If we ran the Disney Stores

[Luv2Roam]

No one seems very happy with the marketing strategies currently used at DS. Quite often including CM's.
Realistically -- what needs to be changed to bring repeat guests (like myself ;) ) back in and get them excited?
And I would love to see replies from store CM's, as they really see what sells and hear comments (good and bad).

Me --

First, the Disney large screen commercials would need to stop and be replaced with Vault Disney or Disney movies.
Question to you all -- Has watching any of the commercials on the DS large screen really swayed you to buy anything?
Regular showings would keep guests in the stores. Not tuned off away from Disney commercials.

Carry on 1/3 to 1/2 of the plushes currently stocked. Plush City has pretty much become a standing joke. Enough plushes already! Or at least stock some that do something for the $.

More adult items. Adults like to feel like 10 year olds -- in the parks and in stores.
Carry Disney theme household items.

Carry theme park related merchandise. Even exclusive to the stores.

LE pin set. And have nicer ones, like Japan DS carry. :)


NEXT! -------

[peachgirl]

We agree on some, disagree on others..not surprising huh?:D

1) Stop it with the plush!!

2) More adult clothing and adult items..watches, etc. !

3) Sorry, I love the Disney commercials...the one where Walt is just a little boy??? Love it!! We stop just to watch them!

4) Disney Kitchen & Related Accessories


That's about it for me!

[snowwhitemom]

I always loved to find gallery items ...more high end merchandise...not so many plastic toys I suppose.

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Get rid of 90% of the Pooh stuff. More adult stuff, more "housewares", I want the silk nighties back!!!!

[ncligs]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
Get rid of 90% of the Pooh stuff. More adult stuff, more, I want the silk nighties back!!!!

http://www.wdwinfo.com/sites/family/naughty.gif http://www.wdwinfo.com/sites/family/biggthumpup.gif

[year2late]

Slow down on the Princess stuff, too!

[TarraLee]

Just something I was thinking about, but what if at the really big one (ie Michigan Ave in Chicago) they had a soda fountain, you know, Mickey shaped barstolls and an old time counter and wonderful desserts and fountain sodas with cherry syrup.....

I know, they can't do it, to big a departure from what they've always done, yes, yes, I just think it would be cool to have a bit of the "world" closer to home....

One other idea, what about having characters occasionally visit stores to sign autographs, get pcitures, you know like on holidays or something?

Just my thoughts, good idea for this topic! I am sick of the plush and toys, it is pretty much a toy store now, and I want big kid toys! (home stuff, etc.)

[CJMickeyMouse]

Definitely more home items.

More adult clothing.

More "high end" items.

More classic Mickey.

Less Pooh and Princess.

Last time I visited a Disney Store it took me about 2 minutes to scan everything and walk out. The one sweatshirt I spotted was poor quality, and then I looked at another where it was faded red onto white.

Enough already! Bring back the quality merchandise!

[Eeyore2U]

More adult clothing. More adult clothing.

Did I say more ADULT CLOTHING!!!!

[BostonTigger]

I can tell you one thing that will help.....have those in charge listen to those that are in the field. It was about two years after I started when TDS started something called "Project Go." I think it should have been Project Gone if you ask me. That's the reason for all the hard selling a while back. "Who plus 2," that's what it was...."who are you shopping for, and I just happen to have 2 items that would go with that." I hated it!!!!!!!!! I wanted to work for Disney because they didn't sell. We all had something in common, we loved Disney. I've had guests leave because I was pushing things on them. That's what they wanted. All this was due to Mr. Bob Bell....he has since left the company. They need to get back to the way it was, or something close. Don't push anything on anyone, and bring back adult clothing and lower the prices....just a bit. Something else I noticed that took them a while to figure out....they sold the same thing over and over again. When a new movie came out they sold the same toys, stickers and sippy cups. It never changed, it was always the same. And the biggest thing is the merchandise, it's sold to other retailers. I know, it's how Disney makes money. But at the same time they're undermining their own stores. I'm not saying stop selling to other retailers, just have more Disney Store exclusive items. And my biggest pet peeve is THE PRINCESS LINE....GET RID OF IT AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I use to get complaints all the time about the lack of items for boys. Do something for them. Let me tell you what they told us. Girls sell, and adults didn't do so well - company wide that is. That's why pulled most of the Adult clothing,it wasn't selling. At $40 for a sweater no wonder it didnt' sell. Everyone waited 'til it went on sele before they would buy it. Well, let me get off my soap box now. Man, that felt good. I haven't complained about The Disney Store in a long time. Thanks for listening.



Steven

[BuzznBelle'smom]

My biggest pet peeve is brand dilution--these days, you can get Disney "stuff" at Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc., like BostonTigger said. It's slightly different, but if you're buying something for a kid you know is just going to spill on the outfit, why pay more for the Disney Store exclusive design? They cannibalize their sales by doing this.

