The Disney Store catalog?

[k5thbeatle]

We used to get this almost weekly and now we can't remember the last one we received? Is this yet another part of budget cuts? Every other store still sends their ordering catalogue but Disney???

Anyone else notice this?

 

[exDS vet]

The Disney Store Catolog was renamed to Disney Online before the stores were sold to the Children's Place. I haven't seen a catalog in over a year, but they are no longer part of the stores since the stores are no longer a part of Disney.

 

[MJMcBride]

I have recently been sent Disney catalogs. Maybe a month ago. I know they recently sent a back-to-school catalog.

 

[mandy200587]

they stopped sending them about a year or more ago.

 

[Tink!]

I have recently been sent Disney catalogs. Maybe a month ago. I know they recently sent a back-to-school catalog.

I also recieved the back to school catalog.

 

[Master Mason]

speaking of stores, I went in the local disney store today... and it was terrible comapred to what it used to be... it was a few toys and some kids clothes and a couple of costumes.... it used to be great you could get all kinds of disney stuff there.... guess I'll just have to get it at some parks....

 

[exDS vet]

speaking of stores, I went in the local disney store today... and it was terrible comapred to what it used to be... it was a few toys and some kids clothes and a couple of costumes.... it used to be great you could get all kinds of disney stuff there.... guess I'll just have to get it at some parks....

Basically the Disney Stores have sucked since the 90's. Now, you have no choice but to get your Disney products at the parks. Disney should have just shut down the Disney Stores when they closed half of them, rather than subject the buying public to the crap that they were putting out five years ago.

Selling the stores to The Childrens Place and letting them keep the name did nothing but give the impression that there was no change. It surprises me to see the number of people out there who don't even know that TDS is not even owned by Disney any more.

I understand the quality of the clothing at the new stores is better, but that's because that is what TCP does. Now you can get school clothes (uniforms) and other "softlines" at TCPDS, but the overall selection of other Disney product has gone down, and I believe will continue to do so.

Has anyone noticed new Disney Stores being built or opened recently. About a month ago I saw a barricade at a mall outside of Denver with a Disney Store comming soon sign. They were recruiting employees and had a phone number to the Glendale headquarters. It surprised me to see this, but I believe Denver only has 2 TDS and this particular mall is a high profile one. I was unaware that TCP was adding more TDS stores to their line-up.

 

[k5thbeatle]

Basically the Disney Stores have sucked since the 90's. Now, you have no choice but to get your Disney products at the parks. Disney should have just shut down the Disney Stores when they closed half of them, rather than subject the buying public to the crap that they were putting out five years ago.

Selling the stores to The Childrens Place and letting them keep the name did nothing but give the impression that there was no change. It surprises me to see the number of people out there who don't even know that TDS is not even owned by Disney any more.

I understand the quality of the clothing at the new stores is better, but that's because that is what TCP does. Now you can get school clothes (uniforms) and other "softlines" at TCPDS, but the overall selection of other Disney product has gone down, and I believe will continue to do so.

Has anyone noticed new Disney Stores being built or opened recently. About a month ago I saw a barricade at a mall outside of Denver with a Disney Store comming soon sign. They were recruiting employees and had a phone number to the Glendale headquarters. It surprised me to see this, but I believe Denver only has 2 TDS and this particular mall is a high profile one. I was unaware that TCP was adding more TDS stores to their line-up.

100% agree with your assesment of the DS. I am really surprised that a new store is coming even to a new mall? We had 2 stores at one time and are now at one. Quite frankly we rarely go there save to buy Disney Dollars. As for the catalogs we've bought a few things (much more in years past) and just wondered why we were not getting the catalog any more?

 

[wdw4us2]

The catalogs were discontinued earlier this year. Lots of people have called to complain - to no avail. If you want to purchase any of that merchandise, you must now go through Disney Shopping.com.

One operator told me they had been receiving a lot of complaint from Grandparents since they discontinued the catalogs. While some are computer savvy, there are many that aren't. I would imagine this will affect sales somewhere down the line.

 

[tmt martins]

I also recieved the flyer (can't really call it a true catalog) for the back to school stuff

But I think the biggest problem is Disney use to be the sole provider of most Disney merchindise but now they have opened their markets and sold their brand to whoever whats to put it on a shirt or bag.

I think the market is flooded with Disney stuff and it's way cheaper in both price and quality as well.

The good is you can get it a different places ,the bad is most are not up to old Disney standards.

As far as TCP taking over the stores they should be forsed to rename them Children by Disney because if your not in toddler cloths you may as well not even enter anymore .

Can I get a HOT TOPIC shout out, they have more for adults and teens the TDS.

