1.) Barbecue17 asks: Recently online stores like Big Bad Toy Store have been unable to fill preorders on DCUC waves 8 and 9 due to being sent less units than they ordered. How can this be good for business if a dedicated toy store cannot even get the Mattel product it ordered and is guaranteed to sell? Can you shed some light on this?
Sorry, we cannot provide specifics on production or shipping counts.
2.) Reverend Ender asks: Could you please explain the price increase on DCUC figures, when there are figures with greater sculptural detail and more paint applications available from companies like NECA that currently cost about the same?
Mattel has higher safety standards and our products require increased testing to meet these standards.
3.) Sped asks: Since we’re getting the normal Superman in the “World’s Greatest Super heroes†assortment. Any chance we can get a variant on the current paint scheme with a lighter classic blue as oppose to the current dark blue?
For the most part the World’s Greatest line will maintain a vintage feel in character and costume choices.
4.) Mark asks: Any chance of Isis in DCUC or any other members from the Freedom Force cartoon like Hercules and Super Samurai?
There’s nothing to announce at this time. Stay tuned!
5.) Emerald asks: Is the plan for MOTUC to keep re-releasing figures after He-Man and Skeletor, and will their quantities be more limited than their initial release?
We have to see how the re-release of He-Man and Skeletor go before committing to any additional re-releases.
6.) mjturny23 asks: When can we expect to see the first MOTUC Snake Man? i.e. 2010? 2011?
It is too early to tell at this point. Too much of 2010 is up in the air pending how the bonus figures perform.
7.) PrfktTear asks: Will the NA MOTUC figure released in 2010 be one of the Galactic Guardians or a Mutant?
We’re not telling yet!
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Ask Mattel Roundup:
DavetheBrave
Their justification for the price hike is safety testing? Really? Do they really expect us to buy that?
Newton Gimmick
I think they thought Sped was asking about the 8 inch figures.
PrfktTear
Aww shucks… they're not telling.
I'm intrigued by their answer to question #6. Too much of 2010 is up in the air pending how the bonus figures perform.
What bearing does the Bonus Figures' sales performance have on what regular figures are offered? The only thing I can think of is how the sales from bonus figures (i.e. easy repaints) will offset any extra cost of tooling a specific figure that they won't get any re-use out of the mould from (i.e. Green Goddess or ZodaK which are sraight repaints and should be 100% profits).
I would also think that by now they would have most of 2010 mapped out.
De
"Sorry, we cannot provide specifics on production or shipping counts."
I've seen this non-answer twice now for essentially the same question. What the hell is going on?
dayraven
@DavetheBrave: especially in light of the fact that mattel's feet aren't held as close to the fire as other toy manufacturers… CPSC is allowing mattel to do it's safety testing in-house… nothing shady about that in the least. not… at… all.
@prfkt- weren't we told some time back they they plan about a year ahead for motuc? so isn't one answer or the other complete shit?
@de- new to these mattel Q&C's aren't you? (that's Question and Cornhole, for the new guys.) they generally try their level best to dodge honest questions, pass the buck on blame, and generally poo poo valid concerns. it's their shtick. i swear, being a fan of their toys is like enjoying ike turner's music.
Poe
For all of you who have been asking, the Action Figure Pics Q&A says that C&C Darkseid will have a second hand.
nerdbot
@dayraven: Too true; and I really like the Ike Turner analogy!
De
@dayraven – Oh no. I've been following these since they began. This particular time, it just seemed like such a WTF answer. It had nothing to do with the question asked. I probably should have been more clear with my outrage 🙂
finkrod
I'm telling you, they did short runs on waves 8 & 9 so they could start production early on wave 10 for Walmart. They wanted to make sure they had enough Jokers and black suit Batman to feed Mega Lo Mart.
Philip Reed
@DavetheBrave: I buy it. The new CPSIA testing requirements are ridiculous and something I've been beating my head against at work. Add in EN71 testing and it can get expensive.
Philip Reed
@dayraven: Mattel handles their own safety testing? How the hell does that work?
jestergoblin
The comment about internal testing may be true – Mattel was hit hard by the recalls with lead paint.
During the 2007 Toy Recalls, Hasbro had to recall a little less then a million Easy-Bake Ovens because the door wasn't made properly.
Mattel didnt get off so easily. From Wikipedia:
All in all, Mattel had to recall over 15 million toys. All toy testing is spread over all the lines are overhead costs of doing business. While DCUC didn't have issues, Mattel is still trying to offset those losses.
Just saying. Combined with the weakened dollar – the consumer price index is up almost 10% from just three years ago, and higher cost of raw materials – in the last three years oil increased price threefold before falling, products cost more. There isn't an immediate response, it takes time for these things to change and we're paying for it now.
Frogster
@PrktTear, I was wondering the same thing. Is bonus figure sales a predictor of the regular release success and continuation? You would think this was all planned already.
Cryptic answers to future rereleases as well as in let's see how He-Man and Skelly do first before discussing any more. Obviously, it won't surprise if Zodac, Tri-Klops and Stratos are done, but I can't imagine they won't revisit Man At Arms or Hordak or even Faker.
Thomas B
i pretty much could predict the answers they were going to give based on what was asked.
the MOTUC questions are puzzling though.
5. i can under standtand this answer. they want to make the sure the two main guys sell like gangbusters the 2nd time around before they decide to sell the 2nd tier figures another time.
