The future of the Disney Store - a big mistake? What went wrong for the Disney Stores?

[AurumPunzel]

As more Disney Stores come to a close and we're all left with shopDisney and mere concessions (and a few flagships/outlets), there are many questions as to what went wrong with the stores, and whether the closures were a huge mistake or just another product of the Retail Apocalypse.

Was there really anything wrong with the stores? From what I've noticed, there has been an imbalance in the range of merchandise the Disney Stores sold compared to the 1990s heyday, even after the 2000s nadir. Although there have been recent efforts to rectify that, most of the adult merchandise had more availability online than in the stores, which is unsurprising given that a lot of attention has, as of late, been shifted to shopDisney, while the physical stores save for the safe flagships ended up with such a raw deal. Not to mention that third party retailers have been making inroads into the ranges of merchandise the Disney Stores (and Parks) once had a monopoly over, which links into the same reasons as to why Toys R Us eventually collapsed when other retailers were diversifying into selling toys, which used to only make up one small section. However, the Disney Stores had a USP, and that USP was having unique customer service and interactivity, particularly with in-store events and celebrations that could not be replicated in, let's say a Target.

As for the closures, do I think it's a huge mistake? Yes, because I still feel that Disney could have done more to address the issues that have plagued the stores for years, and could have easily reinvigorated the most profitable stores to be more resilient and have a fair balance between children's merchandise and adult-oriented merchandise, not to mention a better synergy with shopDisney. However, I only hope that someday, the tide will turn against online, especially because I feel that the shift to online retail is having a detrimental effect on local economies and social lives.

Anyone else feel the same about the stores?

 

[Kennywood]

We often went to the Disney Store at our local mall. But that slowly changed as things that appealed to adults were removed and replaced with more and more things for children. Toward the end, there was no reason for us to go there.

The stores used to have really good collectibles, such as signed prints. There was clothing in adult sizes, but that ended up being only t-shirts toward the end.

I always thought that customers should be able to order anything from either the Disney Store or Shop Disney, and have it shipped to your local Disney Store for free. Yes, it might take a few weeks to arrive with the store's other merchandise. But you'd get more traffic in the stores and possibly additional point-of-purchase sales, when someone went to pick up their merchandise that arrived.

Toward the end, the Disney Store ended up being nothing more than a store for kids.

 

[ChipnDale79]

I dont buy the tshirt unless ive been there and done that.

Our outlet mall at Concord Mills seemed to only carry outlets items from Disneyland. Never been, so i never bought the stuff. I've been to Disney World many times. Only a handful of times did they carry things that they had at disney world. We buy mugs at DW every time. Once found the same mug we got at DW at the Disney Store for a quarter of the price, so we bought 2 more.

not to mention it turned into basically a toy store only. They stopped providing some of house décor that my wife wanted.

My kids are 9 and 10, we went recently to the ones at South Park and Concord Mills one last time, both times my boys said they didnt have anything they were interested in.

 

[Skippyboo]

If you were not shopping for a 6-10 girl, the Disney store really didn’t have much for you.

 

[Moliphino]

They were great back in the 90s. The only one near me closed over a decade ago, so I haven't been in one often since then.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

The future of the Disney Store

 

[dato63]

We use to have a few family traditions. Disney store in September to look at, and get costumes. And again before Christmas. But as my girls got older, well - we aged out. Once they could no longer fit in a size 10 and outgrew the Disney dolls - we stopped going.

I agree with some other’s here. The store catered more to young girls. And those girls grow up. I suppose usually a new crop replaces people like us. But it would have been better if it had been more inclusive to other markets.

 

[AurumPunzel]

We use to have a few family traditions. Disney store in September to look at, and get costumes. And again before Christmas. But as my girls got older, well - we aged out. Once they could no longer fit in a size 10 and outgrew the Disney dolls - we stopped going.

I agree with some other’s here. The store catered more to young girls. And those girls grow up. I suppose usually a new crop replaces people like us. But it would have been better if it had been more inclusive to other markets.

Mine prior to closing down had an equilibrium of Princess/Frozen and the more boysy merch, with just a small section dedicated to homewares. The adult clothing was almost non-existent. The London Oxford Street flagship, on the other hand, has a broad church of merch that should have been present in other stores, and that's primarily the reason why it's guaranteed to survive the slaughter, yet no-one should have to travel all the way to London from, let's say Yorkshire, just for the sake of a Disney Store that got it right. If that one flagship managed to get it right, then why did the other non-flagship-non-outlet stores end up getting the raw deal? And that links into the whole equilibrium problem that's plagued the Disney Stores since the 2000s. If Disney got in a management that actually cared about running the stores as a broad church and an experience instead of turning them into overglorified toy stores, then they'd be resilient by now.

 

[OhBother1984]

I really don't know they did anything right or wrong, the market has really shifted and it was hard shift for many to respond too. Covid didn't help either with all the closures, plus mall rents are insanely high.

With the shift to so many single parent/both parent working homes malls lost the entertainment appeal of the SAHM that used them as an escape from the house. Store events were fun, playground at the mall , get a treat and such. Plus in the younger moms just starting to raise kids there is a more shift to minimalism.

Online has just grown as being simpler and easier for many. At this point I am not sure I really care they are gone except it was fun to take the kids but they get as much joy walking the toy aisle at target. What I wish they would do is shift to free returns by mail like many companies have.

 

[Narcoossee11]

Brick and morter stores are dead or dying. Hopefully Disney will be able to offer a wider selection of merchandise.
Reach out to more venders that offer better quality and unique items.
For me I want Adult wear clothing that is worth the cost.

