Resort Merchandise diminishing?

[BigNorm]

We stayed at Saratoga Springs in January and found a nice selection of resort specific merch; however, being a pin collector I was disappointed to find no Saratoga Springs pins for sale (God bless eBay). The CM on duty said the pins were on order, but was skeptical due to the 'One Disney' trend.

 

[aurorawest]

I stayed at Wilderness Lodge in late May and noticed some resort-specific shirts. I have to admit I thought, 'Ew, I'd never buy that!' :lookaroun

 

[ADP2]

I don't think there's much of a secret here really. What's happening with Disney merchandise is similar to what's happening with the food. Buy in bulk and pay far less. I'm sure resort and attraction specific merchandise was selling well. However, because it isn't providing as much of a profit margin as generic merchandise Disney decided it wasn't worth their time. Since generic merchandise provides a higher profit margin they've decided to fill the stores with it across all properties.

There's still some resort specific merchandise out there, but what I've witnessed lately is most of it (if not all of it) has been discounted 40% or more. It's being phased out.

 

[bstiles]

Also stayed at saratoga springs and the wife bought a watch that was resort specific and was of good quality. Iv'e also found that dvc resorts do have better mech than non dvc resorts.

 

[bgraham34]

LOL this exactly sums it up. Disney are not stupid - if the thing sells they will sell it, if it doesn't sell, it will be removed. The lack of resort specific merchandise tells us one thing, it wasn't selling. To many times people seem to think Disney have some master-plan to just annoy guests by removing something just to spite them. In almost all cases it is because whatever is removed is not successful.

I personally really like the resort merchandise, but it seems that we are in the minority who actually purchased it.

What you are forgetting is that the stuff does sell but its not the numbers that Disney wants. Of course if 1 out of 10 people bought a resort specific shirt they would have it stick around but to them its all about the numbers and not variety. Its all about the money to them when they can sell the same shirt in 40 different locations vs 1.

 

[space42]

I have never understood why so many people put a nefarious, conspiracy theory like spin on the lack of a particular kind of merchandise, be it resort, attraction or whatever. Has anyone even considered that the stuff simply might not be a big seller? The lion share of the money WDW makes is from merchandise. Do you honestly think Disney would not make a product that was flying off the shelves for the sole purpose of uniformity? They would sell resort themed toilet paper if it would make them money.

If the merchandise wasn't selling at all. Why did they wait (almost 40 years in the case of Ft. Wilderness) to discontinue it? It's the same 'Disney Parks' cancer that is eating all of the other unique offerings (food, merch, etc).

You can watch the formula in almost every part of the resort.
1. Dumb down the offerings to something no one wants.
2. Use this as evidence that people don't want it.
3. Substitute with some generic 'Disney Parks' , Princes junk, or celebration du jour.
4. Wonder why no one is buying it.

On my last trip to WDW, I spent $0.00 on merchandise. I really wanted to spend money, but Disney no longer wants to cater to people that want unique offerings. I see I am not the only one.

 

[BrittanyRose428]

I noticed this on my last trip too. I was planning on getting a t shirt, sweatshirt or (basically something other than a pin or magnet) for a specific resort, either Poly or Contemporary, I ended up getting a Mickey shirt at the Main Street Emporium the morning we left after not finding something like that for a specific resort. =/

 

[Master Yoda]

If the merchandise wasn't selling at all. Why did they wait (almost 40 years in the case of Ft. Wilderness) to discontinue it? It's the same 'Disney Parks' cancer that is eating all of the other unique offerings (food, merch, etc).

You can watch the formula in almost every part of the resort.
1. Dumb down the offerings to something no one wants.
2. Use this as evidence that people don't want it.
3. Substitute with some generic 'Disney Parks' , Princes junk, or celebration du jour.
4. Wonder why no one is buying it.

On my last trip to WDW, I spent $0.00 on merchandise. I really wanted to spend money, but Disney no longer wants to cater to people that want unique offerings. I see I am not the only one.

More that 46 million people visit WDW every year. If every single member of every single Disney internet forum felt the exactly the same way you did it still would not matter. Disney is going to put the products that makes them the most money on the shelves and resort merchandise apparently ain't it or it would still be there. If the majority of your customers want dumbed down generic merchandise then that is what you sell.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

What you are forgetting is that the stuff does sell but its not the numbers that Disney wants. Of course if 1 out of 10 people bought a resort specific shirt they would have it stick around but to them its all about the numbers and not variety. Its all about the money to them when they can sell the same shirt in 40 different locations vs 1.

Yep.

I firmly believe they sold, or they wouldn't have had it available for decades. The problem was they didn't sell ENOUGH. They knew they could put a different product on that rack and sell 15% (or whatever) more of them in a month, so they did.

I believe it's another case of "there's profit... Just not as much as we demand these days".

So with all due respect, Steve and Yoda, there could well be a nefarious plot behind the discontinuation of resort specific stuff.

 

[Master Yoda]

Yep.

I firmly believe they sold, or they wouldn't have had it available for decades. The problem was they didn't sell ENOUGH. They knew they could put a different product on that rack and sell 15% (or whatever) more of them in a month, so they did.

I believe it's another case of "there's profit... Just not as much as we demand these days".

So with all due respect, Steve and Yoda, there could well be a nefarious plot behind the discontinuation of resort specific stuff.

I would hardly call increasing the profit margin a "nefarious" plot.

 

[bgraham34]

Its all about the numbers if Disney can order 5 million shirts of design A for $1.25 lets just say but only order 50k for design B and it costs them $5 you can bet they will just order design A. Its all about maximizing profit.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Just because resort specific merch sold well for decades doesn't mean it's creating the profit they would like now. As much as I love resort specific stuff, if it's not making them the money they want, they will do away with it..

