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

[AurumPunzel]

It didn’t help Disney to stop giving bags for purchases. My last purchase at our local Disney store was a breakable Christmas ornament. They wrapped it and just handed it to me. Why would someone walk around the mall with that when they could order online with a free shipping code? And have you seen the amount of packaging with an online purchase like that?

It was the most stupidest decision they ever made. It alienated a lot of spontaneous customers, and those who weren't willing to pay for the most expensive means of carrying around their purchases if they were large or if they paid over $50 would of course take their business online and reap the advantage of free shipping. And that was also the contributing factor. DLP also has the same problem, but their reusables cost €2 upwards, so it made shopping there even more expensive, and as a consequence, I made fewer purchases.

This also links into the consequences of 'feel good' moves forced by higher powers. You take away the convenience and make people pay more, of course it's going to drive customers to shopping online. And it still won't equal sustainability, because it'll shift the problem elsewhere.

As someone who has worked in retail since 1981 nothing is as it was! Online totally hurts people working in the stores. I don’t think people realize what it is doing. People come in with armloads of purchases that they bought online and irritated that they have to wait in line to return them. They then go to another counter where people are actually trying to help someone making a purchase so that sales person can make a living. So often the customer takes the time of a salesperson (which is retail and that’s okay!) but then after being helped and their mess cleaned up, the customer goes and buys it online! Even though they might not be on commission retail is all about the numbers. If we don’t show sales we don’t keep our jobs. People are actually shocked when these prominent stores are closing. They can’t stay open when they are basically a return store. When there is more coming back in than going out they can’t stay open. Unfortunately, stores these days are almost forcing people to go online because they don’t carry as much merchandise anymore. I hope that will shift back at least a little someday.

I only hope that people (and higher powers) realise the damage that online shopping is causing, and factors that are contributing to it all, be it unit rates, taxes, and/or even regulations such as bag bans, which are already being called to question because of their efficacy. In New Jersey, there's already talk of a waterdown because people were getting sick of hoarding unrecyclable RPET/PP reusable bags from spontaneous big box store visits and online grocery orders.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

If the chains were as successful as everyone is arguing or if the fix was as easy as is being implied, they wouldn't have let them die. Afterall, they want to make money. It may not have been profitable to leave just a few stores open in a handful of important cities--whatever that means.

Online shopping is accessible, though their stock has also gone down. I think this is more focused on buying their merchandise while vacationing or at other retail locations that sell the Disney brand and have the retail structure in place. cutting their own costs. People can still buy items locally if they want to physically shop, I'm going to guess that is the push of the hubs in Target. Though, I think those could have been done better.

The Disney Store in Target is garbage. Very little selection that doesn't turn over much plus that never goes on sale till it goes clearance. Disneystore online will run 20-30 % or better promos here and there but that doesn't apply to the stuff at target with out trying to get them to price match which they usually won't do since its often a site wide sale not individual item on sale.

 

[starlite_]

This also links into the consequences of 'feel good' moves forced by higher powers. You take away the convenience and make people pay more, of course it's going to drive customers to shopping online. And it still won't equal sustainability, because it'll shift the problem elsewhere.

I am saving the planet by using 21 carboard boxes instead of 1 plastic bag + paper from my last ornament order.

 

[AurumPunzel]

I am saving the planet by using 21 carboard boxes instead of 1 plastic bag + paper from my last ornament order.

I dread to think of the carbon footprint of all those cardboard boxes. Bet they'll be just as bad as those RPET/PP reusable bags.

 

[DodgerGirl]

Why I also think caused Disney Stores to go downhill is that in the toy area you NEVER saw any baby toys or anything for infants but they seemed to focus on toddlers with toddler toys and toddler clothing and the older kids toys and clothing. I mean when people have babies lots of babies have at least one Disney toy or Disney baby clothing in their collection but Disney Store should've had a section geared to infants and toddlers with baby and toddler toys. Because if you look at the general picture Disney makes money with Disney baby clothing and people buy anything from onesies to baby henley shirts with Baby Mickey Mouse and the other Disney Babies for their newborns. But had they not focused so much on kids and added adult stuff like Disney home decor or glass figurines of characters it would've been successful to do. My mom used to buy musical snowglobes from Disney Store because she collected any new ones that came out when they would go on sale. But the main reason why Disney Store converted itself to a kids toy store later on was mainly to compete with KB Toys because next to TRU KB Toys was the second most popular toy store chain in the world and Disney Stores would've competed with them in the toy store wars