Disney Stores are no more
Earlier this month Disney announced that it would be closing 20% of its Disney Store locations in the United States totaling at 60 stores across the country. It seems that the main reason behind this decision is due to the company’s focus on the e-commerce business. Stephanie Young, the president of consumer products, games and publishing, stated that customer expectations were changing, especially during the pandemic.
Consumers are now more inclined to shop online instead of having the full in store experience. However, is this the right move for Disney? The Disney Stores were designed to bring a bit of that Disney magic right to your local mall. As the massive Disney fan I am, just walking into their store always puts a smile on my face. They have something for everyone — from Disney kitchen supplies to baby clothes — and now that experience will be over for many.
Losing that in store experience could negatively impact the company. Disney hopes that by improving the online experience and increasing the products available on ShopDisney, could balance out the closing of their stores. With these new changes Disney hopes to reach a wider audience.
As major companies focus more on e-commerce we could start to see more brands closing down their brick-and-mortar stores. Is the in-person shopping experience a thing of the past? A challenge Disney will face going forward is keeping the social aspects in the new e-commerce space. After all the future is digital, physical, and experiential.
The importance of expectations
While the closing of the Disney Stores may seem like a major risk for the company, they know and understand their customers’ expectations. Now more than ever customers prefer an online shopping experience instead of a traditional in store experience. Want to know more about how these customer expectations can impact your customers’ experiences? Tune into our webinar here.
