Figure swaps: What should Mattel do?

[kevinandrewc]

It's grown to almost pandemic proportions, and somebody's loosing money. I'd hate for it to be us one day in the form of a price hike. What should Mattel do about it?

[joesgonnakillu]

Honestly, once Mattel sends it out, there's nothing they can do. Places like Target have to be more aware of what's coming back and whats happening on the pegs, and as someone who used to be LP, toys is NOT on the list of stuff being watched.

Changing the packaging might help, but what would it cost Mattel. Changing it may make them need to raise the SRP.

[KILLER WOLF]

Once Mattel sends it to the stores they have already gotten paid and don't care about and switches, unfortunately!

[punksnotdead]

I don't know that that is entirely true. In order for Mattel to succeed and continue to place reorders, their distribution channels have to move product. Every store accounts for a percentage "stolen" or damaged goods, but I honestly think Mattel should take the initiative and alter the package.

I think they had great intentions with the idea that you could essentially both open and keep the figures MOC, but I think that's a common case of theory vs reality. I don't think tons of people are taking advantage of that concept and it seems reasonable that mostly all of us have seen switcheroos. I love the look of the packages but maybe something more in the way of how they do the Basics would be more preventative packaging.

You're always going to have people who try and pull it off, but I think from a manufacturing standpoint you want to account for those people and make it as hard on them as possible in order to protect your customers, which for Mattel is places like Target, Walmart, TRU, etc.. I personally think it's unrealistic to expect those retailers to train all of their people on the one singular product, especially when said employee is getting paid $10 an hour and doesn't have any kind of true loyalty to the store.

That being said, I don't expect anything to change on either end.

[JC Motors]

Absolutely nothing nada zip

[Lorenzo Alcazar]

I say change the packaging to the plastic clam shell like McFarlane that you have to use scissors and destroy to open.

But really, Mattel will do NOTHING. Once the stores purchase the figures Mattel has their money......Mattel couldn't care less after that if the store takes the entire shipment out back and burns it as long as the store keeps placing orders.

Mattels number one priority is to make money and make sure that STORES keep placing orders. They are a business, and the bottom line of a P&L is all that matters.

People like us will continue to be disappointed by finding Jakks figures in Mattel boxes.....but Mattel has made their money on those figures once the order is placed before the figure even gets to the store to be switched, so it's not an issue that Mattel is concerned about.....it only affects the STORE and the other customers, so Mattel has no incentive to do anything about it, unfortunately.

[BoJack Hogan]

Nothing is going to be done. Mattel will do nothing because its not their place or concern. They have their money so what do they care? Nothing can stop it, and I for damn sure am not willing to pay any more than I already do for secure packages. What you should do about it is stop whining and losing sleep over something this minor. Pandemic proportions? Have you gone mad? All toys get stolen, and thats what it is, a theft. The only difference is that WWE figs have a bunch of loser 20 and over fanboys whining about it. You don't see mothers whining about stolen Barbies, crying out to the heavens on their knees "WHAT WILL THEY DO ABOUT THIS PANDEMIC!!!!" Get over yourself. You don't have to like it, but these swap posts have gotten far more annoying than the "Why did Legends fail" posts ever could. Mattel should answer this in their normal way. "Ugh, this again."

[thehardys4life]

Put a picture of the figure that is supposed to be inside the package on the back.
Then tell the stores to look for it.

[master of the WORLD!]

Mattel makes the product and distributes it to the stores that's their job whatever happens after that is not mattels concern

[poindizzle]

To possibly put things into perspective of how small and inconsequential this theft is in the eyes of Loss Prevention, think about how many figures you see in a year. It's probably a staggering number. Now think about how many switches that you personally saw with your own eyes in a store. Last year I saw none. The year before I saw 2. And last year I saw 1-2 stolen items if memory serves. That's a ratio that doesn't even make a blip on LP's radar. LP is gonna be more concerned at Wal-Mart or Target, or K-mart about high dollar theft of items like Prilosec, Electric Toothbrushes, etc. etc. that people fence to Flea Markets.

I do wish Mattel wouldn't exacerbate the problem with the package being damnably easy to open. They were displaying a degree of naivety when designing the package that someone wouldn't try some unsavory scams with it. However, what's done is done. Clamshells are out of the question. Seriously, the newest Elite boxes eliminated the top window to reduce the plastic use even further, and they're still going to climb in price. Clamshells would skyrocket the price.

[Von Hooten]

Stores aren't going to care and $7 per hr workers really aren't going to care.

I think making more secure packaging isn't the way to go because of costs. I think a better solution is to make simpler packaging like a smaller blister card.

First of all the notion of a MOC collector being able to open his MOC figure makes no sense. MOC collectors are just that, they keep figures MOC. Granted the Elite packaging is nice, but in the end if they went with basic style packaging for their figures would it be that big of a deal?

I am a loose collector so it wouldn't bother me, but I know MOC collectors would suffer a little because now their collection looks inconsistant (even though the packaging changed alot since 2010) But I also imagine it is annoying for MOC collectors to come across that special figure only to find stolen accessories, or a different figure entirely. So changing the package would be benificial in the long run.

