ReportersNotebook — General Merchandise, 3/14/11

SUPPLIER NEWS — Hallmark has partnered with the U.S. Postal Service to make sending greeting cards hassle-free. New postage-paid greetings, which will range in price from $2.69 to $3.99, feature the U.S. Postal Service’s Intelligent Mail bar code on the front of the envelope. More than 200 varieties of everyday postage-paid greetings will be available.

Gearing up for the summer release of superhero flick “Green Lantern,” Warner Bros. Consumer Products is teaming up with licensee Mattel for a new branded toy line. The lineup includes: The Green Lantern Ring Blast jet figure and vehicle, Battle Shifters figures, Movie Masters figures and the Colossal Cannon blaster.

Crayola is looking to dazzle kids and parents alike with a new lineup of creative activities. The new products, available this August, include Glow Explosion sand art sculptures (suggested retail price $9.99); washable glow chalk (SRP $9.99); washable colored bubble launcher (SRP $14.99); Crayola Story Studio kits, including Spiderman, Disney princess and “Cars 2” (SRP $9.99 each); The Crayola iMarker (SRP $29.99); Mess Free Color Wonder metallic paper (SRP $9.99); and 3-D dry-erase activity set (SRP $12.99).

Procter & Gamble has introduced two new products that unite the cleaning power of Mr. Clean and the fresh scent of Febreze. New Zealand Springs and Hawaiian Aloha scents are available in pourable liquids and sprays. Each is designed to clean virtually all hard surfaces.