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When it comes to queer books, the loudest headlines may be about bans and censorship, but a quieter truth about the state of LGBTQ books reveals the resilience of their authors and commitment of their readers. The queer titles debuting in 2023 are as full of joy as they are examples of resistance, and those in the industry say LGBTQ writers are only getting more ambitious. And while queer young adult books are often the target of book-banning efforts, these titles drove the highest gains in the category, the report found. When it comes to considering a queer future, and what’s next for queer books, that’s something that’s been on the mind of Suzi F. Garcia, the editor of Lambda Literary, a nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ books and authors. She described the book as having a “queer core” and a sense of hope while discussing issues critical to LGBTQ and Black communities.

☆ Why Your Favorite Restaurant Might Close
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Spencer Jakab | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

How do you make a small fortune? Start with a large one and open a restaurant. The difficulties of running a U.S. eatery, whether selling hot dogs or haute cuisine, are well known, yet hope continues to triumph over experience. In a country saturated with chains, NPD Group estimates that about 53% of restaurants are still independent, despite their high failure rate—especially in the first year. The pandemic made being a restaurateur even tougher: About 10% of independent restaurants shut down in 2020 compared with just 2.5% of those belonging to chains, according to data from Morgan Stanley and Euromonitor.

☆ Metaverse off to ominous start after VR headset sales shrank in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg demonstrates an Oculus Rift virtual reality (VR) headset and Oculus Touch controllers during the Oculus Connect 3 event in San Jose, California, U.S., on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. With the ad business mired in a slump, Zuckerberg has been looking to VR devices and related technology to pull Meta into the future. Taken together, the estimates of VR headset sales and shipments create a problematic picture for Meta, whose stock price has lost about two-thirds of its value this year. Meta's Quest 2 headset, released in 2020, is by far the leader in the VR market, according to several analysts. VR headset revenue in the U.S. doubled in 2021 from about $530 million in 2020, according to NPD.

☆ 'Kidults' age 12 and up are buying more toys than ever, with teens and adults driving significant growth for the industry thanks to the pandemic and TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

'Kidults' age 12 and above are comprising a growing sector of the toy industry, according to NPD Group. NPD Group's Juli Lennett told Insider the growth is largely due to the pandemic and social media. "Now many of them are hooked," Lennett said of kidults who purchased toys early in the pandemic. Today, Lego now sells 100 adult Lego sets, according to the Associated Press, including a replica of Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night and a functional roller coaster. "We make LEGO sets specifically for adults with more detail, challenging building techniques, and cool ways to display."

☆ With remote and hybrid work here to stay for some companies, fashion brands are still adapting to the evolving wardrobe of modern professionals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Remote workers are "blending it all together," in their wardrobes, Fortune reported. In recent years, athleisure brand Lululemon has spiked in popularity as more people seek comfort in their daily attire. "Gone are the days of two separate wardrobes or even three separate wardrobes," Maria Rugolo, director and industry analyst of fashion apparel at NPD, told Fortune. The change in work attire is evident in the TikTok trend of users showing their remote workwear. Such outfit choices have caused athleisure brands, like Lululemon, to explode in popularity.

☆ Fast-Fashion Brands Like Zara, Shein Create Mountains of Waste From Holiday Shopping, Returns
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Gad Allon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

A report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation found that, globally, less than 1% of used clothing is actually recycled into new clothes. Recycling clothes is expensive, and the existing technology isn't adequate to handle the volume needed to make a difference for the planet. While recycling clothing can be expensive, there are some companies that have figured out a way to limit waste by recycling. Time to be honestIn order to fix fast fashion, companies need to start being more transparent about their sustainability practices. It also ensures that the waste companies produce is out in the open.

[1/2] People visit a retail store during the holiday season in New York City, U.S., December 15, 2022. So far, shopper visits to many retail segments, including apparel and electronics, are down year-over-year, according to foot-traffic data from Placer.AI. Zara, the fast-fashion chain, aggressively raised prices this year without turning off shoppers, while dollar stores including Dollar General (DG.N) expanded their array of merchandise. Dollar stores have also shown momentum as more consumers traded down. Discount and dollar stores saw visits up 1.1% year-over-year, and up 7.8% compared to Super Saturday 2019, according to Placer.AI foot-traffic data.

☆ Adults are buying toys for themselves, and it’s the biggest source of growth for the industry
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Sarah Whitten | Whitten Is A Social Media Writer For Cnbc. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

It’s an important moment for the toy industry, too, with the holiday season upon us. “The definition of adulthood has definitely evolved,” said Jeremy Padawer, chief brand officer at toy company Jazwares. Toy companies have even begun creating their own television and movie content in order to support toy lines. Still, the stakes remain high for the toy industry as it heads into the final weeks of the year. “Right now, adult toy buyers are the reason for growth in the toy business,” Larian said.

