What's happening at the Disney Store?

[DisneyPrincessWannaBe_808]

I was just hired at my local Disney Store on the 15th for a seasonal position. During the group interview, all five of us were offered jobs and were told they were hiring 15 new Cast Members. I was so excited! Then after getting my acceptance letter and filling out all the forms on the 16th I got a letter from the manager on the 17th saying:

Due to a change in strategy we will not be hiring seasonal Cast Members this year.
Unfortunately the job offer made to you is rescinded. I encourage you to apply at other locations. This action has nothing to do with you ( or me) just an overall global strategy effecting this location.

I'm not naming any names or store locations because I don't want to get anyone in trouble, but I've never had a job offer 'rescinded' before and after they told us they were hiring 15 people? What does this mean? Do you think they will be closing the store?

 

[rteetz]

Many Disney stores have or are closing. I’m surprised they were hiring in the first place for seasonal positions. The pandemic has many stores of all kinds on the brink of closure.

 

[DisneyPrincessWannaBe_808]

Many Disney stores have or are closing. I’m surprised they were hiring in the first place for seasonal positions. The pandemic has many stores of all kinds on the brink of closure.

That's so sad to hear. Needless to say, I was so disappointed and shocked when I got the email. I couldn't believe it. I am already on furlough from WDW and moved back home. I wanted to get into a Disney Store here to stay close to family.

 

[jlwhitney]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the store is closing. We lost our Disney Store due to this and it was a good store that stayed busy.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

As pp suggested, I wouldn’t be surprised if the “change in strategy” is that the store will actually be closing.

We also just lost our Disney Store, which was a pretty well performing location (my friend was a manager there.)

Regardless of the reason they rescinded the seasonal offer, I’m sorry it isn’t working out for you

 

[AurumPunzel]

The pandemic is accelerating the decline of physical retail, and given that the special(i)ty sector is particularly at risk, I would be very surprised if the Disney Stores manage to continue to see a fourth or even a fifth decade, unless they actually evolve and adapt to the changing environment, and also address the criticisms that have been long-standing or more recent, which I think is another contributing factor. Since the 2000s, there's been criticism about the lack of adult-oriented merchandise outside of clothing and the odd LE release, and even after recent moves to address it, it's still a far cry from the glory days when the Disney Stores weren't just over-glorified toy stores and had pretty much everything for everyone, and was reasonably-priced too.

Another criticism is the overpricing. I've noticed that (IMO) the most popular product, the medium Mickey Mouse plush, has gone up in price over the past 5-10 years, and with competition in the form of supermarkets, does anyone see the point of a Disney Store anymore, apart from the free entertainment and the friendliness of a bona fide Disney CM serving you? Not to mention that, although I've mentioned it a few times around here, and I know it's unpopular opinion to the most ecologically-aware, I think the forcing of overpriced reusable bags has also had a negative effect, since not everyone is willing to lug around empty bags just for one store out of many, and some have been put off completely because paying $1-5 just to have a means of carrying the purchases around does come across as being tantamount to 'daylight robbery', and for a special(i)ty store to be doing it only serves to reinforce the reputation that cheaper, diversified competition who do provide the convenience of a bag - paper or plastic - is likely going to make people choose them over a Disney Store.

If the Disney Stores are to survive, then they're going to need to make a lot of changes to win customers over, and encourage people who were turned off by cheaper competition to come back. I personally love the Disney Stores, and I for one would be sad if they went the way of the Warner Brothers Studio Stores (which they ironically outlived), but given the seismic changes to the sector and the pandemic causing long-lasting damage to the economy, the future is sadly looking bleak.

 

[Tinkl0ver66]

That completely stinks! I am so sorry that happened to you. They did hire season workers at our store, hoping that doesn't happen to happen to those that got hired for seasonal at our store.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Since the 2000s, there's been criticism about the lack of adult-oriented merchandise outside of clothing and the odd LE release, and even after recent moves to address it, it's still a far cry from the glory days when the Disney Stores weren't just over-glorified toy stores and had pretty much everything for everyone, and was reasonably-priced too.

Throw me in this bucket. As a 48+ adult with my kids out of the house, I do not have little children to shop for. That said, Disney owns a large part of my paycheck (DVC- check. DCL - check. Disney Visa - check. Visit twice a year - check). I come home from Disney every year with hundreds if not thousands of dollars of Disney merch. In other words, I would be an ideal demographic for the Disney Store. Yet, back in the day, I would eagerly go into the Disney Store expecting to find some awesome Disney merch to snatch up and there would be.... nothing geared toward me. Usually, they do not even bother to have pins (and I am a pin trader). It's like the stores cut off at around 13 or 14 years old.

