Disney Store exclusive Duffy merchandise?

[mgmenning]

I agree, Duffy's fur was awful and I was unimpressed with the way they are pimping out (for lack of a better expression) Duffy to the commercial world.

However I had a good experience in my Disney Store today. When I was looking at the Duffy area with a huge grin on my face a young girl (maybe 5) was in a nearby area picking out a stuffed animal for Valentines Day. Her mother said she could pick any character she wanted. After watching me swoon over Duffy, she asked her mom "whose that?" The mom said, "I have no idea." Then turned to me and asked, "Is this Duffy from a new movie?" I went on to tell them the whole story about how Minnie made Duffy for Mickey to take with on a long journey to visit his friends... etc.

The girl walked out with a Duffy instead of a princess or Nemo or Stitch. Later in the afternoon I saw them walking around the mall and Duffy was glued to her chest in a permanent hug.

Maybe the low quality Duffy is degrading the standards and maybe the marketing is inadequate, but at least one girl learned who Duffy is and now has a new treasured friend.

[DuffyGuardian]

What a great story. It's sad to think if you were not there. That little girl may not have chosen Duffy. Who I am sure will be a life long friend of hers.

[gurgi]

Oh...lots to respond to...ugh! But first I have to get something out of the way.

I planned to go to the Disney Store tomorrow, but when I realized the Times Square store was open late, I decided to go tonight after class.

So, here are the pictures I took.

Just like the other pictures you guys have posted from your local stores, Duffy at Times Square only got one display. At least his was not crammed in with other plush, if that's a plus...

On the bottom, you can actually see this store did have a 36" plush left, and right after I took this, he was snatched up and bought.


He's so unceremoniously crammed down there though...poor guy!


Same exact assortment as everyone else has.



And, here are a couple shots of the store itself. I have to say, this is not the best representation, because they are now remodeling this store again. The second floor was completely closed off and will reopen later, so only the first floor was accessible.

Above the first floor cash registers


One of the projection "trees"


This one has a...swing...thingy, that rotates.


Rainbow NYC skyscrapers


And this one's just for you, DuffyD. This is the first time I've EVER seen Tiger Lilly from Peter Pan as a toy! You just mentioned her, so I had to take a picture.



So, with those posted, I can get to my Duffy experience. I have to say, he was doing brisk business at this store, because it's heavily tourists. In fact, there were several Japanese groups in there, and they knew EXACTLY who Duffy was, and were snatching them up. Other people were curious, and just looking. While I was browsing, I was approached by various CM's telling me all about Duffy and his first day there. The problem was, they didn't really tell me ABOUT Duffy; not his story, or even how he came from Japan. They just said that he was from the parks and this was his first day at the store, and wasn't he just too cute? So, the CM's didn't really know all that much, and as each one told me about Duffy, I told them in return about the Duffy I know. I made sure to mention his roots, and also about ShellieMay.

One of the managers came over at one point and was enthusiastic about the reaction to Duffy. She also told me that guests had been asking for him specifically at that store for a long time. So, I'm guessing Japanese guests might have been doing that. The other thing she said is that it's possible that if Duffy is a success there, he might get NYC exclusive costumes. I take this with a grain of salt, but it's not totally impossible. They had NYC Disney bears after all, and they do have a whole line of NYC Disney store merchandise exclusive to that store. But, I'll believe it when I see it. It's only the first freaking day after all!

Oh, and DuffyD, your comment about the lack of knowledge of the Disney Store CM's is valid, and to tell you the truth, it's not surprising. When the stores opened decades ago, most of the CM's were Disney fans themselves, or at least knew enough about the history and company to answer questions. Now, they pretty much hire anyone. In fact, one of the girls I was talking to tonight had very little exposure to Disney before her job there. So, she was being given DVD's of the movies by her coworkers to bring her up to speed. But, she didn't even know any of the characters from Peter Pan, and we were standing right by the fixture.

Back to Duffy. All of the different sizes of the bears use the waffle fur, even the 36" one. It's not nice. Also, these appear to be the same as the current bears sold at the parks; meaning cheaper feeling. It's not as drastic as the older Disney bears, but these bears are just slightly less quality than the TDS bears, and original US launch Duffies.

