Disney is testing a new feature for Disney+ subscribers starting on Tuesday, Nov. 1, in the hopes of adding more value to the deal. The company will give subscribers the chance to buy new merchandise including coveted toys and collectibles one week before the general public. With the holiday season right around the corner, Disney hopes this will make users feel like they have a headstart on shopping for gifts.
Starting on Tuesday, Disney+ subscribers can order new Star Wars lightsaber toys, Black Panther masks, Frozen toys and Lightyear toys all on a new dedicated page on shopDisney.com. The deals will also be highlighted on Disney+ itself, with viewers able to access their new deals through a QR code on their TV. Disney+ will now show a code that says “Shop this Story” on TV shows or movies with an advance sale going on.
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For now, the company only plans to show these shopping deals on the profiles of users who are verified to be 18 years old or older. Disney+ added this feature earlier this year so that the service could host some content not fit for all ages, including Marvel’s Defenders series that originally aired on Netflix. Adult users need to enter a PIN to access their accounts.
Disney+ President Alisa Bowen issued a statement alongside this news. She said: “Special access to this curated collection of merchandise for the upcoming holiday season is the latest example of the many ways we experiment with how to improve the user experience on Disney+, which includes enhancing the benefits of being a subscriber.”
This new offer makes a lot of sense for Disney, as the company has always capitalized on merchandising and collectibles. It’s the first offer of its kind in the “streaming wars,” and there’s no telling whether any other streamers could compete with it even if they tried. As popular as the shows and movies are on Netflix, HBO Max and so on, they don’t target the kinds of audiences that might value advance deals on toys and costumes quite as much.
Disney+ will reportedly make these exclusive products available more widely beginning later this month. The Walt Disney Company is also due for an earnings report on Nov. 8, when it will reveal whether it has seen significant growth in subscribers this quarter.Disney+ and all of its perks are available now starting at $7.99 per month.
