maske2g
Main Eventer
Joined on: Jan 31, 2011 7:00:54 GMT -5
Posts: 2,972
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Post by maske2g on Oct 13, 2011 14:38:30 GMT -5
Ok I understand the argument about "kids being the #1 target audience for wrestling figures" but I really don't think they're the #1 buyers. I'm 23 years old and have two jobs, thus I can afford wrestling figures I could never afford when I was 12. How many HUNDREDS of collectors are on this site alone over the age of 16? I understand kids are the target audience but I don't believe they are the #1 buyers. Also, no we don't know the prices on Mattycollector.com but I think it's safe to say that anytime you order an item online it's going to cost more with shipping that just walking into Walmart and buying it there. Lastly, just like Hulkamania 4 Life, I got rid of most of my collection. I literally have 8 figures (waiting for Elite 12 Kane). I decided to cut down and just collect 1996-1997 era figures because I'm not interested in Orton, Cena, Mysterio, etc. I don't want them. Meh...I'm probably starting to get off topic and I apologize. I'm not trying to sound bitter. I'm just disappointed that we are having to jump through hoops to get our hands on decent legends figures (which are the only figures I collect). How many 20-30 yr old wrestling figure collectors do you think there are in the world? A few thousand maybe? How many kids get a few wrestling figures a year? Probably hundreds of thousands. Do the maths. WWE's balance sheet tells you they are making very good money from Mattel figures. And its obviously not from the lines that we like. |
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Deleted
Joined on: May 3, 2024 1:18:04 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2011 14:46:41 GMT -5
It's such a shame that when we finally get such amazing figures, they are failing so hard due to WWE and their terrible direction with their product. but Legends/Classics could be Mattel's cash cow like it was Jakks cash cow if not for bunghole decision making. Attires, line-ups, price points, production decisions - all things Mattel has control over. From the moment they took away the stands, it was all down hill and such a shame too because engineering-wise, these are the best wrestling figures ever built. They had product differentiators like attention to scale, but have done nothing but fold line after line... I'll still pay my $40+ for an Arn Anderson because damnit I want my 4 Horsemen  I'm just baffled that they can't manage this WWE brand better. But it runs all over Mattel because ToyGuru tanked a whole bunch of other Mattel toy lines he's in charge of as brand manager. When I blame WWE, I'm talking about them telling Mattel not to include active guys (Taker, HBK, HHH and others) in the legends line. That right there was a death sentence. |
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Post by bendover10100 on Oct 13, 2011 14:48:24 GMT -5
That would explain why they didn't show DM's new packaging lol.
But think about it, Mattel is basically cutting Elite Series down to 4 figures a series, throwing in 2 DM figures, and calling them "Flashbacks", and saving people around $6 by putting the DM's in the Elite line.
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brethartfan97
Main Eventer
Joined on: Jul 10, 2006 0:59:31 GMT -5
Posts: 1,994
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Post by brethartfan97 on Oct 13, 2011 14:52:37 GMT -5
They should just cut out the stands.
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Deleted
Joined on: May 3, 2024 1:18:04 GMT -5
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2011 14:53:08 GMT -5
That would explain why they didn't show DM's new packaging lol. But think about it, Mattel is basically cutting Elite Series down to 4 figures a series, throwing in 2 DM figures, and calling them "Flashbacks", and saving people around $6 by putting the DM's in the Elite line. They aren't putting DM figures in Flashbacks. They're putting Legends as Flashbacks. We will never get a Flashback figure with as many accessories as Rock or Cena. Does that justify the price? No, but don't think the DM line is being put into the Flashbacks because they aren't. |
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Post by ztj_wwf on Oct 13, 2011 14:56:41 GMT -5
Wow, Mattel is really cheaping out. Now we only get 2 Legends in Elite series, and 5 online a year...are you kidding me...?
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Post by DZ: WF Legacy on Oct 13, 2011 15:00:05 GMT -5
Oh god dammit. I knew this would happen eventually, but I figured we'd at least get to 6 or 7...
The line did better than Entrance Greats did in my area. I wonder if this is it for higher-end WWE lines at retail? TRU overcharging for them is not helping move product. But it seemed like other stores only had a few lingering figures.
I'm very interested in why things have universally gone south for the old school lines. Jakks' Legends line bombed, even with Sting. Mattel's Legend line bombed, even after the anticipated 1st Steamboat in many years - who sold HORRIBLY. Is it price mixed with people being tighter with their wallets? I'm sure that contributes. Is it the overall shifting demographic of wrestling in the past several years to younger audiences as many older fans move onto UFC? Well...the UFC line hasn't exactly flown off shelves either. But that could also be due to the stigma of buying toys.
Who knows. I'm sure it's a lot of stuff. It's not the quality with the Mattel product, because they're usually top notch with design, accessories and molds. I have a hunch that once the switch was made, a lot of people just stopped collecting since they had huge collections of the Jakks lines. It didn't matter if Mattel brought in scale or higher quality detail/accessories, they didn't mesh well with the Jakks stuff. That absolutely killed interest in some people - this hobby does add up in cost if you aren't selective about it.
