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  • #46
    thanks for that (rather depressing) update

    neither surprises me, particularly the disney store - my local one in bath has had nothing but maters (quite possibly the same ones) for months and last week they suddenly had a lot of their own 2-pack diecasts, including security finn, various maters (wasabi, dracula, ivan), prince wheeliam, etc

    along with the cars of the world and three box sets recently released it is clear where their interests lie now

    as for smyths, although the one at cribbs causeway always has a lot of cars there is never anything new so i can understand if what they have doesn't shift very quickly

    oh well, i will look in sainsbury's on the way to work tomorrow in the hope that the mcqueens's have gone and new box was opened just before i arrived - if not it's probably a lego minifigure or two plus a packet of double fill oreo's

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    • #47
      After the prospect of new cases into shops this week in the UK it's gone a bit sour (again).

      Whilst I was out and about, I managed to pop into a few supermarkets and Wilkinsons etc.

      After getting new case W1938-996U (including Acer with torch and Celine Dephare), Tesco are now getting case W1938-996N (with 3no. Mel Dorado, 6no. Lightning McQueen, 3no. Holley and 3no. Francesco).

      My local Wilkinson have just received two new cases of US style cards (not the clipstip ones Asst: W2325, but genuine Asst: V2796). They looked like a really early case as there was nothing newer than 15 - Race Team Sarge! It could be a V2796-999A, the very few US case?

      Maybe Mattel did run out of stock (as was suggested) and they had to quickly source some from somewhere?

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      • #48
        oddly our local tesco had the exact same W1938-996N case yesterday brand new and unopened,inside contents were 6 x lmq,3 x lewis hamilton,2 x shu todoroki,1 x miguel camino,1 x fillmore,2 x acers to name a few.

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        • #49
          the sainsbury's had just put another 996U on the shelf this morning as both acers and the celine were still there

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          • #50
            man...why can't they put a similar case out here in my local stores lol. I want that acer and celine LOL

            I need to clean off my CC so I can order them off ebay lol

            Transformers for Trade
            Feedback: pixarcarsdiecast.com; cybertron.ca; tfw2005.com; ebay.ca

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            • #51
              I had a tip off from my local Wilkinson that they were expecting two new cases. They also told me what other local stores were expecting too.

              It turned sour once again, as the two (identical) cases they received were old US cases V2796-999F (from July 2011). I really feel for the retailers as they are going to be stuck with loads of unsaleable stock. Can anyone imagine taking delivery of TEN Finn McMissile cars at this time!? If we thought that the situation was bad and it couldn't get any worse, then we were wrong AND IT DID! Mattel really have messed up big time, this time! I wouldn't be surprised if Wilkinsons don't order again and drop the range!

              Contents:

              [3] #1 - Race Team Mater
              [5] #2 - Finn McMissile
              [4] #3 - Lightning McQueen with Racing Wheels
              [2] #4 - Francesco Bernoulli
              [1] #5 - Holley Shiftwell
              [1] #6 - Professor Z
              [1] #9 - Raoul Ēaroule
              [1] #12 - Acer
              [3] #19 - Hydraulic Ramone
              [3] #20 - Nigel Gearsley

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              • #52
                Nigel, Mattel missed the last wave of cars... this info is direct from the planning department at Mattel UK. Unless re-releases of cases happen the UK will not see the case waves that the US saw a few months back with the super chases in them.

                I have seen some Sainsburys in my area have stopped stocking cars and increasing the size of there moshi monsters range.

                I think TRU are starting to stock the Take Flight range with the RSC...

                Maybe the effect of the case assortments from last year has really hit a lot harder than we anticipated and shops are seeing better lines to invest into.

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                • #53
                  I don't believe that we were going to get the super chase cars anyway as until now only the US got them along with the Far East (through the back door).

                  After bombarding Mattel UK with e-mails and phone calls, I finally got them admit that they had messed up. They over estimated the demand for the Cars 2 stock. Initially things we fine and sales were good, if not spectacular. Around a year ago, they seriously over estimated the demand and ordered far too many early cases (W1938-996A through to 996P). The US equivalent would be V2796-999A to 994Y. They had to get rid of this stock before ordering new stock. A combination of factors lead to the Cars sales plummeting in the UK and Ireland.

                  Mattel UK finally exhausted the initial stock around late summer. This offered hope that the Cars 2 standard singles programme could get back on track. They ordered approx 2,000 case 996U cases (with Celine Dephare and Acer/torch). There were a few 996S cases too, with most of these going to Disney Stores before they dropped the Mattel range altogether. The order 996U cases were quickly snapped up by ASDA, Sainsburys, Tesco, Wilkinsons.

                  From having significant overstocks, Mattel UK had no stocks. Retailers had sold most if not all their stocks, so Mattel UK, were desperate, so they were willing to take anything that Mattel Holland, US or anyone could supply them with.

                  It doesn't take a genius to work out that Mattel in the other regions saw this as an opportunity to get rid of their unsaleable old stocks! Hence the various old stock that is now appearing in limited quantities.

                  The UK was supposed to get five new cases this week that have been on general sale in the rest of Europe. They contain most of the singles from 28 - Vladimir Trunkov through to 42 - Prince Wheeliam.

                  My local Toymaster said that Mattel have reported that they have no standard singles cases and they are still awaiting stocks. Toymaster franchises around the UK maybe a good source of new cars, if and when they get delivered.

                  Quite who else may be in a position to stock them is anyone's guess. Mattel could panick and overstock again and suddenly Prince Wheeliam could be ten a penny?

