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the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

post #1 of 226
12/4/08 at 9:30am
Thread Starter 
I'm really annoyed that Walt Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn Alias the Scarecrow / The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh is impossible to obtain from Disney itself or from any legitimate retailer only three weeks after its release. A member of the Disney Movie Club has to be really on the ball to buy DVD's either right away or as a pre-order. If you have other things to do, like wait for payday, go to work, or blink, you might miss it.

Disney's DVD division is awfully smug in deliberately creating a shortage of product. Perhaps they think limited editions create a buy-it-now mentality that really moves the product, but editions this limited just piss people off, and cheat regular costumers, especially when they are forced to buy at exorbitant prices from dodgy sellers or do without. In effect, the DVD division is telling customers to jump when we say jump, or tough luck. Is that nice?

There's some navigating to do at these contact numbers, but once you get a voice at the other end, complain. They are always very nice even when they can't help. They write down and convey complaints.

DVD Technical Support: 800-723-4763

DisneyWorld merchandise: 407-363-6200

Disneyland merchandise: 800-362-4533

Disney Online: 800-328-0368

Disney Online Store: 866-902-2798

I will post email addresses in a few minutes.
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post #2 of 226
12/4/08 at 10:49am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I'm pretty sure they simply did not anticipate such a demand.
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post #3 of 226
12/4/08 at 12:12pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon Conway
I'm pretty sure they simply did not anticipate such a demand.
Exactly. I'm sure they'd love to be making the money on selling as many DVDs as possible rather than having people on eBay making money.
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post #4 of 226
12/4/08 at 12:26pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I predict a release with either just the theatrical version or the TV version as a standard release not too far into the future. As much as I like the theatrical version, I would guess the TV version will get a single-disc release.
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post #5 of 226
12/4/08 at 12:57pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

It's called a scam. They're probably holding back many of the copies to sell later. If Disney doesn't care that most of their limited releases are bought by speculators, don't support any of their products.
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post #6 of 226
12/4/08 at 1:16pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Lx
It's called a scam. They're probably holding back many of the copies to sell later. If Disney doesn't care that most of their limited releases are bought by speculators, don't support any of their products.

They don't have to hold back. They didn't make that many. After they sent out promos, they had 39,000 copies. That goes pretty fast when you have an audience that's been aching to get it for how many years? My Best Buy had sold out of their 4 copies by Wednesday.

The Treasure people had been burned on their numbers the last few times around. this time they went too low. That's the nature of the beast.
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post #7 of 226
12/4/08 at 1:44pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I do believe there will be a single no frills disc release within the next few months. I'm just guessing, mind you. I know nothing for sure, but it would make good business sense.
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post #8 of 226
12/4/08 at 2:16pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I really don't think the Disney scheming thing is called for. It's not easy determining how many copies to make for a catalogue title that many have never seen and many of the ones that did see it haven't seen it in 45 years.

I'm a big fan of the film, but even I had doubts on how well it would sell. Glad to see it doing well.

The lack of copies at Best Buy drew a lot of attention in film forums. Unfortunately, that probably REALLY interested the DVD hoarders who will try to profit from the shortage.

I could have grabbed all the copies available at my Costco. I just took the one I needed. Hopefully there is such a thing as good DVD karma.

btw, this white text on black is getting old
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post #9 of 226
12/4/08 at 2:49pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by rich_d
btw, this white text on black is getting old

If you scroll down to the bottom of the page you can change the skin for the forum. I couldn't stand the white text either and changed it back to the normal forum text.
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post #10 of 226
12/4/08 at 3:18pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by rich_d
I really don't think the Disney scheming thing is called for. It's not easy determining how many copies to make for a catalogue title that many have never seen and many of the ones that did see it haven't seen it in 45 years.

Then don't make them limited releases. I have a few of the treasures tins and don't give a flying frig if it's number 657 of a limited release. Doesn't make me feel special. If anything it makes me feel like a Disney robot (serial#657). While Disney has an awful lot of entertaining product, they are not actually superior at any one thing, so they're not worthy of such pretension.
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post #11 of 226
12/4/08 at 3:40pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Hmm... not really a problem with this one is it? More of a case of "It sucks to be you". Copies sold out on a limited run, it happens.
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post #12 of 226
12/4/08 at 3:57pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianP
If you scroll down to the bottom of the page you can change the skin for the forum. I couldn't stand the white text either and changed it back to the normal forum text.

Thanks. Much appreciated.

Quote:
Then don't make them limited releases. I have a few of the treasures tins and don't give a flying frig if it's number 657 of a limited release. Doesn't make me feel special. If anything it makes me feel like a Disney robot (serial#657). While Disney has an awful lot of entertaining product, they are not actually superior at any one thing, so they're not worthy of such pretension.

