MOTUC Q&A's From Around the Net (2/15/2012)

[phantom1592]

no more 200x heads (and no, Stinkor's head is not 200x inspired, it's what he would have looked like in the 80's if his head hadn't been just a Mer-Man repaint, said Toyguru),

What 200x head were you expecting? Whiplash is the ONLY 200x head we've ever gotten. All the rest have been cardback based or 'modernized classics' like Stinkor.

In fact with Stinkor and the Fisto I just ordered... I'd say the no 200x is a thing of the past.

[PPC]

5- The QC issues have been well addressed, how about the Digital River cancellation email issues, why is that happening?

The reason subs were "canceled" was due to sub holders not having enough funds in their account/on their cards to cover the figure. We know fans were not trying to "cancel" their sub, this was an automatic message sent out to customers without adequate funds. Going forward we changed the wording of the message to clarify for customers that their sub will be "on hold" due to a payment failure, not canceled. This was out fault for a poorly worded automatic message.

Ugh, here we go again. For the last time Matty, quit blaming customers for your and DR's incompetence. Subs were being cancelled because you were trying to charge an outdated credit card even after people had updated the information on the website. Please just admit that you're stupid and get it over with.

[Daniel Lynch]

I'm late! I'm late!

It's finally up -> http://www.itsalltrue.net/?p=16958

[Frogster]

Not that I am surprised, but I am very disappointed in no more dioramas. That means no throne for either Castle Grayskull or Skeletor anytime soon, and most of all no.......Fright Zone spooky tree!!!! Bwaaaaaaaa

[Sir Reilly]

From PlanetEternia.de :


Q: Recently, Toyguru confirmed that the MotU Classics are "transitioning to a much more subscription-based line going forward", resulting into collectors worrying about the line's future if even less subscriptions will be sold this summer (for 2013) than last year (for 2012). Wouldn't dwindling sub sales be a reason to rethink the idea of offering an "all-in" subscription and another one just for the 12 monthly figures?

A: No, we need to bank all of the figures together to have a quota we can use for all figure (except for the few non sub items like large holiday items like Granamyr).


Q: We also were told that the Wind Raider sold "okay" but would've needed a "slightly faster sell-through to convince management that a fully tooled vehicle is the right expansion". However, some collectors assume the 3-day availability may also have been a result of the release date and the Wind Raider might have done better in October or November. Are you going to offer Granamyr earlier this year?

A: From Toy Guru: "Let me try and clear the air on this one. First off, we had originally planned on the WR (and Granamyr is planned for) a Sept release. Due to circumstances we could not control the WR was delayed twice and had to wind up shipping in Dec. So it is not like we purposely planned or due to "poor planning on out part" to make this a Dec item. The other thing to take into consideration (and this is NOT an attack on customers) but we did make it very clear the cost of the WR well in advance. If this was an item you wanted to buy, you had months to save up and stash away needed funds. It is not like this high prices item came out of no where and surprises people. At the end of the day, it just took too long to sell a very small number of units."


Q: In addition to the previous questions, wouldn't a preorder-system help Mattel in case 2012 subscriptions dwindle? Not to forget the non-sub items like Granamyr or potential upcoming vehicles - if not enough collectors pre-order the item, it just won't be produced.

A: It is one option, but we did announce the WR and the cost months in advance so customers can clearly save that amount of money in their account or even in a cookie jar and wait for it to go on sale if it is something they want to buy.


Q: Whatever happened to Prince Adam? Is he still planned to be (re-?)released on single card (inluding his own bio)?

A: Prince Adam was released with Orko as a two pack. There are no plans to release him as a single in 2012 but anything is possible for the future.


Q: Since tooling for the Wind Raider was so expensive, wouldn't it be an idea to re-use most of it for a "Water Raider" (and determine the demand for that through a pre-order offer)?

A: It is one idea, but a Water Raider is not planned at this time.

[Jor-El]

I'm sorry TG, but your reasoning for "okay" Wind Raider sales still irks me.

Sure, people know months in advance of a lot of things they want to buy. But not everyone can budget, and even those that do can occur unexpected expenses (medical bills, wife's mobile phone bill going over the cap, vet bills, kid wants something more expensive for Christmas). Does he even comprehend what Christmas time is like for most people? You can scrimp and save as much as you like, but if your turkey or ham goes off because your fridge packs it in and you need to not only buy a new turkey for Christmas but also a new fridge, how can you expect people to budget for this?

The Wind Raider may be an expected expense, but so many unexpected expenses pop up for normal people with average wages. Particular around Christmas.

