Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

[Broadway Guru]

Meg Crofton.

No. Come on guys, don't just lash out at the easiest figurehead you can target. This is like blaming the President as the cause for all your troubles.

I don't think HMF meant to blame Meg specifically, more the fact that these decisions are made 3,300 miles away by people who think of DL as WDW's "little brother."

[Armadillo4]

Disney severely underestimated the demand for some of the unique items. And that's definitely a mistake. But I'm guessing they are complying with the demand by ordering more stock as quickly as they can. I doubt the executives are "not complying" and refusing to order more stock.

If predicting supply-and-demand ahead of time for unreleased products were that easy, then all businesses would be extremely successful. Even the best companies underestimate demand from time to time. When the iPhone 3G came out, my sister had to wait 5 weeks before her order finally arrived. Apple dealt with a notorious product shortage during that release. And I also remember shopping for a Nintendo Wii when it first came out in 2006. I forget how long it took, but it was several weeks before I finally found one at a decent price--i.e. not marked up 100% or higher by a 3rd-party retailer.

As others have also written, I do hope the executives are taking note of the popularity of land-specific merchandise and give the fans more of the really unique products that we love.

[loungefly97]

You probably don't want to hear this, but the only way they could have prevented running out before more arrived would have been to raise prices to a premium within the first couple days of reopening.

[Bob Weaver]

They are inanimate objects. Five hundred years from now they won't even exist any more. They are meaningless in the big picture. There should not be any emotional attachment to an inanimate object. People should be concerned with the people and other living beings in their lives that they love and cherish. For people to be upset that not enough of this or that were manufactured is a symptom of a society that has completely lost its way. Sorry to throw a wet blanket on this discussion, but who really cares whether a particular object is there or not there for you to exchange power-on-paper (money) for...

[swampymarsh]

Economics.
Subject 1.
S=D P=P
S<D P=P+x

Subject 2.
Substitution

Marketing
Create Demand by limiting Supply to increase perceptive value to allow selling at a higher Price.

Are they loosing money because they don't have this stuff to sell for a short while? Probably not much and more likely making more so they can laugh taking it to the back.

[jsmith11618]

Sometimes these things happen, its not the end of the world and it happens all the time in retail.

[MAH4546]

What you are referring to is not the concept of supply and demand.

If you want Disney to "comply" with supply and demand, then you essentially want Disney to raise the price of souvenirs.

Disney simply underestimated the demand for $12 cone cups. Can you blame them? I wouldn't have thought people would go crazy for them either.

[HMF]

I don't think HMF meant to blame Meg specifically, more the fact that these decisions are made 3,300 miles away by people who think of DL as WDW's "little brother."

What I mean is that if all merchandise decisions are made in Orlando then Meg and co. are to blame. You would be amazed how out of touch WDW Management is.

[sir clinksalot]

You think they would have learned their lesson after Toy Story:

Barbie
"And this is the Buzz Lightyear aisle. Back in 1995, short-sighted retailers did not order enough dolls to meet demand."

[Sorcerer's Apprentice]

Tour guide Barbie comes to mind - "Back in 1995, short-sighted retailers did not order enough dolls to meet demand."

[toonaspie]

To me, this should be a wake up call to Orlando that unique/land-specific items are a better investment as opposed to the generic merchandising that guests will eventually get bored of buying. Even if prices go up as a result at least people will consider the price growth worth it. We already think the majority of merchandise at Disney parks is expensive enough. The only true dealbreaker is if the item is special enough to be worth buying.

[Quentin]

They are inanimate objects. Five hundred years from now they won't even exist any more. They are meaningless in the big picture. There should not be any emotional attachment to an inanimate object. People should be concerned with the people and other living beings in their lives that they love and cherish. For people to be upset that not enough of this or that were manufactured is a symptom of a society that has completely lost its way. Sorry to throw a wet blanket on this discussion, but who really cares whether a particular object is there or not there for you to exchange power-on-paper (money) for...

Five hundred years from now they won't exist, 5 billion years from now the earth won't exist so its meaningless in the big picture of the universe. Look the hat won't be here in 500 years but neither will the person who bought it. Just because someone is upset that the hat they really want is not available does not mean society lost it's way. If it increases the happiness of the person who purchased it, then it is not meaningless.

[DCAfanatic]

They are inanimate objects. Five hundred years from now they won't even exist any more. They are meaningless in the big picture. There should not be any emotional attachment to an inanimate object. People should be concerned with the people and other living beings in their lives that they love and cherish. For people to be upset that not enough of this or that were manufactured is a symptom of a society that has completely lost its way. Sorry to throw a wet blanket on this discussion, but who really cares whether a particular object is there or not there for you to exchange power-on-paper (money) for...

I don't know if you do! but if you have kids then you'd understand more!

---------- Post added 06-26-2012 at 03:01 PM ----------

To me, this should be a wake up call to Orlando that unique/land-specific items are a better investment as opposed to the generic merchandising that guests will eventually get bored of buying. Even if prices go up as a result at least people will consider the price growth worth it. We already think the majority of merchandise at Disney parks is expensive enough. The only true dealbreaker is if the item is special enough to be worth buying.

Exactly!

[MrsMonroe]

No. Come on guys, don't just lash out at the easiest figurehead you can target. This is like blaming the President as the cause for all your troubles.

you mean people dont do that already? o.0 lol

---------- Post added 06-26-2012 at 03:57 PM ----------

I don't think HMF meant to blame Meg specifically, more the fact that these decisions are made 3,300 miles away by people who think of DL as WDW's "little brother."

DL is NOT WDW's little brother!! God i wish i was in charge, i'd show them how to run a freaking media conglomerate!!!

[Dreamer10]

To me, this should be a wake up call to Orlando that unique/land-specific items are a better investment as opposed to the generic merchandising that guests will eventually get bored of buying. Even if prices go up as a result at least people will consider the price growth worth it. We already think the majority of merchandise at Disney parks is expensive enough. The only true dealbreaker is if the item is special enough to be worth buying.

Agree. Let's hope they get the message.