Batman 66 toys may be doomed to fail...

[enyawd72]

A friend of mine owns an independent hobby shop/toy store in Geneva Ohio, and he was going to order several cases of the new Batman figures due to expressed customer interest. He carries Hot Wheels, Barbies etc, and has a full time Mattel rep he deals with. Well, he tried to get me two cases, another guy 1 case, and a couple more for the store, and was denied...Mattel told him the minimum order for these was $10,000...that's like 100 cases!

What are they thinking?! The only places I've seen them online so far is BBTS and Amok Time.

Why isn't Mattel happy to sell these to whoever wants them?

[BlackKnight]

It's Mattel.
I think Batsui or whatever is Stupid outta the Gate.
Then Who Decided ..., 3 Figures per series ? What Happened to 5to7 ? ...
Then Only 2 New figures, With a Batman Variant Already ( and a Poor 1 in my eyes, Thats a Peg Warmer for Sure) with Rehashed 3 Figure Sets from Wave 1, for Wave 2 ?
I don't begin to understand this Line Already, and It's not even Out.

All I want ..., Is a DCU Classic 66 Batman ..., and a Batmobile for him to Ride in. Just Point me there.

[Werewolf]

Has Mattel ever sold direct to small independant mom and pop retailers? With the massive volume of sales they want for mass market toys don't they usually stick with Walmart, Target, TRU, etc.?

[mvanis]

That's kindof what I thought, with major lines like this I'd be shocked if they DID offer to sell just a few cases at a time to small retailers. Most of the time that inventory comes directly from wholesalers like EE Distribution, etc. I've got a wholesale account with EE and I'm able to buy anywhere from 1 to 100 cases with no issues on these.

[madmarva]

He'll be able to order them from Diamond if he has an account. He won't get the discount that larger retailers will get for buying in bulk from mattel, but he'll be able to have them in his store.

[SeattleEd]

He'll be able to order them from Diamond if he has an account. He won't get the discount that larger retailers will get for buying in bulk from mattel, but he'll be able to have them in his store.

What he said. I'm not worried.

[enyawd72]

Has Mattel ever sold direct to small independant mom and pop retailers? With the massive volume of sales they want for mass market toys don't they usually stick with Walmart, Target, TRU, etc.?

Apparently yes...as I said, he has a full time Mattel rep and carries both Barbies and Hot Wheels in his store. He's always been able to order cases of each. He carried all the DC Barbies.

[Werewolf]

Apparently yes...as I said, he has a full time Mattel rep and carries both Barbies and Hot Wheels in his store. He's always been able to order cases of each. He carried all the DC Barbies.

Barbies and Hotwheels are different departments and run by different people. I don't know about Hot Wheels but Barbie has long sold collector dolls to smaller boutiques and stores. From what I understand the Male Action department is an whole other beast with it's own set of rules and buying requirements. Like has already been said, smaller places should still be able to order a case or two through Diamond.

[ZICA]

My family's supermarket here in Falmouth has a direct account with Mattel and we're able to order boys action figures, Batman included. However, the 66 TV series line isn't showing up in any of the categories so I'm guessing that particular one is only for the large mass market retailers.

[enyawd72]

^Very interesting Craig...well, as long as small stores can get them through Diamond, I guess it'll be alright.

[Werewolf]

However, the 66 TV series line isn't showing up in any of the categories so I'm guessing that particular one is only for the large mass market retailers.

Ah, okay, That makes sense. Batman 66 is a big mass market line and Mattel paid through the nose to get it. So, I guess, it's not really surprising they only want and expect big box stores level sales from it.

[MIB41]

I'm very glad a thread like this was started. These are excellent and (I believe) quite valid points. I understand and appreciate the excitement for this license. Anyone who was a child of the 60's and 70's has likely dreamed of this day many times in their life (myself included). But I also understand the novelty that comes with this kind of demand. And how companies like to tap into that initial craze by sticking it to anyone who wants a piece of it. But here's my perspective...For all the two cents it may be worth. This license is just getting started. But folks are acting like it's getting ready to go away. The truth is there will be Batman '66 stuff coming out FOR YEARS. Companies are going to milk this for all it's worth. But that's all hype. It's also all predicated on this idea that the modern generation is going to explode on this like our generation did. No guarantee there at all. I'm of the belief the best product will come out much later after this initial line has come and gone. Right now they're just stamping the '66 logo and likeness on anything and everything. I'm waiting to see some product that has been thought through and designed well. The six inch figures are pretty cool, but I'm waiting for some really good product. And that product IS coming. It will be interesting to see what Hot Toys does. So if I'm going to pay premium price, it will be something I'm truly proud of, and not just because of a label on it.

[enyawd72]

^Yeah, Mattel has a bizarre track record of making (some) of their products ridiculously hard to buy. They repeatedly said MOTU classics couldn't survive at retail without some other type of media tie-in, despite He-Man being a successful KNOWN property, yet they had no problem filling the shelves with the (then) completely unknown Monster High product. If they had given MOTU classics the same kind of advertising and promotion...what could have been!
It makes ZERO sense. They continuously shoot themselves in the foot. Then there was the whole DC retro-action fiasco...that line should and would still be going strong if Mattel hadn't bungled it so badly.

[MIB41]

^^^ Well said. You nailed it. When Mattel teamed up with innovators like Paul and his talented group of artists and mucked it up, that really made a statement about their inability to understand and take care of the customer. Every time Paul and company put something out at EMCE, it's quality through and through! Now if EMCE were doing Batman '66 stuff, I would be giddy as all get out. But Mattel? Not so much. I'm SO glad other companies are in on this license and we're not hog tied to the twisted demands of Mattel. Right now I like what Neca is doing the best. Although I have to say what I dreamed of as a kid and what we've seen so far is not what I envisioned back then. I wanted a Mego Adam West Batman. Not more painted plastic. So right now, Hot Toys is my first (best) hope to see a costumed version of this iconic character. Just having product is not enough. I'm looking for what I envisioned and what scores of people custom made for decades. That remains unseen.

[jimsmegos]

I hope the 66 lines from Mattel succeed. However... how well and long it will last is a crap shoot IMO. While we are excited having grown up with the show either in it's original run or it's mass syndication runs, Outside of MeTV I don't know how well received the line will be by today's consumers. Will kids today who grew up on the Dark Knight care about the Campy Caped Crusader? Will mom or dad (or grandma / grandpa) be willing to plop down the cash for this item vs. the latest and greatest new thing? Will we get top flight quality from Mattel or are we to expect lack luster hunks of plastic?