[Ealo]

From PlanetEternia.de :
Q: Since tooling for the Wind Raider was so expensive, wouldn't it be an idea to re-use most of it for a "Water Raider" (and determine the demand for that through a pre-order offer)?

A: It is one idea, but a Water Raider is not planned at this time.

While I'd get one Water Raider, I do worry that people will scream 'cheap repaint' like with snakeman MAA (even though the water raider would be optional in a way the SMAA was not for sub holders).

[MegaGearMax]

What 200x head were you expecting? Whiplash is the ONLY 200x head we've ever gotten. All the rest have been cardback based or 'modernized classics' like Stinkor.

The 200X heads that were okay when fans voted for extra heads instead of mini-comics back in 2009.

In fact with Stinkor and the Fisto I just ordered... I'd say the no 200x is a thing of the past.

No...Stinkor and Moss Man only got away with it because they never had unique vintage heads. Fisto is simply his vintage head wearing his 200X headband, not an outright 200X head. Can Mattel really do 200X heads or not if they wanted to?

[marndt8448]

I'd like to add a new rule to the Matty Drinking Game if I may.....

Every time "at the end of the day" is used, everyone takes a drink!





I swear it's catching up to "hyper anime detail" in the amount of times used....

[BCreviews4628]

The reason subs were "canceled" was due to sub holders not having enough funds in their account/on their cards to cover the figure.

I'm very offended by this. The day I had my sub cancelled, I had well over $300 in my account. I'm not happy with that comment in the least.

[phantom1592]

The 200X heads that were okay when fans voted for extra heads instead of mini-comics back in 2009.



No...Stinkor and Moss Man only got away with it because they never had unique vintage heads. Fisto is simply his vintage head wearing his 200X headband, not an outright 200X head. Can Mattel really do 200X heads or not if they wanted to?

Now we're into the classicizing machine debate. And a fair amount of nitpicking. I mean, we're not talking Buzz off or Clawful... there's not much difference here

What's the difference between a 200x Fisto and Fisto in his 200x headband? I mean the hand was massively different... as is the sword and everything else. But the headband pretty much MAKES it a 200x head.

At LEAST as much as any 2nd head we've ever gotten (With the exception of Whiplash).

Also to hear things like Stinkor 'got away with one...' What difference does it make HOW or WHY he got a modern head... he GOT one... it totally counts!!

(Though... I have a terrible time telling those heads apart... something about the tanks or something... but they just don't look THAT different to me

PROBABLY because mer-man's head always looked MORE like Cat/Skunk then he ever did a Fish


Sooooo I don't think it's fair to say we 'lost the 200x heads'... when we never REALLY Got them in the first place... and 2012 has already shown us MORE 'modern' heads then we got in 2011.

[Blaster]

Ugh, here we go again. For the last time Matty, quit blaming customers for your and DR's incompetence. Subs were being cancelled because you were trying to charge an outdated credit card even after people had updated the information on the website. Please just admit that you're stupid and get it over with.

Mattel will never accept responsibility for their mistakes it's how the corporate machine works. They spin it to the customers fault. In reality my charge didn't go thru because my bank was curious about all the digital river charges in January and put a fraud alert on my account, ... and because each attempt was done everyday three times up till Sunday of that weekend, (and we all know banks aren't open Sunday) I was powerless to do anything about it till Monday. Also I'd like to state for the record that on digital river website it says they try to authorize the card once every forty eight hours. Well from day to the next that's 24 hours last time I checked, doesn't really give the customers much time to catch any errors does it Matty?

[kup]

Kastor's Korner: Recently, you discussed the QC issues that have affected figures like King Hssss and Roboto, but have there been discussions as to how these QC-impacted characters will be re-introduced to the line now that the TRU sets are finished? Quarterly variants maybe?

Matty: Now that we are no longer doing reissues we would need to use a monthly slot for a new Roboto or King Hssss. If fans would prefer a fixed or updated version of these characters over an all new character as monthly sub spot, let us know!

I would love a 200x inspired variant of Roboto and a 200x inspired King Hisss! I would certainly prefer that over Clamp Champ or Rio Blaster. Although I don't mean that those characters shouldn't be eventually released later on, but a 200x Robot & Hisss would be preferable to me.

(They would need to have their shoulders fixed of course)

[Crusader]

I'd pick a 200X Roboto or King Hiss over anything NA or Filmation. Bring 'em on !!!

[kup]

I bought 3 WRs and I imagine others did the same and more to support the line and they keep saying it didn't perform well!!
Now there will be no castle grayskul nor any other playset because of WR?? What logic is this? This line started four years ago and we still hear this weird logic.

