From the latest Mattel answers:

Q2. Can you please comment on the ongoing JLU distribution problem? ... What can the fan community expect to see from Mattel in terms of correcting this problem?

A: This is a question we get a lot, and the bottom line is that if you are having trouble finding Mattel product at your local retailer, you should let them know what you want to see on the shelf. While Mattel works with all of our retail partners to bring product to the shelf, it is up to the individual stores and chain stores to decide what they want to carry.

Did they just go from saying they are going to look into and correct the problem to blaming it on us, the customers? Please tell me I am misinterpreting, please.

I'm reading it as follows: if we want the distribution in our particular area to be better, we (the customers) have to take upon ourselves to speak to the individual retail store. So no, i don't think you're misinterpreting.

I don't think he understood the question. I believe the question had to do with case ratios which I believe are set by Mattel. He seemed to be addressing whether or not a particular store was carrying Mattel product (specifically JLU) at all. Luckily, the BAFs next year should at least help with DCUC ratios. I dunno. Julius?

-R

Hasn't it been said that the retailers determine the case ratios; this is why we have the trinity pack in over abundance. Not because Mattel wanted to do that, but because the stores wanted that pack out. I could be mistaken, but I think this has been mentioned more than a few times (as I remember it). And I'm sure the kid at Target really cares that I think the case ratios that Target Corporate set are incorrect. Going to the retailers really won't solve anything as they really don't care what the individual consumer wants (much less the collectors community).

I agree with robiwan. I think they are referring to rather the stores are ordering and keeping Mattel's products in stock and on the shelves. This isn't about case distribution.

The reason I think they are not set by individual retailers is that BBTS case ratios match Target's and Big Lots'.

-R

Well the question did say DISTRIBUTION. Which I suppose is different from case ratios. He did answer the question that was posed to him--but I think the fan/collecting community is more concerned with case ratios and the availability of specific characters not the availability of the product in general.

They don't have one case for one store and one case for another store. The case ratios are determined based on requests from the corporate buyers of large retailers, the ones with real purchasing power who keep Mattel in business. BigBadToyStore is a small, niche retailer, and doesn't have any voting rights.


Yes, it is, and I'm not sure the person answering the question completely understood the concern being expressed. There was more to the original question as posted by Rebis, and the trimming down of the post may have resulted in a bit of confusion.

Ah, yes, it appears that he misunderstood what I was asking. I should have been more precise with my language.

I suppose that it may be true that if I inquire at Target or TRU about specific JLU characters that this could somehow trickle up and affect case ratios. But somehow, I doubt it.

Did Target really think that they needed so many Shining Knight/Zatanna/Batman 3-packs? Such a disproportionate packing.

Here is the message I posted on 9/12/06...

We've been talking off & on about contacting the retail giants about the selection of toys for some time now. I finally took the plunge and looked up the appropriate head honchos that are responsible for the toys/action figures sold in their respective stores. Here are the addresses and people to write to if you're interested:

Mr. Ron Boire
Executive Vice President
Toys "R" Us, Inc.
One Geoffrey Way
Wayne, NJ 07470-2030

Ms. Gina Sprenger
Senior Vice President
Target, Inc.
1000 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403

Mr. Douglas J. Degn
Executive Vice President
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
702 SOuthwest 8th Street
Bentonville, AR 72716

KMart has been a difficult company to track down since their joining up worth Sears. Their Corporate HQ is:

Kmart Corporation
3100 W. Big Beaver Road
Troy, MI 48084

The biggest problem I see with our situation is the disconnect between the consumers and the retailers. We have the ears of the toy manufacturers, but the retail side seems oblivious to the desires of collectors.

As toy sales shrink because kids are becoming "tweens" earlier and earlier, I would think that pursuing the collector market would be to the advantage of the retailers - unless they plan to simply stop selling toys.

My letters have been business/sales oriented trying to explain the advantages to the retail management the profit potential they can capture if they take an active intrest in the collector/adult toy buyer market.

Honestly, I have not received so much as a form postcard, but I'm still writing and if more people start then perhaps they will take notice.


Way back when I said that Mattel has only limited input on what the retailers buy. I don't think anyone believed I was right - and I may well have not been - but they don't call them "buyers" for nothing. I think that Mattel would love to stretch out the mold costs of unique figures by having Target or TRU buy more of them than the trinity, but if the buyers only think the trinity is THE seller, then that's what they will buy.


Now, to be honest, in all this time of writing to the management I have never received any reply from any of the letters I have sent, but I keep sending them - sort of like Andy in Shawshank Redemption...

But I will now start writing to the store managers of my TRU, Target, Wal-Marts and K-Marts as well.

I really believe that in order for the retailers to take this serious is to keep up a consistent flow on the subject...

Glenn, I admit that I slipped up and didn't follow through on writing last year, but I'm going to make it a point to write up something in the next couple of days. Just out of curiosity, are those contacts/addresses the current ones?

KMART moved their corporate headquarters awhile ago. They moved to the Chicago area. They aren't in Troy anymore.

I will double check them all tomorrow, but I've never had a letter returned yet...