Quality of available merchandise significantly reduced?

[Agent H]

Is there still a strange lack of books in the gift shops? I recall on my most recent trip in 2022, I didn't see any books in ANY of the shops (aside from some blank notebooks). Very peculiar.

Yeah I’ve noticed this too. I’ve only ever seen the 50th and 100th anniversary books in the parks. It’s very disappointing for me. Books are my second favorite type of merchandise.

 

[DisneyHead123]

That's if they even did market research.. they made a SWAG on orangebird merch for F&G and its on sale now for 50% off in the park. The obvious item for sale (shorts) sold out for every size except 3xl the first month

Wonder how much profit margins factor in there. I’m imagining items like water bottles and mugs where the manufacturing chain remains largely the same and a few graphic vinyls are swapped out are cheaper. Printing a novel fabric for print shorts might be more expensive.

 

[networkpro]

Wonder how much profit margins factor in there. I’m imagining items like water bottles and mugs where the manufacturing chain remains largely the same and a few graphic vinyls are swapped out are cheaper. Printing a novel fabric for print shorts might be more expensive.

Let's say that selling spirit jerseys and hoodies when it's 90 is a loosing proposition.

 

[Brer Panther]

Half-joking, are Iger and his crew just picking off everything that people loved about the parks before he took over one by one?

 

[WorldExplorer]

I think the focus has turned to things people are likely to buy repeatedly or "collect".

If you buy one cool knickknack that you keep on your desk to reignite the memories, that's a one time purchase. But stuff like ears, Loungeflys, and spirit jerseys people will just keep buying piles of them. They need one for each movie they like and one that matches their favorite outfits and one for each holiday and whatever other excuse.

Don't even get me started on stuff like the Munchlings or mystery pin packets that are just full on gambling and encouraging you to spend hundreds more than you would if you just bought a normal souvenir. They've started packaging pins with other items now? So you have to purchase a forty dollar cup to get a random pin pack that has a high chance of not containing the pin you want so better buy another then another then another...

(This is the only way to get a Dinosaur pin, by the way. And no, I'm not trying it: screw that.)

 

[networkpro]

It's certainly not pins. For the 25th anniversary of pin trading they've reduced the inventory to only a few locations in a few parks.

 

[aladdin2007]

Was told today there is more specific park merch coming, no details or when but hopefully as everything is the same right now around every corner.

 

[Eric Graham]

I heard on the news quite recently that we have about 6 more weeks of durable goods in our inventory before the tariffs begin, actually....is this true? and some companies such as Microsoft have increased the price of some products due to 'market conditions':

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/01/microsoft-raises-prices-of-xbox-video-game-consoles-and-controllers.html

 

[thomas998]

I think the focus has turned to things people are likely to buy repeatedly or "collect".

If you buy one cool knickknack that you keep on your desk to reignite the memories, that's a one time purchase. But stuff like ears, Loungeflys, and spirit jerseys people will just keep buying piles of them. They need one for each movie they like and one that matches their favorite outfits and one for each holiday and whatever other excuse.

Don't even get me started on stuff like the Munchlings or mystery pin packets that are just full on gambling and encouraging you to spend hundreds more than you would if you just bought a normal souvenir. They've started packaging pins with other items now? So you have to purchase a forty dollar cup to get a random pin pack that has a high chance of not containing the pin you want so better buy another then another then another...

(This is the only way to get a Dinosaur pin, by the way. And no, I'm not trying it: screw that.)

If you want mystery pins, use Ebay. It may cost more than the original price of the pin but you don't have to buy 4 different ones before you get the one you actually wanted. Have done that for one my daughters that collects pins while it might require you to wait a few weeks when they first come out, you eventually have them pop up on Ebay at fairly reasonable prices.

 

[Alice a]

I heard on the news quite recently that we have about 6 more weeks of durable goods in our inventory before the tariffs begin, actually....is this true? and some companies such as Microsoft have increased the price of some products due to 'market conditions':

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/01/microsoft-raises-prices-of-xbox-video-game-consoles-and-controllers.html

We run a small, independent hardware store with 3 major suppliers and roughly 50 smaller ones.

2-6 months left, depending on the industry, is in line with the weekly emails we’re getting from all of them, as well as the real-time counts for we can see is available in the warehouses.

