LOS ANGELES: Disney announced that it will close at least 60 of its North American stores this year in order to focus on its online sales activities.

The closures are only a first step, with the world’s number one entertainment company emphasizing in a statement that it intends to “significantly reduce its brick-and-mortar footprint” in order to focus on e-commerce.

“While consumer behavior has shifted toward online shopping, the global pandemic has changed what consumers expect from a retailer,” said Stephanie Young, Disney’s head of consumer products, games and publishing, in the statement.