I just don't know what to think about all of this yet. Maybe leaning towards how DuffyDaisuki feels. It's just hard to explain. There is no reason these were shipped to all the Disney stores except money. There is nowhere they have Duffy's story displayed. How can you convey to the guests who he is if the basics are not there? I overheard an interaction between a guest and CM that was kind of depressing. The guest was asking specifically for teddy bears. He led them around, and finally arrived at Duffy and basically said, "oh, and we have this one who's supposed to be Mickey's bear", and that was all he told them. It really is a throwaway consumer-driven object now. WHY should they buy Duffy? What's the reason? Disney doesn't have one other than $$$$. They just crank out crap hoping people buy it. It's really no different than Mickey. They just release plush after plush of Mickey, and people just buy it without question. They're hoping they do that with Duffy because somebody might happen to want a bear.

It's not really crass, it's just terribly uninspired, depressing, and boring. Disney treats all it's properties like this, especially anything sold in the stores. It's not treated like a special commodity. Even the "collector" things they have like Vinylmation and the "Animators collection" doll series is just thrown on shelves with no real explanation, other than hopefully catching people's eye.

The problem with doing that to Duffy is that he has no legacy here. People aren't emotionally attached to him. When someone sees a special Ariel doll, they already know her and love her. So, they'll buy her based on her history, and possibly because it's a limited edition or special version. Duffy has never really been given that chance here.

At TDS, he built slowly, and has now almost taken over an entire land. He has earned his place there, and the only reason he's such a phenomenon there is because the fans/guests made him that way. He started out small, people bought him, and then OLC responded to his growing success with more and more attention to detail. Disney has basically tried to take that formula and reverse it by flooding the market with Duffy, and trying to make people like him for no good reason.

I do wish we could put this genie back in it's bottle, but it's way too late for that.

[DuffyDaisuki]

…After watching me swoon over Duffy, she asked her mom "whose that?" The mom said, "I have no idea." Then turned to me and asked, "Is this Duffy from a new movie?" I went on to tell them the whole story about how Minnie made Duffy for Mickey to take with on a long journey to visit his friends... etc.

The girl walked out with a Duffy instead of a princess or Nemo or Stitch. Later in the afternoon I saw them walking around the mall and Duffy was glued to her chest in a permanent hug.

Maybe the low quality Duffy is degrading the standards and maybe the marketing is inadequate, but at least one girl learned who Duffy is and now has a new treasured friend.

That's a great story! Did you mention Tokyo DisneySEA or the Oriental Land Company and the fact that it was Japanese artists, not Disney, who made the concept work?

[tenchikiss]

While I understand the NYC store must be a lot bigger and pull in a big crowd I still don't know why they got the godzilla duffys and us Florida stores didn't get any. We are way closer to Disney, with many, many tourists. I mean I don't see any tourists being able to take him home that easy but if they were why not be at a Florida store, a stones throw away from the parks no less?

[gurgi]

Yeah, I'm not sure why they got it and none of the others did.

Oh, and sorry about the blurry pictures...

Something else. The story tags on the bears are fairly large, and I thought (wrongly) that because they seemed to have several pages accordion-style, and lots of text, that they must have put all the text from the storybook in there. Which would be a good thing, right? Well, when I opened it up, I realized it's so large because the Duffy story is in 10 different languages! So...it's the VERY simplistic version of the story, but there for many tongues. I can't fault that though, as the story hang tags on the TDS bears also have the super simplified story on them. It's only in the storybooks that it's fleshed out. WHY couldn't they have those at this Duffy "launch"??

[ZTRinZler]

And there we have perfectly illustrated the problem. I tried so hard… I really did my very best… But I am just one person. I created the Post. I begged people to care. I tried to make it easy to know, to understand. I wanted us to be a community. And I wanted us to fight this. I have failed, and this character I love so much… Duffy will never be Duffy now. How can you know this and still give them your money? How can you support this? I don't understand…

As previously explained, I am ambivalent about Duffy’s release at local Disney Stores, and I conveyed my sentiments, with a small dose of sarcasm, when I stated, “I’m ecstatic…disappointed…teed off…but I will purchase Duffy swag.” Does my proclamation mean I will buy Duffy merchandise willy nilly, like the “consumer sheep” (I guess) I am perceived to be? No, I adopt Duffies and Shellie Mays into my family based on a recognized emotional/sentimental connection and practicality. I purchase and create outfits for them that display their interests, likes, sentiments, etc. because they are extensions of my own interests and so forth, and I am proud that my Duffies and Shellie May can happily express said feelings. I’ve always wanted a TDS Duffy, and one day within the near future I will adopt one (1). And when I see some OLC regular, seasonal, and CCC outfits I truly must have, because they honestly help my Duffies and Shellie May express themselves, I will buy them too.

