WWE Retro - General Discussion

[habrofan83]

Nov 5, 2024 15:49:20 GMT -5 nomorexclusives said:

Hmm looks like they are moving away from the golden era. It might save the line if enough casuals enter the market

Personally won’t be buying anything current.

[@Chair.Shot]

Current guys are not my favorite but as a completist, I am compelled to buy these. My only disappointment is that it isn’t a better set. Roman is fine, Usos are okay, and Solo feels out of place. But you gotta do what you gotta do to stay on theme. This gives me hope that we will see a companion set shown this year with guys like Cody, Rey Mysterio, Drew, and Miz. I only mention Miz as he was a glaring omission from the origin first ten series of Mattel Retros.

[freaqualizer]

Is it just me or does it seem like Gunther is a lay-up with the molds that are currently available?

[drnickriviera995]

Nov 6, 2024 17:13:52 GMT -5 habrofan83 said:

Nov 5, 2024 15:49:20 GMT -5 nomorexclusives said:

Hmm looks like they are moving away from the golden era. It might save the line if enough casuals enter the market

Personally won’t be buying anything current.

Same, I don't really get what they're going for honestly with this 4 pack. I feel it will sell, but especially with Mattel's lack of detail on most of these compared to real Hasbros and the Indy companies, I don't see an appeal to casual/modern collectors. They have the Ultimates/Elites which are far better in detail and fit with the bulk of the Mattel product.

There is so much more they haven't done with retro names be WWF or especialy WCW is relatively untapped still after what like 100 figures at this point? So many missed oppurtunites.

[mrh]

Nov 7, 2024 9:06:08 GMT -5 @Chair.Shot said:

Current guys are not my favorite but as a completist, I am compelled to buy these. My only disappointment is that it isn’t a better set. Roman is fine, Usos are okay, and Solo feels out of place. But you gotta do what you gotta do to stay on theme. This gives me hope that we will see a companion set shown this year with guys like Cody, Rey Mysterio, Drew, and Miz. I only mention Miz as he was a glaring omission from the origin first ten series of Mattel Retros.

The production on most of these is so poor. Figures like Yankem and Lawler are the exception.

Like many others on here have said, I really do think if they charge $20 each for them and put the same love and care if they did it to the Superstars figures, the sales numbers would go up

[@Chair.Shot]

They could probably get away with even higher prices with the right figures. I’m not complaining about the current price being what it is but if it meant having higher quality Retros of in demand characters, I would be all for paying more.

[pickle]

This line is always going to be struggling to find it's identity because the sales for the line have been sending some very mixed messages to mattel.

The folks around here insist the line should focus on the missing pieces from the hasbro era of 90-94/95. But they made a wave exclusively consisting of those "highly demanded" missing pieces and it still hasn't sold out years later.

The only two waves to sell out since it moved to Mattel Creations were the first two. The first was focused on 1985, and the second was 3 figs representing 1987 and Nikolai Volkoff (which everyone complains was a waste of a spot, despite it being Hasbro era appropriate.)

So the sales say hasbro era bad, golden age good. But then they release another golden age set (Hogan, Studd, Richter, Ali) assuming it'll compliment the best selling first wave. Nope. It flops (let's be real, this is mostly due to Ali)

They try wcw and attitude era on ringside. Nope. They flop.

So now they look at which figures are the most valuable on the secondary market: Golden Age Flair, Golden Age JYD, and Modern Roman Reigns.

So they'll give one of the most highly sought after guys in the line a try again, this time with wwe being white hot, and hope that it'll sell. But then they package him with Solo Sikoa who is absolute trash lol


I just hope the line can hold on long enough to give me Arn, Tully, King Harley and Bobby Heenan.

[@Chair.Shot]

Nov 8, 2024 20:12:06 GMT -5 pickle said:

This line is always going to be struggling to find it's identity because the sales for the line have been sending some very mixed messages to mattel.

The folks around here insist the line should focus on the missing pieces from the hasbro era of 90-94/95. But they made a wave exclusively consisting of those "highly demanded" missing pieces and it still hasn't sold out years later.

The only two waves to sell out since it moved to Mattel Creations were the first two. The first was focused on 1985, and the second was 3 figs representing 1987 and Nikolai Volkoff (which everyone complains was a waste of a spot, despite it being Hasbro era appropriate.)

So the sales say hasbro era bad, golden age good. But then they release another golden age set (Hogan, Studd, Richter, Ali) assuming it'll compliment the best selling first wave. Nope. It flops (let's be real, this is mostly due to Ali)

They try wcw and attitude era on ringside. Nope. They flop.

So now they look at which figures are the most valuable on the secondary market: Golden Age Flair, Golden Age JYD, and Modern Roman Reigns.

