Mattel not in control of anything offered on mattycollector.com

[jibernish]

So does this mean DR is setting the shipping & handling prices, choices of shipping vendors, and packaging options?

If so, who gets that profit, DR, Mattel, or do they split it? The shipping charges on this line are way too high, and way too slow.

[scott metzger]

Assuming what we're assuming, it sounds like all day to day matters are under DR's purview; Mattel just makes the toys. It almost sounds like things might be better if Mattel was actually calling all the shots.

Wow. Who would have thought I'd ever type those words?

And here's another thought: we know the Mattelshop site isn't run by DR (Mattel stated that), and, in retrospect, it's almost surely run by someone else (especially given that Mattel didn't say, We're running it."). Anyone seen anything on who do that one?

[markatisu]

wow. if one of my vendor's screws up, they are responsible to me. i am still responsible to the customer. i expect the customers to come to me with complaints. i expect them to blame me. i might talk about the vendor when i explain the issue to the customer, but ultimately the responsibility ends with me. the customer doesn't care if i use a vendor or not. just that they get what they paid for.

Yeah that is usually how it works, but that won't be what happens here. It's not right but it is what it is. I was not trying to imply that is how it should be, just telling you the realization of what is sadly is.

So does this mean DR is setting the shipping & handling prices, choices of shipping vendors, and packaging options?

If so, who gets that profit, DR, Mattel, or do they split it? The shipping charges on this line are way too high, and way too slow.

Digital River has a contract for shipping, that could have been negotiated by Mattel or not. Shipping prices are usually Shipping + Handling in which the handling is the profit for packing your box. Think about it like a forced tip. In a perfect world it helps to go pay the salaries of the people packing your item/running the webstore or the costs of day to day operations.

And while some instances of shipping seems ridiculously high its honestly not that bad or that high. For example a 1lb box via USPS would be ~5 -6 with tracking, a little more for UPS. Take into account the cost of handling and the $8.70 most of us were getting charged for 3 years was not that far out of line. $13 for one fig is high, but I wish people would stop acting like shipping is going to cost them $2 or $0 since that is how Amazon prices things.

Assuming what we're assuming, it sounds like all day to day matters are under DR's purview; Mattel just makes the toys. It almost sounds like things might be better if Mattel was actually calling all the shots.

Wow. Who would have thought I'd ever type those words?

And here's another thought: we know the Mattelshop site isn't run by DR (Mattel stated that), and, in retrospect, it's almost surely run by someone else (especially given that Mattel didn't say, We're running it."). Anyone seen anything on who do that one?

Mattel runs Mattelshop, all the operators and CS reps are Mattel employees. If Mattel were actually running Digital River you would virtually see none of the same problems, but that is the difference between starting up a webstore in 2008 and starting one much later. Mattelshop is basically MattyCollector 2.0 but for retail lines. You can call them directly or webchat with them instantly, its quite pleasant. They will even replace damaged items you buy in a store as long as they sell the line online. They replaced a Draculaura doll from Monster High we bought at Walmart for my wife whose leg was broken

And guys please remember, people are allowed to discuss/debate whatever they want. Do not call them whiners/complainers/etc. If you do not want to participate in the thread then just do not post. If you feel there is a post that is out of line then please by all means use the Report Post function.

[scott metzger]

Mattel runs Mattelshop, all the operators and CS reps are Mattel employees. If Mattel were actually running Digital River you would virtually see none of the same problems, but that is the difference between starting up a webstore in 2008 and starting one much later. Mattelshop is basically MattyCollector 2.0 but for retail lines. You can call them directly or webchat with them instantly, its quite pleasant. They will even replace damaged items you buy in a store as long as they sell the line online. They replaced a Draculaura doll from Monster High we bought at Walmart for my wife whose leg was broken

So there is a big difference there; as I said, when Mattel was handling the CS for Matty, I actually got somewhere fairly quickly, rather than spending over two months on one problem. And I haven't heard anywhere near the level of the complaints about that site that I have about Matty. Truthfully, I haven't heard complaints at all about the site, just the QC on Mattel product bought there. Too bad Matty wasn't set up the same way; still can't believe I'm saying it, but it really does sound like we'd be a LOT better off with Mattel in charge.

