Children's Place To Expand Disney Stores Into Outlets

[Laurajean1014]

There is a 'trip report' thread on the Budget Board. Currently the outlet store in NY is offering similar product and prices to what you can get at any Disney Store. No spectacular markdowns and not (yet) the destination shopping experinece I was hoping for.

I disagree. I shop at Woodbury and Clinton (both Chelsea Outlets) and I have found great deals. Granted you can pay similar prices for somethings at some stores, but don't you have to think before you buy? Doesn't everyone do that? Just because someone says its poo, is it? There should also be a need, as well.

I bought a RLL Polo Rain coat for DH for $40. It's the purple label and that sucker goes for over $300 around here. I buy Mac and Lancome make-up at about 2/3 of what I would spend retail. That kind of money adds up.

Gap, please do not get me started on the bargains I get there. When DS was little, I got lots of stuff there. The Abercrombie Outlet has wonderful discounts as well. I bought an Abercrombie coat for DS and paid $99 for it in an upscale mall. He loved it so much (and so did I) that in March I was trying to buy the next size up for next year. I got the number of this one store (I didn't know if was an outlet). When I called to buy another coat, they said, "sure" and I said, "how much" and they said, "$20.00."

He still wears that jacket and it's 2 years old and I paid $20 for it. Now, who can tell me that's not a bargain?"

 

[DancingBear]

Just last week went shopping at the Tanger Outlets at Myrtle Beach, SC. Saks, Coach, Brooks Brothers, Jones New York, Liz Claiborne, Nautica, Tommy Bahama, Timberland, Harry & David, etc. There is nothing inherent in being in these outlet centers that cheapens the Disney image.

 

[Braque]

I've been to this Outlet in Woodbury Commons... It's no big deal... it's basically another Disney Store.. loaded with girls clothes mostly... the "DEALS" are no big bargain.. T-shirts still 2-$24 for adults.... That was about the only adult item,,, I liked the old "Disney's Character Corner" that was in the same location a few years ago(3 doors down) It had theme park items and a bigger selection.. not to mention, you really got a DEAL ! Much cheaper than resort prices.... I wish that one re-opened!

Me too . . . me too . . . me too.

Are you listening Children's Place? (not that there's much they can do, I guess).

 

[4DisneyfansinNC]

. This is a destination mall -- it's North Carolina's most visited place -- and I think a Disney outlet would fit perfectly.

AMEN! It would be awesome at that mall, I love going there.

 

[we3disneygo]

I wonder where in IL proably Chicago area- just a guess.

 

[Euphscott]

I read on another website (forgive me for not having a reference ready) that one fo Iger's first moves would be to grab the stores back and restore them to the original Disney store ideal.

Count me in on that model if the rumor is true. I am one that finds the saturation of Disney product and outlet mindset to be a poor way to represent the brand.

 

[tjkraz]

I read on another website (forgive me for not having a reference ready) that one fo Iger's first moves would be to grab the stores back and restore them to the original Disney store ideal.

I'd love to see that reference.

The ink is barely dry on the deal with Children's Place. Assuming there are even provisions to do this, it would have to be very costly to Disney. And that's after losing money on the stores for years.

 

[mking624]

I read on another website (forgive me for not having a reference ready) that one fo Iger's first moves would be to grab the stores back and restore them to the original Disney store ideal.

Count me in on that model if the rumor is true. I am one that finds the saturation of Disney product and outlet mindset to be a poor way to represent the brand.

I would love to see that reference as well. I work for TDS and we've never heard of such a rumor.

I highly doubt they'd take us back. TWDC had TDS up for sale for some time. The closing date of the sale was back in November. With all the change over with the website/catalog, employee benefits/perk changes, etc...something tells me that having to once again go through all that red tape is not going to happen. Tjkraz is right, TDS was losing money for several years. Our last fiscal year was the first time in I believe about 5 years that TDS as a whole actually made a profit. I just don't see this happening.

I don't personally find outlets a poor representation of the brand. Even well known designer brands have outlets. From the business perspective, it's better to do that than it is to just destroy the merchandise and take losses for it. Then we'd lose even more money. I think the biggest downfall was opening SO many stores at once and having a ton of stores carry Disney merchandise (which in effect made us compete with the very company who owned us).

As far as quality of the products go (as mentioned by other posters), I don't notice a HUGE difference. Yes, the adult polos are great. But otherwise, everything is pretty much the same. It isn't too often we have merchandise that is really poor in quality. There are Disney licensed products carried by Walmarts, Targets, etc that I've seen have way worse quality.

 

[Euphscott]

I went back to find the reference. It was a rumor attributed to a TDS manager. Just a rumor at this point, no official media coverage anywhere.

While I have no working knowledge of the stores, I have observed them as a consumer. I know for a fact that when the stores were making money, I was spending money there. Now that is not to suggest I was spending enough to help make a profit! But the point is that when things went south, I had no interest in the merhandise that was being offered. I would argue that if the TDS were mananged like the WDW park stores (with offerings for the entire family, not just rows and rows of plush and children's T's) the retail chain could turn a profit. The original business plan was to have a little of the Parks close to home. But, when the merchandise offered stopped resembling the parks and Disney quality, well, I (along with many others) lost interest.

I, for one, would like to see Disney take it back if (and only IF) someone that GETS Disney would run the franchise correctly. I suspect it would be embraced by fans and turn a healthy profit.

 

[titan247]

Not sure of the rumor about TWDC buying back the U.S. stores (highly doubt it) but I do know that TWDC has decided not to sell the Disney Stores in Europe. Instead, they will keep them.