Frozen merchandise

[MinnieTink]

I was in WDW the last weekend in March with a friend who was looking for Frozen merch to bring to her daughters. There was barely a thing. T shirts. A toy here and there. A few dresses but very small sizes only. Nothing for her 7 year old.

 

[LilyWDW]

Part of the issue is that demand wasn't high for the last few Disney films before Frozen. We are talking Planes, Monsters U, Wreck-It Ralph, and Brave. Merchandise was easy to find and a lot of stuff ended up on clearance. It just wasn't selling. I remember when Brave came out and all the stuff that was in the stores for it... and it just did not sell.

So, you are Disney's merchandising department and you have to decide how much to purchase and have made. If you look at the historical numbers, you see "low" sales from those movies. So, do you ignore history and risk over purchasing and losing money? Or do you take those numbers into account and lower your purchasing amounts?

Most companies would do the second. It makes sense and is totally logical from a business standpoint. It is the decision I would have made.

The problem is that, instead of following the trend, you ended up with a hit beyond anyone's imagination. Now you don't have enough merchandise to meet the demand. Scarcity also increased demand because of the idea of "If it is this popular, then I NEED to have it." Disney has been ordering more merchandise, but it takes time. It's not like they just call up and it appears in the numbers they want. It appears they are doing multiple smaller shipments to try and get the items out there as soon as they are ready (which is more expensive for them) instead of waiting for a larger amount and doing one shipment.

I doubt "heads will roll" because of the decision made. You can't see into the future. You can only use the information you HAVE to predict what might happen. This is called a forecasting model. The data suggested ordering less merchandise based off of historical sales for past movies. I am not sure how anyone could expect them to have realized, before the movie was even finished (as ordering merchandise is done way ahead), that this movie would be SO different.

 

[BuzzandAriel'smom]

Which shops In the parks, besides World of Disney-DTD, do they re-stock the merchandise. My parents will be in WDW the last weekend of April with my Aunt My mom will be looking for either Anna or Elsa's dress for my DD. They will be mainly at Epcot for the Dance Worlds and will visit MK as well for the new fantasyland. I just want to direct her to the right shops to keep an eye out periodically while she is there.

I lucked out and got the plush olaf, and the animators collection dolls from disney store when they went on sale day before the dvd came out. But I missed the dresses on that Tuesday. They were sold out at 6:30 am when I checked.

Thanks for your help

Have her check the Norway store. Where people exit the meet and greet there is a lot of stuff. Dresses too. I wish I would have snapped a picture but the area was crazy.

 

[kitayama]

So glad I took a chance and bought my DD an Elsa costume and a plush Olaf back in November before she saw the movie. I even remember thinking ugh, if she doesn't like the movie we'll be stuck with this stuff. Ohhh, to have a time machine!!!

I kick myself because I did not do the same... The merchandise was all over the place in Disneyland, but I didn't get anything because I thought "what if my daughter doesn't like the movie."
I remember how nice the dresses looked, but had no clue what they based off of. A cast member saw my confusion and told me they were for the new movie coming out soon. I thought to myself, Tangled was cute, Brave was fun, this one is probably going to be horrible! Wow, was I wrong...

 

[juliebug1997]

Have her check the Norway store. Where people exit the meet and greet there is a lot of stuff. Dresses too. I wish I would have snapped a picture but the area was crazy.

When we were there in late Dec./early Jan., this was the only place we saw "Frozen" stuff and I bought one of a lot of what they had because I knew I had't seen it anywhere else.

 

[guppy1013]

The Norway pavilion had a very limited selection in January. But I did notice once the DVD was released our local stores (toys r us, target) got big shipments of frozen stuff

 

[BellsFam]

I kick myself because I did not do the same... The merchandise was all over the place in Disneyland, but I didn't get anything because I thought "what if my daughter doesn't like the movie."
I remember how nice the dresses looked, but had no clue what they based off of. A cast member saw my confusion and told me they were for the new movie coming out soon. I thought to myself, Tangled was cute, Brave was fun, this one is probably going to be horrible! Wow, was I wrong...

HA that's nothing!

We were in a Disney store just before Halloween and we had an Elsa dress in hand, and a CM said..."Oh, I guess our princess wants to be the villain huh?"... as in Elsa was going to be the "bad princess", well not knowing anything about the movie yet, the dress promptly went back on the shelf and a Jessie costume was purchased...

I wonder how many others she talked out of that dress before the movie finally came out!!!

 

[Physics Guy]

When shoppers attack...

 

[twodogs]

This makes me so mad. But how do they stop it? People are still paying the outrageous ebay prices, so people keep gouging. ridiculous.

It will stop when the market is flooded with merchandise, ebay has lots of supply, and demand is met by stuff available at retail stores. So once retail supply hits demand, the secondary market (ebay) evaporates.

I understand completely what PP said about Disney not wanting to over-order and be stuck with tons of unsold stuff. However, the movie was released FIVE months ago next week. While some special items such as dresses may take a long time to ramp up in production, it does not take five months to screen print some t shirts!! My Disney store had exactly ONE Elsa shirt today and a handful of size 2 swim suits. The website shows several t shirts which are really out of stock or only available in a size 2. I've stalked the site for months and it is sad. So while I have some understanding of the situation from Disney's point of view, I think asking for a massive run of t shirts at the five month mark is not unreasonable. Rant over!