 

[exDS vet]

100% agree with your assesment of the DS. I am really surprised that a new store is coming even to a new mall? We had 2 stores at one time and are now at one. Quite frankly we rarely go there save to buy Disney Dollars. As for the catalogs we've bought a few things (much more in years past) and just wondered why we were not getting the catalog any more?

I thought I was crazy when I saw the "coming soon" sign for TDS at this mall. So I had to do a double take. Not sure if this mall originally had a Disney Store, but I doubt it very much. I believe the mall is only about 5 years old, and I know from being a Disney Store manager in the old days, that they stopped going into new malls during the first phase. They would often wait until a second phase of stores opened.

I have not purchased anything at a Disney Store since leaving the company in 2001. I lost total interest in them. The last catalog I received was for last Christmas. It had quite a bit in it, but it was Disney online. "Disney Store" catalog went away in 2000 or 2001, when consumer products decided to take it over and rely more on the internet crowd.

 

[MinnieMe67]

Well...I'm going to play the other side of the fence here. While I remember what the old TDS used to be, I don't necessarily consider the new stores under TCP to be as terrible as everyone here is making them out to be.

Sure it would be nice to buy items that we can find at WDW, but the whole point Disney wants to make here is that they want to get you to come to WDW. As a result of getting you to WDW they provide you with items that you won't necessarily be able to find anywhere else.

I for one think some of the T-Shirts and clothing items are of a better quality and nicer design than the old stuff. I was impressed with some of the CARS merchandise they carried and my 4 yo DS loves the remote control Lightning McQueen.

Yes...I miss being able to purchase Disney Collectors Society pieces or have a large selection of snow globes to choose from, but I don't think it's all that bad. You have to remember...this is all geared towards the children, and isn't that what WDW is really all about?

 

[Magic Fanatic]

I received a back to school catalog as well and if you look at it closely you will see that it is a Disney Store Catalog, not the Disney Online Catalog. Disney Online stopped producing their catalog about a year ago (as several others have pointed out). However, the online store is still very much open with all of the products that most people are looking for. There are home office items, housewares, lawn and garden, toys, childrens clothing, and lots of adult clothing. If you sign up with them online you will receive email notification for any special sales, which are always very good deals.

Disney Online announced last year that they were dropping the catalog to contain expenses and that their market research supported that their core business could be maintained through marketing via email. Personaly all I can say is that we now spend less money through the web site because the catalog was what always triggered our interest and got us to go look on line.

I would love to know how the dicontinue of the catalog had affected sales for Disney Online.

 

[dmk1021]

You have to remember...this is all geared towards the children, and isn't that what WDW is really all about?

Honestly, no. From my own personal perspective, (and I'm sure many people on the DIS), Disney is for kids of all ages. Walt set out to build a theme park where Daddy and his two daughters could have fun together, not just the kids.

On a business note, adults are the ones with spending power. Now, obviously, parents spend a ton of money on their kids. But don't forget who is opening the wallet.

 

[MJMcBride]

Honestly, no. From my own personal perspective, (and I'm sure many people on the DIS), Disney is for kids of all ages. Walt set out to build a theme park where Daddy and his two daughters could have fun together, not just the kids.

On a business note, adults are the ones with spending power. Now, obviously, parents spend a ton of money on their kids. But don't forget who is opening the wallet.

Again gotta agree with the Bills fan. Go Losman!

Anyway, I was with ya til that end part. Being a father of two, I'm more generous with my kids they I am with myself and I think thats true with a lot of parents. They might not buy something for themselves but when you're two year old daughter looks at you and asks for a new Princess toy. Well, I buy it. So I think its often the smart move to appeal to kids to get them to open up their parents wallets. Just ask Soupy Sales.

 

[exDS vet]

Sure it would be nice to buy items that we can find at WDW, but the whole point Disney wants to make here is that they want to get you to come to WDW. As a result of getting you to WDW they provide you with items that you won't necessarily be able to find anywhere else.

Your point is somewhat correct, except that you fail to recognize that Disneyland exists too. The original 13 Disney Stores had props that were created at Disneyland. Legend has it that my store had curtains in one of the sets that came from The Haunted Mansion.

Disney's original goal was to make the stores an extension of the parks, but NOT to offer park logo merchandise in the stores. There have always been some items that you could get at both. But if you wanted a Disneyland shirt, you had to go to Disneyland.

You addressed that Disney "wants" you to come to the parks. While true, it has nothing to do with the current Disney Store. Remember that Disney no longer owns TDS. Disney is not marketing in these stores. The Children's Place is. Disney does not own TCP. Therefore, while people might have illusions of something else, or believe that they are getting a Disney experience in the Disney Store, they are fooling themselves.

BTW, I agree that the quality of the clothing is probably better. That's because TCP is a clothing store.