “Oh, I played with that!”

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  • Toy inventor Burt Meyer dies at age 99

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    Burt Meyer, who invented toys like Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, Lite-Brite and MouseTrap in the 1960s that delighted generations of children, has died. He was 99.

    Meyer’s creations arrived in the postwar boom, when plastic molding and mass production transformed how American kids played. That shift opened the door for more dynamic toys, and Meyer seized the moment with designs that would stay on shelves for decades.

    Meyer died on Oct. 30, said Rebecca Mathis, executive director at King-Bruwaert House, a retirement community in Burr Ridge, Illinois, where he lived.

    Meyer succeeded by straddling two often conflicting worlds, carrying a boundless childlike imagination alongside a pragmatic understanding of machines.

    The idea for Lite-Brite came in 1966 when Meyer was walking in Manhattan with Marvin Glass, who owned one of the largest toy design companies at the time, and the two men passed a window display featuring hundreds of colored lights. Engineers at the company doubted that electic lights could be safely adapted for children, according to Tim Walsh, who interviewed Meyer for his 2005 book “Timeless Toys.”

    Meyer, an employee at Marvin Glass & Associates, insisted it could.

    “There’s billions of ideas out there,” Walsh wrote, “but executing them into a final creative solution is often the hard part.”

    Meyer came up with a small backlit box and black paper sheets that allowed kids to create illuminated patterns. Lite-Brite was a hit, earning spots on Time Magazine’s list of 100 greatest toys and in the Strong National Museum of Play’s hall of fame. New versions are still being sold.

    Meyer had a similar role with a design team that reimagined a bulky boxing arcade game for home use. The original concept stalled in development after a featherweight boxer died from a brain injury, making any toy that invoked the tragedy unmarketable, company leaders thought.

    Meyer revisited the idea with a simple shift. “This is too good to pass up,” he recalled saying in a 2010 interview. “Let’s take it away from humanity, let’s make it robots. And we won’t have them fall over, we’ll have something funny happen.”

    The result was Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, a small game where players control the fighters’ fists by pressing buttons on joysticks. A player wins by hitting the jaw of the opposing robot, theatrically popping up the spring-loaded head.

    The toy remained recognizable to later generations, appearing in the film “Toy Story 2,” and the toy company Mattel announced plans in 2021 for a live action movie adaptation.

    Meyer launched his own firm, Meyer/Glass Design, in the mid-1980s. The company developed numerous best-sellers including Gooey Louie, where children picked boogers our of Louie’s nose, and the Pretty Pretty Princess board game. His son, Steve Meyer, ran the business until 2006, according to The New York Times.

    Born in 1926 as Burton Carpenter Meyer, he enlisted in the Navy and served for two years as an aircraft mechanic. After retiring from toy making, he moved to Downers Grove, a suburb of Chicago, where he built small planes and could be seen deftly steering them aloft from a nearby private airfield well into his 80s.

    In interviews, Meyer often drew parallels between aerospace engineering and toy design, saying both required ingenutity and teamwork.

    “When you’re flying the airplane, use every resource that you have in there. That’s why we were able to turn out so many successful products,” Meyer said, crediting his success to the highly collaborative environment at Marvin Glass & Associates.

    Meyer’s car had a vanity plate that said TOYKING, and by most accounts, he was. In a 2010 interview, he said he was still delighted by telling people what he did for a living, and having them respond: “Oh, I played with that!”

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  • Advocacy groups urge parents to avoid AI toys this holiday season

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    They’re cute, even cuddly, and promise learning and companionship — but artificial intelligence toys are not safe for kids, according to children’s and consumer advocacy groups urging parents not to buy them during the holiday season.

    These toys, marketed to kids as young as 2 years old, are generally powered by AI models that have already been shown to harm children and teenagers, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, according to an advisory published Thursday by the children’s advocacy group Fairplay and signed by more than 150 organizations and individual experts such as child psychiatrists and educators.

    “The serious harms that AI chatbots have inflicted on children are well-documented, including fostering obsessive use, having explicit sexual conversations, and encouraging unsafe behaviors, violence against others, and self-harm,” Fairplay said.

    AI toys, made by companies such as Curio Interactive and Keyi Technologies, are often marketed as educational, but Fairplay says they can displace important creative and learning activities. They promise friendship but also disrupt children’s relationships and resilience, the group said.