So they'll give one of the most highly sought after guys in the line a try again, this time with wwe being white hot, and hope that it'll sell. But then they package him with Solo Sikoa who is absolute trash lol


I just hope the line can hold on long enough to give me Arn, Tully, King Harley and Bobby Heenan.

Hard to make any definitive statements without knowing how many of each wave was produced.

[drnickriviera995]

Nov 7, 2024 21:45:02 GMT -5 @Chair.Shot said:

They could probably get away with even higher prices with the right figures. I’m not complaining about the current price being what it is but if it meant having higher quality Retros of in demand characters, I would be all for paying more.

Damn yeah, I'd pay 40-50 per figure if they were done spot on like what a Hasbro would have looked like. Just imagining a Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels with fully molded entrance gear, or a properly done Tugboat, USA Lex, Greg Valentine etc to look just like it would have been from Hasbro.

Not sure why those Orange card figs aren't sold out yet, maybe it had to do with quantity they produced? But, overall the execution was very poor on most of those even though they were the names people really wanted. I only display the Tugboat because I haven't been able to obtain a good custom of him. But, Luger, Doink and Valentine are not in my display since they look like trash compared to Darren Sedgewick's customs.

[pickle]

Nov 8, 2024 22:42:41 GMT -5 @Chair.Shot said:

Hard to make any definitive statements without knowing how many of each wave was produced.

Steve has said (before the Hogan/Ali/Studd/Richter set came out) that the Golden Age has been the best performing era when it comes to the retro line.

Those first two waves sold out, nothing else has since the orange card wave. That's what they're going off of.

[mrh]

A big part of the reason the first two may have sold out is because they were the first two.

I bought those two and planned to get every set, but then, as I saw the quality wasn't going to improve, I became more selective.

[pickle]

Nov 9, 2024 1:55:23 GMT -5 mrh said:

A big part of the reason the first two may have sold out is because they were the first two.

I bought those two and planned to get every set, but then, as I saw the quality wasn't going to improve, I became more selective.

Oh, absolutely. That's a huge part of it. And then wave 3 was extra terrible on top of that, so a lot of people went from "I'm gonna buy everything" to "I'm out" very very quick.

But from a sales data standpoint they look at the numbers and say "Oh, I guess golden era is most popular" and are then surprised when the next golden era set doesn't sell well either.

[britishbrickfan]

Nov 9, 2024 2:54:41 GMT -5 pickle said:

Oh, absolutely. That's a huge part of it. And then wave 3 was extra terrible on top of that, so a lot of people went from "I'm gonna buy everything" to "I'm out" very very quick.

But from a sales data standpoint they look at the numbers and say "Oh, I guess golden era is most popular" and are then surprised when the next golden era set doesn't sell well either.

wasn't Wave 3 the "Lost" wave???

I think the problem with that one was that the Retro figures don't match Hasbros, so don't "feel" like they fit in (despite being an homage to them) so it was almost like a bust in the eyes of hardcore Hasbro collectors, and most Retro collectors probably wanted the figures from Wave 4 at the time wave 3 came about

I really like the Retro line, it's what I collect, but I know some figures (like Doink for example) just don't see the light of day in my displays, I prefer others from the lines instead

[habrofan83]

Nov 9, 2024 1:35:07 GMT -5 pickle said:

Nov 8, 2024 22:42:41 GMT -5 @Chair.Shot said:

Hard to make any definitive statements without knowing how many of each wave was produced.

Steve has said (before the Hogan/Ali/Studd/Richter set came out) that the Golden Age has been the best performing era when it comes to the retro line.

Those first two waves sold out, nothing else has since the orange card wave. That's what they're going off of.

I hate the legs they have given hogan, way too short and the kick action is ridiculous, should I have normal longer legs

[sportsmann]

The Bloodline set should feature the Wiseman instead of Solo.

[@WWERetroStars]

Nov 9, 2024 17:45:18 GMT -5 sportsmann said:

The Bloodline set should feature the Wiseman instead of Solo.

100%. Would have been incredible. That said, Solo is really well done.

Hopefully Paul is being saved for an eventual ECW wave. 

One other thing overlooked about the Bloodline set… I believe the figures have removable soft good shirts. Appreciate Mattel adding soft goods into the mix with the Retro line. 

[mrh]

Nov 9, 2024 5:00:00 GMT -5 britishbrickfan said:

Nov 9, 2024 2:54:41 GMT -5 pickle said:

Oh, absolutely. That's a huge part of it. And then wave 3 was extra terrible on top of that, so a lot of people went from "I'm gonna buy everything" to "I'm out" very very quick.

But from a sales data standpoint they look at the numbers and say "Oh, I guess golden era is most popular" and are then surprised when the next golden era set doesn't sell well either.

wasn't Wave 3 the "Lost" wave???

