What else happened at Disneyland last Sunday?

mousepod · 03-26-2005, 06:03 PM

I understand why Disney doesn't merchandise the product outside of the resorts - the foot traffic is high and the idea of a guest "discovering" something special might lead to more impulse shopping. Disney is clearly not stupid when it comes to merchandising.
I also think that there's nothing basically wrong with shopping sites and on-line resellers. They charge a fee for obtaining goods for lazy people. In the age of internet shopping, most B&M stores do the same thing.
What bugs me about the online sites selling currently available park stuff is that they don't make it clear that all of the merchandise is available through Disney mail-order. They also don't list the official retail cost of the product they're reselling. That might not be wrong, but it's tacky.
I just ordered a book and a dvd from WDW mail-order. My cost, including shipping was $105.90. If I bought the same goods from laughing place, my cost would have been $141.96. That's quite a mark-up.
Rather than complain about this, though, I'm going to do something about it. Starting with the next MousePod, I'm going to suggest that all of my listeners who are interested in buying Park merchandise go to lp, check out what they want, and call Disney mail-order. Simple as that.

Kevy Baby · 03-26-2005, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousepod

I also think that there's nothing basically wrong with shopping sites and on-line resellers. They charge a fee for obtaining goods for lazy people.

Well, I would guess that a vast majority of the people buying from LP and MS don't live near a Disney Resort. If I lived in Montana and really wanted a Shag Tiki shirt, I think the $12 markup plus shipping and handling would be significantly less than the plane ticket, transportation and admission (OK, save the $50 and buy from WOD).

€uroMeinke · 03-26-2005, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

Well, I would guess that a vast majority of the people buying from LP and MS don't live near a Disney Resort. If I lived in Montana and really wanted a Shag Tiki shirt, I think the $12 markup plus shipping and handling would be significantly less than the plane ticket, transportation and admission (OK, save the $50 and buy from WOD).

Right, but I believe MousePod was refering to the fact that Disney does do mail order (Deliver Ears?), they just don't catalogue and market the items in the park. That's the "value added" to the online stores.

Kevy Baby · 03-27-2005, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousepod

1 - I have no intention of telling people to go to LP or MS and then call Disney.

Really?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousepod

Here, in this very same thread: Starting with the next MousePod, I'm going to suggest that all of my listeners who are interested in buying Park merchandise go to lp, check out what they want, and call Disney mail-order. Simple as that.

mousepod · 03-27-2005, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

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.

Quote:

Originally Posted by me, in the very same post...

What I will tell people is that park merchandise can be bought at places other than theme parks. One place to get that stuff is through shopping services like LP or MS, where you have the benefit of internet shopping with pictures, but know that you'll pay a 35% markup. The other place is to call Disney direct. If people want to draw conclusions on how to shop, all the power to them. I'm sorry if I didn't make myself clear earlier.

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.

Kevy Baby · 03-27-2005, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousepod

Thank you for the personal attacks.

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

03-26-2005, 06:03 PM	#1
mousepod You broke your Ramadar! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,635	I understand why Disney doesn't merchandise the product outside of the resorts - the foot traffic is high and the idea of a guest "discovering" something special might lead to more impulse shopping. Disney is clearly not stupid when it comes to merchandising. I also think that there's nothing basically wrong with shopping sites and on-line resellers. They charge a fee for obtaining goods for lazy people. In the age of internet shopping, most B&M stores do the same thing. What bugs me about the online sites selling currently available park stuff is that they don't make it clear that all of the merchandise is available through Disney mail-order. They also don't list the official retail cost of the product they're reselling. That might not be wrong, but it's tacky. I just ordered a book and a dvd from WDW mail-order. My cost, including shipping was $105.90. If I bought the same goods from laughing place, my cost would have been $141.96. That's quite a mark-up. Rather than complain about this, though, I'm going to do something about it. Starting with the next MousePod, I'm going to suggest that all of my listeners who are interested in buying Park merchandise go to lp, check out what they want, and call Disney mail-order. Simple as that. __________________ "Give the public everything you can give them, keep the place as clean as you can keep it, keep it friendly" - Walt Disney
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