MattyCollector 2013 Q&A Thread
 

Post MattyCollector Q&A questions for 2013 here. This will be the central discussion for questions and answers(cross fingers we get good ones that don't deflect the questions) too.

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MattyCollector 2013 Q&A Answers Round 1

I always hate the "we flood shelves with the primary hero because he sells more" answer.

with the release of the first Club Figures is there any way we can hear when the other 3 announced will be released and who the other 4 even are?

"At retail Batman just outsells the other characters by a huge factor."
Yeah thats why theres fuckin 20 of em at every Target.

Why does Mattel suck?

Plus, of course he SELLS more when he's the ONLY figure there to buy! It boggles my mind man boggles my mind..

BINGO

And the funniest part about that is that most retailers don't really keep track of individual characters in their sales data - just the line, price point and quantity. There are exceptions of course (some retailers and certain toy lines), but most of the time, my receipts just say the line and maybe size class.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that you're right about that. I once ordered a GL Krona from kmart.com and they sent me a Hal. Their excuse was that it had the same SKU, thus it had to just be a "variation" of the same thing. In other words, two completely different figures in a line is no difference than two colors of towel in the same line.

That begs the question of why precisely they even have separate figures listed if they won't send you want you want....

I'm sure at some point there was actual hard data to support the notion that core characters sell more.

But by this point I wonder if it hasn't become a self-fulfilling prophecy: Core characters sell more because manufacturers make more of the core characters and then pad them in case assortments.

As noted above, most evidence is that retailers do not track the sales of individual characters, so from Mattel's perspective Batman would be the biggest seller simply because there were more Batmen in the cases they sold to Wal-Mart. If they'd cut Batman to one per case and put Ra's al Ghul at 3 per case, their data would instantly show them that Ra's was the "best seller."

At least, that's my hypotheses at this point. No idea if it's true and probably will never have access to data that would tell me so, but while I have no problem with Core Characters being slightly more available than regular characters, it's become a serious problem when it's severely limiting availability of secondary/supporting characters and adversaries.

So there's my question for the next Q&A:

We've been told that core characters (in the case of last month, Batman specifically) "sell more than any other character." Hopefully you can answer this follow-up question: How do you track this data? Is it based on how many units were shipped, or how many actually sold-through at retail?

I smell a non-answer coming. Or maybe someone needs to stop burning popcorn in the microwave at work. *shrug*

Dear Matty Collector, what the hell was up with that meh? You guys made Catle Grayskullman, Fearless Photogg, and Mo-Larr, and you have the nerve to "meh" at Space Ghost?!!? Blashphemers!!!!

I may be wrong but I had the entirely opposite impression of that addition.

Specifically, I thought it was expressing a degree of dissatisfaction that they DIDN'T have the rights to Space Ghost, because they know a DCUC style Space Ghost would be frikkin' awesome.

This.

I too, got the impression "meh" was dissatisfaction that they do not have the spaceghost lisence.

Last year SDCC there was no DC Figure Is there a plan to do a Comic Con Exclusive in 2013?

With the Green Lantern Corps pretty full and the Sinestro Corp nearly as full of the others only the Red Lanterns have any Representation beyond one or two figures with Atrocitus, Skullok, Nite-Lik, and Dex-Starr, is there any plans to add more Lanterns of the other Corps?

Im going to advance my question from last year

Is there any plans to make 6 inch size versions of Oversize and collect and connect figures like Gigantia, Atom Smasher, Elastigirl, and/or Apache Chief?

Are there any plans to do more New 52 characters particularly those who for decades have been highly popular with Image Comics (Grifter, Vibe, Voodoo) to future series or are these going to be left out?

Here's the Problem with Core characters they quickly become Peg warmers. Lets look at the Dark Knight Rises figures there was Batman, Bane, Catwoman, Ras Al Ghul, Alfred, GCPD Blake, and the last I forget (Gordon maybe) but if you go into a store Target, Toys R Us, Walmart, or Kmart you will find only Batman and Bane sitting on the shelves, The Dark Knight Rises was in Movie Theaters 7 months ago and the DVD/Blu-Ray came out the first week of December they maybe popular but nobody buys them where as I found only one of the other 5 at Walmart (GCPD Blake) and grabbed it and payed for it. A friend of mine who I worked with Found Alfred he did the same as I did. What this says to me is Batman and Bane were target figures (meaning only certain people want them) and that Alfred, Blake, and Etc were also 10 times more popular among customers. I really think it's time for Mattel to look at Producing more of the Obscure Characters and let the Core characters become the less shipped and shelved.

The sad part is, and has been said a million times, toy companies make toys FOR KIDS. That will never change when it comes to MASS RETAIL. Mass retail will always have more of the BIG heroes. Yes , a case of TDKR MM might have 3 bats, 2 banes, and 1 alfred (very first asst. had this ratio), but the majority of kids and parents only know Batman and almost no other characters. Star Wars and any major action figure line will ALWAYS be this way, having MAIN stars and little else. Girl characters don't sell to boys, and vice versa, only collectors cares about them. Monster High is a great example for the opposite, the boy characters hardly move off the shelf because girls don't want them, until a collector buys them to sell online the same way collectors buy female action figures. AS much as I love toys and figures I NEVER see this changing. I have collected for over 20 years and it has never changed in the retail market.

yeah I know that but here's I could walk into a Store and buy Batman & Bane any day of the week and twice on Sunday. I was in a Local Target and a little kid asks me "Who's This?" showing me a Mary Batson. I told him about her after that he ended up buying her over one of the 30 Batmen

The problem isn't fully Mattel it's DC Comics they make everyone but the big 7 Obscure

You must be some salesman!

I think it was the fact that I said "As strong as Superman with none of the weakness." but as my Name indicates I'm partial so Shazam! stuff

Question:

The quality of plastic Mattel uses in the DCUC, Allstar, and Unlimited lines have been steadily getting increasingly poorer over the last few waves, with steadily softer and softer plastic used, culminating with plastic so soft that hands designed for grip can be fully opened with no stress marks, and weapons that behave like they're made from fabric.
DC Unlimited Hawkman's axe cannot even support it's own weight, at all, under any condition.
What is the reason behind using such terrible plastic? Limiting costs, rigid child safety laws, or something else?
And thank you for not using this terrible plastic on the subscription figures.

All I have to say is, "When will you be releasing Back to the Future 3.75 in. figures and vehicles?"

4) Last year SDCC there was no DC Figure Is there a plan to do a Comic Con Exclusive in 2013?
A) Last year we offered a 6" Batman figure. This year there will also be a 6" figure. Who that is remains to be announced.

... I'm gonna go out on a limb and say... it's BATMAN.