Yeah, I don't think it's such a big deal. The websites have to pay full retail for the items they're selling, The resorts pay (probably far less than is fair to the manufacturer) wholesale. The resort isn't losing out on a sale, and the person who buys off a website is paying for a shopping service. When I worked at Disneyland, we knew that guests could call the Park and order any merchandise they wanted and have it delivered. It's one of those "extras" and examples of good customer service we all like about Disneyland.
I don't think it's unethical for a shopping service to charge a fee, although they might do better to post the "in-Park" price, and then how much they're charging you to do your shopping for you. Service based businesses have to charge what the market will bear. How do you know how much personalized shopping is worth to people? Run a business doing it for a couple of years and find out what people are willing to pay.
I would guess that if you're doing your shopping on a website, you're probably participating on the message boards. You're probably pretty "Disney savvy," no matter where you live. I can't imagine you'd be ignorant of "Disney Deliv-ears."
Anyhoo, I manufacture and sell a product at a number of different price points. Retail, wholesale, shipping, farmer's markets, etc. I know some of my stores also do delivery of my product. Is it any of my business to know what these stores are charging? Not really. Once they've bought the product from me, it's theirs to do with as they please. I have customers who like to buy direct from me, and customers who prefer to do their shopping through a favorite store's website.
All in all, I'd say not to worry about the people who don't use Disney Deliv-ears. Disney doesn't advertise it, and the folks who use LP or MS are probably happy to support their favorite Disney fansite.

Interesting comments Kevy - but a few distinctions. Print industry is much different than park merchandise. For one thing, the park is the only sorce of the merchandise (yeah I know about Character Warehouse, but that's a different issue alltogether). Printing on the other hand is a commodity, where you as a broker have a distinct value added of knowing all the providers and who can do what for how much - if you're doing your job right, you're saving your clients money.

The ethics around publishing personal information is about privacy not commerce. Lot's of business try to take advantage of customer ignorance, I don't see a problem of educating them. Additionally, I would see no problem in posting personal information, especially if someone was alluding to being someone or somewhere that he or she wasn't.

But I also agree that LP or MS needed post stuff that could drive away sales. Caveat emptor sill reigns supreme. Likewise I don't think sites like MouseSavers are unethical either.

My only issue.

For the record, I've never talked about "ethics" in my discussions of MS or LP (check the thread) - I use words like 'creepy' and 'blah', because that's how it makes me feel.

Additionally, it would be interesting to see a comparison to another business model that buys retail and sells retail, which is what personal shoppers do. So far, the only one that's been mentioned here is eBay.

I must say, reading some of the responses in this thread are making me angrier and angrier.

Because I am neither an owner nor employee with MS, I can't speak officially for them, but I can tell you that the steps they take are in no way underhanded or unethical. They don't have "secret" contacts at the park. They don't have CMs do stuff that bends the rules. (And for the record, MouseShoppe was in existence long before LP's service started up.)

Any kind of mark-up charged by MouseShoppe barely covers the cost of their going into the park, purchasing the ordered merchandise then lugging it back to their shop and mailing it out. The owner/operator of MS has always been above-board and open and TPTB are well aware of her and have even been supportive!

Disney has known about these outside services for *years* and so far has not decided to provide a similar online service. So, MS has gone around and spent considerable time and money to photograph all the available merchandise, and set-up a sophisticated retail website for those who can't get to the park so they can browse DL merchandise. They've also stockpiled many of the most popular items themselves so they can give even give same day service. And this is creepy?

MousePod, it looks like this is pushing a button or two for you, but MS has in fact done a good job of providing a service that Disney will not. You may not know it, but Delivears ain't all that and a bag of chips. If you don't know exactly what article of merchandise you want, how are you supposed to know how to order it? Plus, they aren't the fastest in mailing out the merchandise once it's ordered. MS steps in and fills the void -- you need 50 mousears by tomorrow? No problem!

As far as I can see, DLR is not being ripped off by any third party services; they make plenty of profit, and services like MS make enough of a modest profit to continue in business.

Okay, I've ranted enough.... Sorry, everybody, but this just got to me bigtime.

Sheila -
I don't disagree with anything you say.

I don't think anyone is "ripping off" anyone.
I think that making cool stuff easy to get is nifty.

To reiterate my point one more time:
- a burned CD at DL (not including tax or AP discount) - $15.99
- the same CD at Mouseshoppe (not including shipping) - $20.00
- the same CD at Laughingplace.com (not including shipping) - $29.38

What does laughingplace offer that mouseplanet doesn't?

caveat emptor, indeed.

Interesting comparrison between the on-line service prices. Why such an up-charge at LP?

Just so you know, Sheila and Alex (if he responds) are MP people - they started it and run it. AVP is also part of the management group and is the owner of MouseShoppe and Charmingshoppe. I used to manage CharmingShoppe when it opened. So, there are a LOT of inside connections here which may lead to a lot of "opinions".

I do know this: MS runs out of the DLR with occasional trips to WDW and DLRP. LP runs out of WDW. I don't know if that accounts for the difference in upcharges or not. I do know that MS runs an above-board business and it is NOT the most profitable business in the world. It is, however, a livelyhood. So, threatening that in any way is going to cause some reactions.

Just some background F.Y.I.

Really?

Thank you for the personal attacks.
Initially, I stated what I was going to say, not how I was going to say it.
After you called my ethics into question, I rephrased my point and told you how I am going to share the information with my audience. If you followed the thread chronologically, you'd understand this.

For the record: I never called the ethics of any of these "resellers" into question. When I see a 100% markup on a CD, it makes me feel creepy. My feelings. If LP or MS would explain to their customers that they charge a seller's fee for their service, it would make me feel less creepy.

Arguments about a thin profit margin don't cut it for me. Sorry.

I don't understand why you seem to think that the right side of ethics is keeping DeliverEars or actual park prices secret.

They aren't personal attacks. They are attacks on the arguments.

I'll accept that.

I guess I felt under attack because the "ethics" argument was introduced by you in reference to my feelings ("creepy", "blah" etc).

I like a good argument as much as the next guy, and I'm even willing to see other peoples' points and change my position.

In another thread, I came to understand why MP doesn't want people to share MA information with people who didn't pay for it. I'm willing to listen.

I can appreciate that MP and LP don't think they're ripping people off. I'm still a little unclear as to why they deserve to make a profit off the ignorance of others, or why it's "unethical" to share information with other Disney fans, but that's just me.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, Kevy.