Merchandise Shortage

[UNCgolf]

You can. The right side is a Pin Trading location. The counter, I think is PhotoPass stuff. I don't pay attention, because we are going to the pin board. That's all I ever see people in there doing is looking at the pin board.

Oh okay -- still essentially a waste of space compared to what used to be there. They can set up pin trading basically anywhere!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

You can. The right side is a Pin Trading location. The counter, I think is PhotoPass stuff. I don't pay attention, because we are going to the pin board. That's all I ever see people in there doing is looking at the pin board.

…so in other words…it’s crap now?

 

[hopemax]

…so in other words…it’s crap now?

Especially, the pin board. If there is one board guaranteed to be full of counterfeit pins, it's that one.

But if you look at the picture on the WDW website, you'd think they sell posters and stuff.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Adding to the saga, RunDisney expo is currently selling off marketing and graphics from display due to running out of most merch

They’ve always sold those, this has been hanging in my garage for probably 5 years.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

The Magic Shop on Main Street in DLR was likely not profitable back in the 60-70s when Steve Martin performed there. I think the stuff they "sold" were simply there as props for magicians like him to use. Sure, they had prices on them. But, the majority of the guests went there to see the magic. Not everything has to be a profit center. That's the problem with the parks today. We can't have CoH because they're not selling anything. They can't sell rides on the London Bus in EPCoT. So, it's gone. I seem to read in your commentary here that the fireworks only exist to sell desert parties. I guess the magic isn't me, it's my wallet.

I'm not familiar with it. But if there was a magician performing there, then it's functioning as an attraction. Again, it's not the 60's or 70's. Businesses have "grown up," for better or worse. DLR had exactly zero competition. DLR was not building multi-million dollar attractions.

Yes, mostly everything has to be a profit center now. That's real life.

Please don't read into my commentary, because you're imagining things if you think I said the fireworks exist to sell dessert parties.

With that said, I was surprised how much WDW spent on fireworks every day. There's nothing more devious about trying to monetize them with dessert parties than there ever was selling balloons and light-up toys.

Appreciate how it was. It can't be that way anymore. It's not an option.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Especially, the pin board. If there is one board guaranteed to be full of counterfeit pins, it's that one.

But if you look at the picture on the WDW website, you'd think they sell posters and stuff.

View attachment 613441

Yep, seems like one of several wasted spaces. I hope they have a plan for it.

 

[Rickcat96]

I, too, have been puzzled at the lack of merchandise on Disney park shelves.

Last weekend I was scrolling through YouTube walk through videos, and came across one of those people who walk Disney and Uni parks , and did a walk through on the same day. right before Christmas......one at MK and the other at Universal (he has a lot more stamina that I do!).

He actually walked through the gift shops, and just about all the MK gift shops looked like the day after Thanksgiving! Bare shelves or few items. Most shelves hadn't been refronted either!

The shops at Uni, on the other hand, were pretty well stocked. No apparent shortages that you could see anywhere, and both parks were PACKED!

So, like I said, very puzzling.

Regards! Michaelson

Was there week before Christmas-shelves were ok, but the quality was really bad. Here's a Christmas ornament that really had us baffled:

 

[trainplane3]

Was there week before Christmas-shelves were ok, but the quality was really bad. Here's a Christmas ornament that really had us baffled:
View attachment 613547

For more fun: Take that price tag off. The original price is underneath. I think it was $75 or $80?
From what I've heard the price tag is placed (sticker) on the item before it arrives to the parks for distribution. These changes are happening at the parks before they're placed on the shelves. Literally last second increases that aren't being communicated to the manufacturer/origin.

 

[TikibirdLand]

For more fun: Take that price tag off. The original price is underneath. I think it was $75 or $80?
From what I've heard the price tag is placed (sticker) on the item before it arrives to the parks for distribution. These changes are happening at the parks before they're placed on the shelves. Literally last second increases that aren't being communicated to the manufacturer/origin.