 

[LaurLaur04]

Kind of reminds me when hostess went out of business and twinkies were selling for hundreds of dollars on ebay. I bet some people felt mighty stupid when they came back lol

 

[ferd]

Which shops In the parks, besides World of Disney-DTD, do they re-stock the merchandise. My parents will be in WDW the last weekend of April with my Aunt My mom will be looking for either Anna or Elsa's dress for my DD. They will be mainly at Epcot for the Dance Worlds and will visit MK as well for the new fantasyland. I just want to direct her to the right shops to keep an eye out periodically while she is there.

I lucked out and got the plush olaf, and the animators collection dolls from disney store when they went on sale day before the dvd came out. But I missed the dresses on that Tuesday. They were sold out at 6:30 am when I checked.

Thanks for your help

From what I understand Puffin's Roost (the shop adjacent to where the girls meet in Norway) is the priority for Frozen Merchandise, meaning if Disney gets it in stock, that store gets it first. After that, I would assume Emporium in MK would be next. After A & E move to Fairytale Hall I would assume the shops in MK (Emporium, Sir Mickey's and Castle Couture) will take priority over Norway.

Emporium has restocked Frozen merchandise a few times recently. They had Anna coronation and Elsa dresses a few weeks ago. And last week they had the dolls (the 12" Barbie sized ones) but they were selling FAST. I have not seen Castle Couture restocked since before the movie came out and they originally sold out.

 

[glohoffman]

From what I understand Puffin's Roost (the shop adjacent to where the girls meet in Norway) is the priority for Frozen Merchandise, meaning if Disney gets it in stock, that store gets it first. After that, I would assume Emporium in MK would be next. After A & E move to Fairytale Hall I would assume the shops in MK (Emporium, Sir Mickey's and Castle Couture) will take priority over Norway.

Emporium has restocked Frozen merchandise a few times recently. They had Anna coronation and Elsa dresses a few weeks ago. And last week they had the dolls (the 12" Barbie sized ones) but they were selling FAST. I have not seen Castle Couture restocked since before the movie came out and they originally sold out.

Do they have specific times they restock? We are going in May and I am crossing my fingers I can get the dresses for my daughters.

 

[WarriorMom2850]

I was just on JCPenney.com and they have both the Anna and Elsa dolls in stock for ordering.

Disney Elsa Classic Doll internet item #: FC370-8122
Disney Anna Classic Doll internet item #: FC370-8123

Hope that helps someone!!

 

[linbein]

I am so aggrivated with people gouging the way they are. I mean, seriously??I have seen Elsa authentic Disney dresses selling for upwards of $450??? Are you kidding me?? I have a 6 year old that desparately wants to be Elsa for our trip to Disney this year for MNSSHP. But I refuse to pay that amount. People need to stop being so greedy and just let the merchandise stay in the store for the kids who really want it.
On that note, anyone that goes to Disney often willing to look for a dress and buy it for me??? I'll pay with shipping!!

 

[CinderElsa]

I am so aggrivated with people gouging the way they are. I mean, seriously??I have seen Elsa authentic Disney dresses selling for upwards of $450??? Are you kidding me?? I have a 6 year old that desparately wants to be Elsa for our trip to Disney this year for MNSSHP. But I refuse to pay that amount. People need to stop being so greedy and just let the merchandise stay in the store for the kids who really want it.
On that note, anyone that goes to Disney often willing to look for a dress and buy it for me??? I'll pay with shipping!!

I look at the ones on eBay to see how much they go for, and out of all the auctions/sellers I've seen, there has only been one - ONE - dress sold by someone who said they bought it for their DD and now their DD wants Anna's instead. The rest have all been resellers. It's a bit depressing.

 

[WishesQueen]

Found my Frozen nightgown this morning!!! I don't have a young one, this was for my niece...if I see dresses in my travels I'll grab one!!!

They were very stricked...one of each item per person. I felt bad for the people with two daughters....but people stepped up to purchase for other people,

 

[karlisle]

I feel so defeated. Looking for an Elsa dress (aren't we all) and my cousins's husband's aunt (got that, LOL!) was able to grab one at DW last week. I had told her either a 2/3 or 4 should work. She found one in a 2/3 and I picked it up today. It's TINY, totally won't fit my daughter. It literally about half the size of the JCPenney Anna dress we have in a 2/3. I'm so sad. It doesn't look like I'll be able to get her a dress before our trip in 12 days. This is my first parenting "must have item" experience and it sucks.

 

[peaches0313]

Carlisle: Yes, the Parks dresses run A LOT smaller than the Disney Store dresses. Makes it very confusing...

 

[peaches0313]

For others looking in the parks, my 2 1/2 year old wears a 2/3 size in the Disney store (online) dresses... but if it's a dress from the actual PARKS, she wears a 4/5. (the sizing is also different). Sadly, I found this out from ordering an Anna Coronation dress off Ebay and read the reviews before ordering. It makes me mad too that all these people off Ebay are making all this money (for the record, I didn't pay too much over the asking price for this dress and I had been looking for months!)

 

[kittyab]

I was happy to find the sisters for the my DD's Infinity game.