I think the problem with that one was that the Retro figures don't match Hasbros, so don't "feel" like they fit in (despite being an homage to them) so it was almost like a bust in the eyes of hardcore Hasbro collectors, and most Retro collectors probably wanted the figures from Wave 4 at the time wave 3 came about

I really like the Retro line, it's what I collect, but I know some figures (like Doink for example) just don't see the light of day in my displays, I prefer others from the lines instead

It was indeed the "lost" wave, but the figure quality was terrible. One of the worst waves they produced. I wanted every character in the set, but I didn't buy it because the execution was so terrible.  Then I was incredibly eager to buy the Lawler wave because the figure quality was such an improvement. 

[drnickriviera995]

Nov 9, 2024 22:01:15 GMT -5 mrh said:

Nov 9, 2024 5:00:00 GMT -5 britishbrickfan said:

wasn't Wave 3 the "Lost" wave???

I think the problem with that one was that the Retro figures don't match Hasbros, so don't "feel" like they fit in (despite being an homage to them) so it was almost like a bust in the eyes of hardcore Hasbro collectors, and most Retro collectors probably wanted the figures from Wave 4 at the time wave 3 came about

I really like the Retro line, it's what I collect, but I know some figures (like Doink for example) just don't see the light of day in my displays, I prefer others from the lines instead

It was indeed the "lost" wave, but the figure quality was terrible. One of the worst waves they produced. I wanted every character in the set, but I didn't buy it because the execution was so terrible.  Then I was incredibly eager to buy the Lawler wave because the figure quality was such an improvement. 

Yeah, that's the problem with these is the quality of the final product, Wave 3 was probably the best in terms of names/gimmicks people wanted, but they all look terrible, again only one in my display is Tugboat because I don't have a custom. There's been some well executed figs, but not many. Mainly S1 and S2 (except Warrior which was a terrible figure as is every figure since it using that mold) probably because actual care was put into them and they were all mostly unique molds for the figure at hand.

I know it's super selfish and terrible for those that work for WWE and the people that actually enjoy the current product, but does anyone else kinda wish WWE were just out of business, no legends deals, no restrictions on all talent being able to be signed by Zombie/Epic/Hasttel etc?

I only do Hasbro style figs, so I know alot of other collectors would be gutted by the loss of the 6" lines, but I'd also assume if there were not WWE/Mattel figures, the indy toy scene would just pick up that mantel too.

[nomorexclusives]

Nov 8, 2024 22:42:41 GMT -5 @Chair.Shot said:

Nov 8, 2024 20:12:06 GMT -5 pickle said:

This line is always going to be struggling to find it's identity because the sales for the line have been sending some very mixed messages to mattel.

The folks around here insist the line should focus on the missing pieces from the hasbro era of 90-94/95. But they made a wave exclusively consisting of those "highly demanded" missing pieces and it still hasn't sold out years later.

The only two waves to sell out since it moved to Mattel Creations were the first two. The first was focused on 1985, and the second was 3 figs representing 1987 and Nikolai Volkoff (which everyone complains was a waste of a spot, despite it being Hasbro era appropriate.)

So the sales say hasbro era bad, golden age good. But then they release another golden age set (Hogan, Studd, Richter, Ali) assuming it'll compliment the best selling first wave. Nope. It flops (let's be real, this is mostly due to Ali)

They try wcw and attitude era on ringside. Nope. They flop.

So now they look at which figures are the most valuable on the secondary market: Golden Age Flair, Golden Age JYD, and Modern Roman Reigns.

So they'll give one of the most highly sought after guys in the line a try again, this time with wwe being white hot, and hope that it'll sell. But then they package him with Solo Sikoa who is absolute trash lol


I just hope the line can hold on long enough to give me Arn, Tully, King Harley and Bobby Heenan.

Hard to make any definitive statements without knowing how many of each wave was produced.

The problem is that people are forced to pay 60$ for them when some people just want to pick up a couple at a time. Not everyone can afford that price point. If we could buy them as single figures for 15$ a pop )60/4=15 then I believe they would move better.

They also never should have been sold for 3.99 like mr.t. that just caused everyone to wait for cyber Monday which is exactly what is happening now. Best way to sell these out is to slowly lower the price as quantity dwindles like Ringside does. When you go from full price to 30-40% off people will just wait for the 2nd markdown when they are about 7€ a figure.

It's a mess that creations created for themselves. They should also tell us production numbers. These should be limited to 3000 pieces based on how the smaller companies are doing on their sales. If that isn't enough for the factory to make them than r.i.p. there aren't 10,000 people collecting them so I believe overproduction is a big part of the problem with this line.