Saying stuff like 'I bought 3 vehicles' is detrimental as it would make Mattel more shy about making more. To Mattel, it will mean that only a few people bought their entire limited run item and even so they took too long to sell therefore there is no more market for it.

People saying stuff like that please stop.

[bigsexy_j]

I'd like to add a new rule to the Matty Drinking Game if I may.....

Every time "at the end of the day" is used, everyone takes a drink!

I swear it's catching up to "hyper anime detail" in the amount of times used....

Can we also add "losing our shirts", I'm getting sick of hearing how Mattel is losing money on these.

J

[Dr Kain]

Matty: While we don't know 2013 prices yet, we can bet they will not be at 2008 levels. Prices continue to go up due to labor and raw materials rising every year. We will do all we can to keep figures cost down but we do not want to cost reduce the figure itself and remove weapons or deco ops to do this. It is always a delicate balance.


Yep, because we all know 12 year olds know how to demand a raise.

Matty: Now that we are no longer doing reissues we would need to use a monthly slot for a new Roboto or King Hssss. If fans would prefer a fixed or updated version of these characters over an all new character as monthly sub spot, let us know!


Oh I love this one. If they are no longer doing reissues, then why are Beast Man and Stratos on sale again?

[MegaGearMax]

Oh I love this one. If they are no longer doing reissues, then why are Beast Man and Stratos on sale again?

They mean reissuing anyone past Queen Marlena. Everyone else before that, they might still have extras of or can go back into production.

[Dr Kain]

They mean reissuing anyone past Queen Marlena. Everyone else before that, they might still have extras of or can go back into production.

I'm pretty sure Roboto and Hsss were from way before Marlena.

[THINKOR]

"Matty: Now that we are no longer doing reissues we would need to use a monthly slot for a new Roboto or King Hssss. If fans would prefer a fixed or updated version of these characters over an all new character as monthly sub spot, let us know!"

Depressive :-(

[Heli88]

A: From Toy Guru: "Let me try and clear the air on this one. First off, we had originally planned on the WR (and Granamyr is planned for) a Sept release. Due to circumstances we could not control the WR was delayed twice and had to wind up shipping in Dec. So it is not like we purposely planned or due to "poor planning on out part" to make this a Dec item. The other thing to take into consideration (and this is NOT an attack on customers) but we did make it very clear the cost of the WR well in advance. If this was an item you wanted to buy, you had months to save up and stash away needed funds. It is not like this high prices item came out of no where and surprises people. At the end of the day, it just took too long to sell a very small number of units."

It's nice to see detailed answers like this... repeated verbatim on at least three different Q&A's. Really shows how much time and effort they put into addressing fans' concerns.

[orbles]

Saying stuff like 'I bought 3 vehicles' is detrimental as it would make Mattel more shy about making more. To Mattel, it will mean that only a few people bought their entire limited run item and even so they took too long to sell therefore there is no more market for it.

People saying stuff like that please stop.

I am sure Mattel can pull a report and see how many WR each customer purchased and do not need to rely combing the internet to find out. What we say here will have little impact on the WR. They said they are possibly bringing it back, so time will tell.

[CRAZYMOTUFAN]

I see yet another price increase coming in 2013....... TG states stuff like rising labor and raw materials cost. Well what justified the $20 price tag back in 2008 when other action figures were selling for $6.99?? The way I see it is we've been paying 2012 prices all along, while all the other toy lines are barely catching up (price wise)

Regardless, there's No way Mattel and TG can keep justifying price increases. Especially on a line with so many quality control issues.

[Mern-Ra]

It's nice to see detailed answers like this... repeated verbatim on at least three different Q&A's. Really shows how much time and effort they put into addressing fans' concerns.

They do get a lot of the same question, so I don't mind them doing that.....except for the Q&A from this site where that answer was used for a question that wasn't asking about that.

[orbles]

Exactly, how can they justify a price increase when they use materials that cannot hold up to the rigorous demands of a display....just standing there. Or hanging on a wall MOC, without turning white and fuzzy? Then they cut costs to reduce the size of the protective box, making them less protective, and saving literally pennies? If they are going to increase the price of the sub, they better bring back the old box, prior to Demo Man, and use quality materials that will hold up over time. This is a "collector" line. And what to collectors do with their toys, they collect them for many years, so this line needs to hold up to that standard! I really wish that Mattel would just cut their profit margin and put more into these figures, continuing the line and therefore making more profit. Makes sense to me, but I do not have an MBA to back up my theories.