WalMart to buy Disney Stores?

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by IluvDisney326
No, DISNEY CAN'T SELL TO WALMART
WHy would they? I haven't heard any reason to sell to walmart.

I can't understand why Walmart would want to buy the Disney Stores (nothing against the Disney Stores). It's just not their style. Walmart and Sams Clubs are huge standalone stores. They run them based on low prices by doing high volume at low expense. Why would they want a chain of small retail stores located mostly in malls? I just don't see how the stores would fit in with Walmart's overall business structure. I don't think the Disney Stores are making a huge profit where Walmart would want to jump over into that type of business. As said above, alot of people do not shop at Walmart/Sams because of their reputation with the treatment of their employees (and being non-union), why would Disney want their name associated with that?

 

[mobmilli]

That and they would have to compete with the catalog and disneystore online. I think if them buying disney stores is true, it's only to gain the rights and then to close them all, leaving Walmart only to carry disney merchandise??

 

[AnnaE4]

I have to agree with Cheshire27. Matter of fact, I was in her store today and bought several items! I have met several managers of this store over the years and they have all seemed upbeat and happy about working at the DS. I will miss the DS but I will miss the employees more and hope they find jobs at other stores I shop in so I can visit with them!

I'm trying to understand why there is talk about Wal-Mart taking over any Disney stores. It is my understanding that the Disney stores are closing one by one as their leases expire and will not be reopened. The one in my area is slated to close this month and then there will be no more DS in South Carolina!

I guess I'll just have to get my "Disney fix" by going to the extremely small gift shop at the HH resort or my twice a year trips to the catalog outlet in Jonesville, SC.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm a little surprised to see the unkind comments being made about Wal-Mart employees. It's one thing to dislike a company but to pick on the people that work there when some of them ended up there because of a bad economy? Many people who for various reasons can't find other work have ended up working there including a few DISers.

As for Wal-Mart buying the DS, I agree that I don't see how this would help Wal-Mart. I could see them buying the rights to sell Disney products instead. I hope that the Disney Stores survive somehow.

 

[exDS vet]

Originally posted by Cheshire27
I just want to ensure people don't keep receiving negative comments regarding the stores. Like so many things, it's all in the positive approach you take.

You are obviously very passionate about your job and even the company. Unfortunately there's not much that you can do about the negative comments, because they are all true. Those comments will continue until there is big change, or until DS is completly phased out. And the phase out is the only big change that I can see.

There's positive aproach and then there's denial. I think you might have a little bit of both. All all of your CM's going to be placed in other stores? Will anybody (including yourself) get a bonus or severance package for staying until the store closes? While I am sure you have some wonderful CM's, I don't believe for a minute that morale has not gone down with the knowledge that the store is closing.

When employees start talking about it themselves, and then you have the guests crying about the coming closure, it can only create negative morale.

When a store in my area was closing, all of the CM's were told that they would be placed in another store if they stayed until the store closed. Every CM stayed and three of them were placed in other stores. The rest were told that they would have to re-apply or that there were no openings. One of those CM's was a ten year DSvet who I was told was nothing but trouble. When I met with her, I immediatly noticed her passion as well as here realistic view of all things Disney. I hired her and then promoted her to Lead CM. She has since moved on to Disneyland.

Good luck to you and your team. I wish you nothing but the best in your post Disney career.

 

[nats]

It would be a disaster. Walmart is cheap in every way. Would their comercials show Mickey Mouse flying around and cutting prices.