If we ran the Disney Stores

[Luv2Roam]

The WB stores are gone because AOL decided it was cheaper for them to sell by mail order/internet only. (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...

 

[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.