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The Mattel Distribution Problem


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After all the grief I've given Mattel on these boards for their inability to get the DCUC figures on the shelves, I do have to give them credit and the benefit of the doubt when it's due.

 

I'm not saying that the distribution problems have been completely cleared up but I would like to report that yesterday I came across the bulk of Wave 3 at one Target and a few of Wave 4 at another Target.

 

From Wave 3, I was able to pick up Sinestro and Robin thereby completing this wave and my Solomon Grundy. A few thoughts on these aquisitions...

 

1. Sinestro breaks my heart. He has a beautifully sculpted head but the reports about this figure's scale are true. He's small. Noticeably small. Sinestro didn't have to be a towering or hulking body type, but this one is on the cusp between a major scale issue and looking like a short guy. Next to Hal, he looks like a skinny short guy which doesn't seem like Sinestro at all.

 

2. Robin has a nice sculpt but I wish that the cape was shorter and lighter. I know Robin, like Batman, has a long dramatic cape, but a big heavy cape can sometimes mean all the difference between an action figure and a statue. This one isn't so stiff and bulky that it pushes Robin into the statue zone but I do wish they'd used a cape more like what they're giving Wave 6's long-haired Superman. I don't like when my figures' capes become kick stands. This Robin didn't have the "Manta hands" I've heard so much about but his mask did have a sloppy paint job. If these figures hadn't been so hard to come by, I probably would've passed him up.

 

3. Solomon Grundy is one of my favorite pieces of this whole line. This is the best Grundy figure to date even by-passing the spectacular JLU Grundy. This guy is HUGE. He's far bigger than I ever imagined Grundy but he's such a fantastic sculpt, I can happily live with it.

 

I left on the peg a couple of Green Lanterns, two Nightwngs, and a Deathstroke because I already had them.

 

From Wave 4, I picked up Cyborg. He's a figure I have zero complaints about. His sculpt is every bit as good if not better than the DC Direct Cyborg of a few years ago. He's certainly more 'buff' and has superior articulation. He comes with a couple of extra hand attachments but I haven't been brave enough to pop off his real hand yet.

 

Left behind were two Batman Beyonds, an Ares, and still there from Wave 1, an Orion and a Red Tornado. No sign of a Captain Atom or a Wonder Woman.

 

On a totally unrelated side note, today's Target also had a Marvel Legends Union Jack figure. Now I'm almost completely off of Marvel Legends, but I've always liked Jack's costume. I was going to pick him up but I stopped at the 15.00 price tag. Sorry. Ten bucks is my limit for a brand new 6" action figure. I'll do about twelve on the very outside. I know all about the price of oil but has Hasbro checked the price of oil lately? It's plummeting. I really doubt the price of action figures is going to go down as well.

 

Back to my original point, I don't know if my finds are indicative of anything, but after months of seeing only scraps on the pegs, I was pretty happy and encouraged to see two well stocked Targets two consecutive days.

 

Now I hope Mattel comes through with their long-promised re-release of Wave 2. I'm still in need of a Classic Aquama and one of the Electric Supermen. I hate that Suerman but I'd like to complete my Grodd!

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I don't think there is a total problem with their distribution. I went to 2 Targets and 1 Walmart yesterday and guess what.

Walmart - put out a wave 1 batman, not Mattels fault.

Target - 1 target put out wave 1 again (where are they getting them), and the second had no dcuc

its not Mattel, its the stores and how corporate ships stuff around. I don't live in a collector friendly area, so i order online, Its the best and no complaints, Also the online stores usually get what they order and if there is a problem, Mattel works to correct it. I have wave 4 coming to me complete, so I really don't need to hunt, why are people bothering themselves with this

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I don't think there is a total problem with their distribution. I went to 2 Targets and 1 Walmart yesterday and guess what.

Walmart - put out a wave 1 batman, not Mattels fault.

Target - 1 target put out wave 1 again (where are they getting them), and the second had no dcuc

its not Mattel, its the stores and how corporate ships stuff around. I don't live in a collector friendly area, so i order online, Its the best and no complaints, Also the online stores usually get what they order and if there is a problem, Mattel works to correct it. I have wave 4 coming to me complete, so I really don't need to hunt, why are people bothering themselves with this

 

Are you replying to your own post????

 

As to why people still bother to hunt around, I'll explain why I do it...

 

1. I'm not a completist. I don't want to commit to buying an entire wave. I might not want every figure and most on-line stores will force you to buy complete waves or cases. I know Cornerstore Comics is an exception to this, but I think once they're stuck with a few duds, they're going to drop this policy.

 

2. I hate buying something sight-unseen ...particularly in a line like this where quality control has been horribly unpredictable. As I said above, if I thought I had a good chance of finding another Robin, I probably would've passed up the one I bought.