☆ Adults are buying toys for themselves, and it's the biggest source of growth for the industry
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

There are two things keeping the toy industry afloat right now: inflation and a consumer group known as "kidults." These kids at heart are responsible for one-fourth of all toy sales annually, around $9 billion worth, and are the biggest driver of growth throughout the industry, according to data from the NPD Group. It's an important moment for the toy industry, too, with the holiday season upon us. Higher toy prices helped outweigh these losses, as sales revenue for the time period jumped 3%, NPD reported. Kidults, who tend to spend more on toys, have a great fondness for cartoons, superheroes and collectibles that remind them of their childhood.

☆ Few stores closed in 2022. UBS says get ready for that to change in 2023, starting with department stores
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

After a record number of store closures in 2020, retailers have shuttered far fewer doors over the last two years, but that may be about to change, especially for department stores, according to UBS. He also said that he believes the lack of store closures has made it harder for retailers to grow sales. Compares got tougher in 2Q22 as the industry lapped the big store closures. Our view is tough compares remain a reason Department Store sales will remain under pressure in the 1H23." Instead, he said, many store closures that would have occurred in 2021 or 2022 were accelerated by the pandemic.

Or they feature commercial characters from media juggernauts, imbued with predetermined personalities and storylines that encourage children to copy, not create. Yet bestselling toys — as distinct from best — are too often those that are most advertised to kids; digitally enhanced or linked to popular media characters; or both. Companies that profit hugely from licensed characters have a vested interest in preventing children’s creative play — and stifling their creativity. Toys that promote creativity are less likely to be huge moneymakers because they can be used repeatedly in lots of different ways. These toys seem to be made with a kind of planned obsolescence, so new ones will soon be needed.

☆ Here's what you need to know before you shop for a new TV on Black Friday
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Sofia Pitt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

"TVs you'll find on Black Friday are typically going to be entry-level sets," said Paul Gagnon, vice president and industry advisor for the market research company The NPD Group. People will be able to play Xbox Game Pass games over a cloud connection on 2022 Samsung smart TVs. When it comes to using the preloaded apps on your TV, it's important to know that smart TV stores, where you can download apps for your TV, vary depending on the TV's brand. Samsung TVs will let you access the Samsung Smart TV store, and LG TVs have the LG Content Store. If you're relying on the TV's built-in applications, Gagnon suggested, make sure the smart TV you're buying supports all the streaming apps you frequently use.

☆ DoorDash Analysts Optimistic on the Firm's Grocery and Retail Growth
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Expanding selection has made DoorDash resilient as restaurant-delivery growth declines and recession worries grip consumers, analysts say. "DoorDash's greater selection, convenience, and value are proving resilient," Andrew Boone, a JMP Securities analyst, said in a note earlier this year. Last month, DoorDash surpassed 75,000 retail stores on its platform, up from 40,000 a year ago. DoorDash opened the first DashMart in 2020, and the convenience stores have grown to 25 locations in cities in the US and Canada. "DoorDash is going to strangle Instacart using their own system," the grocery and supply-chain consultant Brittain Ladd told Insider.

☆ How startup Hilma raised a $3 million seed round from backers, including a former Nike exec and a Bonobos cofounder, to make running shoes more inclusive for women
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Matthew Kish | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The problem: Running shoes historically have been based off the shape of a man's foot. Hilma's shoes are made in varying shapes and widths in order to provide the perfect fit for every runner, regardless of foot shape or ability. Woman in Hilma running shoes. Hilma's launch follows Lululemon's footwear launch, which similarly prioritized female consumers and continues to exceed the company's expectations. Hilma's shoes are made in China and warehoused in the US before shipping to consumers.

☆ Do You Have to Wear an Underwire Bra to Work? Really?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Fiorella Valdesolo | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

BRA-STRUCK Going back to the office—and back to bras—doesn’t mean you have to relinquish the comfort of sporting a soft bra (or none at all). BRAS ARE RARELY COMFORTABLE—which is why a lot of us relate to those memes depicting women rapturously ripping theirs off after an overly cinched day at work. During the pandemic, many women declared their home offices constriction-free zones, and consciously uncoupled from their bras. “When they did [wear them], they opted for wire-free, comfortable styles,” said Kristen Classi-Zummo, an intimates expert at market research firm NPD Group. At one retailer, Bare Necessities, sales of wireless bras doubled between 2020 and 2022.

☆ Microsoft exec says gaming is 'somewhat resilient' to economic weakness
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Microsoft's head of gaming said Wednesday that video games can stand up to economic weakness, even as the software maker expects slower pickup in other parts of its business targeting consumers. Gaming remains a high priority for Microsoft, with the company working to close its $68.7 billion acquisition of publisher Activision Blizzard . Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, sounded optimistic about the prospects of the unit. "The video game industry has never been 'recession-proof,' but that line gets brought out every time the r-word is mentioned," Mat Piscatella, executive director and video game industry advisor at market researcher NPD Group, wrote in a July tweet. "People can play video games for hundreds of hours," he said.

☆ Walmart overhauls its intimates and sleepwear line to keep pace in a competitive market
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Melissa Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Walmart has rolled out Joyspun, a new intimates and sleepwear line. Walmart is overhauling one of its most popular apparel lines — its top intimates and sleepwear brand. Secret Treasures, Walmart's largest intimates and sleepwear line, drove $1 billion in sales last fiscal year — one of the retailer's 13 private brands of general merchandise to do so. Yet the intimates and sleepwear space has gotten more competitive, especially during the pandemic as people worked remotely and spent more time at home. Joyspun is also hitting Walmart's stores and websites ahead of the holiday season.

