Disney Banning APs of "personal shoppers" / merch resellers

[rteetz]

Maybe so. It's super interesting that they're doing this...and a good reminder to read the TOS when you buy an AP.

I wonder if we will see a crackdown at WDW soon. There are probably just as many shoppers if not more at WDW.

 

[jade1]

Maybe...I guess if you're a CM who works at the same location and you notice the same people coming in for new releases buying multiple items, you start to put 2 and 2 together?

You can't do that? Seems like its allowed since they "sold" them the stuff.

Can't see how they know if you are keeping it, sharing it, or selling it on ebay.

 

[jade1]

Is it eBay sellers, or "personal shoppers" like they interviewed for the article?

"who buy collectible merchandise inside the parks and then resell it, either to individuals or online, according to observers and people who say it happened to them."

 

[jade1]

or "personal shoppers" like they interviewed for the article?

I'm thinking this is more what got the attention. It does seem an easier identifiable target.

I'm guessing many folks would appreciate somebody doing the legwork to get an item for them, just don't make an obvious biz out of it.

 

[tcufrog]

I'm glad they are doing it. I wish Costco would too. I tried to buy a gift for DS7 there and by the time I was able to all of the item had been bought by resellers. I routinely see people loading up their cart with a single jacket for instance and they aren't buying for a charity.

 

[jade1]

I routinely see people loading up their cart with a single jacket for instance and they aren't buying for a charity.

Make sure though, that is exactly what we do. A tip is look for socks, mittens and underwear in the cart as well.

 

[Ariel484]

I'm guessing many folks would appreciate somebody doing the legwork to get an item for them, just don't make an obvious biz out of it.

This is me. I'm in Ohio, and sometimes they don't have the things I want available on the ShopParks app...so I've used a shopper a few times. It's worked out well for me.

 

[KPeterso]

Is it eBay sellers, or "personal shoppers" like they interviewed for the article?

I'm in a couple of Disney purse Facebook groups and two of the "shoppers" got their passes revoked - they'd essentially buy in-park items and sell them to the rest of us in the Facebook group for retail + shipping + PayPal fees + a shopper fee, usually 10-20% of retail. I think most/all of us suspected they were also pocketing the AP discount, but it was sort of an unspoken thing. Maybe these shoppers are also doing eBay sales and I just don't know about it. If Disney is just going after personal shoppers and not eBay-ers, I agree with the person in the article who says that they (Disney) are barking up the wrong tree.

I'm not sure how Disney tracked/busted the two people I know of who lost their passes (both Disneyland locals, hasn't affected the WDW-based shoppers), they seem to think rival shoppers had a vendetta against them and turned them in. Others have said that Disneyland somehow tracks AP sales in a way that WDW (currently) does not, not sure if they scan the cards before people use their discounts? Maybe it's more of an issue at Disneyland because there are more local AP holders compared to WDW?

If Disney made all of their in-park stuff available on the ShopParks app, or still took phone orders, that would cut down on the "need" for these shoppers...but maybe that's a pretty big project that they don't want to bother with.

I am in the Disney purse Facebook groups too. Probably the same ones. I am also local to Disneyland and have met the one person several times. Disney is definitely tracking purchases at Disneyland. My pass is scanned every time I make a purchase for my discount and my ID verified. I also have an AP for WDW (well a dual Premier pass for both), and I am 99% sure my AP is not scanned when I make purchases. As I recall, it is barely looked at and only to see what level pass I have. As a matter of fact in September, I had a CM in Italy who had to call a manager to verify my pass was really a pass (so definitely not scanned). So scanning the passes does help. I have gone through a personal shopper a few times at WDW if there is something I really want that will not be at Disneyland (such as the Dooney magic bands). If items stayed in stock for more than 1-2 days, I would not worry but some things sell out so fast and never make it to the app.

And for the record, my AP discount is for me and me alone. I would never buy to resell.

 

[tcufrog]

Make sure though, that is exactly what we do. A tip is look for socks, mittens and underwear in the cart as well.

I doubt the cart full of just cute but impractical Tommy Hilfiger coats was for charity.

 

[Ariel484]

I am in the Disney purse Facebook groups too. Probably the same ones. I am also local to Disneyland and have met the one person several times. Disney is definitely tracking purchases at Disneyland. My pass is scanned every time I make a purchase for my discount and my ID verified. I also have an AP for WDW (well a dual Premier pass for both), and I am 99% sure my AP is not scanned when I make purchases. As I recall, it is barely looked at and only to see what level pass I have. As a matter of fact in September, I had a CM in Italy who had to call a manager to verify my pass was really a pass (so definitely not scanned). So scanning the passes does help. I have gone through a personal shopper a few times at WDW if there is something I really want that will not be at Disneyland (such as the Dooney magic bands). If items stayed in stock for more than 1-2 days, I would not worry but some things sell out so fast and never make it to the app.

And for the record, my AP discount is for me and me alone. I would never buy to resell.

Hey there fellow purse fan! Yep I am guessing we're in the same groups.

 

[NotUrsula]

No horse in it, but how do they know an ebay sellers annual pass info?

I'm guessing items have a SN and its logged/e. Tto the AP at purchase?