But I don't think the time frame has much to do with the difference; most of the sites I do business with predate 2008 by a long shot, and had none of Matty's issues. BBTS was doing things Matty still can't (like running a website) back when I was getting the tail end of the MOTU 2002 line from them. I swear the problem is Matty was set up in 2008 with the technilogical knowhow of 1998.

[Bonehead]

They will even replace damaged items you buy in a store as long as they sell the line online. They replaced a Draculaura doll from Monster High we bought at Walmart for my wife whose leg was broken

Yeah right.

Those of us who post in the MH thread know better.

[EldestSon]

Yeah that is usually how it works, but that won't be what happens here. It's not right but it is what it is. I was not trying to imply that is how it should be, just telling you the realization of what is sadly is.

ah, i gotcha. we are on the same page now.

eta: altho, the argument is about whether matty is responsible. not whether matty takes responsibility. they might not take responsibility, but they are responsible.

[markatisu]

Scott the time frame comment was solely in relation to Mattel, not webstores in general. I have been buying from webstores since 1997 that were run better then DR.

I was simply pointing out what they learned from Matty they applied to Mattelshop, why they could not just apply it to Matty will always be a question of mystery.

[marndt8448]

My only real concern with the suggestion of moving all Mattycollector products to Mattel Toy Shop (or whatever) is that MTS do not ship outside the USA. I've made a hefty financial commitment to MOTUC, GB and now Voltron, if they decide to stop selling outside the USA that means I'll have an incomplete MOTUC collection (despite the fact I won't sub next year, there will still be figures I'll want), an incomplete GB collection and, if they change by the end of this year, possibly half a Voltron figure!

It's bad enough international fans get the short end of the stick every month, but to take our money for three/four years and then say, "Sorry, US orders only from now on", well... I'd be one very angry collector and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one!

So if it's a choice of sticking with DR and their awful, awful service or moving elsewhere, I'd want to stick with DR.

I cannot believe I just wrote that!

I have to agree with this whole heartedly.
Most major companies do not ship toys internationally, so as inept as DR can be, at least they ship internationally at a very reasonable rate.

I could buy from hasbrotoyshop.com, but their shipping charges practically equal the item purchased.
I can't buy toys from amazon.com, toysrus.com, walmart.com, target.com, mattelshop.com, etc., etc., etc.

On Wednesday I bought Fisto & Photog and was charged $8.95 for shipping combined.
Despite all the cons, why would an international MOTUC fan want Mattel Shop to take over when the only other option is higher prices on the secondary market (which would be even higher if all international fans were excluded from buying direct if DR was replaced)?

[Stratos*Major]

I don't see a DR logo on the box, or on the packaging.

If your logo and/or brand name is on it (or in this case BOTH), it's your responsibility. Business & legally. That's the way it works.

Mattel have contracted a 3rd party to handle the MOTUC line, fine MANY businesses do this with a unilateral contract...however, Mattel is still primarily responsable for the actions (or lack of) by DR. Mattel can inturn hold DR responsbile for breach of contract (unilateraly rescission) in its inability to provide service(s) to its customers. Mattel can certainly hold DR financially and legally responsible in terms of their contract. Financially it would be better for Mattel to let DR continue to "muck" things up for the time being. Why...the line would hardly cover the expensise of getting out of the contract. UNLESS...Mattel had enough substantiated infromation in regards to "poor service" . YES DR's inability to consitantly offer proper customer service (with clear and transparent policies and procedures) is terms of rescission, HOWEVER, like stated before would cost more than the line is actually worth!
Wether a CS rep can officiate a complaint against DR is total BS (yes they can). They were told to say that and it goes to prove that it seems to be systemic in Mattel as a company...deny any responsibility and use a scape goat. "It's not my job/responsibility...it's theirs".
Sad. Ummmm remember the whole lead paint deal...it was the factories using it"...cause Mattel had NO idea what happens in their production facilities. That it's not a well know industry knowledge that Mattel infroms it's plant production managers when they are getting inspected...

