[Super Joe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowflakian

Jurassic World for example, the (3.75 inch) scale it's in and how well it's doing, it would be smart to consider doing a DC line that's comparative to that in cost too (especially because of cross play!)

Everyone check out this awesome pic on Instagram. (You 3.75 collectors who knows who this guy is),

https://www.instagram.com/p/Blls31tn...by=davidvonner

Afterwards encourage this guy to give us a great DC 3.75 inch line. Perhaps something like the Star Wars Vintage Collection 3.75 line accompanied by a more basic line (like this new Jurassic Park figure of Dave Vonner).

[Snowflakian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by faelon

It has everything to do with the horribly unqualified former CEO that they got from Google, who had no Manufacturing, Retail, Logistics, Import/Export or Product Delivery experience. (She was a mid tier Google administrator, prior to that she sold shoddy silicon valley financial products). When the other vendors started to sense Toys R Us's instability, and acted to limit their financial exposure, Margo doubled down on Mattel's risk. Hence while Lego has around $30 mil loss from TRU and Hasbro has around $40 mil, Mattel has $180 million loss in unpaid product from TRU's collapse.

Okay, first of all. A lot of companies wanted to save TRU and looked to finding ways to do that. Mattel was one of them and should be commended for that even if they took the business hit.

And second of all, all your other assertions are complete crap. Girls lines under Mattel are one of the big things keeping them moving forward and gaining ground. Those were up. As was hot wheels. And Jurassic World as well, as literally stated in this.

So apparently she's doing something right. She-ra's getting a cartoon that's going live in Sept. MOTU is still in development hell, but it's been in development hell since before she was a CEO anyway.

A big chunk of why DC stuff isn't doing that well right now is actually because of bowing to whims of fans. Fans wanted big playsets. Bigger toys. Etc. Mattel conceded and gave us those. At their own expense because the profit margins on those are abysmal. They made some changes after the Nolan movies and MOS/GL movies, and moved away from that system to a bulkier budget line figure that tbh, looks more at home for a MOTU relaunch than it does DC stuff. (Yet still better than the Max Steel figures. Also, that relaunch was before her, but again also did well in other territories.)

Mattel will bounce back. But personally, I have to commend them for actively trying to push to save TRU. Hasbro and others helped, but Mattel gave the biggest push of help because they wanted TRU to survive.
And for that, even for the loss, I have to give them some major respect for trying to save a place of childhood wonder even at their own expense.

Your diatribe to condemn her for being a woman and your other rhetoric of "secretaries" and demeaning remarks about their intelligence are, as proven by this, entirely false. Those very things you denounce are the very things that Mattel gained ground in. Showing she is doing her job well and bringing in profits in various areas.

Action figures on the other hand, need a more streamlined approach again. Keep multiverse, but the budget lines need a complete overhaul, and it's her experience "as a woman that played with barbie" as you put it, is actually what's needed to streamline that better. Keeping multiverse but offering more scaled dollhouse type compatible material instead of trying to lean on steroid over-inflated balloon muscles heroes.

Something that's been a problem at bandai too when you compare figure numbers of stuff like Jungle Fury that had the more accurate bodied show figures, to stuff like the steroid balloon muscled Ninja Steel and Dinocharge(slower numbers than Jungle fury had, but wider monster figures that do sell which was nice). The muscled Power Rangers weren't moving that much volume, but the monster figures were. So something Hasbro should definitely look into on the budget line of that is monster figures and proper body accurate ranger figures.

So if Mattel looks into that to better streamline their DC budget line stuff to Jurassic world types where it's dollhouse compatible, but also still offers the other material, that should gain some ground increases. Then use the current budget figure style for the bigger things like Doomsday, Darkseid, Bane, Joker Bane, and anyone else that fits that concept. The better streamlined budget line will also help in better promotional moves by WB to push material like they were doing before with DCIH and DC animated movies. This should also help alleviate the volume issues. Get better shelf space by condensing, and still allow DC Multiverse to stay around while expanding other DC products to reach consumers that'll buy it or support it. Maximizing the logistics of shelf space for more material in smaller areas and more per case.
Which in turns allows them more time to get more material out for various areas, and generating funds to get more in-house properties going to support themselves and other toy types to diversify like Hasbro does.