There are 1000's of comments of people taking their kids to the store 2-3 times a year to be entertained. Great memories BUT a store can not stay in business with customers like that.

 

[nkosiek]

Mine prior to closing down had an equilibrium of Princess/Frozen and the more boysy merch, with just a small section dedicated to homewares. The adult clothing was almost non-existent. The London Oxford Street flagship, on the other hand, has a broad church of merch that should have been present in other stores, and that's primarily the reason why it's guaranteed to survive the slaughter, yet no-one should have to travel all the way to London from, let's say Yorkshire, just for the sake of a Disney Store that got it right. If that one flagship managed to get it right, then why did the other non-flagship-non-outlet stores end up getting the raw deal? And that links into the whole equilibrium problem that's plagued the Disney Stores since the 2000s. If Disney got in a management that actually cared about running the stores as a broad church and an experience instead of turning them into overglorified toy stores, then they'd be resilient by now.

It's because no one wants to go to Leeds!

I'm just joking.

 

[woody337]

I dont buy the tshirt unless ive been there and done that.

Our outlet mall at Concord Mills seemed to only carry outlets items from Disneyland. Never been, so i never bought the stuff. I've been to Disney World many times. Only a handful of times did they carry things that they had at disney world. We buy mugs at DW every time. Once found the same mug we got at DW at the Disney Store for a quarter of the price, so we bought 2 more.

not to mention it turned into basically a toy store only. They stopped providing some of house décor that my wife wanted.

My kids are 9 and 10, we went recently to the ones at South Park and Concord Mills one last time, both times my boys said they didnt have anything they were interested in.

I live in Winston-salem. Has the concord store closed? You are right though, it has turned into a toy store.

 

[BrotherCraig]

We enjoyed the stores we have here in the Houston metro area. They were always packed - even on weekdays. I didn't see any issues with them. Maybe there were a lot of stores that just were not performing well - not sure.

 

[nickg420]

We would visit the one here at our local mall often, but they slowly stopped having really cool collectible things and mostly transitioned to toys, plushes, and kids clothes. Soon there just was not a reason to even step foot in there anymore for us. I would imagine that was the same for many former patrons.

 

[elmwyn]

We enjoyed the stores we have here in the Houston metro area. They were always packed - even on weekdays. I didn't see any issues with them. Maybe there were a lot of stores that just were not performing well - not sure.

The ones near us were always packed as well. Holidays would have lineups wrapping around the mall.

I think it was far less "These stores aren't making money," and more "We think we can sell just as much without paying employees and renting storefronts." It's the current slash and burn mentality.

 

[middlechild]

Mall operators had a hand in the decision too would be my guess. You can lease one store in one mall for x per sq ft, or lease stores in all our malls for x/5 per sq ft. With mall traffic down, and stores closing, mall operations cost goes up x2 or x3. Now that same lease agreement could rise in cost up to x/2 per sq ft for all malls. Even underperforming ones. The belief that mall operators had that Disney would never leave a mall is now proven in error.
Just a guess that operating a store is more than merchandise moving outwards, but underlying costs on a national level.

 

[OhBother1984]

The ones near us were always packed as well. Holidays would have lineups wrapping around the mall.

I think it was far less "These stores aren't making money," and more "We think we can sell just as much without paying employees and renting storefronts." It's the current slash and burn mentality.

The store near me was almost never that busy, even though the mall it was is stays decently busy on the weekends and holiday season.

 

[BadPinkTink]

The Disney Store Wikipeda Page is has tons of info about the history and the various owners and the change is direction over the years.

 

[BrotherCraig]

The ones near us were always packed as well. Holidays would have lineups wrapping around the mall.

I think it was far less "These stores aren't making money," and more "We think we can sell just as much without paying employees and renting storefronts." It's the current slash and burn mentality.

Very true. Leases cut into their profits big time. The malls in the Houston area are seeing crime 7x higher since re-opening as well. I am sure most malls around the nation are seeing the same thing. Less people going to the malls because of it so good timing for them to get out. I know the ball was rolling before the spike in crime around the nation but good timing if you ask me. Malls here are seeing shootings and robberies almost every day. People are scared to go now. Sad.

 

[HopperFan]

We were Disney Store shoppers and enjoyers since day one, for years being buddies with CMs.

BUT ...

I live in an affluent area, and our mall is still dying. High end stores like Apple moved out to these village style shopping areas. Many empty stores. Rents are high to the point I don't think most can continue to sustain. Most isn't just rent but a percentage of sales as well. Our mall was headed towards a renovation of a work/play/live adding condos, apartments, offices, outdoor space connecting to a greenway ... then covid hit and cancelled it all. I've probably been in mall twice in two years, no one goes to wander except for the morning walking clubs. Ironically I've said for years how do these small shopping center stay open when there is only a few stores, now the mall is struggling. I think so many of us were pushed online the last 1.5 years that it is a habit that will stay. Malls have to repurpose themselves somehow.

Add that the Disney store had just become a storefront for all things they also sell online, so why pay the rents? Now Disney stuff is in Target, HomeGoods, Marshalls, Burlington, Walmart .... why do they need to absorb cost of operating storefronts? ESPECIALLY when they are not selling the high end clothes etc they once sold. I wish the outlet stores had stayed but again, between online and discount retailers they don't need them to clear product.

They are closing because Disney DisMarted their product line and shoppers are shopping online or at big box stores.