Disney plushes sold from other retailers

[jAquaD]

Hello everyone, just a newbie question regarding authenticity.

I saw the new Jungle book bagheera and baloo plush on sale at JCPenny, so I bit the bullet and bought them at $12 a piece. I noticed they are missing the Disney store stamp on the paw/rear and the hangtag is plain white instead of the green/white Jungle Book logo, yet the tush tag still says Disney and is manufactured in Vietnam. When I went to ask in the Disney store, they thought these JCP ones were real (they look identical to theirs), only difference was they're a bit smaller (~1" smaller) than the Disney store ones and the tag was different, even the Disney store ones didn't have the Genuine stamp (checked the paws of the plushes, could have missed bagheera's rear paw though...)!

To those who are exprienced in collecting these, are my JCP plushes fake? They look JUST LIKE the disney store ones, only slightly smaller (and by slight, I mean hardly noticeable) and the hangtag is plain white rather than the snazzy green Jungle Book tag. Maybe I'm missing something obvious?

 

[figment_jii]

To those who are exprienced in collecting these, are my JCP plushes fake? They look JUST LIKE the disney store ones, only slightly smaller (and by slight, I mean hardly noticeable) and the hangtag is plain white rather than the snazzy green Jungle Book tag. Maybe I'm missing something obvious?

What do you mean by fake? Disney licenses their merchandise to be produced and sold at a wide range of retailers. So, in all likelihood, the stuff that JCP is selling is legally licensed, so it's not a fake in that sense. It's probably not the same as the ones sold at the Disney Stores or in the parks, but that doesn't mean it's a fake/illegal copy.

 

[jAquaD]

What do you mean by fake?

By fake I mean bootlegged. These days bootleggers are getting more and more talented. I don't fear getting a bootleg as much as the bootleg wearing out faster compared to the genuine product.

So I'm assuming the "Authentic Disney Store Genuine" stamp just means you paid a premium price for buying the exact same item you could have gotten slightly cheaper at a different retailer?

 

[figment_jii]

So I'm assuming the "Authentic Disney Store Genuine" stamp just means you paid a premium price for buying the exact same item you could have gotten slightly cheaper at a different retailer?

I wouldn't say this is entirely true. The tag means that you bought it at the Disney Store. The other retailers may have an item that looks the same or it may be different and at a different price. Both are legitimate (not bootlegged), but probably not identical.

 

[DodgerGirl]

The character plushies that used to be sold at The Disney Stores used to have a patch on their foot meaning an authentic Disney Store plushie but if you bought plushies from the parks they don't have this patch on their feet. Some of my plushies have this patch like my Skylar and Prince Naveen frog plush and my Louis plush. But you still have an authentic Disney character plushie

 

[supernova]

By fake I mean bootlegged. These days bootleggers are getting more and more talented. I don't fear getting a bootleg as much as the bootleg wearing out faster compared to the genuine product.

So I'm assuming the "Authentic Disney Store Genuine" stamp just means you paid a premium price for buying the exact same item you could have gotten slightly cheaper at a different retailer?

The character plushies that used to be sold at The Disney Stores used to have a patch on their foot meaning an authentic Disney Store plushie but if you bought plushies from the parks they don't have this patch on their feet.

I wouldn't say this is entirely true. The tag means that you bought it at the Disney Store. The other retailers may have an item that looks the same or it may be different and at a different price. Both are legitimate (not bootlegged), but probably not identical.

Considering Disney Stores are no longer in existence, I guess they've opted to remove the branding from these items. As long as there is sort of a Disney tag on them, it's fine. Over the years, we've had tons of plush characters without Disney Store stitched branding.