Action figures are a drop in the bucket compared to other lines, but if handled well, they could be doing better in sales to bring them up more, which will still help Mattel in the long run. And increasing shelf space by reducing size and playing to compatibility of their girls lines could help. A 6 inch figure remote control bat mobile is cool, but it does take up a lot of space whereas one for 4'' one can have twice the volume in a case and fit more on shelves.

So I thank Mattel for trying this "bigger is better" experiment, but as we're seeing. The sales numbers don't work, and smaller actually moves more volume and has better profits.

And Mattel will never willingly give up the DC license. Multiverse could die off, but that license for toy goods/merchandising goes to far more than only action figures. Role play items, Dolls, and more are also covered in that as well as any other product lines it's merged into. That merchandising still brings in a good amount of funds too even though action figures are hit or miss.

But also like WWE and other trends. Things come in waves. At one time, WWE figures were dying out before Mattel acquired it, and the WWE itself was filing bankruptcy. At one time, Marvel figures weren't moving to the point Legends almost died a few times until it finally did and DC was popular with their legends like line starting to dominate shelves. To the point it even got MOTU two packs. Now Marvel is doing well and DC isn't as much. These things bounce around often. If you follow the trends from as far back as the early 80s, you'll see DC and Marvel keep switching who is dominating when. DC Super Powers was doing well, Marvel Secret Wars kind of flopped, Kenner batman lines did well, until eventually toy biz marvel was starting to gain ground early on. To then the X-Men boom in the late 80s and early 90s, then DC started doing well again in the late 90s and early 2000s, and back and forth they went. So that's likely to change again at any time too.

Even some of the floundering DC lines by our comparison. The Batman nolan lines(non-movie masterpiece), Man of Steel, and even GL, all did rather well by volume even though by our standards they weren't that great of 4'' figures. But they were streamlined budget lines that moved by volume and weren't harsh on wallets. They had playsets and vehicles and more. Same as to how Marvel gained toy momentum back in the action figure lines with IM2 and Fury Files, to eventually the rebirth of Legends. Same as to what killed GI Joe really as the cost of the figures made them no longer a budget line at the smaller size. Effectively ending their sales strength entirely(which is why Corps elite is doing so well, as they've maintained the budget friendly approach).

So using her expertise on girls toys is actually one of the smarter things Mattel could do on a wider level, as opposed to her listening to what boys/fans say they want in material(outside of multiverse, new multiverse is perfect! Though it does need a better companion budget line!) And if you weren't so hung up on her gender, you might actually see that using her expertise may actually give you the material you want instead of what we're getting. As apparently Jurassic World is showing and should become a stencil for future budget lines to test out for a few years and see if it holds for wider IPs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Joe

Afterwards encourage this guy to give us a great DC 3.75 inch line. Perhaps something like the Star Wars Vintage Collection 3.75 line accompanied by a more basic line (like this new Jurassic Park figure of Dave Vonner).

Personally, while I like Vonner's work. I'd like to see the current Jurassic World team handle the budget line for DC stuff. Vonner does amazing work, but he's more for premium 4'' than budget line. So if they got the original non-budget multiverse 4'' going again, then maybe there if he conforms to Mattel articulation standards. But not so much for a budget line which needs something like the current Jurassic World team.

That multiverse line was really fun for the time it was available. Shame it didn't get the support it needed, and never had a chance to come around to re-do the V-cut leg style and no elbows of the female figures. That line could have been a much better success than it was if Mattel had streamlined it better. They had such great support for it too early on. It really could have become the new DCIH if they gave it some minor tweaks and kept it budget friendly and then broadened it out. Definitely something they should look into as part of the DC Universe online service promoting at retail itself.

Though after looking over the Hiya releases. I gotta say Jurassic World people for a budget 1:18th line, and Hiya for a premium format 1:18th. Damn does Hiya's Injustice figures look good.

[jestermon]

They haven't restocked any of the dc stuff forever at my stores the action league stuff.

[RodimusZX]

The Jurassic World toys kick so so so much ass!!! I hope Mattel just milks the hell out of that line!

I'm also a fan of some of their DC stuff, so looking to see them do more there too. Time to shift from kiddies to grownups I guess.

[GI Flow]

Bummer. I applied for a few jobs at Mattel last year. just as well though, probably would've gotten laid off anyway. I was hoping to work my way into one of the action figure teams.
Hopefully Dave Vonner is still around at Mattel and is actively trying to get DC figures back out in 4" scale.