For me personally, CS started when I was only 17. I'm 24 now, and a lot of people my age and older are recently married/have young kids. Cost IS an issue, especially in a downed economy, and especially if you're starting a family and aren't in a comfortable living situation just yet. I'm thinking a good chunk of people just gave it up as they lost interest in wrestling, and while there is a tremendous market for the old school stuff (check out this forum!) it's just not enough to sustain at retail on consistent basis.
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Deleted
Joined on: May 3, 2024 1:18:04 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2011 15:01:05 GMT -5
I'm not saying that the collectors have to be 20-30 years old. I just mean of working age (16). We all agreed earlier that kids certainly don't have the money for these figures (even the basic prices) and that parents aren't going to shell out money for these figures either.
The reason Rumblers are still around is because their prices are lower and they're cool looking. I dunno...maybe I'm wrong about all of this and if that's the case then I stand corrected.
I just have my doubts that $12-$25 figures are flying off the shelves period.
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peepulation469
Main Eventer
189 REFS!
Joined on: Nov 23, 2007 21:33:09 GMT -5
Posts: 1,750
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Post by peepulation469 on Oct 13, 2011 15:01:56 GMT -5
Here's hoping DM5 hits retail. If I could only own one Mattel, it'd be Bret Hart.
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Post by AlexWestCollects on Oct 13, 2011 15:03:53 GMT -5
I'm really disappointed in mattel. Jakks was successful in their CS line for how many yrs? Mattel has pretty much canned all legends with a very limited supply going online.
Within the short time Mattel has had the line, they managed to cancel EG, Legends in stores, DMs, taken away stands/nameplates, given us lower quality belts, rubber shirts and increased prices. I don't care what any of the mattel fanboys are gonna say, this has gotten pretty annoying. Just like we predicted in that Big Calling Out Bill Thread a few months back, mattel was going to continue to take things away.
The only consistency we've seen within the mattel line is crappy distribution, increased prices and less quality items.
Don't buy into their ahhh prices have gone up and our costs blah blah. Its all BS! Tell that to the workers who are probably getting a nickel a day to make these products.
If Mattel had any common sense they would stop releasing figs like Papa Shango, Hill Billy Jim, and cheap versions of Jimmy Snuka, Sgt Slaughter, Terry Funk. Release figures that a majority of ppl will buy! Seriously what idiot develops their business plans?
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Deleted
Joined on: May 3, 2024 1:18:04 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2011 15:12:44 GMT -5
I'm really disappointed in mattel. Jakks was successful in their CS line for how many yrs? Mattel has pretty much canned all legends with a very limited supply going online. Within the short time Mattel has had the line, they managed to cancel EG, Legends in stores, DMs, taken away stands/nameplates, given us lower quality belts, rubber shirts and increased prices. I don't care what any of the mattel fanboys are gonna say, this has gotten pretty annoying. Just like we predicted in that Big Calling Out Bill Thread a few months back, mattel was going to continue to take things away. The only consistency we've seen within the mattel line is crappy distribution, increased prices and less quality items. Don't buy into their ahhh prices have gone up and our costs blah blah. Its all BS! Tell that to the workers who are probably getting a nickel a day to make these products. If Mattel had any common sense they would stop releasing figs like Papa Shango, Hill Billy Jim, and cheap versions of Jimmy Snuka, Sgt Slaughter, Terry Funk. Release figures that a majority of ppl will buy! Seriously what idiot develops their business plans? THIS. Seriously, this. |
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Deleted
Joined on: May 3, 2024 1:18:04 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2011 15:13:49 GMT -5
I'm really disappointed in mattel. Jakks was successful in their CS line for how many yrs? Mattel has pretty much canned all legends with a very limited supply going online. Within the short time Mattel has had the line, they managed to cancel EG, Legends in stores, DMs, taken away stands/nameplates, given us lower quality belts, rubber shirts and increased prices. I don't care what any of the mattel fanboys are gonna say, this has gotten pretty annoying. Just like we predicted in that Big Calling Out Bill Thread a few months back, mattel was going to continue to take things away. The only consistency we've seen within the mattel line is crappy distribution, increased prices and less quality items. Don't buy into their ahhh prices have gone up and our costs blah blah. Its all BS! Tell that to the workers who are probably getting a nickel a day to make these products. If Mattel had any common sense they would stop releasing figs like Papa Shango, Hill Billy Jim, and cheap versions of Jimmy Snuka, Sgt Slaughter, Terry Funk. Release figures that a majority of ppl will buy! Seriously what idiot develops their business plans? I agree with a lot of this. Prices are going up and quality is going down. If they want to sell LEGENDS and DEFINING MOMENTS figures then stop releasing guys who suck. Hillbilly Jim, Jimmy Snuka, Akeem, 1970s Terry Funk, etc. are the guys you make internet exclusive. However, other legends like Bret Hart, Undertaker and Shawn Michaels will and do sell in stores. I just don't believe that all of these repaints are actually selling. If 8 year old Timmy already has an Orton, Cena and Mysterio then why would his dad buy him another...and another...and another...and another just because he's wearing blue this time!? |