Disney gets some of their Duffy merchandise right. Most of it they do not, but some items they do. Should I penalize myself and ignore the few items that hit the bull’s eye because the majority of Duffy merchandise they get wrong? No, and when my Disney Store reopens in the spring and if Duffy is still available at local Disney Stores, then yes, I will walk right into my Disney Store, peruse the Duffy merchandise, and purchase Duffy items about which I hesitated and for which I have patiently waited because accessibility bestows unto me choice and more (financial) freedom. I can inspect items to confirm they meet my criteria of approval (i.e. qualitatively and accurately reflect some of my interests, hobbies, etc.) before I purchase them, and if they don’t surpass my criteria, then I can choose not to buy them and no financial consequence will come of it. I don’t feel compelled to retain merchandise I don’t like because I don’t have to further exhaust money on shipping, money which could have been earmarked for another Duffy or non-Duffy related venture. I understand what accessibility has given to me, and I will beg for no one’s forgiveness for taking advantage of those gifts.

Does this mean I don’t care about what’s progressing? No, and I think it’s a bit presumptuous to assume that I don’t simply because I honestly stated my foreseeable actions. People have purchased the new 8” Duffy and the 9” Santa Duffy because they were cute, and barely any discord and dissension arose. Furthermore, ever since I expressed my earlier sentiments when we were anticipating Duffy’s Disney Store release, I have been drafting a letter. Depending on whether Disney “did right” by Duffy, the letter would communicate either my disappointment with the lack of Disney magic implementation, or my excitement that Disney had finally hoisted the magical mantle they inherited from Walt himself. I won’t send it until I personally explore Duffy’s Street Release for myself, otherwise it wouldn't be my true sentiments about the endeavor, simply my perceptions based on other's experiences. I wrote it because I figured eventually sending my sentiments and suggestions about their new venture would be better than simply posting online because I would actually tell Disney how I feel.

…Or do you think the CM is full of crap and they're creating fake hype?

I honestly don’t know if it’s CMs being misinformed, CMs creating false hype, or CM optimism to genuinely assist a customer.

[mgmenning]

That's a great story! Did you mention Tokyo DisneySEA or the Oriental Land Company and the fact that it was Japanese artists, not Disney, who made the concept work?

I mentioned that Duffy is very popular in Tokyo but that he visits the US as well and that if she is ever lucky enough to visit a Disney park she can meet Duffy in person some day. Her eyes lit up. I told her mother that the Duffy book was available online and that if they ever wanted to learn even more about Duffy that they should visit this forum on Micechat!

[Eeee-va]

Oh, I wish the 8" Duffies had bigger ears! The idea of the Small Frys clothes on them, though...and Aimster's picture...I'm going to have to go look tomorrow. Except now I have to go to the mall that has a Disney Store AND a Build a Bear, because if I find a cute 8" Duffy, he's not going home without clothes (unless there's nothing acceptable at Build a Bear, in which case he just lost his appeal).

Crazy missed opportunity on Disney's part. Had they have even a couple 8" Duffy-compatible outfits, even at $10, the combo would've tempted me, and surely made countless store guests (including children) see the appeal of affordable 8" Duffy. A small bear with removable outfits you can pick, for $20 (outfit and plush both)? Value-minded consumers and children have BOTH got to like that.

But sadly, Disney is just marketing him as ANOTHER different-sized unclothed bear. Even if someone buys one 8" Duffy and one 12" Duffy, that's less money (and probably a lot less profit) than if they'd bought 2 outfits for their 17" bear. Never mind all of DuffyD's (rightful) concerns, I just don't understand this business plan.

Hearing about Disney Store employees who don't even seem to know who Duffy is gives me half a mind to try to get a part-time job at the Disney Store! Though I guess if I mentioned OLC as much as I should, it'd be a short-lived gig.

