General Merchandise

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — While Toys"R"Us and Kmart were among the first retailers to release their hot toy lists, Walmart wasn't too far behind this year, offering many of the same toys as the aforementioned companies, and even some exclusives.

PORT WASHINGTON — NPD has some good news for retailers worried about weak video game sales this holiday season, according to a survey of spending habits in second quarter 2011.

CHICAGO — Private-label share is slipping across several key drug store categories, according to SymphonyIRI Group’s latest Times & Trends report, “Private Label: Brand Positioning in the New World Order,” published Wednesday.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A hosiery brand has teamed up with a not-for-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women.

L'eggs said that its new partnership with Dress for Success will be highlighted with a Facebook promotion, through which L'eggs will donate 12,000 pairs of legwear to Dress for Success through a virtual legwear drive.

PLYMOUTH, Mass. — Cool Gear has introduced new liquid travel containers that are ideal for air travel.

Go Gear travel tubes are made of squeezable BPA-free silicone material and feature easy-to-fill wide-mouth bottle openings for simple liquid transferring and dispensing, Cool Gear said. Go Gear products are available in 1.25-oz., 2-oz. and 3-oz. sizes, meeting airline-approved guidelines for the size of carry-on liquids. Additionally, Go Gear products come with write-on sticker labels to help users identify contents, and are available in turquoise, green and magenta.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Kodak has rolled out a limited-edition EasyShare camera bundle in partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The Susan G. Komen Edition (C1530) camera bundle features a 14-megapixel camera with a 3x optical zoom and a Kodak Share Button in pink, as well as a slim camera case, 4GB memory card and wrist strap with pink ribbons. What's more, $4 out of every purchase of the camera will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help fight breast cancer.

NEW YORK — A recent consumer survey debunked the two long-assumed scenarios surrounding the moment a shopper actually makes a shopping decision — before they've entered the store as part of a planned purchase or at the shelf on an impulse.

For years, the retailing industry has debated between those who argue a shopper’s mind is mostly made up before they even enter the store and those who assert the real decision what to buy comes down to a final few seconds at the shelf. In fact it is neither, according to a recent survey of U.S. consumers.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The second season of "Extreme Couponing" debuted on TLC Wednesday evening, and with the new season came a renewed concern as to how extreme couponers will impact value promotions at retail.

That may be one of the more significant concerns for retailers, according to a Bloomberg report published Wednesday — that promotions are attracting one-time buyers who cherry-pick their way through the weekly shopping trip in place of loyal consumers.