Today’s Top Talk

1. Mattel Inc. and Walmart Inc. are trying out interactive video to market and sell toys ranging from Barbie to a castle based on the forthcoming movie “Frozen 2.” Both companies are “leasing floors” in a new virtual store called KidHQ, which lets users browse toys and merchandise in videos with various choose-your-own-adventure formats.
2. U.S. retail sales fell for the first time in seven months in September, raising fears that a slowdown in the American manufacturing sector could be starting to bleed into the consumer side of the economy.

Source: Walmart and Mattel Lease ‘Floors’ in a Virtual Toy Store Run on Interactive Video | Wall Street Journal

Source: US retail sales unexpectedly decline in a sign that consumer economy could be cracking | CNBC