There's a large Asian population in my city, so I am interested to see if the reaction here is any different than in some of the other towns.

[ZTRinZler]

Thanks for the pictures, gurgi. The trees are interesting. They don't really excite me, but they are interesting, not my cup of tea, but interesting. The swing is cool, and the NYC skyscrapers are pretty cool. Hopefully, my store will include a similar motif representative of New Orleans. I do hope they keep some of the original store's decorations and themes.

[gurgi]

Hopefully you didn't take DuffyD's criticism too personally. I don't think he meant it the way you took it, but he is passionate for sure. I can't put words in his mouth though.

Anyway, something I just now noticed that made me a little less upset. I haven't looked at the official Duffy Facebook page in ages, since it's not really updated, and Aimster does a much better job at updating on new stuff with her page. But, I just had a look at the official one and scrolled all the way to the bottom of the timeline when they started his page. To my surprise, they actually have Duffy's timeline as the beginning. There is NO mention of his start as Disney Bear, they start him at zero and his first introduction is at Tokyo DisneySea in 2004. They keep with his TDS roots over his milestones there, right up until his American debut. So, DuffyD, Disney (although quietly) has officially acknowledged Duffy's Japanese roots on his Facebook page, with pictures, and they mention TDS in every single post about him, and they also don't mention his failed beginnings as the Disney Bear. That made me just a bit happier.

Oh yes, and those trees. They don't do anything for me either. In fact, they are too faded to really get a sense of what's on them. They are blank white normally, and the projections change often, but it's so washed out it's not that visually stimulating.

[ZTRinZler]

Oh yes, and those trees. They don't do anything for me either. In fact, they are too faded to really get a sense of what's on them. They are blank white normally, and the projections change often, but it's so washed out it's not that visually stimulating.

Yeah, I figured based on the pictures that that was how they operated. When done correctly, I'm sure the trees are very pretty, but most days, they're probably just...well, just as pictured.

[nadine]

Yeah, I figured based on the pictures that that was how they operated. When done correctly, I'm sure the trees are very pretty, but most days, they're probably just...well, just as pictured.

Just noticed on the Disneystore.com the 36" Duffy Bear is NOT even shown anymore. I know that yesterday it showed SOLD OUT, but this morning he is Not pictured at all.

[nadine]

Just noticed on the Disneystore.com the 36" Duffy Bear is NOT even shown anymore. I know that yesterday he showed as SOLD OUT but this morning he is not pictured at all...

[DuffyDaisuki]

As previously explained, I am ambivalent about Duffy’s release at local Disney Stores, and I conveyed my sentiments, with a small dose of sarcasm, when I stated, “I’m ecstatic…disappointed…teed off…but I will purchase Duffy swag.” Does my proclamation mean I will buy Duffy merchandise willy nilly, like the “consumer sheep” (I guess) I am perceived to be?

I certainly don't think anyone who chooses to love Duffy is a consumer sheep, and I'd like to believe Disney doesn't think so, but the track record suggests that the latter is not the case. Disney seems reluctant to genuinely invest in lots of things, and especially where Duffy is concerned it appears to me that if fans say "good enough is good enough," good enough is all we'll ever get.

Disney gets some of their Duffy merchandise right. Most of it they do not, but some items they do. Should I penalize myself and ignore the few items that hit the bull’s eye because the majority of Duffy merchandise they get wrong? No, and when my Disney Store reopens in the spring and if Duffy is still available at local Disney Stores, then yes, I will walk right into my Disney Store, peruse the Duffy merchandise, and purchase Duffy items about which I hesitated and for which I have patiently waited because accessibility bestows unto me choice and more (financial) freedom. I can inspect items to confirm they meet my criteria of approval (i.e. qualitatively and accurately reflect some of my interests, hobbies, etc.) before I purchase them, and if they don’t surpass my criteria, then I can choose not to buy them and no financial consequence will come of it. I don’t feel compelled to retain merchandise I don’t like because I don’t have to further exhaust money on shipping, money which could have been earmarked for another Duffy or non-Duffy related venture. I understand what accessibility has given to me, and I will beg for no one’s forgiveness for taking advantage of those gifts.