Other pet peeves--too much Pooh stuff, I agree on the princess stuff (although Belle would beg to differ), and I think they try to "push" each movie like it's going to be a huge hit, when frankly, some of them just don't have the following to justify how much of the store they take up (Atlantis stuff cheap, anyone?). I recognize they can't predict this, but they would be better off having too little (and therefore, in high demand, make people want to get to the store quicker) than have too much stuff that won't move.

[peachgirl]

too much Pooh stuff,

You are so right, I forgot about that! No more Pooh!!!!

[DeeP]

My DS doesn't even have that much for kids but plush and some toys! I went in to buy a baby gift and they did not have one baby thing! I went to JC Pennys and spent close to $50.00 on a Disney themed baby gift! Hello Disney, wake up!
I know I would spend why more money in the DS if they had a nice selection of adult clothing, kitchen and home stuff, and collectilbles BESIDES pins, and I am a pin collector!

[poohandwendy]

I'm glad I opened this thread! I think they should open Disney Store for Big Kids" (and I am not referring only to those who wear a size 14 or larger,LOL)

Correct me if I am wrong, but ADULTS are the ones with the cash...I would love to see a store with household items, wall paper, adult clothing, teen items, higher end collectables..etc'

Bring it on, I have a new bathroom to fill with Disney items...I am not afraid to spend it on ME!

btw, I love Pooh, please don't try to get rid of pooh items or I will have to lobby for his protection as an endangered bear...you know special interest groups have loads of clout....

[shmoogrrrl]

Disney would have to stop getting rid of the things that I want!

They used to sell a few pieces of Pooh Maternity clothes. I got pregnant and found out that they had stopped selling it. I had my baby and I find out that they no longer carry infant clothes! She gets a few months older and Halloween aproaches. Do they sell Costumes for babies under 6 months? NOOOOO! They'd have had so much of my money over the past year if they would just stop discontinuing the things that I want!

They would also make more things with Tigger on them for women and girls. What is the obsession with Tigger being only for men?

Kathy

[RobinMarie]

I agree with the 'bring on the adult stuff' theme setting in here. I thought for sure I'd be able to buy something cutsie this year with the 100 year celebration and all. I was hoping to buy something Grandparent-bringing-grandkids-theme in matching tops.

I DO enjoy the mother/daughter dresses. They are a big hit in this household!

I'd have several large Disney Stores with party rooms while I was at it. Bring the little darlings, have a party with a character or two (Alice tea party, Mickey's birthday ... ) then send 'em home.

Lose the plush, drop them beanies, add make a tinker belle purple hat in my size!

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

More variety, not only in what is offered but in what characters are merchandised. I wouldn't eliminate the Pooh characters completely but I would reduce the amount of Pooh merchandise. Donald and the Ducks are very little used, and I would change that.

Also, add in some adult clothing along the lines of what is sold at WOD, but with different designs so people don't go to WOD and see the same thing they can get at their TDS. It doesn't have to be anything with a huge logo or picture of a character on it -- maybe polos or dress shirts with different characters on the left chest, pocket t-shirts like the Warner Bros. store used to carry, jackets and neckties with different characters, and houseware items.

Certain items in the Disney Store would be exclusive to the Disney Store, and make them of a quality that people will appreciate.

Finally, make the Disney Store an experience instead of a typical mall feature like The Gap. Decrease the number of stores and enlarge others to fit more merchandise.

[megashark]

Originally posted by TarraLee
Just something I was thinking about, but what if at the really big one (ie Michigan Ave in Chicago) they had a soda fountain, you know, Mickey shaped barstolls and an old time counter and wonderful desserts and fountain sodas with cherry syrup.....

I know, they can't do it, to big a departure from what they've always done, yes, yes, I just think it would be cool to have a bit of the "world" closer to home....

One other idea, what about having characters occasionally visit stores to sign autographs, get pcitures, you know like on holidays or something?

Just my thoughts, good idea for this topic! I am sick of the plush and toys, it is pretty much a toy store now, and I want big kid toys! (home stuff, etc.)

Actually, they did do it.

The Chicago area hasn't been all that kind to Disney. They opened one of the two "Chef Mickey's" there out in Schaumburg, and the concept died an ugly death. I didn't get there before it closed so I'm not entirely sure what it was like, but my understanding is that it was an ice parlor/hamburger joint type place. The second was in Glendale, CA, I believe.

They also opened one of the two "Club Disney" sort of child's playhouse, party place in Chicago (you couldn't even go into the one in Thousand Oaks, CA unless you were accompanied by a child). This also died in a short time.

