Wal-Mart to buy Disney Store chain?

[CTXRover]

According to a source over at fabulousdisneybabe.com the WalMart corporation has given an offer that they believe Disney will accept to buy and operate the Disney Stores. In other words, from what I inderstand, Wal-Mart will "run" the stores from a management point of view while Disney will still supply it, but with what Wal-Mart would think would be worth selling. All profits I imagine will be split between Disney and Wal-Mart.

Considering Wal-Mart's success in running a retail store, a "speciality" retail store shouldn't be too hard for them to operate successfully.

 

[Woody13]

Sounds as if a lot of Jim Hill influenced Michelle in writing this tidbit.:animwink:

 

[prberk]

No matter who runs it, it needs to be high-end, specialty merchandise like the Disney catalog merchandise, NOT the cheap stuff that you can already buy at Wal-Mart....

They need to go back to having nice, adult things there.

I say, let the merchandise managers at Walt Disney World run the Disney Stores.

 

[Shaman]

Disney should close down all there stores and not sell them...in my opinion if they wanted to sell stuff they could do it at any department store (like Polo, Nautica, Hilfiger) under the Disney Brand name...I think in the long run it would be more profitable...just an idea.....

:hammer:

 

[MouseRight]

During the Annual Investor Teleconference several weeks ago, one of teh questions was if "Disney woudl be trying to develop new avenues (like Martha Stewart with K-Mart) of distribution for its products, e.g., WalMart"

Bob Iger indicated that a deal was in the works with WalMart but couldn't discuss it at that time. Actually it sounded like the question was planted because when he answered it, he said "a deal couldn't be discussed but they were working with WalMart - ooppss - I jsut discussed it didn't I" Seemed a little staged.

I took the question and answer to mean they were working on a deal to put new and exclusive Disney merchandise in the WalMart stores - not sell the Disney stores to WalMart. A "Disney Store" in each WalMart concept. WalMart is not into buying and running Mall based retail chains. I don't think they would make the deal to buy the Disney Stores. MY guess - Close the Disney Stores and put the Merchandise in each WalMart. What a bonanza in exposure, cost savings, etc.

However, I do miss the old Disney Store. I agree there is too much kids merchandise and not enough Adult themed products. If they do the WalMart deal, they shoudl keep open some "Adult" (Collectibles, etc) Disney stores in upscale malls or streets (5th Avenue, Times Sqaure, Miracle Mile on Long Island, etc.) around the country. IMHO

 

[Testtrack321]

I really think the Disney Stores need to improve. I don't want little girl's pricess holloween costumes, I want cool stuff only found at the DISNEY STORE. I want snow globes, lithographs, GOOD PLUSH, books, documentaries, videos, I want good things, not stuff you can get anywhere.

 

[PeeplMoovr]

I'm not opposed to Disney selling their products in WalMart, as long as other outlets remain for buying their products. For my own reasons, I refuse to shop at WalMart. So, I hope Disney continues to sell it's products at either it's own stores or online somewhere other than WalMart.
I guess I'm just really hoping that WalMart doesn't buy and run the Disney Store as we know it today. While the Disney Stores have lost their appeal to anyone over 5 years in the past few years, I don't think the WalMart megamonster running the show is the answer.