Sometimes Disney merchandise can get the best of you…and your wallet. 💵
There’s so much merchandise to choose from — clothing, character-specific merch, holiday apparel, and so much more! If you’ve ever wondered how much Disney really makes off its merchandise, we’ve got some answers. Turns out, you’re not the only one spending a LOT of money on Disney stuff!
According to License Global magazine, Disney made $56.2 billion dollars (yes, billion with a “B”) in retail sales of licensed products in 2021. This made Disney the TOP licensor in the entire world in 2021. These numbers come from the annual ranking published by License Global magazine. That list “ranks the performance of brands’ licensed consumer products at retail for fiscal year 2021.”
The amount Disney made in 2021 was actually about $20 billion more than the second company on the list, Dotdash Meredith.
In 2020, Disney made $54 billion in retail sales (and ranked #1 in the world as well). Part of the reason for Disney’s success could be the number of channels through which its merchandise is delivered, including shopDisney, the Disney parks, and local and mass-market retailers.
License Global also notes that Disney Consumer Products, Games, and Publishing, as the world’s largest licensing business, works with top brands like Mattel, LEGO, Funko, Hasbro, and others, to develop products that appeal to different types of consumers. And Disney is one of the world’s largest licensors when it comes to games across different platforms.
Where did other companies fall in comparison to Disney when it comes to those 2021 numbers? Well, at #4 was WarnerMedia/Warner Bros. Consumer Products with $15 billion in retail sales in 2021. At #5 was The Pokemon Company International with $8.5 billion in sales, followed by Hasbro with $8.4 billion in sales, and then NBC Universal/Universal Brand Development with $8.3 billion. You can see the full list from 2021 below.
Disney did close a large number of its Disney Stores throughout the U.S. in 2021 and the situation with merchandise, movies, and more keeps changing. So it’ll be interesting to see just how Disney does in 2022. Given the fact that it made 20 billion more than its closest competitor in 2021, however, we expect it could dominate the licensing and retail sales market once again.
Looking to snag some popular Disney merchandise but don’t want to pay full price? Click here to see some of the best Disney deals you can grab on Amazon. Don’t forget that Amazon Prime Day is coming up, and we’ll be covering ALL of the deals you can get during that limited time, so stay tuned for all the updates. And, as always, keep an eye on DFB for all your Disney news!
Click here to check out all the Disney World 5oth Anniversary merch you can get online!
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