Winter Holidays

CHICAGO — Retail executives are moderating their expectations for 2013 following uneven sales in December and January, according to a new survey of CFOs by professional services form BDO USA.

WASHINGTON -- Retail sales ticked up in January as consumers adjusted their spending in response to the increase in payroll taxes and rise in gasoline and energy prices. According to the National Retail Federation, January retail sales (excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants) increased 0.3% seasonally adjusted from December and increased 5.4% unadjusted year-over-year.

Chicago -- National retail sales will increase 3.2% and retail foot traffic will increase 3.5% for the first quarter of 2013 when compared to the same period last year, according to ShopperTrak, a leading counter of retail foot traffic.

Chicago -- Extended store hours Thanksgiving weekend promotions were the least successful holiday marketing tactics, according to a survey of retail CFOs by BDO USA. The also report found that, following uneven sales results in December and January, the executives are moderating their expectations for 2013, projecting a 3.2% increase in total store sales, down from last year’s expected 4.5% increase.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — In a survey of more than 6,200 consumers collected during the peak holiday shopping season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Amazon scored highest among 25 of the top mobile commerce companies in terms of customer satisfaction, according to a report released Tuesday by ForeSee. 

BURBANK, Calif. — Warner Bros. Consumer Products announced that Jazwares, USAopoly and Mattel are among the toy companies it has partnered with to create new products in honor of the 75th Anniversary of "The Wizard of Oz" in 2014.

WAYNE, N.J. -- Toys"R"Us announced that it will be the first retailer in the United States to offer Fisher-Price's Octonauts toys.

EMERYVILLE, Calif. -- LeapFrog Enterprises was honored at 13th annual Toy Industry Association's Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards ceremony held in New York on Feb. 9, receiving recognition in two categories. The learning tablet, LeapPad2, received the inaugural "People's Choice Toy of the Year" and "Educational Toy of the Year" awards.