I don't expect anyone to apologize or beg forgiveness for anything. That's not my point at all. But I strongly believe that the management at WDC only understands numbers, the way computers "understand" binary code. And their goals do not seem lofty. If they are profitable, they seem unmotivated to innovate purely for the purpose of making the best Duffy they can or even meeting demands that fans/consumers have called for repeatedly.


The lack of shipping costs and the ability to individually self-select items is obviously a benefit. I'm not questioning that. It's the (lack of) presentation and heartful, invested enthusiasm that ruins it for me.


I strongly believe that the Park connection is a major, powerful element of what differentiates and defines Duffy. But I would accept this loss as a necessary consequence if the same caliber of Duffy experience as offered in TDS was what is being made available in Disney Stores or from the Disney Store website. I have always hoped for Duffy to become a global presence, but I want it to be DUFFY, not a "Disney bear" with his name. Years ago I imagined the global teams of all the Disney Parks competing with each other, all producing their very best work, exciting fans. I imagined fans in every country exchanging Duffy merchandise like mix tapes of favorite DJs. No gratuities and rules — a bartering exchange full of fans who wanted each other's local goods. I allowed for the possibility of a central global Duffy website, themed to Cape Cod (OF COURSE) that might offer a separate merchandise line for fans who didn't live near a Park. But I never imagined just tossing Duffy up on Disney Store shelves without even signage or a note to staff about who he is. This route is not making Duffy available to anyone at all; this way is not Duffy. I will not apologize for caring about how this is handled. If no one expects more — demands more — from Disney, we will not get it and what Duffy means in the hearts and minds of the majority will not be true to his spirit. I do not accept this.


What I would have loved — what would have energized Disney fans around the world — is if Spring Voyage had been conceived as a huge, unprecedented global event. Every park could have had a different, equally high-quality FULL line of merchandise. And the Disney Store could have had an international Cape Cod hub from which fans could hang out, and link to their local sites to order merchandise for the Disney Store launch. It would have been a perfect way to introduce ShellieMay. A global event of unprecedented merchandise, including the first release of Duffy in Disney Stores and the long-awaited release of ShellieMay in many markets. And in Tokyo it was Duffy's premiere park-wide event. Spring Voyage could have been a milestone in every market, and a sign of the right way to approach "One Disney." Sadly, it would have required the WDC to get on the same page as the OLC and to genuinely and completely acknowledge their core creative role with Duffy.


As Gurgi has already pointed out, though, such an event would have required giving credit where credit is due to The Oriental Land Company, and firmly establishing both TDS and specifically Cape Cod as Duffy's hometown. As Gurgi has also said, this was never likely, and that ship has definitely sailed now.


Spring Voyage handled in this way would have been a bow to Tokyo creators and fans that all deeply deserve. And it would have been a clear bridge over the gap that exists between the Japanese and overseas markets — and fandoms. It also would have followed the OLC model, and even taken it to the next level, by bridging the real world with the Park/Store/fantasy world through merchandise and design. I have wanted everyone in the world to understand Duffy's magic for years, but I want people to know Duffy the superstar, Duffy the firestarter…not Duffy the "who's that Mickey bear?" There is a right way, and there is already a very clear map. But I guess it's true that most folks outside Tokyo don't have access to even understand why this matters so much. In my mind, that doesn't make it right to degrade the character I love. And also, without the love what people are getting is not really anything like the Duffy experience anyway, so I don't inderstand why access to a lesser product is something to cheer about or clamor for. I want everyone to have Duffy, but I hope fans hardcore enough to be here demand that Disney respect his legacy rather than simultaneously usurp and devalue it.

Does this mean I don’t care about what’s progressing? No, and I think it’s a bit presumptuous to assume that I don’t simply because I honestly stated my foreseeable actions…


I figured eventually sending my sentiments and suggestions about their new venture would be better than simply posting online because I would actually tell Disney how I feel.

I hope you know this already, but my post wasn't directed at you personally, ZT. It was/is about the fact that when we buy what Disney does not commit to, there is no pressure for them to commit. You gotta make 'em "put a ring on it!" That's all I'm saying.^^

It sounds like you're telling me basically that posting my thoughts on MiceChat is pointless because Disney is not reading them. First of all, I don't believe for a moment that a letter from me will change Disney's approach. It would take letters from all of us, and still it's very unlikely without some big media attention.