Fair point. I can see and appreciate your viewpoint. But I don't see it as a pretension, I see it as a marketing gimmick. And earlier on in the DVD years I think it did help to give the releases some recognition. Still your point about why do a limited release if you don't know how many the market will bear is a good one.
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post #13 of 226
12/4/08 at 4:22pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Corey3rd
The Treasure people had been burned on their numbers the last few times around. this time they went too low. That's the nature of the beast.
Quoted for truth.
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post #14 of 226
12/4/08 at 4:31pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I don't think it is a scam. As I mentioned in the other thread, I had honestly never heard of this film before a couple years ago, when it was first rumored to be released, and there are few films I haven't heard of.

I don't think Disney anticipated this.

But remember what happened with the first wave? There were several titles that went out of print quickly, were going for huge amounts, but then starting showing up in Costco and other stores. Stay tuned, the same could happen with this.
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post #15 of 226
12/4/08 at 7:04pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Lx
Then don't make them limited releases. I have a few of the treasures tins and don't give a flying frig if it's number 657 of a limited release. Doesn't make me feel special. If anything it makes me feel like a Disney robot (serial#657). While Disney has an awful lot of entertaining product, they are not actually superior at any one thing, so they're not worthy of such pretension.

The limited edition element is what worked best because it creates a special nature to collecting them all. People know that they can't just keep putting off getting the latest wave cause they might not be around. Maybe the numbers don't matter to you, but it turns on enough people eager to snag them.
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post #16 of 226
12/5/08 at 7:05am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Martin
But remember what happened with the first wave? There were several titles that went out of print quickly, were going for huge amounts, but then starting showing up in Costco and other stores. Stay tuned, the same could happen with this.
The big difference here is that the production run is so much lower this time around (39,500 each compared to 150,00 each for the first wave titles.) It is pretty clear that Disney had lots of overstock on the first wave, so they repurposed the product by removing it from the tins (to make the discs less collectable and not piss off consumers who paid full price) and bundled them together as a set to sell at discount at stores like Costco.

With each successive wave, the production run has gone down, but wave eight is by far the lowest production run yet. For wave seven, 50,000 copies each of two sets were produced, while a whopping 120,00 copies of Oswald were made. Talk about something most casual fans have never seen or heard of, IMO Oswald has Dr. Syn (aka the Scarecrow) beat by a mile! The oswald set is tremendous, BTW, and well worth owning, but how Disney arrives at their production run numbers for this series completely baffles me.
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post #17 of 226
12/5/08 at 8:38am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

That's part of the reality of things. They get burned on Oswald and they get more conservative. Disney people want to keep their jobs too. So, if they then overcompensate, well that's just part of human nature.

DVDs are a consignment business. A Disney forecasting manager or marketing manager who underestimate true demand for an item take their beating once. If they overestimate demand, with consignment returns they take their beating every week. What would you do?
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post #18 of 226
12/5/08 at 10:39am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
Disney's DVD division is awfully smug in deliberately creating a shortage of product....In effect, the DVD division is telling customers to jump when we say jump, or tough luck. Is that nice?

Then you need to start raking everyone over the coals. Universal shorted the 2 disc copies of United 93 and Munich a couple years ago. DreamWorks shorted the 2 disc War of the Worlds.

From the very beginning, the WDT line has gone very very quickly. By the eighth go around, I have no sympathy for people who couldn't plan well enough to get their hands on one, ESPECIALLY HTF members who knew they were coming months in advance.
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post #19 of 226
12/5/08 at 3:26pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I'm sorry, but this was KNOWN to be a limited edition with a very low printing, so people should have saved their money BEFORE release date and acted quickly. It's not WALL*E, where you know you can afford to wait for payday after release date and still find it everywhere. And this was announced months ago. I don't see that it's Disney's fault for anyone's poor planning.
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post #20 of 226
12/5/08 at 5:26pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

So you honestly think I should have known that "Dr. Syn," of all things, would be sold out within minutes of Best Buy opening Tuesday morning, and that if I sauntered into the store Tuesday afternoon I'd find The Duck and Annette, but not Dr. Syn? I'm really supposed to know that?

In all the previous Waves, I've never had to be sure to run in when the store opened to get all the Treasures. This is the first time it's ever happened. Regardless of any other considerations, Disney should just go ahead and make more copies. In this recession, with so many companies in trouble, how can they refuse to do something which will make them money?
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post #21 of 226
12/5/08 at 5:28pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I guess I'd feel bad for a member of the Disney Movie Club to miss out, except that there really was no excuse for not simply pre-ordering on just about any retail website. Obviously a movie club member doesn't have a problem with mail order credit card purchases.

Regardless, sorry that you missed out. The secondary market should eventually settle down and hopefully it won't be too costly. I've been grabbing all the Treasures since their inception and have always found B&M availability to be spotty at best.

I should probably add that the DMC always seems to get their titles late. Its still possible that the wave may show up there in the next catalog.
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post #22 of 226
12/5/08 at 5:42pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Lugoff
So you honestly think I should have known that "Dr. Syn," of all things, would be sold out within minutes of Best Buy opening Tuesday morning, and that if I sauntered into the store Tuesday afternoon I'd find The Duck and Annette, but not Dr. Syn? I'm really supposed to know that?