We’re already running out of some stuff and really working overtime to replace it with what available (for now.)

This is also where being the little, independent guy can suck. The bigger fish get first crack at stock, and the rest of us have to deal.

Another thing that’s happening is lots of brands are announcing exclusive contracts with specific vendors- Weber Grills with ACE, for instance, unless you want spend $10k per order.

I would imagine Disney gets first crack at merch, being so massive, so if anyone will get it at a decent price, it’ll be them.

 

[Eric Graham]

We run a small, independent hardware store with 3 major suppliers and roughly 50 smaller ones.

2-6 months left, depending on the industry, is in line with the weekly emails we’re getting from all of them, as well as the real-time counts for we can see is available in the warehouses.

We’re already running out of some stuff and really working overtime to replace it with what available (for now.)

This is also where being the little, independent guy can suck. The bigger fish get first crack at stock, and the rest of us have to deal.

Another thing that’s happening is lots of brands are announcing exclusive contracts with specific vendors- Weber Grills with ACE, for instance, unless you want spend $10k per order.

I would imagine Disney gets first crack at merch, being so massive, so if anyone will get it at a decent price, it’ll be them.

Sorry you're having problems with current inventory due to market conditions. Ace is a wonderful company! It's so nice that during certain parts of the year that if you buy a grill from them that they'll assemble it for free. So very nice. I often enjoy going to Ace bc it is a lot smaller store, and I don't need an app to find out where anything is like a mega store does. The people in the stores are also often very friendly and so amicable.

 

[MissingDisney]

You realize Ace is the poster’s business competition for obtaining inventory for their smaller store, right? Ace may be wonderful and their locations independently owned, however, they have the backing of a very, very large corporate sponsorship. They present as a locally owned small hardware store however, they have the buying power and influence of a large company.

Way to kick Alice when she’s down.

 

[Eric Graham]

You realize Ace is the poster’s business competition for obtaining inventory for their smaller store, right? Ace may be wonderful and their locations independently owned, however, they have the backing of a very, very large corporate sponsorship. They present as a locally owned small hardware store however, they have the buying power and influence of a large company.

Way to kick Alice when she’s down.

I apologize...geez louise...i thought her company was Ace...I used to work for a chemical cleaning company for a number of years that dealt with many vendors large and small. I've worked for a smaller hardware corporate store and I almost worked corporate for a very large building company too.

 

[Eric Graham]

We run a small, independent hardware store with 3 major suppliers and roughly 50 smaller ones.

2-6 months left, depending on the industry, is in line with the weekly emails we’re getting from all of them, as well as the real-time counts for we can see is available in the warehouses.

We’re already running out of some stuff and really working overtime to replace it with what available (for now.)

This is also where being the little, independent guy can suck. The bigger fish get first crack at stock, and the rest of us have to deal.

Another thing that’s happening is lots of brands are announcing exclusive contracts with specific vendors- Weber Grills with ACE, for instance, unless you want spend $10k per order.

I would imagine Disney gets first crack at merch, being so massive, so if anyone will get it at a decent price, it’ll be them.

I apologize..i thought you worked with Ace, but apparently you run a smaller hardware store.. I've worked for a smaller corporate cleaning company so I understand how working for a smaller company can be challenging. When I worked for them ultimately KMart stopped paying us in the end of their life. Also, when I worked for a larger building/lumber it was awful for me..I was working corporate and the company was about to fail and all of these sketchy things were happening in the end....Not a very fun job to work for.

 

[Alice a]

I apologize...geez louise...i thought her company was Ace...I used to work for a chemical cleaning company for a number of years that dealt with many vendors large and small. I've worked for a smaller hardware corporate store and I almost worked corporate for a very large building company too.

It’s fine! People have thought we’re an ACE for decades because our store is small and helpful. ACE is the best of the chains, so it is a compliment!

ACE wants our store badly, actually, for the location, loyalty of the customers, and for the attractiveness of the store itself, but would strip out many of the unique qualities that make it so popular.

It’s a shame they can’t just take their licensing cut and let us carry on, because we’d totally buy in.

 

[MissingDisney]

It’s fine! People have thought we’re an ACE for decades because our store is small and helpful. ACE is the best of the chains, so it is a compliment!

