I let them have it over on Matty's forum… I've been extremely patient as many others have been but the cancellation of the sub just did it for me. From a collector's standpoint, that's the most emotion a company will get from me… and I don't feel bad about it.

That being said, it's hard to place blame on collectors when there's quite a few people who purchase two of each release. However, we can go on for hours about the website sales and what they could do to improve… and that's not what I am here to debate.

What I do want to talk about is why we only had mego style figures and the 4-pack boxset get into stores. The 4-packs I couldn't find ANYWHERE… people snatched them up and I was happy for Mattel. It was great to get GB stuff in stores finally… they sold like hotcakes. The mego figures are still on pegs… and I'll never buy one. I'd only take it if someone bought it for me on Christmas.

Again though, I know matty claimed they had no “tie-in” that they could get products released in stores… but then BAM, it happened. So what exactly went down there? I guarantee if they put GB series figures in stores they would sell, and the 4-pack was pretty hefty in price and moved pretty well. So if we want to talk about distribution, retooling, all that jazz we can do it until our eyes bleed, but with regards to how Mattel managed this line so far… I clearly put the blame on them.

Ghostbusters is over 25 years old as a franchise and is STILL getting attention from other companies with no tie-in. That says popularity to me, so why only do internet sales? At the very least try some kind of lower-level distribution from a regional perspective and do like you would with any other product. Establish a test market, see where it goes and hope to be successful.

The internet can be a train station of info, but sometimes people just don't get on certain cars… so you can't just rely on the internet to do all the work for you. I really think if they approached it differently it could have gone somewhere… but for now I just have to be happy with the fact that my favorite movie of all time got a bone thrown to it.

For that I'm happy, but as for Matty's handling of this line… I really think it could have been far better than it ended up being.

Durstlimpbizkit;172585
Again though, I know matty claimed they had no “tie-in” that they could get products released in stores… but then BAM, it happened. So what exactly went down there?

Evidentally this wasn't on Mattel. They have said that stores would not order the line, and stock them on the shelves, as they wanted more stuff that ties in with current TV shows and movies.

I'm inclined to believe them, as its not like MOTUC is in stores, and that's way more popular than GB.

Stores just won't stock the regular figures, but will do the one-off exclusives and things like that. That's why you saw the 4-pack… the MEGOs are a style all their own, and stores already stocked MEGOs so they added in the RGB line.

I'll take Mattel at face value on that. I don't honestly think the GB line would have flown off the shelves in stores.

Doctor Venkman;172586
Evidentally this wasn't on Mattel. They have said that stores would not order the line, and stock them on the shelves, as they wanted more stuff that ties in with current TV shows and movies.

I'm inclined to believe them, as its not like MOTUC is in stores, and that's way more popular than GB.

Stores just won't stock the regular figures, but will do the one-off exclusives and things like that. That's why you saw the 4-pack… the MEGOs are a style all their own, and stores already stocked MEGOs so they added in the RGB line.

I'll take Mattel at face value on that. I don't honestly think the GB line would have flown off the shelves in stores.

What's funny is they'll stock Iggy Pop figures (my Toys R Us literally has 40 of them on the pegs) but they won't give the GB's a movie masters shot.

I'm thinking they'd do ok in retail though, I mean when the Neca GB stuff came out, I had a chance at a slimer figure and that was it. I'd think a small release with just the core 4 would have been a good pitch if they could have had much control over it. I understand the retailers don't want to take a chance at something with such little presence already in the market but I think Ghostbusters has more pull in the marketplace than retailers are willing to admit.

I mean how many other 25 year old properties have this much relevance?

Durstlimpbizkit;172588
What's funny is they'll stock Iggy Pop figures (my Toys R Us literally has 40 of them on the pegs) but they won't give the GB's a movie masters shot.

I'm thinking they'd do ok in retail though, I mean when the Neca GB stuff came out, I had a chance at a slimer figure and that was it. I'd think a small release with just the core 4 would have been a good pitch if they could have had much control over it. I understand the retailers don't want to take a chance at something with such little presence already in the market but I think Ghostbusters has more pull in the marketplace than retailers are willing to admit.

I mean how many other 25 year old properties have this much relevance?

I think you're overestimating the relevance, really.

I don't agree that retailrs are unwilling to admit that it has pull in the marketplace. They do this for a living. If money could be made off of Ghostbusters being in their stores, they would do it. They're not saying no for no reason.

Go look at most Toys R Us's and see how many leftover Minimates and Stay Puft banks there are. Any time I've been in a TRU there's tons of them and a lot are on clearance cuz they can't move them.

Trust me. These guys do this for a living. They understand the marketplace and what has pull. Ghostbusters doesn't have it, plain and simple.

Doctor Venkman;172589
They understand the marketplace and what has pull. Ghostbusters doesn't have it, plain and simple.

GASP

How DARE you say such a thing? They need to give us what WE want! We deserve it! They shouldn't care about money. Mattel is cutting back on this line just because they hate us!

mr pecker;172590
GASP

How DARE you say such a thing? They need to give us what WE want! We deserve it! They shouldn't care about money. Mattel is cutting back on this line just because they hate us!

You make fun, but unfortunately there are A LOT of people in the past few days who seriously have that attitude. They don't understand that this is a business and that Mattel isn't just being mean. Ghostbusters isn't viable the way fans want to believe it is.

Doctor Venkman;172589
Go look at most Toys R Us's and see how many leftover Minimates and Stay Puft banks there are. Any time I've been in a TRU there's tons of them and a lot are on clearance cuz they can't move them.

Is that true? How cheap are getting that Stay Puft banks? I never got any…

Ghostbusters213;172593
Is that true? How cheap are getting that Stay Puft banks? I never got any…

I saw an entire two shelves of red Stay Puft banks at the TRU near my parents last weekend. I think they were $19.99 or something.

I think personally where Matty went wrong was with the issues of characters like Peck, Vinz, Lab Coat Egon, Courtroom Peter, and the Retro Action Line.

The Ghostbusters line should have been more spread out and instead of releasing the 12“ and 6” at the same time alternate them between months.

OptimusFord;172596
I think personally where Matty went wrong was with the issues of characters like Peck, Vinz, Lab Coat Egon, Courtroom Peter, and the Retro Action Line.

What? I felt including Peck and Vinz were a good decision, especially as we got the awesome scale Containment Unit out of the deal.