To that end, I post my thoughts to encourage the conversation, to gather energy, and so that there's a record of the fact that Duffy means and matters more, and that someone cares very deeply about it. I've been doing just that for a very long time, and I doubt it will stop soon. I also post for myself. Because MiceChat was the first English Disney site to create a place specifically to talk about Duffy, because I was part of that happening and I remember what it was like before, and because I am deeply invested in this community. I like to think my voice is valued here, but I accept I might be wrong and I don't feel obliged to be changing Disney in order to earn the right to be relevant, try as I might on both counts.

I honestly don’t know if it’s CMs being misinformed, CMs creating false hype, or CM optimism to genuinely assist a customer.

I honestly don't know, either, though I think it should be the latter, and I think that should be a given, without question.

I mentioned that Duffy is very popular in Tokyo but that he visits the US as well and that if she is ever lucky enough to visit a Disney park she can meet Duffy in person some day. Her eyes lit up. I told her mother that the Duffy book was available online and that if they ever wanted to learn even more about Duffy that they should visit this forum on Micechat!

I'm so glad you mentioned Tokyo! I meant to the mother, not the little girl.^^ I hope they come visit us here!

…Crazy missed opportunity on Disney's part. Had they have even a couple 8" Duffy-compatible outfits, even at $10, the combo would've tempted me, and surely made countless store guests (including children) see the appeal of affordable 8" Duffy. A small bear with removable outfits you can pick, for $20 (outfit and plush both)? Value-minded consumers and children have BOTH got to like that.

Missed opportunity, for sure. But since they didn't even bother making signs or asking staff to read the hang tags, it's hard to be surprised.

But sadly, Disney is just marketing him as ANOTHER different-sized unclothed bear. Even if someone buys one 8" Duffy and one 12" Duffy, that's less money (and probably a lot less profit) than if they'd bought 2 outfits for their 17" bear. Never mind all of DuffyD's (rightful) concerns, I just don't understand this business plan.

Me, too. All judgment aside, I just can't see what the logic is at all. Duffy was meticulously and lovingly crafted to embody the vibe of DisneySEA. If the US is gonna hop a ride to the bank based on all that work, the very least they could do is have some kind of coherent plan. I think Gurgi said it best, all they see is TDS sales figures without understanding why Duffy is such a phenomenon here.

Hearing about Disney Store employees who don't even seem to know who Duffy is gives me half a mind to try to get a part-time job at the Disney Store! Though I guess if I mentioned OLC as much as I should, it'd be a short-lived gig.

I'd get an MBA in marketing and desperately try to work there if everyone I know who has worked for or with Disney in America didn't tell me it's a futile exercise.

…I just had a look at the official one and scrolled all the way to the bottom of the timeline when they started his page. To my surprise, they actually have Duffy's timeline as the beginning. There is NO mention of his start as Disney Bear, they start him at zero and his first introduction is at Tokyo DisneySea in 2004. They keep with his TDS roots over his milestones there, right up until his American debut. So, DuffyD, Disney (although quietly) has officially acknowledged Duffy's Japanese roots on his Facebook page, with pictures, and they mention TDS in every single post about him, and they also don't mention his failed beginnings as the Disney Bear. That made me just a bit happier.

I was impressed by this too, at first blush, but then I realized that the same people who don't frequent Duffy message boards and already know Duffy's history also don't realize that Tokyo Disney Resort was conceived and is owned and operated by The Oriental Land Company. So, effectively what that timeline does is erase the Disney Bear failure and take credit for OLC's achievements. I imagine now that many a new Duffy fan will emerge who argues vehemently that Duffy was always Disney's brainchild and the WDC simply chose to market him in Japan first, which is a sore cry from reality.

PS: Disney doesn't want (and cannot legally accept) my ideas sent directly to them and I don't think they'll hire someone who thinks like me. I post my ideas here in hopes someone will PLEASE steal them!^^ If no one at WDC is reading these boards, we're in worse shape than I thought!

From the Facebook page: "PAGE RULES: This Page is a place for our Fans. However, we do need to have certain rules. Please be aware that we do not accept or consider unsolicited idea submissions and, also, we must reserve the right to remove any posting or other material that we find off-topic, inappropriate or objectionable, or that we deem to be an unsolicited idea submission."