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                  • #54
                    Originally posted by niftynigel View Post
                    Quite who else may be in a position to stock them is anyone's guess. Mattel could panick and overstock again and suddenly Prince Wheeliam could be ten a penny?
                    That scenario sounds better than the one we're currently in

                    Many thanks for the updates niftynigel

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                    • #55
                      being a sainsburys manager im lucky enough to get my hands on brand new cases as they arrive at store,

                      my new store has just taken delivery of 2 cases containing acer with tourch and celine so new cars are out there just in small quantities

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                      • #56
                        I was out and about in the London area today. There was a bit of positive news that I wasn't expecting. Hamleys had two case 996U delivered yesterday and they put them out today. A few weeks ago, I suggested to their staff that they ask Mattel UK for specific cases. I said that the latest case was 996U and that's what they ordered and that's what they got! It does make me wonder if the staff who order stuff are savvy enough to know exactly what they are going to get (or whether they just reorder with the same code)? This goes some way to thinking that they don't know. Maybe Mattel just supply what they are asked to supply and if they keep selling old stuff, they are none the wiser?

                        I know it's a two-way street, so Mattel should know what retailers are selling and what is clogging up the shelves. I've certainly let them know in my e-mails and phone calls, but whether they listen to the odd punter is another thing. I don't know whether Mattel UK are dumb, incompetant, smart or just arrogant; probably a combination of the all of these things?

                        The staff at Hamleys told me that they were going to drop the Cars line, so hopefully my advice has made them think. I'm going to try and find out exactly new cars are in the European cases that have't made it into the UK and try and get Hamleys to order them too and see where we go from there.

                        In spite of their prices, standard singles are £8 (ouch), they did say the few new cars in the 996U cases has encouraged people to buy a few more cars too. I've suggested to Mattel UK on numerous occasions that regular releases of new cars will initally stimulate the market and keep the market going; surely increased sales is good for them?

                        Hamleys charging £8 maybe considered extortion, but compared to buying from eBay (plus postage), if it guarantees you getting what you want, especially chase cars, it's not that bad, IMO?

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                        • #57
                          i think if i saw new cars in hamleys i would think twice about paying their shocking prices ... then do it anyway and regret when i find the same cars in a supermarket!

                          i realise they are their to fleece gullible tourists (also see the toy department of harrods) but it does annoy me when i see the prices they charge

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                          • #58
                            yuffie -

                            I take your point about Hamleys charging £8 for standard singles. Sure there is the tourist market, which is important to them, but by no means their bread and butter. I would not pay £8 for a run-of-the-mill car, that I could relatively easily get at another retailer on my normal travels, but when you consider that some are much less fortunate as me and don't have such a big range of stockists within reasonable distance (and travel costs), then paying £8 for a Bindo or Prince Wheeliam wouldn't be that bad, IMO. If you factor in travel costs and time v. eBay/Amazon/postage/potential damage, if I see something I will probably struggle to get somewhere else, then with a heavy heart, I'd have to pay the price; I'd probably regret the missed opportunity!

                            Even though I live on the edge of Greater London and I regularly travel into London, the liklihood of me seeing a Bindo or Prince Wheeliam in a store is very slim indeed. If I asked someone on here to buy one of each for me, say at a Disney Store at £4.50 each plus postage in a box, I wouldn't expect much change from £15, so we're nearly at £7.50 each anyway!

                            I've got about half a dozen Disney Stores in my area. Some have stopped selling singles altogether, whilst others have just a few in stock until they run out and that's it!

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                            • #59
                              fair enough, and as i say if i'd walked into hamley's last week and seen wheeliam and bindo i'd have walked back out £16 lighter

                              i've never considered myself lucky given bath's dearth of toy shops but the disney store has certainly come up trumps this week - looking in again this morning there were no wheeliam's but five or six bindo's

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                              • #60
                                One of my local Disney Stores, much to my surprise has just got a new case (996S) with Don Crumlin and Officer Murakarmi in it. It's only the second time I've seen those in a shop.

                                I've only ever seen three Celine Dephare's in store (case 996U) and two of those were in Hamleys, as they'd just put out two new cases. I had previously bought a Celine Dephare on eBay for about £10. Luckily, the seller was in the same town as me! I collected the car in person. About a week later, I was in a Tesco's and I noticed a case 996U on the top shelf. The staff opened the case and hey presto, one Celine Dephare and two Acer/torch. I bought the Celine Dephare as a spare for a possible swap/trade with someone else for something that I might need! If I find other Chase cars in future, I think I'm going to do that as again, as it can potentially help other collectors (on here) and maybe they have something I want too?

                                It would be helpful if someone could find out what case Bindo and Prince Wheeliam are in. I'm pretty sure it must be 996V. I'm told that 996T contained 28 - Vladimir Trunkov, 30 - Victor H. and 33 - Becky Wheelin' (Chase). No. 35 - Kabuto came in case 997H.

                                There are new cases in Europe, 996W, 996Y and 997J. No. 39 - Erik Laneley and 40 - Cartney Brakin' (Chase) have already appeared there. I suspect No. 41 - Galloping Geargrinder should turn up too in the near future. Then there's six more cars announced.

                                With so few stockists in a position to take cases, these are going to be very rare in the UK, unless they start to sell in large quantities and Mattel gets the case distribution right for a change. Disney Stores may have requested the case 996S and 996V as exclusive to them (in their stores that are still stocking them that is).

                                Wilkinsons taking delivery of old US case V2796-999F (July 2011) two weeks ago was a missed opportunity to get some new cases (and new cars) onto the UK market. Most towns have a Wilkinsons, there are 364 of them. Now they are saddled with 100s of cases that contain five Finn McMissiles in each!

                                Disney Stores that continue to stock cars singles are the best and probably only place to get Bindo and Prince Wheeliam. They may continue with that case for the next couple of weeks and then they may get a new exclusive case (996Y?) after that?

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