Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2015 Finds - Part 1

[niftynigel]

Guess that means the bayers will be able to pick them up nice an easy, well done entertainer.

There are supposed to be 4,000 (maximum) of each super chase case. It's likely that between The Entertainer, Toys R Us and Wilko, there could be as many as 1,500 of the Luigi & Guido super chase cases in the UK.

How does everyone feel about that, particularly those collectors in the US (where these cases were intended to be distributed)?

I've probably seen about 25 Luigi & Guido super chase so far. There have been only three what I consider to be card collectable quality. That's a really shocking appraisal of Mattel's quality control, either manufacturing or packing!

[djjd21]

There are supposed to be 4,000 (maximum) of each super chase case. It's likely that between The Entertainer, Toys R Us and Wilko, there could be as many as 1,500 of the Luigi & Guido super chase cases in the UK.

How does everyone feel about that, particularly those collectors in the US (where these cases were intended to be distributed)?

I've probably seen about 25 Luigi & Guido super chase so far. There have been only three what I consider to be card collectable quality. That's a really shocking appraisal of Mattel's quality control, either manufacturing or packing!

to be honest,i think it's a good thing that the superchases are being found here in the uk,but a bad thing that other countries around the globe don't have the same access.
to make it fair for everyone ,these cards should be available for every country so that we all equally have the same opportunity to find one,in that case if you did find one you would treasure it as the chance of finding a second one would be so remote.
mattel do it with hot wheels super treasure hunts,why not do it with these also,up the quantity produced to say 8000 or 10000 units and release them globally.

[niftynigel]

to be honest,i think it's a good thing that the superchases are being found here in the uk,but a bad thing that other countries around the globe don't have the same access.
to make it fair for everyone ,these cards should be available for every country so that we all equally have the same opportunity to find one,in that case if you did find one you would treasure it as the chance of finding a second one would be so remote.
mattel do it with hot wheels super treasure hunts,why not do it with these also,up the quantity produced to say 8000 or 10000 units and release them globally.

I totally agree. We are all loyal collectors regardless of our location. Alternatively, just get rid of the Chase and Super Chase programme and get the basics right first. Sure, it's becoming more common now, but I've still seen less Jonathan Shiftko's than Luigi & Guido super chase. According the law of Mattel's distribution, that shouldn't be right, but it happens!

I think any new cars that appear in later cases should be in multiples of at least two (when there is no chance of a repeat).

Jonathan Shiftko, Henri Motisse (on 2014 cards) are effectively as rare as Chase cars being just one to a case. Unlike Chase cars, they could be repeated in future years (on a different cardback) but that's not the point.

[Nick Stickers]

If anyone comes across a 95 fans I would be grateful if they could get it on behalf of my son as he is Luigi and Guide mad.

Thanks

[madbob]

Mattel just have to be consistent with cases globally, but they wont do it. So it comes down to when Europe or US Mattel place an order with global distribution 'its whats available at that time'. It's luck of the draw most of the time what they get (nothings really planned, shucks who needs planning!). It doesn't sound like there is someone from a Global head office controlling it. Its kind of like someone globally at Mattel saying hey guys this is whats in the warehouse, if you place an order now you'll get this but if you place an order next week you may get something different. It's like being blind folded and span round a couple of times before you take your pick. Believe you me no one at Mattel is there caring or thinking, 'Ohooohhh! the US or Europe haven't had much of this case so we need to make sure they get it so we give our consumer variety and choice worldwide... it does not happen. The whole region packaging thing is rubbish, we see a lot of US packaging in the UK (its a regular thing). And that's probably maybe down to multiple global distribution centers employees/staff can order from? Who knows? its all just a mystery with Mattel...

[cac1959]

Great points, djjd21, niftynigel, and madbob... Case assortments and distribution continue to be inconsistent... it's been that way for years.

I've still only ever seen 1 Super Chase in a store... and I still haven't seen the Chase Casino Pittys, Jonathan Shiftko, and Henri Motisse in a store... I'm grateful to have friends from PCD who help me out with the Cars and Planes that I crave.

[foxrfc]

Popped into Sainsbury's this afternoon for other things rather than Cars, found Deluxe Tractor, Brian Fuel and Hooman. Strangely other than a Brand New Mater, there were no other 2015 Cars Singles.