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On a totally unrelated side note, today's Target also had a Marvel Legends Union Jack figure. Now I'm almost completely off of Marvel Legends, but I've always liked Jack's costume. I was going to pick him up but I stopped at the 15.00 price tag. Sorry. Ten bucks is my limit for a brand new 6" action figure. I'll do about twelve on the very outside. I know all about the price of oil but has Hasbro checked the price of oil lately? It's plummeting. I really doubt the price of action figures is going to go down as well.

 

That's what stinks. All the companies made sure to jump the price of their action figures and blame it on the price of oil, claiming it was a necessity. Now oil is dropping, and obviously they're not going to drop their prices accordingly.

 

They're just like everyone else whose using the current climate to make an extra buck off the American consumer. That's why it irks me when Mattel mentions the cost of making action figures.

 

As for distribution, I haven't seen any change yet. The Target near me still has two Nightwings and a Green Lantern (been that way for about a month), and the Toys R Us near me doesn't even have pegs anymore for DCUC (though there might still be a Demon hanging somewhere). I suppose it could be the stores, though. Maybe Target won't put out new product till the old is gone, even though I've seen them refill the G.I. Joes in the same circumstances.

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Distribution problem in the US? I can't tell.

But in Canada, we only got DCUC1 so is there a distribution problem. Yes! I still don't know if I should blame the retailers or Mattel. As much as Mattel keep saying its the retailers that ultimately decide what to get I dont understand why they decide to just get DCUC1 and gave up on the rest.

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Are you replying to your own post????

 

As to why people still bother to hunt around, I'll explain why I do it...

 

1. I'm not a completist. I don't want to commit to buying an entire wave. I might not want every figure and most on-line stores will force you to buy complete waves or cases. I know Cornerstore Comics is an exception to this, but I think once they're stuck with a few duds, they're going to drop this policy.

 

2. I hate buying something sight-unseen ...particularly in a line like this where quality control has been horribly unpredictable. As I said above, if I thought I had a good chance of finding another Robin, I probably would've passed up the one I bought.

My original post, posted before I could finish it.

I understand you are not a completist BUT, now starting with Wave 7, you can order online, individual figures from CSC and other websites give you the option already. That is the only solution. I understand about the paint apps but this is the only solution.

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Wave 3 hit Target stores pretty heavy in my area except for the local Target of course. They're still sitting on a half case of Wave 1 that restocked in July after the 2 cases of Wave 2 sold through.

 

No sightings of Wave 4 (or any DC) at the 7 nearest Walmarts. I'm hoping the Christmas toy reset changes the situation.

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I don't think its getting better yet.

 

About a month ago we got one case of Wave 4. It sold out before it hit the shelves.

 

Then last night they got two cases of Wave 3. yawwwwwwn... Wave 3 has been pretty easy to find because its been at Target a lot (although I still haven't seen a Hal Jordan with nice paint).. What we needed was Wave 2 (or even Wave 4).

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I've seen signs of Wave 3 getting refreshed in the last week or so. Specifically, I saw some kids loading the last remnants of Wave 3 (I think it was a Hal Jordan and a Sinestro) into their cart right as I got to the toy aisle. Heartwarming, that scene was, especially since they were also plucking down Marvel Legends remnants and some DC Infinite Heroes.

 

But all in all, DCUC beyond Wave 1 has been extremely scarce here. I managed to snag a Black Manta and the two Electro-Supermen, but that's all I ever saw of Wave 2. Wave 3 I've seen Hal a couple times, and Sinestro once, but I already had my preorder in place so I let them be. Never seen Wave 4 (yet).

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While this might sound stupid, but if anyone needs Black Manta or either of the Red/Blue Supermen, let me know, I can pick them up tomorrow when I check the boards tonight!!! At cost plus shipping!!

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Is Toys R Us carrying this line at all anymore? Are they carrying any DC products anymore?

 

All I see are rows of that stupid, ill-conceived game where you get two small Heroclix-looking figures in one package. More and more, TRU's suer-hero aisle is looking like their clearance aisle.

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Is Toys R Us carrying this line at all anymore? Are they carrying any DC products anymore?

 

All I see are rows of that stupid, ill-conceived game where you get two small Heroclix-looking figures in one package. More and more, TRU's suer-hero aisle is looking like their clearance aisle.

 

The Toys R Us near me has no pegs for DCUC. They have the mini two-packs you mentioned (I'd say at least 10 pegs full), as well as some Infinite Heroes, neither of which appear to be selling.

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Want to hear a kicker?

 

At The Target I work at I went in this morning curious if there were anymore Wave 4

 

I went to look but noticed something different

 

The DCU price labels were removed in favor of the Mavel Legends figures So where the DCU sat when we had it there will be more Marvel Legends :(

 

I don't know what this means

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The newest DCUC figures I saw were the 2 electric Supermen.

This is in the bay area too.

 

 

Tampa Bay area?

 

Where?

 

 

no. everybody knows the one and only "bay area" is in Cali baby!

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