    “What’s different about young children is that their brains are being wired for the first time and developmentally it is natural for them to be trustful, for them to seek relationships with kind and friendly characters,” said Rachel Franz, director of Fairplay’s Young Children Thrive Offline Program. Because of this, she added, the amount of trust young children are putting in these toys can exacerbate the harms seen with older children.

    Fairplay, a 25-year-old organization formerly known as the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, has been warning about AI toys for more than 10 years. They just weren’t as advanced as they are today. A decade ago, during an emerging fad of internet-connected toys and AI speech recognition, the group helped lead a backlash against Mattel’s talking Hello Barbie doll that it said was recording and analyzing children’s conversations.

    “Everything has been released with no regulation and no research, so it gives us extra pause when all of a sudden we see more and more manufacturers, including Mattel, who recently partnered with OpenAI, potentially putting out these products,” Franz said.

    It’s the second big seasonal warning against AI toys since consumer advocates at U.S. PIRG last week called out the trend in its annual “ Trouble in Toyland ” report that typically looks at a range of product hazards, such as high-powered magnets and button-sized batteries that young children can swallow. This year, the organization tested four toys that use AI chatbots.

    “We found some of these toys will talk in-depth about sexually explicit topics, will offer advice on where a child can find matches or knives, act dismayed when you say you have to leave, and have limited or no parental controls,” the report said.

    Dr. Dana Suskind, a pediatric surgeon and social scientist who studies early brain development, said young children don’t have the conceptual tools to understand what an AI companion is. While kids have always bonded with toys through imaginative play, when they do this they use their imagination to create both sides of a pretend conversation, “practicing creativity, language, and problem-solving,” she said.

    “An AI toy collapses that work. It answers instantly, smoothly, and often better than a human would. We don’t yet know the developmental consequences of outsourcing that imaginative labor to an artificial agent—but it’s very plausible that it undercuts the kind of creativity and executive function that traditional pretend play builds,” Suskind said.

    California-based Curio Interactive makes stuffed toys, like Gabbo and rocket-shaped Grok, that have been promoted by the pop singer Grimes.

    Curio said it has “meticulously designed” guardrails to protect children and the company encourages parents to “monitor conversations, track insights, and choose the controls that work best for their family.”

    “After reviewing the U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s findings, we are actively working with our team to address any concerns, while continuously overseeing content and interactions to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for children.”

    Another company, Miko, said it uses its own conversational AI model rather than relying on general large language model systems such as ChatGPT in order to make its product — an interactive AI robot — safe for children.

    “We are always expanding our internal testing, strengthening our filters, and introducing new capabilities that detect and block sensitive or unexpected topics,” said CEO Sneh Vaswani. “These new features complement our existing controls that allow parents and caregivers to identify specific topics they’d like to restrict from conversation. We will continue to invest in setting the highest standards for safe, secure and responsible AI integration for Miko products.”

    Miko’s products are sold by major retailers such as Walmart and Costco and have been promoted by the families of social media “kidfluencers” whose YouTube videos have millions of views. On its website, it markets its robots as “Artificial Intelligence. Genuine friendship.”

    Ritvik Sharma, the company’s senior vice president of growth, said Miko actually “encourages kids to interact more with their friends, to interact more with the peers, with the family members etc. It’s not made for them to feel attached to the device only.”

    Still, Suskind and children’s advocates say analog toys are a better bet for the holidays.

    “Kids need lots of real human interaction. Play should support that, not take its place. The biggest thing to consider isn’t only what the toy does; it’s what it replaces. A simple block set or a teddy bear that doesn’t talk back forces a child to invent stories, experiment, and work through problems. AI toys often do that thinking for them,” she said. “Here’s the brutal irony: when parents ask me how to prepare their child for an AI world, unlimited AI access is actually the worst preparation possible.”

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  • Advocacy groups urge parents to avoid AI toys this holiday season

    [ad_1]

    They’re cute, even cuddly, and promise learning and companionship — but artificial intelligence toys are not safe for kids, according to children’s and consumer advocacy groups urging parents not to buy them during the holiday season.

    These toys, marketed to kids as young as 2 years old, are generally powered by AI models that have already been shown to harm children and teenagers, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, according to an advisory published Thursday by the children’s advocacy group Fairplay and signed by more than 150 organizations and individual experts such as child psychiatrists and educators.

