You guys both have good points. At the end of the day, the final product is good enough. They screwed up the details like the stickers and the strap, and the price is a bit high, but it's not bad. It's good enough that a decal set and some fur makes a HUGE improvement.
But what really sticks out is how poorly Mattel has handled all this. Pre-Order customers should have known (within range of a few days) when they were gonna get their boards. They also should have gotten theirs BEFORE people who didn't pre-order. There shouldn't be people who have no idea if they're gonna be able to get the Pre-Order bonus they signed up for.
The whole "Refunds" policy should have been established from day one. It's really hard to take "If you don't like the board, just send it back and we'll make it right and send you a refund." when people requested refunds and were turned down, THEN Matty turns around and says "Anyone who wants to cancel their order can apply for pre-order cancellation".
They could have openly come out and gave a canned "We have noticed that many BTTF fans and collectors have been disappointed in our Hoverboard replica. We wanted to let you guys know we do appreciate your opinion, and we are sorry the final product did not live up to anticipation." early on, when the boards started shipping or when Bob Gale's letter hit, bit the bullet so to speak and gained a little good will from some fans.
At this point, i'm not even concerned about the final Hoverboard. It's not perfect, but I dig it. It's still really disappointing that even now, Mattel hasn't even shown the slightest bit of apathy toward the fans no matter how small. Nothing but "Well, it's your fault for not liking it.", and "Hey, we offered you a refund!" and "They're selling pretty well, and I really like the final product.".
Even the smallest bit of humility, even just a small note on the forums would have gone a long way.