I suspect if they hadn't chosen to start in market that was well saturated with other attractions for children they would have done much better, but I've been wrong before.

I do wish they would do better on adult items, and stop with the cheesy kids stuff, like the princess line. Pick a character, if you're going to do character clothes.

[Hayley]

Originally posted by peachgirl
You are so right, I forgot about that! No more Pooh!!!!


My major complaint! Enough with the Pooh!

[The Hunt]

I wonder about this. Many of the things you are asked for were typical of the Warners stores, and aren't they all gone?

What if they had a catalog--maybe an onscreen one, with human help--so you could order stuff, and they wouldn't have to stock it all?

[Luv2Roam]

The WB stores are gone because AOL decided it was cheaper for them to sell by mail order/internet only. :p (One of the reasons I am anti-aol. ;) )
I don't know about anyone else -- but our WB was ALWAYS BUSY with LINES of people. I would go to the DS and NO ONE but CM's would be there.

I see neat character sweat shirts like Buzz, Woody, etc for kid's in DS. I would like to see the same for adults.

And a little Pooh goes a long way. Or did it really all start with a bear? ;) Maybe they want to saturate the market in case they lose the Pooh rights in the end, or have to pay top dollar for them.

[epcotfan]

I would like to see more under $10 incentive merchandise such as stationary, figurines, you name it. Like the stuff they have at WDW. You can go in there and get plenty of under $10 items. The only things under $10 are friggin' face cloths and candy. It is nice to go into the store and get a little treat now and then.
BRING BACK THE WATCHES...not just Mickey and Pooh either. I miss the days when they had all sorts of characters.

[ohanafamily]

The biggest change that I would like would be for them to listen. I have sent numerous letters starting with the manager of my local DS, all the way to Peter Whitford (President of TDS Worldwide) I have yet to get an answer. They refuse to listen, and I have watched the local store go further and further downhill. The Manager, DM and a few other cast members have left recently; they saw where things were going.

Case in point, 2 week ago, I went into my local DS to get something from Treasure Planet for my 7 year old nephew's birthday. All they had was Plush and Toy Story things that he wouldn't like. Plan B was Disney Dollars. I wound up at Toys-R-Us.

I've said all this before, but not here. Collectables are profitable, but if you play with the books you can make them seem unprofitable. Focusing on your highest profit items may seem as a way of increasing profits, but when you do it at the exclusion of the merchandise that draws people into the store is a mistake.

My 2 cents worth, and I can post where to write to if people are interested...

:bounce:

[Nikole]

Is this a debate?

[DVC-Don]

I'd close the darn things and cut the company's losses.

[ohanafamily]

In another thread I posted that it looked like someone might be trying to run them into the ground. I cannot figure a reason for this, other than to prove a point and win a $1 BET.

Seriously, it seems to me that the people running it do not understand retailing. I would rather believe this...

Unfortunately, from what I can understand, when they make a decision they go with it for at least a year. I don't think the stores will last that long.
:(

[grinningghost]

More adult clothes, household items, Disney related books (like Imagineering) for adults, adult collectibles, and as far as the plush, I have to admit I like that mountain of plush toys, as long as there are other things worth looking at in the store. Enough with the plastic crappy toys already.

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by megashark
Actually, they did do it.

The Chicago area hasn't been all that kind to Disney. They opened one of the two "Chef Mickey's" there out in Schaumburg, and the concept died an ugly death. I didn't get there before it closed so I'm not entirely sure what it was like, but my understanding is that it was an ice parlor/hamburger joint type place. The second was in Glendale, CA, I believe.

They also opened one of the two "Club Disney" sort of child's playhouse, party place in Chicago (you couldn't even go into the one in Thousand Oaks, CA unless you were accompanied by a child). This also died in a short time.

I suspect if they hadn't chosen to start in market that was well saturated with other attractions for children they would have done much better, but I've been wrong before.


The problem with what Disney did in Chicago was place these pilot businesses in really off locations.. The Disney restaurant was located right next to the Disney Store in Woodfield mall. However the Disney Store (and the restaurant) were located on this top level mezzanine which was not easy to get to and kind of out of the way. The food was overpriced from what I remember and I don't think it was very good. Had this restaurant been located in the mall in a more prominent location maybe it would have done better...

The Disney Quest in Chicago was located downtown.. You may think that is a good location, but personally I think it should have been located in the suburbs.. Closer to Woodfield or Oak Brook.. I love Disney, I don't like going downtown. Never made it to Disney Quest.. People visiting the city of Chicago (vacationing there) have way too other things to take up their time than to spend time at an Indoor Disney park. However, the residents of 'Chicagoland' may have visited Disney Quest if it were more conveniently located to one of the upscale regional malls..

I could be wrong, but I think Disney didn't give either of these ideas a fighting chance and didn't research them too well.