Disney Store Demise Continues

[Another Voice]

"YOUR an (sic) EX for a reason and never was a true fan!!"

I'd say it's that kind of attitude that killed Mickey. It's those "true fans" who treat Disney as nothing but a Star Trek-like cult which convinced the current management they has a captive audience that would by whatever cheap product they pumped out, and turned-off vast segments of the public by the snobbish and clique-like behavior of "true fans".

 

[cindyfan]

I always looked for and purchased the high quality adult clothing that they sold at the DS. And I was happy to pay the price they asked . Even though the prices were high, the merchandise was quality. Then, all of a sudden, they started handling items of lesser quality, but still charged the same price they did for the good stuff.

DITTO! AGREE
A huge reason sales crashed to the ground.

you can find your 10% disney quality stuff at Target, Walmart and whoever else feels like making and carrying our logo and pictures but doesn't meet up to the quality of DS quality.

I have to throw in my 2 cents here..........What you refer to as "Disney quality" lately is "junk"!!!
The "Disney Quality" of years ago....has been gone for quite some time!!
And to be quite honest.....We have been buying Disney stuff at Target and Kohl's for the past few years and the quality is far better than what we have seen at the DS since the late 90's.

And for upper management to ask the store managers and CMs to "replace" the collectable sales $$ with the junk they have been carrying the last few years.....is just ridiculous!!
It can't be done.
I too was a manager at a DS Gallery, and to try and sell a Pooh stuffed toy in place of a $400 WDCC piece is ludicrous!!!

They did themselves in by saturating the market with too many stores and when they decided to go with Licensing out so much....well that was the final nail.
Now they are just trying to resusitate themselves......IMHO.....sorry guys......but put a DNR sign out front.

Sorry to all those CMs that have been hanging in there....I understand your passion and commitment. I am proud of that loyalty.....but it is time to say good-bye.

 

[mitros]

Good point regarding over saturation. When we lived in NJ, ther were two DSs within two and a half miles of each other. That's over saturation for sure.

 

[rae519]

We were at the Disney Store at Castleton Mall in Indianapolis a few weeks ago. The manager was abrasive and actually pretty rude (in our opinion) to a young couple asking questions about the "semi annual sale items". I had never heard a CM ever talk that way and am not surprised to learn that there are problems with the Disney stores if their staff has no "pixie dust"!

Rae

 

[PamOKW]

It may be different elsewhere but the last remaining Disney Store in our area might as well be any other store. There is certainly nothing "magical" about the employees. There is no longer any greeter or anything special about the store. It's basically an empty space with the remnants of "what was" i.e., plastic junk in the former collectibles show space.

The Disney Store never really carried what I would have loved to buy. The Gallery section of the 5th Avenue NYC store sometimes came close. Discreet Mickey & Minnie logos on just about anything from ties to stationary and I would have been broke. I had a terrific black leather wallet with a Mickey embossed on it. You hardly knew he was there....items like that would be great.

I keep hearing about the "new" merchandise and I go back into the stores and see the same old same old -- stuffed animals, pink plastic and princess dresses. Some of the old giant logo sweatshirts for adults are back. Didn't like them before, don't like them now and don't like them when they go back down to $10.

Maybe it's just too hard to run a specialty store. Warner Brothers started with a bang and has been gone for a long time now.

I feel sorry for anyone who loses their job but I think the CMs should be realistic. I don't see any great turnaround coming for the stores and I don't think someone else buying them will bring this type of merchandise either. I imagine they'll be more like Toys R Us.

 

[shirley 38]

I have one thing to say.. GO TO K-MART OR WALL MART AND FIND SOMEONE TO GIVE YOU PERSONAL ATTENTION.

IF YOU CAN FIND SOMEONE.

ALSO LOOK FOR THE BIG HELLO HOW ARE YOU AND THE NICE SMILE DISNEY'S CAST MEMBERS GIVE YOU.

I think you will have a long wait. Oh and buy their quality merchandise while you are there. GOOD LUCK

 

[ohanafamily]

Hi everyone, Somehow this thread didn't get automatically subscribed to when I posted, it is happening more frequently now... My DW just found this thread and noticed that someone asked for the link to the thread we started with our DS Problem...
Here they are.

