Tag Archives: Disney Catalog

Improving Disney Shopping, Part 5: Tigger Watch 2011 revisited

By web gangsta | Published: June 4, 2010



Tigger
Tigger

Web Watch last had a TIGGER WATCH article almost a year ago, which is plenty of time to have passed to see if Disney has been paying attention and improved the Disney Shopping Experience.

We were prompted to revisit TIGGER WATCH 2011 due to popular Disney blogger JIM HILL’s recent column entitled DISNEY’S GOING BACK TO THE FUTURE WITH WINNIE the POOH.   Why?  Because there are some things in Jim Hill’s article that just didn’t seem to add up.

Jim Hill quotes  Andy Mooney, Chairman of Disney Consumer Products, as saying that Disney has “done a lot of research” regarding the Pooh characters and marketing franchise.  Mr Mooney states, ““We talked with a lot of mothers. Who do most of the buying when it comes to Winnie the Pooh merchandise.”  He continues, “What we’re really looking to do here is return these characters to their roots. Try and recapture what made them so popular, so desirable in the first place.”

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Improving Disney Shopping, Part 4: Tigger Watch 2011

By web gangsta | Published: July 9, 2009


When Web Watch last wrote on the topic of IMPROVING DISNEY SHOPPING, we noted how Disney merchandising was starting to turn the giant ship around into more favorable shopping options for fans.

And with last month’s news about the NEW WINNIE THE POOH FEATURE FILM BEING RELEASED IN 2011, Web Watch thought that this will be a great time for a case study to see whether Disney really is looking at how to properly merchandise their franchises.

Why a case study, and why “Tigger Watch” instead of “Winnie the Pooh Watch”?

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Improving Disney Shopping, part 3: Better Merchandise Options

By web gangsta | Published: May 20, 2009


Up Hawaiian Shirt from Disney/PixarIn previous posts that talk about improving the Disney shopping experience, Web Watch has touched upon Disney now making exclusive park merchandise available online and a request for Disney to make better merchandise options available than the standard “t-shirt, snowglobe, design-it-yourself” options… especially when it comes to available adult clothing or other products available for sale.

Today, I’m pleased to report that we may see a small turning of the giant, slow moving, merchandise cruise ship into more favorable winds. 

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Improving Disney Shopping, part 2: Now Buy Park Merchandise Online

By web gangsta | Published: May 14, 2009


A few months ago, Web Watch posted a piece on IMPROVING DISNEY SHOPPING where we posted the following:

All Disney has to do is return to making merchandise special. “Plus” the shopping experience again. Cater merchandise to all customers, not just the kids. And remember to market all the characters like they used to do.  Not all women want Tinkerbell or Princess merch. Not all men want Grumpy, Goofy, or Big Bad Wolf items.   Not everyone wants a T-shirt, baseball cap, boxer shorts, or coffee mug.  Give us variety.  Give us quality.  Give us something other than what you currently are doing.

We then asked an open-ended question to Disney, as to whether they would be smart enough to sell [us] the right stuff…. aside from more duck butt hats, of course. 

It looks like someone may have been listening.

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Brand Fan Clubs

By web gangsta | Published: March 22, 2009


Michael Jones at the terrific business-oriented ALL THINGS DISNEY blog posed this question as he asked about GIVING DISNEY’S D23 MEMBERSHIP CLUB A CHANCE:   Can you name another company (besides Apple) that has a large a following as Disney and yet has no official outlet?

Disney has a large and rabid online fanbase.  No doubt about it.  Other companies do as well.

And in today’s world of TwitMyFace social marketing, any company that has a large and vocal fan base should be aware enough of their surroundings to monitor the online goings-on of their consumers.   In 2000, Coca-Cola issues a cease-and-desist order to a fan who had created a fan website, vintagecocacola.com (the site is currently down).   The claim was that the user was cybersquatting on Coca-Cola’s trademark, but ignores that there can exceptions if the trademarked name is not used for profit (as is the case with most fan-based sites).  Coca-Cola’s stance was that they were merely protecting their trademark… though they recognize that in doing so they may upset their most loyal, well-meaning fans.

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Improving Disney Shopping

By web gangsta | Published: February 25, 2009


Just read the latest post on Progress City USA, TEN WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR #8: OVERHAUL PARK MERCHANDISE.  I completely agree with the points raised about the depressing increase in  homogenization of merchandise available throughout the Disney parks.  

I too, remember a time when the Orange Bird was found at the Tiki Room, and where land-specific merchandise was available.  A time when Main Street, USA’s Emporium shop didn’t run the full length of the street (when Center Street was an actual street separating the two show buildings instead of what we have today).

I want to buy a “Walt Disney World” sweatshirt, not a “Disney Parks” sweatshirt.

I have found myself visiting both Disneyland and Walt Disney World on numerous shopping missions over the years, only to walk away empty-handed and with a full wallet.  There is no doubt that there are plenty of things to buy at the Disney parks, especially if you are a once-in-a-lifetime visitor — but there is often nothing new of interest to the Disney Fan to buy beyond pins.   (Pin collecting and trading is a wonderful hobby, but it does not appeal to everybody.)     And really, how many Duck Butt hats does one family need?

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