Honestly, I never thought they would have carried them. For most catalogue titles, or specialty box sets, I never even think to look at retail stores. I always order online.

The big titles, sure, you can find them at Best Buy, or Wal Mart. But especially for limited edition releases, never rely on those stores.
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post #23 of 226
12/5/08 at 8:39pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Martin
Honestly, I never thought they would have carried them. For most catalogue titles, or specialty box sets, I never even think to look at retail stores. I always order online.

The big titles, sure, you can find them at Best Buy, or Wal Mart. But especially for limited edition releases, never rely on those stores.

No doubt, totally agree and well said.

But some of the other posters come across as a bit harsh. Clearly more than a few titles have yet to sell out. Want Tomorrowland from 2004? Still hasn't sold out. Your Host Walt Disney (2006) no problem. I would also guess that most of the individual titles in the last few waves of releases haven't been sold out in the first week or two. Point being this is a pretty significant sellout.

Quote:
In all the previous Waves, I've never had to be sure to run in when the store opened to get all the Treasures. This is the first time it's ever happened. Regardless of any other considerations, Disney should just go ahead and make more copies. In this recession, with so many companies in trouble, how can they refuse to do something which will make them money?

Others are hoping for a single disc release as am I as I would love that anyone who wanted the film should be able to enjoy it. But if you mean just make more copies of a limited release, not going to happen. Disney would have a class action lawsuit on them faster than you can say supercali ...
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post #24 of 226
12/5/08 at 8:58pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Lugoff
So you honestly think I should have known that "Dr. Syn," of all things, would be sold out within minutes of Best Buy opening Tuesday morning, and that if I sauntered into the store Tuesday afternoon I'd find The Duck and Annette, but not Dr. Syn? I'm really supposed to know that?

In all the previous Waves, I've never had to be sure to run in when the store opened to get all the Treasures. This is the first time it's ever happened. Regardless of any other considerations, Disney should just go ahead and make more copies. In this recession, with so many companies in trouble, how can they refuse to do something which will make them money?

So you honestly think I should believe that Tuesday afternoon of release day at Best Buy is the only time and place you had to purchase this title? I got it at a B&M store a week after release date, and saw it at Costco last weekend. Not to mention that it was available for pre-order for how many weeks???
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post #25 of 226
12/6/08 at 5:07am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Lugoff
So you honestly think I should have known that "Dr. Syn," of all things, would be sold out within minutes of Best Buy opening Tuesday morning, and that if I sauntered into the store Tuesday afternoon I'd find The Duck and Annette, but not Dr. Syn? I'm really supposed to know that?

In a word, yes. Here's a number of things that should have tipped you or other HTFers off. #1: it is a WDT release; 9 times out of 10 they go fast. #2: the number of people here who were interested in the title. #3: the extremely limited number produced.

Even if you were trying to get it at retail, Best Buy-last time I checked-had in store pick up from web ordering. There is a phrase: better safe than sorry. Swing it so you got to the store at 10 am, not in the afternoon. IF you really want something, you find ways of getting it.

Quote:
Regardless of any other considerations, Disney should just go ahead and make more copies. In this recession, with so many companies in trouble, how can they refuse to do something which will make them money?

The only problem with just "making more" is they run the risk of devaluing the WDT release, making it less collectible and "wanted." Why would they want to devalue their own product?
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post #26 of 226
12/6/08 at 8:41am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

The reason I wanted to get these at Best Buy was they had a "2 for $40" sale, otherwise $24.99 each, so I figured all three would cost me $64.99. I indeed ended up getting only 2 for $40. There were Ducks and Annettes galore, but they were totally Synless, at every store in my area.
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post #27 of 226
12/6/08 at 8:55am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Did they announce quantities on these ahead of time? If so, that would explain why the eBay speculators jumped all over it. If not, how would the speculators know to do so? Happily, I walked into a store in my neighborhood yesterday and found it for 19.99.
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post #28 of 226
12/6/08 at 9:24am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyFeldman
Did they announce quantities on these ahead of time? If so, that would explain why the eBay speculators jumped all over it. If not, how would the speculators know to do so? Happily, I walked into a store in my neighborhood yesterday and found it for 19.99.
I honestly don't think the speculators jumped on this right out of the gate, but rather as a response to the traffic this title was generating soon after release. I think most every message board I visit had one thread on how "lucky" people felt to grab this title and how it was going fast. Nothing with set off speculators faster than a big old net buzz.
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post #29 of 226
12/6/08 at 1:57pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Just walked in from my local FYE. They had two Dr. Syn's sitting on the shelf for $32.99. So they are out there still.
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post #30 of 226
12/6/08 at 2:42pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I bought mine at Costco this week for 21.99. There were at least five more, left for other fortunate souls. . . .
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