I stopped going in there these days. To win me back (and they could, as I am a tactile person - I prefer to brick and morter when I can), they would actually have to stock things that are relevant to me (and lets be honest, there is a TON of Disney stuff that is).

To the OP: I am sorry to hear the seasonal employment did not work out for you.

 

[Krandor]

That completely stinks! I am so sorry that happened to you. They did hire season workers at our store, hoping that doesn't happen to happen to those that got hired for seasonal at our store.

Beyond just disney stores I do wonder if we are going to see the normal uptick of seasonal workers in retail like normal. I have a hard time seeing Black Friday doorbusters with completely packed stores this year.

 

[AurumPunzel]

I stopped going in there these days. To win me back (and they could, as I am a tactile person - I prefer to brick and morter when I can), they would actually have to stock things that are relevant to me (and lets be honest, there is a TON of Disney stuff that is).

Agreed. They are starting to get better, but still, they need to diversify their product ranges a bit more. Although I do collect the figures and plush, most of the purchases I've made in Disney Stores have been primarily on clothing, and that was when I went to New York twice in 2017 and 2018, while I was taking advantage of favourable £-$ exchange rates and a lack of sales tax on clothing below $110 in NY (and regardless of RRP in NJ; I also went to Jersey Gardens Outlet and Willowbrook Mall). I only hope Disney doesn't abandon physical retail and actually starts to address the problems that have led to the decline of the stores, as much as they need to rebalance the sheets amid the pandemic.

 

[wilbret]

2 stores here closed during the "pandemic," and another had closed before that. It's like the early 2000's all over again!
We still have one in a mall near here, but I just think mall days are numbered. Outdoor shopping centers are doing well, I'd like to see them open there.
Same for Lego store... it's sad you have to into a mall with empty storefronts to get to it.

 

[Twisted_cosplay]

The Disney store my best friend works at needs to have 4 people on the floor at all times. That is a lot of money to spend ( min wage is $15.00 Pr/h) i worked there from 2017-2018 and it was not busy enough to make that much money. Not sure what they will be doing. BUT i think everyone needs a bit more magic in their life right now so maybe they are busy now!

 

[Morieris]

I'm very sorry OP. I do think they are hiring seasonal online representatives for ShopDisney.

My nearest Disney Store has more adult oriented purchases than many others, it seems - But it's an Outlet, and most of the adult things are shoved into clearance as overstock that couldn't sell on ShopDisney.

(We had about 15 Monsters University Spirit Jerseys??? All XXL??? Disneyland sweatshirts in Florida?? Yeah, that's overstock).

It's not a lot, it's usually that, a shirt, or a mug. I try to collect a mug from every Canon movie (and some that aren't) - But the prices are terrible. That tiny Nutcracker mug for 16$? That's funny. That's real funny.

It wasn't a creative style, just printing on a mug.

 

[DanSchwartz]

New Release from Disney store. Though, items may cost more than most people carry on the inside of purses. Just in time for X-mas shopping.

 

[Julie Amber]

Interestingly, I got a survey about my shopping habits related to Disney Store/vs Shop Disney online that seemed to want to know whether people just go in and look around Disney stores without buying things, or if people actually purchase and if we purchase things more online or at Disney Stores.

 

[DodgerGirl]

The reason why the Disney Stores are going downhill and have been for years even before the pandemic began is due to the rise and popularity of shopping online and with internet shopping becoming more popular than ever Disney Stores at some point has had troubles trying to keep up with the crowd of today. My Disney Store has been open since the 90's and it's a popular place in my mall ever since but the mall I used to go to lost it's Disney Store years ago. But if you go to any Disney Store today you'll notice that they have limited items and the selection is small and certain items even new merchandise is rarely on sale. Take for example my dad went into the Disney Store to look around and shop and from what Dad told me is that Disney Stores now have changed their image. And from what he saw the Disney sections of the store are very small and the store has one big section devoted to Marvel items and the other sections have mainly toys and less clothing. And it seems that Disney Store is now becoming a toy store because it seems that toys and plush Disney characters are the top sellers for children. But I think in a few years Disney Stores will still be popular but will focus on children and feature merchandise geared for children 6 to 12 years old and have children oriented special events as well at some locations

 

[AurumPunzel]

