MattyCollector "Mattel Hoverboard" discussion
- Thread starter hound97
- Start date
autoprops713
Sr Member
steveo3002
Sr Member
autoprops ...does the big cheese at mattel realise what a shambles this has become , or have the staff managed to bluff things along that its all groovy
autoprops713
Sr Member
Like a few others have mentioned the Matty line is not doing anything for Mattel...from Mattel's perspective. Trust me, I've talked to many over there about this. I think at the beginning it was good for publicity and maybe grabbing a handful of more adult collectors (Mattel used to hate licensing out stuff for collector companies. For a company this large it was minimal and probably not even worthy of team meetings. Remember too, Hot Wheels and Barbie was selling to adult collectors way before there was a Matty and that market was doing fine when I worked there. So I'm sure a few there questioned what Matty was really up to and why it was needed. The problem is that there is just not enough profitability for a dedicated team to work on something like a hoverboard. Nevermind trying to make a super accurate version that will appeal to the 5% group. I'm fairly sure the team members had more important projects to work on at the same time...and were repeatedly told so. I was told this personally many times when I worked on Batmobiles. Definition of "important" to Mattel? Profit.
I'm sure their marching orders at this point is "make it go away...we don't want to hear about this hoverboard anymore". Notice I didn't say "how can we fix this so it appeals to a dozen or so overly vocal customers?". Yes that's how they look at it...especially the higher ups.
Also, btw there will be some sort of big Michael J Fox event where he will examine these boards, I believe sign a bunch, and raise money for charity. The press will be all over this and I don't think their article will have much on us not thinking the board came out right. Just trying to be honest here and share my experience with the collector part of Mattel.
Dave
DL4567
Sr Member
That'll be cool, I always look forward to BTTF being in the limelight. But it's also sickening, because they'll make it out to be like, "look how great Mattel is for making these!! Yay! Mattel is awesome and these are perfect!"
autoprops713
Sr Member
Exactly.
Here's the link to post a consumer-protection complaint with the Federal Trade Commission:
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en
The site says that they don't respond to individual complaints, but they instead track the volume of complaints against specific companies and use these statistics in making decisions as to whether investigations are warranted.
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en
The site says that they don't respond to individual complaints, but they instead track the volume of complaints against specific companies and use these statistics in making decisions as to whether investigations are warranted.
In other words... little drop meet big bucket.
I know for a fact that I didn't order until after Matty's big video where they brought Gale in with his production boards. Like most, I thought for sure that meant we would end up with a high quality replica of the real thing.
Certainly will not be the last time I'm wrong in this life
I know for a fact that I didn't order until after Matty's big video where they brought Gale in with his production boards. Like most, I thought for sure that meant we would end up with a high quality replica of the real thing.
Certainly will not be the last time I'm wrong in this life
ghostryder
Legendary Member
Good post. The message in the video was "Relax, we got this" - and now it's like, "Hah, gotcha!" This is what gets me:
Mattel responds with complaints with this, "Dudes, this SOOOO not final" video - but then like Clock88 said, not one thing physically changed with the board - it was only two minor things with the graphics. To be honest, I'm not pounding on my keyboard demanding a refund, and I'll still keep my pre-order - BUT, I think like a lot of us, that video gave me a little bit of hope, but now, well, not really a great way to treat customers...
If only Mattel actually designed and made the boards for the movies to begin with like Nike did with the mags. We would get what we were promised.
I'm keeping my pre-order as well. If I'm honest with myself, I would have paid someone $120 to upgrade an existing bttf123* or razorsharp board with the sound effects this one has, so $120 for the whole shebang is not bad. It's just disappointment that it could have been so much better, and was promised as such. But I'm working through the stages of grief, and think I'm almost at acceptance...
Now my pickle is: how much do I change on this board? There are several possible stages for the board.
Board Stages
***Stage V—Strip it down to bare plastic and reapply all of the the graphics. Remove the magnets and clamps (I don't think the central battery piece can be removed as I believe that's where the sound effects and batteries are) and replace them with more accurate ones. Also fill in the recessed channels within which the existing pink velcro sits and reapply the pink velcro on top of the board as is accurate.
Reapply the graphics, with EITHER accurate lenticular OR photoboard pattern (whichever you prefer) + light green velcro if you're going for the "hero" lenticular board or the BTTF II version of the photoboard (most photoboards in BTTF III kept the unvelcroed dark green stripe).
Besides the non-beveled top edge (which I don't think we can practically correct) and the battery pack cover with also must likely be retained, this would yield a board that looks 90-95% right AND has the light/hollow plastic construction of a toy with the cool sound effects.
***Stage IV—All of the above, but without filling the recessed channels within which the pink velcro sits. The pink velcro is left as-is.
***Stage III—Strip off all printed graphics, but leave the magnets and clamps and pink velcro (sitting within the existing channels) as they are. Reapply all graphics as mentioned in Phase I.
***Stage II—Leave the bottom assemblies, graphics, and velcro attached but overlay the inaccurate background "pill" pattern areas only with either a more accurate photoboard pattern or true lenticular. Add green velcro if you're going for the hero lenticular or BTTF II version of the photoboard look.
***Stage I—Leave the bottom assemblies, graphics, and velcro attached, and just add green velcro only if you're going for a BTTF II photoboard.
***Stage 0—Do nothing. The board is preserved as-is.
Footpad Revisions
As far as the footpad, I think most will either:
1) remove the entire thing and replace it with an entirely new unit, or
2) leave it on and at least replace the pink velcro strap with a more accurate pink fur version.
Now my pickle is: how much do I change on this board? There are several possible stages for the board.