 

[erasure fan1]

On my last trip to WDW, I spent $0.00 on merchandise. I really wanted to spend money, but Disney no longer wants to cater to people that want unique offerings. I see I am not the only one.

My last couple trips I was the same way. We bought a few small things as gifts but really didnt find too much that we would want for us. I think for me its a combination of 2 problems, (1.) we have been so many times (well thats not so much a problem.:lol (2.) combine point 1 with a drop in unique merchandise and its hard to find something I want. The last thing I bought myself was a Pepe muppet shirt that said "I am not a shrimp, I am a KING PRAWN!" Its awesome.

 

[COProgressFan]

More that 46 million people visit WDW every year. If every single member of every single Disney internet forum felt the exactly the same way you did it still would not matter. Disney is going to put the products that makes them the most money on the shelves and resort merchandise apparently ain't it or it would still be there. If the majority of your customers want dumbed down generic merchandise then that is what you sell.

But there's really no way to know that dumbed down generic merch is ALL guests want. The problem is, selling all the same stuff in nearly all the shops on property is an easy way to make spreadsheets look good because you save money in terms of production and distribution of items, but you actually never know what guests would have purchased had there been a greater variety.

The major issue is that for quite some time WDW has decided that simply making money on selling items isn't good enough. Instead of having a greater variety of items that sell in various shops (which also adds to a guest's experience in terms of theming), if the item is not a big seller, they decide not to offer it. Every single item must be highly profitable, and move lots of units.

They could make plenty of additional money off of selling a smaller number of resort-specific items, but in their minds its not worth the effort any more. Whether that is a good decision (in terms of guest loyalty, or some other intangible result) is up to interpretation. Just because Disney makes a decision does not necessarily mean its the right one, for either guests or shareholders.

 

[Master Yoda]

But there's really no way to know that dumbed down generic merch is ALL guests want. The problem is, selling all the same stuff in nearly all the shops on property is an easy way to make spreadsheets look good because you save money in terms of production and distribution of items, but you actually never know what guests would have purchased had there been a greater variety.

The major issue is that for quite some time WDW has decided that simply making money on selling items isn't good enough. Instead of having a greater variety of items that sell in various shops (which also adds to a guest's experience in terms of theming), if the item is not a big seller, they decide not to offer it. Every single item must be highly profitable, and move lots of units.

They could make plenty of additional money off of selling a smaller number of resort-specific items, but in their minds its not worth the effort any more. Whether that is a good decision (in terms of guest loyalty, or some other intangible result) is up to interpretation. Just because Disney makes a decision does not necessarily mean its the right one, for either guests or shareholders.

I can assure you that there is a very easy way to to tell which one sells better. Generic park merchandise has been available and sold along side unique items since day one. I can all but guarantee you that Disney has mountains of data on how each item sells in their stores. Disney, like any good retailer, provides more of what that data shows moves faster and/or makes more money. It is no more complicated than that.

There is one thing that so many people fail to realize. The more "unique" you make a product like a t-shirt, mug, etc the narrower the market becomes that will like and buy it. When you are dealing with a brick and mortar establishment every single square foot of retail space costs you money. Every square foot of that store must make a certain amount of money. Because of this you simply can not stock a store with items that do not generate enough revenue.

 

[space42]

I can assure you that there is a very easy way to to tell which one sells better. Generic park merchandise has been available and sold along side unique items since day one. I can all but guarantee you that Disney has mountains of data on how each item sells in their stores. Disney, like any good retailer, provides more of what that data shows moves faster and/or makes more money. It is no more complicated than that.

There is one thing that so many people fail to realize. The more "unique" you make a product like a t-shirt, mug, etc the narrower the market becomes that will like and buy it. When you are dealing with a brick and mortar establishment every single square foot of retail space costs you money. Every square foot of that store must make a certain amount of money. Because of this you simply can not stock a store with items that do not generate enough revenue.

Walt Disney World is not walmart but it is being managed like one and that is sad. Makes you wonder how they ever made any money for the last 40 years with all of these missed 'revenue maximizing opportunities'.

The main difference, in this case anyway, between Walt Disney World and a normal brick and mortar retail establishment is that we pay a premium price just to walk in the door. I as a long time Disney fan and customer have been conditioned to expect a premium experience. Part of that experience has always been the unique merchandise that didn't look like it came from walmart.:hurl:

 

[wedway71]

On a lighter note... As a Retail Marketing Consultant..I wish they gave Back Stage tours just for Merchandise....

 

[hsisthebest]

I too was totally bummed on our last trip. We stayed at Boardwalk Villas and they had like zip resort merchandise. We have been collecting resort specific ornaments for a decade that have the resort and year on it. Now all gone. I could see getting rid of the year and then just printing a gazillion cheapies for each resort.

 

[hsisthebest]

Also I think with doing away with resort specific merch makes it matter a lot less where we stay next time. You'll always get the same mug and disney brand swim towels whether you stay at POP or GF.

 

[Master Yoda]

Walt Disney World is not walmart but it is being managed like one and that is sad. Makes you wonder how they ever made any money for the last 40 years with all of these missed 'revenue maximizing opportunities'.

The main difference, in this case anyway, between Walt Disney World and a normal brick and mortar retail establishment is that we pay a premium price just to walk in the door. I as a long time Disney fan and customer have been conditioned to expect a premium experience. Part of that experience has always been the unique merchandise that didn't look like it came from walmart.:hurl:

And they still have plenty of that.

Here is the thing. Ditch any romantic ideas you have of a holier than thou, mom and pop shop that cares nothing for profit. Disney is going to go where the money is. If you don't like it stop buying. When enough people do that they will change. Until that happens they are going to follow the cash flow.