Here is the thread my DW started about our problems with WDWCC
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=253921

Here is a thread I started about the merchandising at DS a year ago,
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=289222

exDS vet, If you really want to know our manager's name I will PM it to you, you probably knew her (Heck, it may be you) I don't think she would mind me posting her name, but out of respect to her I won't post it openly (Here is a hint, she is now working for BofA)

shirley 38, I do hate to say this, but there hasn't been a greeter at our DS for over a year now. The CM's are just hourly, even the Assistant Manager isn't "Disney to the core". The manager that is over 2 stores is very much a "Company Person", please note I did not say a "Disney Person". She is quite nice, but doesn't show the passion I have. The previous manager cared about Disney, and cared about people who cared about Disney, Like exDS vet has in her signature, Family is more important. I think the 2 store manager may be fearful of her job (to get too close to guests). I asked about another store manager (who we ran into at WDW) and was told the she left, and that her exploits with guests at WDW was legendary and not to be tolerated. HMMM, if you manage a store, and guests are friendly with you, and you share the same passions, and you are going to be in the parks at the same time, isn't it good to meet them there? And the kicker is that we were spending the entire day with a different CM from a different DS!!!...Sorry, I am beginning to rant.

Look, I bought lots of collectibles at TDS (before they got rid of the T), and when I was feeling bad, I could walk into TDS, get a little of the magic, and always find something new and interesting. First the quality started going down, then the merchandise mix started getting bad, then we lost our gallery, then the merchandise mix got even worse, then our favorite manager quit, then the merchandise mix continued to go down, then they moved the store and turned it into an Airport Store...See a pattern...

My point? Simple, it has been about 8 months since the Beloved Peter Whitford left. We should just now be seeing the new merchandising hit the stores. I like what has been slowly starting to trickle into the store, and hope that this is a positive sign. I think DS is salvageable, but I wish they would go back and talk to the guests who spent serious $$$ in the store to find out what people will find worth the money.....

OK, I am off of my soap box for a while, blast away!!!

 

[cindyfan]

GO TO K-MART OR WALL MART AND FIND SOMEONE TO GIVE YOU PERSONAL ATTENTION.

Yes, go to K-Mart of Wal-Mart and you will be lucky to find anyone!!

BUT............

Go to TARGET and you will always find team members that are willing to help!! They always go out of their way to satisfy the guests!!
Target has some great Disney T's, awesome sleepwear and items like new frames and banks! And Baby stuff!!!!!!!!

As a matter of fact they are supposed to get in a whole new line of Pooh for Baby!! A lot of it is "Exclusive to Target"


Now if they would only get back in some more adult watches. Lately they have only had kids and the basic Mickey with leather band. If they did that...........
I would never have to look anywhere else for my Disney stuff!!!

 

[rae519]

Customer service is no longer "service" nor is it directed to the "customer". Sad comment on our world.

I gues I expected the same treatment we "used to get" when we went to a Disney Store - at least a smile would have been nice to see somewhere besides on the inanimate objects!

Rae

 

[frannn]

Even though I usually only shop the sales there, it still represents only Disney, where in KMart and Walmart, Disney is one of many themes and products. Shopping at the DS (even though its not as fun without my 10% DC discount) never failed to give me my Disney fix. The website doesn't do it as well. Browsing the store is fun, and hopefully they'll find a way to make it successful again. Here's an idea- Maybe they could incorporate some Disney World type stuff? I remember they sold a lot of those T shirts with the Fab 5 (I think) dressed in tropical tourist gear, with some caption underneath, like "Walt Disney World Traveler". They had those in kids and adult sizes, which made it more attractive to buy them. How about shipping some of the WDW outlet stuff to the DS and see how they fare? I know the store sometimes has returns from WDW. I would definetly buy more from the DS if they had WDW stuff.

 

[DVCtinkerbell]

Just to keep things in perspective... Where did Target management go to learn about guest service? Disney.

The dimise of DS is not isolated to just DS. Take a look at service levels in the parks, in the resorts, and the growth of DVC. That is a great idea. Have the guests buy into DVC. Then the guest does their own housekeeping, our dues are used for maintenance. We PAY them to maintain standards, which keep slipping. Now, if Ei$ner could figure a way to charge guests to enter a DS to shop... Hopper Passes...Annual Passes.... Just thinking of the possibilities.......

