Unusual Merchandise Question

[Milla4Prez66]

I noticed the other day exiting T2:3D that the gift shop there is selling DC Comics and Star Wars merchandise. I've never truly looked around that shop until the other day and it just struck me odd that they are selling that stuff. This probably isn't new to some of you, but I'm just wondering if anyone knows why they are selling out of place merchandise there? The whole place looks like a typical "geek shop" but I was shocked to see a Batman statue along with tons of DC comic books and merchandise along with a solid selection of Star Wars collectibles.

*awaits the inevitable DC Land jokes*

 

[Shadow Carelli]

I noticed the other day exiting T2:3D that the gift shop there is selling DC Comics and Star Wars merchandise. I've never truly looked around that shop until the other day and it just struck me odd that they are selling that stuff. This probably isn't new to some of you, but I'm just wondering if anyone knows why they are selling out of place merchandise there? The whole place looks like a typical "geek shop" but I was shocked to see a Batman statue along with tons of DC comic books and merchandise along with a solid selection of Star Wars collectibles.

*awaits the inevitable DC Land jokes*

That's the purpose. Popular Sci-Fi collectibles. "The merchandise in the store is not a harbinger of what is to come in the parks," as Briman has stated in another thread where the same question was asked :thumbs:

 

[Milla4Prez66]

That's the purpose. Popular Sci-Fi collectibles. "The merchandise in the store is not a harbinger of what is to come in the parks," as Briman has stated in another thread where the same question was asked :thumbs:

I know it isn't a sign of things to come. I just found it odd that Universal is willing to sell DC merchandise when they have Marvel attractions on site. Figured that would maybe cause licensing problems, but I'm not sure how it works.

 

[TylerDurden]

Universal has had a special contract with Star Wars merchandise before Lucasfilm was bought out by Disney. Same with Marvel and DC...the thing about these properties is that their merchandise and the actual intellectual properties are two different things. You can get the rights to sell merchandise, but not necessarily make rides or have costumed actors walking around. So if Universal has a deal to sell Star Wars stuff, that doesnt really infringe on Disneys ability to make a Star Wars ride. Thats because merch is typically not released by the studio/owner of the IP, but a manufacturer who has worked out a deal with the property. Universal is getting these goods from that manufacturer, not Lucasfilm, DC, etc.

Same with I Love Lucy...that store used to be filled with Lucy stuff but has slowly been overtaken by Betty Boop; thats not because of any falling out with I Love Lucy (the exhibit still exists, obviously), but rather an issue with the company issuing the Lucy merchandise--I think they just shrunk and couldnt keep up with Universal's orders leading to a diminishing selection of Lucy merch, but Im not positive.

So look at it this way--Iron Man toys arent made by Disney, but by Hasbro or Mattel or whoever. Universal and Hasbro dont have any issues...so the merch can be sold through them with the right contract. Thats how the Terminator store works, in simplified terms.

By the way, this stuff is usually marked up a bit to handle the fee Universal has to pay for bringing in this merch from out-of-house...I believe Star Wars shirts are about $3 extra a pop.

 

[Nitro_230]

Universal has had a special contract with Star Wars merchandise before Lucasfilm was bought out by Disney. Same with Marvel and DC...the thing about these properties is that their merchandise and the actual intellectual properties are two different things. You can get the rights to sell merchandise, but not necessarily make rides or have costumed actors walking around. So if Universal has a deal to sell Star Wars stuff, that doesnt really infringe on Disneys ability to make a Star Wars ride. Thats because merch is typically not released by the studio/owner of the IP, but a manufacturer who has worked out a deal with the property. Universal is getting these goods from that manufacturer, not Lucasfilm, DC, etc.

Same with I Love Lucy...that store used to be filled with Lucy stuff but has slowly been overtaken by Betty Boop; thats not because of any falling out with I Love Lucy (the exhibit still exists, obviously), but rather an issue with the company issuing the Lucy merchandise--I think they just shrunk and couldnt keep up with Universal's orders leading to a diminishing selection of Lucy merch, but Im not positive.

So look at it this way--Iron Man toys arent made by Disney, but by Hasbro or Mattel or whoever. Universal and Hasbro dont have any issues...so the merch can be sold through them with the right contract. Thats how the Terminator store works, in simplified terms.

By the way, this stuff is usually marked up a bit to handle the fee Universal has to pay for bringing in this merch from out-of-house...I believe Star Wars shirts are about $3 extra a pop.

They can sell anything really. The "rights" and "contracts" mentioned above are really about pricing, not the ability to sell. They can drove over to Disney, buy all the Sorcerer Mickey shirts and sell them in their stores if they really want to. But obviously to make a profit and covering the cost of sending people over to buy them they would be selling them for significantly more then Disney does, and in turn it makes no sense (for that and a variety of other reasons).

Using Lord of the Rings as an Example. Once Nobel Collection gets the ok from Tolkien's family (and if based on the film from the production company) to create and see a gold ring they have no real control over who Nobel sells it to. They may have price controls in the contract that mean that mean it can't be sold below x price, or the contract might say they can't offer them wholesale. But if Universal is able to get their hands on them and wants to sell them there really isn't anything stopping them from doing so. At least not in the environment like the T2 store.

 

[Milla4Prez66]

Universal has had a special contract with Star Wars merchandise before Lucasfilm was bought out by Disney. Same with Marvel and DC...the thing about these properties is that their merchandise and the actual intellectual properties are two different things. You can get the rights to sell merchandise, but not necessarily make rides or have costumed actors walking around. So if Universal has a deal to sell Star Wars stuff, that doesnt really infringe on Disneys ability to make a Star Wars ride. Thats because merch is typically not released by the studio/owner of the IP, but a manufacturer who has worked out a deal with the property. Universal is getting these goods from that manufacturer, not Lucasfilm, DC, etc.

Same with I Love Lucy...that store used to be filled with Lucy stuff but has slowly been overtaken by Betty Boop; thats not because of any falling out with I Love Lucy (the exhibit still exists, obviously), but rather an issue with the company issuing the Lucy merchandise--I think they just shrunk and couldnt keep up with Universal's orders leading to a diminishing selection of Lucy merch, but Im not positive.

So look at it this way--Iron Man toys arent made by Disney, but by Hasbro or Mattel or whoever. Universal and Hasbro dont have any issues...so the merch can be sold through them with the right contract. Thats how the Terminator store works, in simplified terms.

By the way, this stuff is usually marked up a bit to handle the fee Universal has to pay for bringing in this merch from out-of-house...I believe Star Wars shirts are about $3 extra a pop.

Thanks, makes a lot of sense. Good response.