[niftynigel]

Great points, djjd21, niftynigel, and madbob... Case assortments and distribution continue to be inconsistent... it's been that way for years.

I've still only ever seen 1 Super Chase in a store... and I still haven't seen the Chase Casino Pittys, Jonathan Shiftko, and Henri Motisse in a store... I'm grateful to have friends from PCD who help me out with the Cars and Planes that I crave.

Before we blame Mattel totally, we must consider that there are many stages involved from the original concept to arriving in store for sale. Although the toy market is generally a buoyant one, mixed from serial collectors, casual collectors to impulse buying, it stands to reason that the market can be unpredictable. One moment, something can be at the height of fashion and collectability and the next moment be the polar opposite!

Mattel and the large resellers sign up to each years programme. For most large resellers, Cars, like all other items are just one product amongst 1,000s of others, so their importance isn't that great. A case of 24 cars is just that, 24 'units' offered for sale at whatever the appropriate market value/price is at the time.

Somewhere in Mattel HQ in Canada, the product planning department will look at the years programme. For 2015 Cars they have tabled about 140-150 mainline items. In each country there are main resellers, usually the supermarkets. In the UK, there maybe 12 different cases of singles from start to finish. Typically, this will be 24,000 cases of 24 cars assuming that there are 2,000 (average) for each case. If the population was equally spread, supermarkets equally spread, it would be easy. The UK isn't at all equally spread demographically, so there lays the first problem. There is unequal regional demand. That creates a logistical nightmare. Not only for Mattel, but for the main resellers.

The programme is drawn up and resellers sign up to purchase a set number of cases across the year but you can bet they all have differing numbers and Mattel has to fit the numbers available around the fixed demand along with a more flexible demand from some resellers.

Cases are usually imported two or three at a time. In order to distribute as widely and varied as possible it's quite common for resellers to be paired. Sainsburys and Morrisons usually get the same cases. Tesco were a major client so they may get a case along with smaller resellers. ASDA have raised their profile so they have recently got a first to market case.

As the demand varies, Mattel quite often fail to get all of each case out to resellers. They try to stick to the programmed timetable, but the US dockers strike caused worldwide mayhem last year and we're still feeling the effects of that now across the globe. A container ship doesn't just go from China to the US and back. They are diagrammed across the world. A problem in one place is everyone's problem.

Faced with reduced demand, Mattel stockpiles old cases for redistribution elsewhere, hence the reason for the two super chase cases in the UK. There was sufficient demand to match the numbers available. Because of the UK's massive toy market (third behind the US and Japan) Mattel can dump old stock knowing it will get sold in the UK!

[niftynigel]

Popped into Sainsbury's this afternoon for other things rather than Cars, found Deluxe Tractor, Brian Fuel and Hooman. Strangely other than a Brand New Mater, there were no other 2015 Cars Singles.

Great finds!

This doesn't come as too much of a surprise. Mattel did tell me that 2015 deluxe were in stock a few weeks ago. However, there was a massive stock clearance exercise underway, exacerbated by the dockers strike in the US before Christmas.

Mattel UK rarely release new cases during school holidays as it's a good opportunity to clear old stocks.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see all resellers getting 2015 stock by the bucket load this week!

[Rumblywooby]

Just found ice racer Franchesco in the entertainer and Brian fuel in toymaster

[boogity]

found schu and the datsun today in smyths, the datsun is very nice too and quite a big car, the one piece schu is a lot better than the crappy 2 piece jobbie that came out back in the day, i,ll keep the 1 piece and give the other away to one of my mates kids

[Justin]

2 packs are down to £4.99 at Toys R Us and buy 2 get 1 free

[niftynigel]

2 packs are down to £4.99 at Toys R Us and buy 2 get 1 free

Hopefully that means that they are selling them off in preparation for deliveries of 2015 stocks!?

[niftynigel]

I found a Tractor and Brian Fuel in Sainsburys today.

There are four stores within fives miles. I went to the other three yesterday. They all had loads of 2014 stocks so the prospects of them getting anything new anytime soon is remote.

The store I went to today had loads of 2014 singles but just Tractor and Brian Fuel. If they got a full case of six, then both Red, one Dinoco Helicopter and one Tractor had gone.

[boogity]

yeah, just found that out to my cost today!

2 packs are down to £4.99 at Toys R Us and buy 2 get 1 free