Following is a selection of interesting and informative news articles that referenced information from The NPD Group or NPD expert commentary last month.

NPD Funworld

Gadget or Plaything? Let the Child Decide
By Michel Marriott The New York Times (February 19, 2005)
David Riley of NPD Group, a market research firm based in New York, said the shift is part of an effort by the $20 billion toy industry to reclaim dollars lost in recent years to high-tech products designed mostly for adults yet increasingly coveted by children.

NPD Techworld

New Ipods, Lower Prices from Apple
CNET (February 23, 2005)
"If you combine (the $199 iPod Mini) with the Shuffle, it really says Apple is shooting for the moon here," The NPD Group analyst Steve Baker said. The company is "really going after getting as much of this market as it can."

NPD Fashionworld

Men’s Tailored Clothing is Back, And With a New Attitude
By Leslie Earnest, Special to The Morning Call (February 25, 2005)
"Younger consumers who never worked in a suit, owned a suit or even have seen a suit - except in the movies or on television - have gravitated toward the suit like they discovered it," said Marshal Cohen, the group's chief industry analyst.

For Retailers

Retailers See Near $10.4 Billion Merger
By Chris Reidy, The Boston Globe (February 28, 2005)
''You are about to witness not only the changing of the retail landscape but also the changing of the mall landscape as well," said Marshal Cohen, chief analyst for the NPD Group, a market research firm.