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Post by AlexWestCollects on Oct 13, 2011 15:27:40 GMT -5
I'm really disappointed in mattel. Jakks was successful in their CS line for how many yrs? Mattel has pretty much canned all legends with a very limited supply going online. Within the short time Mattel has had the line, they managed to cancel EG, Legends in stores, DMs, taken away stands/nameplates, given us lower quality belts, rubber shirts and increased prices. I don't care what any of the mattel fanboys are gonna say, this has gotten pretty annoying. Just like we predicted in that Big Calling Out Bill Thread a few months back, mattel was going to continue to take things away. The only consistency we've seen within the mattel line is crappy distribution, increased prices and less quality items. Don't buy into their ahhh prices have gone up and our costs blah blah. Its all BS! Tell that to the workers who are probably getting a nickel a day to make these products. If Mattel had any common sense they would stop releasing figs like Papa Shango, Hill Billy Jim, and cheap versions of Jimmy Snuka, Sgt Slaughter, Terry Funk. Release figures that a majority of ppl will buy! Seriously what idiot develops their business plans? I agree with a lot of this. Prices are going up and quality is going down. If they want to sell LEGENDS and DEFINING MOMENTS figures then stop releasing guys who suck. Hillbilly Jim, Jimmy Snuka, Akeem, 1970s Terry Funk, etc. are the guys you make internet exclusive. However, other legends like Bret Hart, Undertaker and Shawn Michaels will and do sell in stores. I just don't believe that all of these repaints are actually selling. If 8 year old Timmy already has an Orton, Cena and Mysterio then why would his dad buy him another...and another...and another...and another just because he's wearing blue this time!? I think even Little Jimmy will get tired of having another Cena he already has. Its not like Cena and Orton have a good # of different looks where you can keep repainting them. |
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Post by Ultimate Figure Collector on Oct 13, 2011 15:28:29 GMT -5
This is terrible!!! I'm honestly not surprised though because my TRU is loaded with Defining Moments series 3 and before that they were loaded with series 2. This sucks though. Now how are we suppose to get a Mankind, Yokozuna or if/when they leave TNA Hogan & Flair? Mattel needs to do something so we aren't just getting 6 legends a year. I know they have the flashbacks but can I see them putting someone like a Ric Flair(once he's done with TNA) as a flashback?
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Post by ckhybrid on Oct 13, 2011 15:31:26 GMT -5
very disappointing news, i'm a big Mattel fan but this is starting to get a little annoying with all the stuff thats being taken away
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Post by wrestlingtoymaniac on Oct 13, 2011 15:31:48 GMT -5
Here's hoping DM5 hits retail. If I could only own one Mattel, it'd be Bret Hart. Just order it on the MattelShop site for retail price... |
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Post by theperfectmountie on Oct 13, 2011 15:45:14 GMT -5
not shocked, they are too much $ for kids, i only got macho and rock anyway. will get bret...
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chrischrome
Superstar
DM COLLECTOR!
Joined on: Apr 26, 2010 11:24:13 GMT -5
Posts: 859
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Post by chrischrome on Oct 13, 2011 15:49:31 GMT -5
Yep, REALLY starting to lose interest...this is just one more slap in the face by Mattel. We have great stuff that;s been put out, that Im grateful for, but now we hardly get any new lineups at all, now they're taking away the very best series they had..and yes, the prices are ridiculous. I'm looking at my 200-figure collection and wondering if I'll continue to buy...maybe I'll just sell...
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Post by AlexWestCollects on Oct 13, 2011 15:56:18 GMT -5
Yep, REALLY starting to lose interest...this is just one more slap in the face by Mattel. We have great stuff that;s been put out, that Im grateful for, but now we hardly get any new lineups at all, now they're taking away the very best series they had..and yes, the prices are ridiculous. I'm looking at my 200-figure collection and wondering if I'll continue to buy...maybe I'll just sell... I'm with ya. I already sold off a few figs and have posted a bunch more in the classifieds. If anyone is interested link to my classifieds pg is below in my signature. |
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ToxicTwistOfFate
Main Eventer
Joined on: Nov 7, 2006 0:16:23 GMT -5
Posts: 3,576
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Post by ToxicTwistOfFate on Oct 13, 2011 15:58:11 GMT -5
So what's next? Mattel cancelling the Elites?
The price on those keeps going up. Soon they will end up being around $20 and people aren't going to want to buy them.
It really saddens me to see Mattel keep killing things off so quickly. Maybe if they would start using some damn common sense these lines wouldn't keep failing. For instance they put HBK in DM 1. Great I'm all for HBK but come on he should have been in an old school attire not something that was recent.
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