Clam shells- No, $hit is already expensive enough.
Simpler design like basics or mail aways- Won't prevent theft entirely, but won't be as easy as Elite boxes.

[Joejitsu22]

I've never even seen a switch. Swear to god. A few missing belts now and then but even that has been less than a handful. Seems to be a small drop in a massive bucket.

[xsailor]

It's on the store, Mattel doesn't ship them pre-swapped.

[Prophet of Ash]

Mar 8, 2013 11:37:57 GMT -5 Von Hooten said:

Stores aren't going to care and $7 per hr workers really aren't going to care.

I think making more secure packaging isn't the way to go because of costs. I think a better solution is to make simpler packaging like a smaller blister card.

First of all the notion of a MOC collector being able to open his MOC figure makes no sense. MOC collectors are just that, they keep figures MOC. Granted the Elite packaging is nice, but in the end if they went with basic style packaging for their figures would it be that big of a deal?

I am a loose collector so it wouldn't bother me, but I know MOC collectors would suffer a little because now their collection looks inconsistant (even though the packaging changed alot since 2010) But I also imagine it is annoying for MOC collectors to come across that special figure only to find stolen accessories, or a different figure entirely. So changing the package would be benificial in the long run.

Clam shells- No, $hit is already expensive enough.
Simpler design like basics or mail aways- Won't prevent theft entirely, but won't be as easy as Elite boxes.

smaller boxes that are impossible to open without destroying. Yes, even SMALLER boxes than they currently use. Look at most elite figures that aren't Big Show or Great Khali. there's a solid two inches on the top and bottom of "extra" cardboard, outer bubble, and inner bubble. On basics, there's an inch or so to either side of the figure. Redesign the box to remove all of that extra space on the card and use the money saved on materials to re-enforce the boxes. Go for more of a GI Joe's in the 90s approach for carding, with McFarlane style reinforced packages.. And make a "no returns" policy. If a figure is broken, it gets returned to Mattel.

[BCizzle]

Mattel should use drones.

[gps]

Mar 8, 2013 10:13:07 GMT -5 Lorenzo Alcazar said:

I say change the packaging to the plastic clam shell like McFarlane that you have to use scissors and destroy to open.

Absolutely not. I wouldn't have a problem w/ Mattel changing the packaging to help, but not in this manner. I open my figures but keep the packaging for display purposes. I also just found out that they can be useful in preventing damage to a figure during a move. It would suck beyond suck for collectors such as myself (and I did a poll recently so I know I'm not the only one who does this) if Mattel made it where you had to destroy the package to open the figure. We shouldn't suffer for the dishonesty of others.

[gps]

Mar 8, 2013 11:37:57 GMT -5 Von Hooten said:

Stores aren't going to care and $7 per hr workers really aren't going to care.

I think making more secure packaging isn't the way to go because of costs. I think a better solution is to make simpler packaging like a smaller blister card.

First of all the notion of a MOC collector being able to open his MOC figure makes no sense. MOC collectors are just that, they keep figures MOC. Granted the Elite packaging is nice, but in the end if they went with basic style packaging for their figures would it be that big of a deal?

Clam shells- No, $hit is already expensive enough.
Simpler design like basics or mail aways- Won't prevent theft entirely, but won't be as easy as Elite boxes.

Even the elite packaging they were using in 2010 was better than what they use now. It was slightly more complicated to open, what with having to open the top flap in order to open the bottom flap before you could take out the figure tray. In the end, unfortunately, if somebody has a mind to steal it/switch it, they'll find a way, but a slight packaging alteration could make it harder & deter some people.

[morenomark]

Mar 8, 2013 11:37:57 GMT -5 Von Hooten said:

Stores aren't going to care and $7 per hr workers really aren't going to care.

I think making more secure packaging isn't the way to go because of costs. I think a better solution is to make simpler packaging like a smaller blister card.

First of all the notion of a MOC collector being able to open his MOC figure makes no sense. MOC collectors are just that, they keep figures MOC. Granted the Elite packaging is nice, but in the end if they went with basic style packaging for their figures would it be that big of a deal?

I am a loose collector so it wouldn't bother me, but I know MOC collectors would suffer a little because now their collection looks inconsistant (even though the packaging changed alot since 2010) But I also imagine it is annoying for MOC collectors to come across that special figure only to find stolen accessories, or a different figure entirely. So changing the package would be benificial in the long run.

Clam shells- No, $hit is already expensive enough.
Simpler design like basics or mail aways- Won't prevent theft entirely, but won't be as easy as Elite boxes.

This. Exactly this.

[flea]

Simple. 'NO REFUNDS'

[gps]

Mar 8, 2013 16:10:55 GMT -5 @flea said:

Simple. 'NO REFUNDS'

Stores wont block it totally & even an exchange wouldn't work, because if they don't have product on the shelves Wal-Mart will allow exchanges for other store merchandise, as do other stores I believe. So in theory, someone could bring back a switched figure & exchange it for a DVD or food, or other crap if they don't see another figure they feel like screwing around w/.