6. how is the 2010 line up in the air based on how well bonus figs do? they have stated before that they have the line fairly mapped out til 2011. i can understand if they were gonna make a snakeman a bonus figure…
7. this answer is pretty straight forward and makes me think we will see an NA figure LATE in 2010.
dayraven
@Philip Reed: here you go dude: the full article- http://www.zimbio.com/CPSIA/articles/2xqc4_do3Ee/…
the quote to elicit outrage-
"The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently, and quietly, granted Mattel's request to use its own labs for testing that is required under a law Congress passed last summer in the wake of a rash of recalls of toys contaminated by lead."
Frogster
@Thomas B, the thing is you would not expect a re-release of supporting characters to be produced in the same quantity as He-Man and Skeletor, so I am sure it's going to be dicey for them to guess the quantity for the supporting characters. That being said, I imagine the Ruthless Leader of the Evil Horde will be upped on production because he is so popular and sold out quick, and more people are going to need him once more of the Horde is produced.
I thought this past year, Toyguru stated all will be returning and now it seems to be more of a different scenario where it's all dependent on the big two as a wait and see.
If this holds true, I really cannot see He-Ro, Webstor, Tri-Klops, Stratos and Zodac coming back.
Barbecue17
Yeah! One of my questions was asked! Too bad I didn't get an answer! lol
I imagine Matty's actual responses to truly probing questions would be similar to the answers given by George Clooney's character in O' Brother, Where Art Thou?:
"Damn, we're in a tight spot!"
Reverend Ender
@ Barbecue17
Hahahahahahaha!
I'm not sure how to react to the answer to my question. I mean, I understand all this, but really? THAT much more safety testing than NECA? REALLY?
Thanks for asking my question Poe. I really wish they had given a real answer about the neck pegs though.
mjturny23
I got a question asked!!! My first in about 4 years (since I asked DST if they would consider Buffy accessory packs – and they did!).
Hope my art book questions get asked!!!
dayraven
@Reverend Ender: they're ninjas of the Question Evasion school.
Thomas B
@dayraven:
HA question evasion school…i like it
izdawiz
Congrats on posing the tough questions Poe. I'm sure they didn't appreciate it one bit, but the fans do, even if they don't give straight answers.
My favorite?
1.) Barbecue17 asks: Recently online stores like Big Bad Toy Store have been unable to fill preorders on DCUC waves 8 and 9 due to being sent less units than they ordered. How can this be good for business if a dedicated toy store cannot even get the Mattel product it ordered and is guaranteed to sell? Can you shed some light on this?
Sorry, we cannot provide specifics on production or shipping counts.
Translation. (Stick your question up your a$$)
Barbecue 17 didn't ask for specifics on production or shipping counts. He asked why you guys went and screwed the pooch (and the fans) by being so unprofessional w/ online retailers.
I believe that answer will be revealed in time and I can't wait for the postmortem.
barbecue17
What is funny is that on different websites, Mattel answered the same or similar questions in different ways. On another site, they answered a question extremely similar to mine by saying that more figures were being made available, and on two other site when asked if more wave 9 was being produced they answered both no and yes.
captainzero
From Pendragon site:
1) It seems on-line stores like Big Bad Toy Store & Enchanted Toy Chest had orders for DC Universe Classics Wave 9 canceled. Can you go into greater detail as to what happened?
We have increased production to meet growing demand for this wave. The figures are being offered open stock for online customers.
What does "being offered open stock for online customers" mean??????
Tell me first so I can order before you guys.!!!! Geeeesh! Wished I could understand Mattel-ese!!
Philip Reed
@dayraven: Wow. I wonder how much it costs to get permission to test your own stuff. Safety testing has been causing me stress for months now as I try to balance the need to test with the impact it has on production costs.
Philip Reed
@dayraven: The article also holds another sentence that makes me stop and think.
"Mattel says its situation is unique because it owns its production factories outside the U.S. and can do the required safety testing there."
So cheap plastics, poor paint applications, and inferior QC are not an issue with a contracted factory dropping the ball but, instead, an issue with a Mattel-owned factory screwing up?
jestergoblin
@Reverend Ender
Mattel sells toys to those that are as young as a month or two old, NECA doesn't sell any of their items to those under 12. From a legal liability and testing standpoint, there is far less testing needing to be done. It it based off the concept that a 12 year old is able to know not to put thing in their mouth.
@Philip Reed
Yeah, sadly that is entirely Mattel's fault. With the factory being company owned there is much less incentive of higher quality control because they know they will not lose the contract to produce the figures.
@CaptainZero
I've never heard of "Open Stock" being used in the toy industry but it is often used in the restaurant industry as a way for companies to buy plates, flatware and the like. They can only buy what they need without having to buy entire sets again.
Mark
@Poe, seriously big thanks for asking my question.
DankOne
Wow Mattel is really being straight forward… Honest answers! And they truly love their fans!! Wait this is bizzaro world talk… Nevermind.
Mattel can s my d.
izdawiz
I don't think the price hikes have anything to do with safety testing.
I think Mattel is just raising prices so they can donate more money to the "Make A Wish" Foundation.
They just aren't telling us this, because they don't like taking credit for their good deeds until an MOTU-Book-Crazed Ochlocratic mob forms and demands their heads.
Awww!! Mattel, I love you guys. So Awesome and so modest!!!
dayraven
i love you iz… ochlocrats FTW!!
DrNightmare
I don't know guys, maybe Mattel is being blackmailed or something…being forced to buy raw materials from…pirates…mobster pirates! That want like double the cost of stuff, so they have to charge us more for crappier products to stay afloat…yeah…