☆ Big bargains will dominate the holiday season, but shoppers may not be sold
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Melissa Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Last holiday season, shoppers started buying gifts early to avoid out-of-stocks and shipping delays. Even with the bigger discounts, industry-watchers expect a muted holiday season because of households' stretched budgets. Consulting firm Bain & Co. forecasts growth of as much as 7.5% from last holiday season, but when adjusted for inflation, that is only 1% to 3%. Computers, the category that's expected to have the highest level of discounting during the holiday season, according to Adobe, has seen cooling demand. More items were on sale during backyard barbecue season than during peak holiday season a year ago.

☆ I went inside hot shoe brand Brooks' R&D lab where it's rolling out top-secret 3D printed sneakers that promise to fix every runner's flaws
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Matthew Kish | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

DeSimone said mass customization with 3D technology should be available within the next few years. An Adidas Ultraboost shoe made with more traditional foam retails around $190, but the company's 3D technology starts at around $200. "3D shoes have been pretty limited so far in terms of sales," said Matt Powell, senior industry analyst for the NPD Group. "We have dreamed about the opportunity to put Run Signature to work for runners in a big way," Caprara said. The new 3D shoe, which features a sock-like upper and a sole that looks like a series of spiderwebs, will be released next year.

☆ Chick-fil-A remains teens' favorite restaurant chain in US
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Sarah Belle Lin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Chick-fil-A is teenagers' favorite US restaurant chain, a study finds. Fast-food chicken restaurant Chick-fil-A was ranked by 15% of respondents as their favorite restaurant, the same as in the spring 2022 and fall 2021 surveys. Read on to find out the top five restaurant chains where teens prefer to spend their money. In 2019, Insider asked more than 3,000 readers of our fast-food coverage to tell us their favorite chains. Chick-fil-A ranked third-highest in sales among chain restaurants in the US in 2021, just after McDonald's and Starbucks, according to The NPD Group's 2022 restaurant report.

☆ Expect big holiday sales on everything but the bling
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —Retailers have already signaled big sales are coming for the holidays — with one major, sparkly exception. That’s because holiday jewelry sales have been on fire over the last two years. “Jewelry is in good shape heading into this holiday season,” said Marshal Cohen, chief retail industry adviser with NPD Group. “With no real overstock position, [jewelry] retailers are not anxious” and don’t see the need to run big sales, he said. Paul Zimnisky, an independent jewelry industry analyst, said Signet’s comments indicate that consumers should not expect big sales or liquidation deals.

☆ Get ready to pay more for makeup as inflation hits the cosmetics aisle
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-17 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | Andy Kiersz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Cosmetics prices rose by 2.3% between July to August 2022, according to market research firm NPD Group. Changes in cosmetics prices over the past five years based on data from the consumer price index via U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Andy KierszMaria Salcedo, senior vice president of merchandising for national beauty chain Ulta, said demand for cosmetics remains strong, despite price hikes. "Consumers continue to adjust to inflation pressures by spending thoughtfully on what's valuable and important to them, including beauty," Salcedo told Insider by email. During the recession of 2001, Leonard Lauder, heir of makeup mogul Estee Lauder, is said to have coined the term "Lipstick Index."

☆ Footwear startup Gales nears $4 million raise in a bid to become the Nike for nurses and doctors. 'What Nike has built for the athlete we're looking to build for the standing professional.'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-15 | by ( Matthew Kish | Ben Tobin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"What Nike has built for the athlete we're looking to build for the standing professional," he told Insider. It raised a $2.1 million round in September 2021. Kizik, which makes slip-on sneakers and is backed by Nike, raised a $20 million round, and Hilma, which makes running shoes for women, raised a $3 million round. Courtesy GalesA $434 million market rife with opportunityAccording to NPD Group, the market for "occupational footwear" increased by 28% in 2021, to $434.4 million. He also founded and exited the footwear brand Rob McAllan, which sold dress shoes designed to perform more like sneakers.

☆ Продажи велосипедов в Молдове выросли в разы
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-22 | by ( Super User | ) mybusiness.md time to read: +2 min

Ограничения из-за пандемии породили неожиданный эффект - продажи велосипедов в Молдове выросли в разы. Он отметил, что до пандемии в Молдове продавалось около 600 велосипедов «Giant» в год, а это крайне мало. таких велосипедов. Это сделало товар доступнее и в разы подхлестнуло спрос. В компании AliExpress сообщают, что онлайн-продажи велосипедов во Франции выросли втрое, в Испании - в пять раз, а в Италии — в восемь раз.

Persons: AliExpress, Руслан Лабжинский, Лабжинский, Ирина МАЦЕНКО Organizations: NPD, ЛП Locations: Молдова, Кишинев, Кахуле, Европа, США, Великобритания, Франция, Испания, Италия, Рим

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