Retail Roundup: Mattel, Others Pay $1.8 Million to Settle Suit, Boscov's Completes Sale, More

(MoneyWatch)  Toy companies pay $1.8 million to settle suit -- Nine toy companies, including Mattel Inc., are paying a total of $1.8 million to settle a lawsuit over Chinese-made toys containing lead. The companies admitted no wrongdoing as part of the settlement reached. The lawsuit, which was filed a year ago by the California attorney general and the L.A. city attorney, alleged that the toy companies knowingly and without warning exposed individuals to lead -- a violation of the state's 1986 toxic-enforcement act. [Source: The Washington Post]

Boscov's completes sale -- The Boscov clan has finalized the purchase of the bankrupt department-store chain bearing the family name, and Al Boscov, former chairman, will once again control the company. "I am thrilled to be once again heading the company that I spent 50 years building along with a tremendous team of co-workers whose commitment has been immeasurable," he said. "The completion of the sale provides us with the solid financial footing necessary to rebuild the company and prosper this holiday season and beyond." [Source: pennlive.com]

Thieves in drag steal $102 million from Harry Winston -- While many luxury retailers are losing profit thanks to the down economy, high-end jeweler Harry Winston had a different type of scare Dec. 5: Robbers dressed in drag stole $102 million worth of merchandise from the Paris store. Three or four thieves stole rings, necklaces, and watches, speaking to one another in a foreign language. Police said the robbery ranks among France's all-time biggest jewelry thefts. [Source: cnn.com]

Gamestop.com booms while eBay Electronics slides -- As holiday shoppers began to snap up video games and electronics in October, they apparently had a clear-cut vision of where they wanted to shop -- and where they wanted to avoid. While Best Buy's e-commerce site posted modest gains with 4 percent traffic growth, Gamestop.com exploded: Traffic grew 40 percent. Meanwhile, traffic on eBay Electronics and eBay Computers fell 43 percent and 40 percent, respectively. [Source: internetretailer]