 

[ohanafamily]

all I can say is Hear Here!

www.savedisney.com

 

[mickey2000]

quote "Just to keep things in perspective... Where did Target management go to learn about guest service? Disney. "
They did? I wasn't aware of any place of business going recently to Disney for answers or programs. Its been quite a long time since they did this.
In the past they did, and they were the model of all.........
What happened....

 

[cindyfan]

Where did Target management go to learn about guest service? Disney.

True.......
But it was years ago that Target went to Disney to learn......it was when Disney was at the top as far as guest service is concerned!

We all talk about "how they were YEARS ago" when they really had true guest service. That was when Target learned what they try to practice now.
Well, of course, it is an entirely different type of retail, but the guest is still number one. And Target does whatever they can to maintain the best service possible.

 

[eclipseSD]

To me, the Disney Store has down the same path that FAO Schwartz and other once-quality novelty retailers have: Sacrificing well-made, one-of-a-kind products catering to young and old, for cheap, flashy items that anyone over 10 would retch at.

Sometimes it is hard to even remember the days when the Disney Store wasn't just full of pink vinyl backpacks, bordering-on-paper mache costumes, and all the other junk they sell there now. Even the aesthetic upkeep at most stores has fallen dramatically. Most of the CMs try to put on a good show, but they can't really cover up the sheer tackiness and classlessness of the stores now.

You can shout "DISNEY MAGIC!!!, CAST MEMBER SMILES!!!" till the cows come home, but that won't change the fact that current consumers have other options available to them now without even having to travel to a mall: the internet. I would say the world wide web is Disney's last chance to fix the terrible state of their retail chain before Amazon.com gains even more ground.

Of course, with Ei$ner still in charge, don't expect any sudden changes.

Personally, Brooks Brothers is probably one of the only retail stores that hasn't sold out yet. That store still has the highest quality clothes and service level of anybody, and their new owners have made sure the chain never goes the way of Abercrombie and Fitch.

 

[arminnie]

Originally posted by shirley 38
GO TO K-MART OR WALL MART AND FIND SOMEONE TO GIVE YOU PERSONAL ATTENTION IF YOU CAN FIND SOMEONE.

ALSO LOOK FOR THE BIG HELLO HOW ARE YOU AND THE NICE SMILE DISNEY'S CAST MEMBERS GIVE YOU.

I always get a big hello, a nice smile, and a friendly greeting from the Walmart greeters when I enter their store. I've bought some nice Disney clothes there too. Not as nice as at WDW of course but not total junk either. I've found Walmart associates to be very helpful. Of course I do live in Walmart's home state so maybe we have better stores here.

I do miss the Disney Stores - ours is gone here - but I still love to shop at Downtown Disney.

 

[mitros]

Yea, if you can find an employee in those huge super walmarts. The greeters are there, but it's hard to find someone to help you.

 

[PatMcDuck]

quote "Just to keep things in perspective... Where did Target management go to learn about guest service? Disney. "
They did? I wasn't aware of any place of business going recently to Disney for answers or programs. Its been quite a long time since they did this."

It IS true, I work at Disneystore, my son works at Target. They even mention it during their training program. They asked his class, if they knew where they got many of their customer service ideas from, and he correctly guessed Disney. (He guessed it bacause they use the term "guest" like we do).

Also, Disney still runs seminars for companies around the US on this, and also does some right at WDW.

 

[jksluvdis]

ok-here's the problem with TDS-the adults screamed when they took adult merchandise and infant merchandise away-now that's it back they won't buy it unless it's 50-75% off. I'm sorry but no company can expect to stay in business that way!! We have some Great new stuff and it's not moving because it's not on SALE!! It's Priced very well I think and the Quality is There!! And the Guest Service in our Store is Excellent. We are still spreading as much magic as we possibly can. It's Sad that Michael doesn't want us!! We are doing the Best we can in a Lose Lose situation. Please go to the Mall's and Support your local Disney Store-

 

[Planogirl]

jksluvdis, I'm sorry to read that the grown-up stuff isn't moving well. I will go back and try to do my part.

I had a question before and I still wonder about it though. How can shoppers tell that there are adult items in the stores? All that can be seen from the entrance is the usual plush and kid's items. There has been no advertising as far as I know. Assuming that the interest is there (another question), how will the general public ever know that the Disney Store has brought back these items?