    “The serious harms that AI chatbots have inflicted on children are well-documented, including fostering obsessive use, having explicit sexual conversations, and encouraging unsafe behaviors, violence against others, and self-harm,” Fairplay said.

    AI toys, made by companies such as Curio Interactive and Keyi Technologies, are often marketed as educational, but Fairplay says they can displace important creative and learning activities. They promise friendship but also disrupt children’s relationships and resilience, the group said.

    “What’s different about young children is that their brains are being wired for the first time and developmentally it is natural that for them to be trustful, for them to seek relationships with kind and friendly characters,” said Rachel Franz, director of Fairplay’s Young Children Thrive Offline Program. Because of this, she added, the amount of trust young children are putting in these toys can exacerbate the harms seen with older children.

    Fairplay, a 25-year-old organization formerly known as the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, has been warning about AI toys for more than 10 years. They just weren’t as advanced as they are today. A decade ago, during an emerging fad of internet-connected toys and AI speech recognition, the group helped lead a backlash against Mattel’s talking Hello Barbie doll that it said was recording and analyzing children’s conversations.

    “Everything has been released with no regulation and no research, so it gives us extra pause when all of a sudden we see more and more manufacturers, including Mattel, who recently partnered with OpenAI, potentially putting out these products,” Franz said.

    It’s the second big seasonal warning against AI toys since consumer advocates at U.S. PIRG last week called out the trend in its annual “ Trouble in Toyland ” report that typically looks at a range of product hazards, such as high-powered magnets and button-sized batteries that young children can swallow. This year, the organization tested four toys that use AI chatbots.

    “We found some of these toys will talk in-depth about sexually explicit topics, will offer advice on where a child can find matches or knives, act dismayed when you say you have to leave, and have limited or no parental controls,” the report said.

    Dr. Dana Suskind, a pediatric surgeon and social scientist who studies early brain development, said young children don’t have the conceptual tools to understand what an AI companion is. While kids have always bonded with toys through imaginative play, when they do this they use their imagination to create both sides of a pretend conversation, “practicing creativity, language, and problem-solving,” she said.

    “An AI toy collapses that work. It answers instantly, smoothly, and often better than a human would. We don’t yet know the developmental consequences of outsourcing that imaginative labor to an artificial agent—but it’s very plausible that it undercuts the kind of creativity and executive function that traditional pretend play builds,” Suskind said.

    California-based Curio Interactive makes stuffed toys, like rocket-shaped Gabbo, that have been promoted by the pop singer Grimes.

    Curio said it has “meticulously designed” guardrails to protect children and the company encourages parents to “monitor conversations, track insights, and choose the controls that work best for their family.”

    “After reviewing the U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s findings, we are actively working with our team to address any concerns, while continuously overseeing content and interactions to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for children.”

    Another company, Miko, said it uses its own conversational AI model rather than relying on general large language model systems such as ChatGPT in order to make their product — an interactive AI robot — safe for children.

    “We are always expanding our internal testing, strengthening our filters, and introducing new capabilities that detect and block sensitive or unexpected topics,” said CEO Sneh Vaswani. “These new features complement our existing controls that allow parents and caregivers to identify specific topics they’d like to restrict from conversation. We will continue to invest in setting the highest standards for safe, secure and responsible AI integration for Miko products.”

    Miko’s products have been promoted by the families of social media “kidfluencers” whose YouTube videos have millions of views. On its website, it markets its robots as “Artificial Intelligence. Genuine friendship.”

    Ritvik Sharma, the company’s senior vice president of growth, said Miko actually “encourages kids to interact more with their friends, to interact more with the peers, with the family members etc. It’s not made for them to feel attached to the device only.”

    Still, Suskind and children’s advocates say analog toys are a better bet for the holidays.

    “Kids need lots of real human interaction. Play should support that, not take its place. The biggest thing to consider isn’t only what the toy does; it’s what it replaces. A simple block set or a teddy bear that doesn’t talk back forces a child to invent stories, experiment, and work through problems. AI toys often do that thinking for them,” she said. “Here’s the brutal irony: when parents ask me how to prepare their child for an AI world, unlimited AI access is actually the worst preparation possible.”

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