It's simple enough: bid on it if you see multiples being offered by a single seller, and when the seller identifies his or herself, match the name/address to the AP lists. If it is a numbered item, consecutive numbers are a dead giveaway that the person selling them is the original purchaser. They absolutely are going to track transactions on anything that is a "limited" item in order to see how well it holds value.

As to why Disney suddenly cares, you can thank Big Data. They can now easily track where every single item goes, and how much profit they are losing when someone else is able to resell the item in volume. They also can very easily track the complaints they are getting from others who are unable to access special items.

 

[Josh Hendy]

I'm not sure why Disney is so much against this practice.

Is it because as a matter of principle they can't stand the fact that someone, somehow, is making money off "their" merchandise?

Or is it because the limited-edition merchandise is being offered as an inducement or magnet to attract patrons to Disneyland, in the hope that they will spend a lot on merchandise, drinks, snacks, etc. and the shoppers are hurting this strategy?

 

[monorailrabbit]

I am surprised it took this long, TBH. I've used a personal shopper once - to get a limited edition Universe of Energy shirt that I knew would be gone by the time my next trip came around. To be fair, the shopper only charged me retail price plus shipping and a very small handling fee - not one of those crazy ebay sales where its marked up by 600%. I have no doubt I would not have gotten that shirt without the shopper, as it wasn't available online or the app and I was thankful I found a nice person to ship it to me.

I also think Disney should be going after those greedy ebayers vs. the shoppers who are really trying to help folks find a special item. I don't have, and likely never will have, an AP but I am wondering if they will track folks who do this without APs? I remember being in line for Epcot's 35 waiting for a Figment pop and there was a group of 5 behind us, all planning to get 10 each to resell on ebay, they did not have APs... DH and I were beyond thrilled to get one. I know it isn't in WDW yet, but I wonder if they will be able to track non APs when it gets there.

 

[Tiki Birdland]

greedy ebayers

Not sure how you'd figure out which is which. Last year, I tired and failed to get a Banshee. Lot's of 'em available on Ebay. I didn't witness people getting extras (they were already out of them when we got there). Guess I saved some bucks my not getting one

 

[monorailrabbit]

Not sure how you'd figure out which is which. Last year, I tired and failed to get a Banshee. Lot's of 'em available on Ebay. I didn't witness people getting extras (they were already out of them when we got there). Guess I saved some bucks my not getting one

I define greedy as ones who intentionally raise the price. Like I paid $20 for this but I'm going to list it starting at $60.

 

[cmwade77]

I'm glad they are doing it. I wish Costco would too. I tried to buy a gift for DS7 there and by the time I was able to all of the item had been bought by resellers. I routinely see people loading up their cart with a single jacket for instance and they aren't buying for a charity.

The difference is that is what Costco is supposed to be for, the whole point of Costco is to allow businesses to buy items to use and/or resell and there was a point in time when you had to have a business license to get a membership there. Disney on the other hand sells the items intending them to be used by the people buying them.

 

[cmwade77]

I'm not sure why Disney is so much against this practice.

Is it because as a matter of principle they can't stand the fact that someone, somehow, is making money off "their" merchandise?

Or is it because the limited-edition merchandise is being offered as an inducement or magnet to attract patrons to Disneyland, in the hope that they will spend a lot on merchandise, drinks, snacks, etc. and the shoppers are hurting this strategy?

It is because this practice ruins the guest experience for those who actually go to the park and want a souvenir of their time there and can't get what they really want because these resellers buy it out in two seconds flat.

 

[HopperFan]

They know what is going to sell big.
Make guests scan their ticket.
One per day per ticket.
They already control FP+ by tickets activated at gate.
So no one can come in with a bunch of tickets.
Will slow down the hoarders considerably and be a whole lot easier for Disney.

 

[cmwade77]

They know what is going to sell big.
Make guests scan their ticket.
One per day per ticket.
They already control FP+ by tickets activated at gate.
So no one can come in with a bunch of tickets.
Will slow down the hoarders considerably and be a whole lot easier for Disney.

That was my first instinct, unfortunately a lot of these hoarders recruit friends, family and even total strangers to assist them when measures like these are taken, which simply result in longer lines and still no merchandise for the average park guest. Revoking passes and tickets as well as perhaps banning certain individuals from the parks may indeed be the only way to combat what has become a massive problem.

As for Disney knowing what will sell big, they don't always know, sometimes something they thought would sell big will not sell at all and things they thought would sell only mildly become the next big thing.

 

[Josh Hendy]

It is because this practice ruins the guest experience for those who actually go to the park and want a souvenir of their time there and can't get what they really want because these resellers buy it out in two seconds flat.

But they could simply make and sell more of the souvenirs if all they cared about was the park experience of people wanting to buy certain items.

The key word here is "limited edition".

This looks more like Disney is trying to attract more guests with a (fake) scarcity of certain souvenirs, and the re-sellers are spoiling it for them by buying several of the items at once ... and not spending enough on park admission and incidentals.

Disney has the right to make and sell souvenirs any way they want, and to impose restrictions on guest admissions if they want ... and I have the right to laugh at them when they are caught in a web of cynical marketing.