Board Stages
***Stage V—Strip it down to bare plastic and reapply all of the the graphics. Remove the magnets and clamps (I don't think the central battery piece can be removed as I believe that's where the sound effects and batteries are) and replace them with more accurate ones. Also fill in the recessed channels within which the existing pink velcro sits and reapply the pink velcro on top of the board as is accurate.
Reapply the graphics, with EITHER accurate lenticular OR photoboard pattern (whichever you prefer) + light green velcro if you're going for the "hero" lenticular board or the BTTF II version of the photoboard (most photoboards in BTTF III kept the unvelcroed dark green stripe).
Besides the non-beveled top edge (which I don't think we can practically correct) and the battery pack cover with also must likely be retained, this would yield a board that looks 90-95% right AND has the light/hollow plastic construction of a toy with the cool sound effects.
***Stage IV—All of the above, but without filling the recessed channels within which the pink velcro sits. The pink velcro is left as-is.
***Stage III—Strip off all printed graphics, but leave the magnets and clamps and pink velcro (sitting within the existing channels) as they are. Reapply all graphics as mentioned in Phase I.
***Stage II—Leave the bottom assemblies, graphics, and velcro attached but overlay the inaccurate background "pill" pattern areas only with either a more accurate photoboard pattern or true lenticular. Add green velcro if you're going for the hero lenticular or BTTF II version of the photoboard look.
***Stage I—Leave the bottom assemblies, graphics, and velcro attached, and just add green velcro only if you're going for a BTTF II photoboard.
***Stage 0—Do nothing. The board is preserved as-is.
Footpad Revisions
As far as the footpad, I think most will either:
1) remove the entire thing and replace it with an entirely new unit, or
2) leave it on and at least replace the pink velcro strap with a more accurate pink fur version.
razorsharp192
Sr Member
you wont be able to swap out the magnets easily, they're built into the board's mould, they're not separate pieces
Man I thought mattycollector forums were harsh.
Over there Scott has replied to my questions with some quite sarcastic answers, fair enough my questions seemed sarcastic also, and I have blogged a bit about Scott Neitlich and the hoverboard.
When this was first announced, a webpage ad here in New Zealand had the pic of Michael J Fox and the Hoverboard with the words
"Hoverboards, they're real and they're magnificent"
In the small print it had, "wont work on water" Coming November.
Surly that could be considered false advertising, but then again maybe it wasnt an official Mattel ad.
I'm not sure what to make off it, I guess people will have to wait and see the final shipped product.
Over there Scott has replied to my questions with some quite sarcastic answers, fair enough my questions seemed sarcastic also, and I have blogged a bit about Scott Neitlich and the hoverboard.
When this was first announced, a webpage ad here in New Zealand had the pic of Michael J Fox and the Hoverboard with the words
"Hoverboards, they're real and they're magnificent"
In the small print it had, "wont work on water" Coming November.
Surly that could be considered false advertising, but then again maybe it wasnt an official Mattel ad.
I'm not sure what to make off it, I guess people will have to wait and see the final shipped product.
Welcome to the snake-pit :lol
Davlin
Well-Known Member
Autoprops713, what you explained in your post is a behaviour that we meet way too many times from big companies. Profit, profit, profit. If we don't do profit, shareholders won't be happy, jobs will be losts, and I've got a house to fund back, I'm too old to get a new job...
Bla bla bla.
Like the movies in Hollywood : There is a clear gap ( a canyon, actually ) between the "passion" and the "budget". Both seldom meet.
If there was someone clearvoyant at Mattel, they could have seen the good it brings to their company ( don't we say : One customer angry, seven customers lost ? ), because we now have kids. Between a toy X and a toy by Mattel, we could have chose the latter for our children, and here's more profit.
But these things should then have been managed thight, like making extra sure to get perfect products out. Furthermore, if they don't sold enough stuff, why not release more of it ( PKE meter for instance ) ?
Now, because Matty is probably with a knot around its neck, their only option is to get the stuff out of the door and praying for the best.
As for me, my hoverboard will land on eBay, for an European customer. Keeping the sound circuitry is not worth the 200$ in total it will cost me. I just hope it will bring my money back.
What a shame.
Bla bla bla.
Like the movies in Hollywood : There is a clear gap ( a canyon, actually ) between the "passion" and the "budget". Both seldom meet.
If there was someone clearvoyant at Mattel, they could have seen the good it brings to their company ( don't we say : One customer angry, seven customers lost ? ), because we now have kids. Between a toy X and a toy by Mattel, we could have chose the latter for our children, and here's more profit.
But these things should then have been managed thight, like making extra sure to get perfect products out. Furthermore, if they don't sold enough stuff, why not release more of it ( PKE meter for instance ) ?
Now, because Matty is probably with a knot around its neck, their only option is to get the stuff out of the door and praying for the best.
As for me, my hoverboard will land on eBay, for an European customer. Keeping the sound circuitry is not worth the 200$ in total it will cost me. I just hope it will bring my money back.
What a shame.
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steveo3002
Sr Member
razorsharp..i assume its you that owns hoverboard.org.uk...man you are so missing a trick you should do what you can to start production again and sell all these good people a quality product while theyre in demand , i think now and at least until 2015 they be a hot item , you deserve to do well from it as you seem to have bothered to make it close to being right
lukebrynycz
Sr Member
razorsharp192
Sr Member
thanks guys! I would if i could but i can't see that i'll be making hoverboards again unfortunately
NikWink
Well-Known Member
Hey guys, I thought I'd share this with you all, its a pretty cool/accurate set of hoverboard blueprints. They can be printed on draft paper from a kinkos for like $5 and they look awesome, if I'm not mistaken they print actual size. Makes a pretty sweet poster
