Infinite Hollywood: Mattel, You're Doing it Wrong.

Mattel, You're Doing it Wrong.

2:47 PM |

Posted by Newton Gimmick |

Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". It seems like I'm always on Mattel's case about something or the other, but the truth is Mattel keeps repeating the same mistakes over and over. I like Mattel's toys for the most part and I'm not alone in doing some pretty amazing things as a collector just to be able to get my hands on their product. Going to great lengths that I wouldn't do for most figures. Some say it's whining when people complain about Mattel, but I find that most of those who complain about Mattel are passionate fans of the product Mattel has put out, who continually get the shaft.

Below are some quotes I've cobbled together from various forums for the past few months dealing with people's frustrations with Mattel. I didn't name anyone or even the forums I've gotten these quotes from, but this should serve as a message to the fine folks at Mattel that these people aren't whiners or complainers, but desperate fans at their wits end at being unable to get their hands on great Mattel product by no fault of their own.

DCUC has the potential to be the greatest comic book action figure line ever. EVER. The best sculpts, character selection, the list goes on. But none of it makes a bit of difference when your fanbase can't find the product they want to buy. Please explain how it's anything other than a massive failure when the biggest toy manufacturer in the world has a strong fanbase who want to give them money, but they can't. They have to give their money to someone on ebay. You're doing it wrong.....

You're doing it wrong definitely fits. It's summed up nicely here with that statement. DC Universe Classics has some of the best sculptors in the world with the Four Horsemen, some great characters and unlike Toy Biz's Marvel Legends it doesn't have a lot of uneven scale but instead has kept to one formula from the beginning. Unfortunately the figures have just been plagued from the beginning with issues, most notably availability.

The only thing I have to add is that I went into the #3 volume Walmart in the company and couldn't find a single Batman or Superman figure.

Here's a statement that should have someone at Mattel wondering what they're doing wrong. If you're in one of the largest Walmarts in the country and can't find a Batman, well... Mattel must be doing it wrong.

And I know the situation is a disaster here. It's not isolated, either. The lack of new product AT ALL is at every retailer I've checked for the past few MONTHS. Unless you've been here and seen the situation, you can't possibly comprehend what's going on. Or refuse to acknowledge that obtaining these things has been a nightmare for people in many parts of the country, with ours seeming like one of the worst places for new DCUC.

I said something similar to this a while back. There are a few markets which seem to get the DC figures fairly well and everywhere else it's a crapshoot.

Most people have not seen new product since wave 7.

Add me to that list. I saw Wave 7 once and I haven't seen it since. I've seen a few Captain Colds and Bardas here or there, but it's been quite sparse. I suppose it's not uncommon to only see a particular figure once or twice, but a whole wave? The subsequent waves?

I'm a lot more worried about Wave 10 then I had been about Wave 5 for a few reasons. Back then, I didn't spend much time online and so hadn't heard the horror stories about Wal-Mart and wasn't aware that so many people would simply never find any or some of that Wave. I didn't know how badly Mattel could and would screw up.

Another thing to consider is that when Wave 5 hit, no one knew how much money this wave would eventually make on Ebay. With that wave claiming $300 and up on Ebay, it makes Wave 10 much more likely to be scalped. If Walmart upped their ordering that's great, but the number of scalpers increased at least as much. Fans know that if they don't get those figures quick they'll never have another chance.

I guess I just need a place to vent but I was on holidays for my brother's wedding in California and stopped by 16 different Wal-marts (some more than once) in the area from San Diego to Los Angeles and did not find one DCUC wave 10 figure. I hate WAL-MART waves! There is something seriously wrong with distribution when you can hit up so many locations & still come up empty.

Maybe a little early to be too worried about Wave 10, but you'd think 16 Walmarts might turn up something. Of course I wasn't worried about Wave 5 right off either, figuring eventually I'd see them. I never did. So I think worrying even just a few weeks after they've hit is warranted.

My hunt for Wave 10 is starting to make me feel a little pathetic. Returned to a Wal Mart today that has 3 completely empty DCUC pegs hoping I could convince someone to restock the DCUC product in hopes there would be some Wave 10. I lingered in the aisle hoping an employee would happen by - with no luck, went to the customer service desk to see if someone could come help me and was told someone would be there shortly. So I waited in the aisle another 10 or 12 minutes pretending to be interested in Handful of Heroes or DCIH but eventually decided I was being stood up and left.

Don't you get it Mattel? People are jumping through hoops to get your product and still coming up empty handed. How long can this go on?

Joker was 65 dollars.

Just imagine how much more product this guy would have bought from Mattel if he didn't have to pay $65 for one figure off Ebay. That's $65 Mattel could have had, instead all they got was the original $13 from the scalper.

Also, of those 6 Walmarts, there are exactly 11 DCUC figures hanging on the pegs...total.

Reminds me of my last outting trying to find DCUC. I went to two or three Walmarts and between six or seven pegs I saw three figures total. All Cyborgs.

LOOK ALL I WANT IS A JOKER AND A MAN BAT JESUS MATTEL I HATE YOU.

People are angry. This Wave 10 is probably one of the best waves you've put out... Shame that so few can find it and others have to pay two or three times the price to get these figures.

The thread's about DCUC10. Unfortunately, stories about its scarcity, and speculation about the ineptitude of Walmart and/or Mattel are inextricably linked to any discussion about the figures themselves.

Hundreds of threads in dozens of forums about how hard it is to get DCUC product. All these people unable to get product. It's not an isolated incident.

Are people INSANE??????? This Wave is already bringing in Wave 5 prices!!!! I just cannot afford these kind of prices for TOYS. I cannot do it. That would just about pay for my medications for the month.

Medicine or Wave 10 off Ebay? I hope the guy picks his medication.

Considering how difficult it's been to find anything past Wave 8 in stores for many people, I don't think you can really blame somebody for being pessimistic at this point.

Most of the people who are so happy about DCUC often get it from somewhere other than retail. Why can't distribution on this line be improved? It just doesn't seem that hard to me.

Mattel, I love you, I really do.... But you're doing it wrong.

Labels: DC Universe Classics, DCUC, Distribution, Mattel, Toys

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Mattel, You're Doing it Wrong.