EXAMPLE:
unilateral contract n. an agreement to pay in exchange for performance, if the potential performer chooses to act. A "unilateral" contract is distinguished from a "bilateral" contract, which is an exchange of one promise for another. Example of a unilateral contract: "I will pay you $1,000 if you bring my car from Cleveland to San Francisco." Bringing the car is acceptance. The difference is normally only of academic interest.

I.E.: Mattel we'll pay X$'s to provide Y service.

Why did Mattel choose DR though? They had the LOWEST bid...in a small line that makes ALOT of sense! Why pay some one XXXX$ when you can pay them X$. HOWEVER, like they say...you pay for what you get.

Hmmm strike that...

"You get what you pay for"

[SLO-MAN]

Ultimately DR is just the contractor.

I can't help but be reminded of the Ghostbusters Video Game:"The contractor. That's who kills you."
That line just got so much funnier.

If Mattel really doesn't have any control over Matty Collector, I wonder how Scott managed to hire the new CS person?
A loophole in the contract?

[Nekk-ra]

I just checked out the BBB, and they have Mattycollector listed as a separate domain of Digital River. It is not accredited, and they have had 0 complaints in the last 3 years.

Oh yeah, the file on Mattycollector was created on 2/15/12.

Guess they're preparing for the year ahead.

[Stratos*Major]

Also...

On the back of the white mailers it has mattel customer service website & direct phone number...

[audman]

Would Mattel take it more seriously if we ramped up a petition among all the lines that are represented like the scorned ghostbusters fans and DC fans and so forth whom also have had these immense problems with the services that DR has given and state that while we love the products we will not purchase through a site run by DR? I mean yeah the 90 percent improvement promise was made (though it should be an 300 percent improvement because until this point they have been terrible)

I know Toyguru knows but maybe just his word alone won't be enough to get the boards to see that this product is losing money not due to lack of interest but many resortin to going to resellers because they are not confident in the DR run Mattycollector site? They really have been a farce. I have personally run ecommerce sites in the past (not to their scale) but shopping carts and inventory systems are not like interstellar travel. I think we all know this. I just think squeaky wheels might get more grease.

[MasterCollector]

Ok, so I called the number on mattycollector.com which goes to Mattel (not digital river) the representatives said that the subscriptions, the website, everything to do with the line except for the production of the figure is NOT done or controlled by Mattel.

Yeah, I've had that same song and dance when I called them last year. First they said I contacted the right place but once I began discussing my order issues with MOTUC, the lady put me on hold for a few minutes and then came back on and said they didn't deal with issues regard MOTUC and that I'd have to contact DR directly to resolve any issues I was having.

[bcrduke]

Mattel might take things more seriously if it knew that many people weren't actually charged both installments for the Star Sisters, or that many people haven't been charged AT ALL for their Feb Subscription shipments.

How about that? Would that get Mattel's attention? They didn't seem to care when people were being charged double, but maybe since it's money lost for them now, they might care.

[EatTheseCrackers]

So is the final straw going to have to be a lawsuit? Forget that we're upset over not getting our "action figures"; this company has compromised the security of many customers credit cards time and again, has some pretty rude employees and no consistent means of rectifying customer complaints and/or poor distribution. Aren't those all valid concerns and reasons why a BBB investigation should be taking place? How long do you allow irresponsible business practices to continue? And by having the Mattel logo plain as day all over the website, doesn't it stand to reason a customer or customers has every right to drag Mattel into a courtroom along with Digital River?

I get sick of companies getting away with suck unchecked abuse.