The reason why the Disney Stores are going downhill and have been for years even before the pandemic began is due to the rise and popularity of shopping online and with internet shopping becoming more popular than ever Disney Stores at some point has had troubles trying to keep up with the crowd of today. My Disney Store has been open since the 90's and it's a popular place in my mall ever since but the mall I used to go to lost it's Disney Store years ago. But if you go to any Disney Store today you'll notice that they have limited items and the selection is small and certain items even new merchandise is rarely on sale. Take for example my dad went into the Disney Store to look around and shop and from what Dad told me is that Disney Stores now have changed their image. And from what he saw the Disney sections of the store are very small and the store has one big section devoted to Marvel items and the other sections have mainly toys and less clothing. And it seems that Disney Store is now becoming a toy store because it seems that toys and plush Disney characters are the top sellers for children. But I think in a few years Disney Stores will still be popular but will focus on children and feature merchandise geared for children 6 to 12 years old and have children oriented special events as well at some locations

It's the same old story with online shopping, but that's not purely the reason why the Disney Stores have been going downhill. Extortionate rates being charged by landlords, and underinvestment in their stores - not to mention unpopular changes and short-sighted decisions, is the reason why they're going downhill. I went to my local one before Christmas and it's not seen a single lick of investment since the 2000s, when most of the European Pink and Greens were given a facelift that saw a lot of the nostalgic features save for the characters above the racking being replaced or removed entirely, and despite the popularity, it's never had a complete refurb, not even into an Imagination Park, though I still maintain that it should have moved into the other mall as the one it's in is becoming run down, with mostly cheap shops surrounding it, yet the other mall is more mainstream and well-developed.

As for target audiences, it's already happened with much of the space being dedicated to toys and child-oriented merchandise, but I disagree with the notion that they'll only be focused on them, since Disney have been rediversifiying their ranges lately, but I still think they need to market them more in their stores. Again, it's underinvestment in their estate and focus that they need to address. Though the pandemic has taken its toll on the stores, with even some of the more-recent stores being axed, and it's unknown if Disney will reexpand their stores in the future, as much as the decline in physical retail needs addressing.

 

[tlmadden73]

Physical retail stores in malls may have quite a downturn in the next few years.


With the ease of online shopping and the pandemic keeping a lot of people home, I think a lot of retail stores will have to reinvent themselves. Physical shopping (especially during pandemic) is just frustrating to some.

Don’t have the items you are looking for so you are driven online anyway

I am sure they just realized they won’t get the foot traffic where seasonal workers are needed. Mainly the big box stores are the ones packed to the gills this Christmas.

It stinks but if demand isn’t there a store isn’t going to hire extra people.

physical stores and malls (like movie theaters) may need to reinvent themselves and offer unique items or a unique experience.

 

[jlwhitney]

The reason why the Disney Stores are going downhill and have been for years even before the pandemic began is due to the rise and popularity of shopping online and with internet shopping becoming more popular than ever Disney Stores at some point has had troubles trying to keep up with the crowd of today. My Disney Store has been open since the 90's and it's a popular place in my mall ever since but the mall I used to go to lost it's Disney Store years ago. But if you go to any Disney Store today you'll notice that they have limited items and the selection is small and certain items even new merchandise is rarely on sale. Take for example my dad went into the Disney Store to look around and shop and from what Dad told me is that Disney Stores now have changed their image. And from what he saw the Disney sections of the store are very small and the store has one big section devoted to Marvel items and the other sections have mainly toys and less clothing. And it seems that Disney Store is now becoming a toy store because it seems that toys and plush Disney characters are the top sellers for children. But I think in a few years Disney Stores will still be popular but will focus on children and feature merchandise geared for children 6 to 12 years old and have children oriented special events as well at some locations

They use to do fun events quite a bit. Something every day of the week and my daughter loved going to the story times ones, but then they did less of them and started repeating them so often it was boring to go. Two summers they had free things to collect if you went to an event, new item each week. Patches one year and tsum tsum bracelets another, so fun.

I also agree its not just the rise in online shopping. Being a kids store first it doesn't help less and less stay at home parent to take kids to the events or to go to the mall just to get out of the house.

 

[DisneyAuntie12]

Also wonder how the new Disney Store section in Target plays into this. As Target is the type of brick and mortar that seems poised to do well as malls go out of business (they carry impulse buys alongside the day to day staples that you typically need immediately, or are perishable, and don’t want to have shipped) I wonder if Disney will go all-in on this.