ACE wants our store badly, actually, for the location, loyalty of the customers, and for the attractiveness of the store itself, but would strip out many of the unique qualities that make it so popular.

It’s a shame they can’t just take their licensing cut and let us carry on, because we’d totally buy in.

We have a similar store in the area. I drive past 2 Ace locations, Lowe’s and Home Depot to get to it. It’s worth it as I’m sure your store is. The people are the best!

 

[Comped]

Yeah I’ve noticed this too. I’ve only ever seen the 50th and 100th anniversary books in the parks. It’s very disappointing for me. Books are my second favorite type of merchandise.

I've seen that book "written" by Martha Blanding more than anything else (given how well I've heard it actually sold, I'm not surprised). When companies like Theme Park Press are the #1 place for even experienced Disney hands to publish their Disney parks related books (since Disney barely publishes their own anymore outside of certain notables like her and Dick Nunis), how are we to expect Disney to carry any? Disney needs to get back in the game of 10-20 years ago when books about the parks were a regular fixture on their calendar, before they can start selling books in their parks again.

I think the focus has turned to things people are likely to buy repeatedly or "collect".

If you buy one cool knickknack that you keep on your desk to reignite the memories, that's a one time purchase. But stuff like ears, Loungeflys, and spirit jerseys people will just keep buying piles of them. They need one for each movie they like and one that matches their favorite outfits and one for each holiday and whatever other excuse.
Don't even get me started on stuff like the Munchlings or mystery pin packets that are just full on gambling and encouraging you to spend hundreds more than you would if you just bought a normal souvenir. They've started packaging pins with other items now? So you have to purchase a forty dollar cup to get a random pin pack that has a high chance of not containing the pin you want so better buy another then another then another...

(This is the only way to get a Dinosaur pin, by the way. And no, I'm not trying it: screw that.)

I knew a Disney Legend who collected fake figurines of Mickey that he picked up during his travels. As for pins... I switched to collecting CM exclusive (and especially park related CM exclusives, so anything representing a particular function of the parks or related entities like global security or DLE that isn't available to the general public), specifically because nobody wants them but they are also rarely faked.

It's certainly not pins. For the 25th anniversary of pin trading they've reduced the inventory to only a few locations in a few parks.

Which is a very odd choice indeed, especially at Epcot where they rerouted their pin store to carts, instead of an air conditioned building conclusive to more sales...

 

[WaltsTreasureChest]

Took a recent trip and so true. Too many stores are identical in what they carry. It wasn’t like this in the 2000s. It started to merge around the 2010s to now. Hate Chapek for that

Doesn’t help that a lot of merch sucks. However some tee designs are getting better. I really like the logo hoodies too

 

[stuart]

Perhaps someone has been reading my posts here and on twitter. I was astounded to find this polo and 1/4 zip on our first night at the end of last month. There was a windbreaker jacket with a small D on the front and Walt Disney World on the back, and a dress shirt with a small Walt Disney World logo.

For gents I just think that stuff sells, and wears, so much better with a subtle classy look. Hopefully more of the same to come. Park and ride merch like this would do well too.

There was a good range of Port Orleans Riverside merch again, and another polo shirt picked up.

I have to say, while perhaps not what I would wear, there are some smart t-shirt deaigns currently.

There was more home stuff than I have seen previously, but still a lack of office and stationery products. You can't buy any nice pens now, for example.

 

[ppete1975]

View attachment 873598View attachment 873597

Perhaps someone has been reading my posts here and on twitter. I was astounded to find this polo and 1/4 zip on our first night at the end of last month. There was a windbreaker jacket with a small D on the front and Walt Disney World on the back, and a dress shirt with a small Walt Disney World logo.

For gents I just think that stuff sells, and wears, so much better with a subtle classy look. Hopefully more of the same to come. Park and ride merch like this would do well too.

There was a good range of Port Orleans Riverside merch again, and another polo shirt picked up.

I have to say, while perhaps not what I would wear, there are some smart t-shirt deaigns currently.

There was more home stuff than I have seen previously, but still a lack of office and stationery products. You can't buy any nice pens now, for example.

I can tell that you are very bright, because you stay at port orleans riverside.. THE BEST PLACE TO STAY AT DISNEY... that isnt on the monorail loop and you have to sell a kidney....