Well, increasing the price like that certainly has the effect of keeping the shelves better filled. Good Job, Disney!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

For more fun: Take that price tag off. The original price is underneath. I think it was $75 or $80?
From what I've heard the price tag is placed (sticker) on the item before it arrives to the parks for distribution. These changes are happening at the parks before they're placed on the shelves. Literally last second increases that aren't being communicated to the manufacturer/origin.

Retail 101: when prices go up, the old sticker comes off or gets obliterated with black marker before the new sticker goes precisely on top of it.

 

[UNCgolf]

Especially, the pin board. If there is one board guaranteed to be full of counterfeit pins, it's that one.

But if you look at the picture on the WDW website, you'd think they sell posters and stuff.

View attachment 613441

Yeah, it still looks like it's going to sell you posters, movie memorabilia, etc. from the outside. What a disappointment to actually walk in and find a pin trading station.

 

[UNCgolf]

Was there week before Christmas-shelves were ok, but the quality was really bad. Here's a Christmas ornament that really had us baffled:
View attachment 613547

How large is this? Either it's 2 feet tall or it's made of solid gold. Those are the only possible explanations for how that could cost $100 or why anyone would pay that for it.

 

[hopemax]

How large is this? Either it's 2 feet tall or it's made of solid gold. Those are the only possible explanations for how that could cost $100 or why anyone would pay that for it.

It's a Christopher Radko ornament. If people can't get why those are $100, they haven't bought a licensed Christopher Radko ornament in the last 30 years...

 

[UNCgolf]

It's a Christopher Radko ornament. If people can't get why those are $100, they haven't bought a licensed Christopher Radko ornament in the last 30 years...

Never heard of him.

It looks like crap, though. Of course it's hard to tell in a single photo, but it honestly looks like something you'd buy at Wal-Mart for $5 or less.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Never heard of him.

It looks like crap, though. Of course it's hard to tell in photos, but it honestly looks like something you'd buy at Wal-Mart for $5 or less.

Can't say I disagree. Whoever's name is attached to them doesn't matter one iota as far as I'm concerned.

 

[flynnibus]

Where did I say there shouldn't be themed stores?

What theme won't sell at WDW? What Disney theme wouldn't be profitable?

There is no reason to have an unprofitable store when you can have a profitable one that still meets the goals of being themed/unique/experiential, etc.

Yet the traditional retail thinking doesn't apply here. The bounds of a 'store' here are completely arbitrary to Disney. They share staff, utilities, ground rent, training, logistics, etc. Is a nook over here really 'independent' of the nook over there? No.

Disney certainly should monitor what goods are worth carrying or not.. but some products are always going to be prestige or image products that individually don't carry their weight. They should manage their retail as a wholestic approach, not the idea of individual stores trying to be the most profitable in isolation.

 

[UNCgolf]

I just looked him up -- a lot of these ornaments do look relatively nice, and they're blown glass, so that's pricey.

This one doesn't look like blown glass, but I assume it must be. It still looks pretty awful compared to some of the others I'm currently looking at, though.

This one looks so much better. I still can't imagine spending anywhere close to $100 for it, but I can see why it would be a relatively expensive buy.

 

[flynnibus]

still looks like the mass produced se asia ornaments

 

[hopemax]

I just looked him up -- a lot of these ornaments do look very nice, and they're blown glass, so that's pricey.

This one doesn't look like blown glass, but I assume it must be. It still looks pretty awful compared to some of the others I'm currently looking at, though.

This one looks so much better. I still can't imagine spending anywhere close to $100 for it, but I can see why it would be a relatively expensive buy.

View attachment 613645

The Tower of Terror is blown glass. The picture posted above is also showing the backside of the ornament. This one is of the front side

 

[UNCgolf]

still looks like the mass produced se asia ornaments

I agree it doesn't look amazing, and it's ridiculously overpriced, but blown glass is always going to be far more expensive than something made out of plastic.