NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Disney announced on Wednesday that it will close 20 percent of its Disney Stores before the end of the year as the company begins to focus more on its e-commerce business.
“While consumer behavior has shifted toward online shopping, the global pandemic has changed what consumers expect from a retailer,” said Stephanie Young, president of Disney’s consumer products, games and publishing, told Reuters.
At least 60 Disney Store locations in North America will close before evaluating potential closures in other parts of the world.
Currently, Disney has stores located in Times Square, Queens Center Mall, and on Staten Island as well as locations on Long Island and in New Jersey.
Moving forward, Disney plans to improve its current e-commerce website, a shift accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic.
The company plans to give “consumers easy access to unique, high-quality products across all our franchises,” according to Young and increase its product assortment to include more adult apparel collections, streetwear, premium home products, and collectibles.
“While consumer behavior has shifted toward online shopping, the global pandemic has changed what consumers expect from a retailer,” Young added.