MattyCollector "Mattel Hoverboard" discussion

[davidJurassic]

That was inspired and true - not slanderous

No reason to take that down other than that it may reveal the true shortcomings of the board and result in cancelled orders

I just checked and I've received the following two PMs:

This from Catra's Wrath



This from M.C. Don



For those who are interested; here is the "Ask Matty" post in question:



Contempt it is it seems. So as we can see, Mattel are interested in legalities when it comes to covering their asses, but they have no problem in ignoring their legal obligations when it comes to honoring consumer laws.

 

[Sloth]

So they are reading the posts but again just choosing not to reply to them... except for PM'ing bowspearer because it outlines the facts...

 

[Contec]

Seems like Matty is following the first Rule of Acquisition,



#1 Once you have their money, you never give it back

 

[lannyjack]

Ugh. Not that impressed by this or the Ecto Goggles.

 

[bowspearer]

In the spirit of hanging Mattel by their own rope, here's a pic from a promo poster for the prop replica:

EDIT: And the poster in its entirety:

 

[Sloth]

In the spirit of hanging Mattel by their own rope, here's a pic from a promo poster for the prop replica

While we are on the subject of reflection :lol :lol Video: Back to the Future Hoverboard Prop Accuracy - YouTube

Note within first 30 seconds...

"So bottom line guys, the board we had at comic con here, sooooooooooo NOT final!! Not even CLOSE!!!" :behave

 

[Spyhunter2k]

I just posted on their forum as well. Let's see if mine gets taken down:

How Could it Be This Bad? - Topic

 

[egoing]

Financially Matty is having a hard time justifying itself within Mattel. Some really good designers and engineers were pulled off the hoverboard project and put on regular (money making) toylines. Adult collector projects like this do not generate the income that a company like Mattel is looking for. Any profit they were going to make has already been used up in salaries and tooling. I'm not making excuses for them....its just how it is over there. Especially within the last year or two.

My bigger issue is if they are going to create and sell an item like this that is not for profit, but maybe more for promotion...why not make it extremely accurate and detailed? Although they may have already accomplished that with news articles, stories, etc hence the "whatever" attitude towards the finished production board.

Just to let everyone know there are some hardcore BTTF fans working inside Mattel that are just as frustrated as all of you. Its even worse when they are being told "No, mind your business...we don't want your help".

Dave

There it is. The money quote that sums up that Mattycollector is just limping along. This not so much a prop, but a toy with all the trappings of toy safety standards.

 

[bowspearer]

I just posted on their forum as well. Let's see if mine gets taken down:

How Could it Be This Bad? - Topic

Saw it and have been liberally quoting and linking it as the definitive "list of screwups" post.

 

[DpM]

I just posted on their forum as well. Let's see if mine gets taken down:

How Could it Be This Bad? - Topic

Good post, I especially like the bit.

"We KNOW that there are Back to the Future fans at Mattel who were willing to step in and help avoid the disaster this has become, and were TURNED AWAY. Why? What possible motivation could Mattel have had to knowingly give this product less than its full support? To decline all well-intentioned and knowledgeable advice from without and from within?"

I will be keeping my order just because I'm not in the financial position to purchase the last one from hoverboard.org.uk. I hope someone grabs it as its stunning.
I just hope some more things are corrected like the handle bar hole as that's so easy.
I'm surprised that shots of the bottom have not shown up yet. Although as the foot strap/plate looks so bad I'm guessing they wont have changed anything.

 

[Alan Castillo]

I just checked and I've received the following two PMs:

This from Catra's Wrath

This from M.C. Don

For those who are interested; here is the "Ask Matty" post in question:

Contempt it is it seems. So as we can see, Mattel are interested in legalities when it comes to covering their asses, but they have no problem in ignoring their legal obligations when it comes to honoring consumer laws.

I know you are very disappointed in what you have seen of the board so far.

However, I must agree with the PM's you received from Matty.

It is unwise to post things against a company and its management on their own board, in the way you did.

Your words may be true, frank, and come from the heart, but if you wish for your opinions to be taken into account by them, I recommend you do say the same things, but without using words such as 'fraud', 'liar' etc.

Otherwise, you will find yourself banned from their site forever in a heartbeat. And trust me, nobody is going to miss you. This is not meant as an insult, but as an eye-opener and the reality of things. They will end up banning you and giving you a refund. Where would that leave you except silenced, angry and even more frustrated ?

I would guess you really do not want this, but would rather continue to contribute towards convincing them to roll out a board that you and others will be happy with

 

[Alan Castillo]

While we are on the subject of reflection :lol :lol Video: Back to the Future Hoverboard Prop Accuracy - YouTube

Note within first 30 seconds...

"So bottom line guys, the board we had at comic con here, sooooooooooo NOT final!! Not even CLOSE!!!" :behave

There y'all go, there is light at the end of the tunnel :thumbsup

And a note near the board at the nycc specifically also said it is not the final product.

So guys, give them time, and only 'explode' if when the final prototype is presented and it still sucks.

 

[Ojobenito]

Naaaaaahhh. Great costume, but bad hoverboard replica

 

[DpM]

Look on the bright side it could have ended up like this:

 

[bowspearer]

I know you are very disappointed in what you have seen of the board so far.

However, I must agree with the PM's you received from Matty.

It is unwise to post things against a company and its management on their own board, in the way you did.

Your words may be true, frank, and come from the heart, but if you wish for your opinions to be taken into account by them, I recommend you do say the same things, but without using words such as 'fraud', 'liar' etc.

While I admit, the "Pinnochio" snipe might have crossed the line; nothing in the post content crossed the line. There have been a litany of lies from him regarding the board since at least SDCC and how it's played out does come across as fraud.

Any reputable company would cop this kind of criticism for this kind of error on the chin. However Mattycollector has proven over time to be far from reputable - as many of us have learned over time where this is not our first rodeo where Mattycollector is concerned.

Otherwise, you will find yourself banned from their site forever in a heartbeat. And trust me, nobody is going to miss you. This is not meant as an insult, but as an eye-opener and the reality of things. They will end up banning you and giving you a refund. Where would that leave you except silenced, angry and even more frustrated ?

Tbh I'm virtually beyond caring at this point. All posts there ever get is canned lines or ignored and I'm done being treated with that level of contempt. At this point I'll simply get the Black Lion and not update my credit card details for the Hoverboard. I'll track down a replica elsewhere.

I would guess you really do not want this, but would rather continue to contribute towards convincing them to roll out a board that you and others will be happy with

At this point you're right, I don't want this, but because your second point, based on past behaviour, is moot. Matty don't care and wont change it. They have our money and this will just be like so many other things they've done that wind up being a giant "up yours" to fans. Sometimes you need to recognise when a battle is a losing one.

 

[bowspearer]

There y'all go, there is light at the end of the tunnel :thumbsup

And a note near the board at the nycc specifically also said it is not the final product.

So guys, give them time, and only 'explode' if when the final prototype is presented and it still sucks.

Not quite. That video was made post SDCC and they said the final version would be shown at NYCC. Furthermore, that disclaimer can most likely be considered to be the standard disclaimer used on all toys/toy company products. I realise this is a replica, but from what we've seen, Mattel seems to be treating this like a toy in other ways, so the disclaimer should be no different.

 

[Alan Castillo]

Matty don't care and wont change it. They have our money and this will just be like so many other things they've done that wind up being a giant "up yours" to fans. Sometimes you need to recognise when a battle is a losing one.

If that is the way you (and of course others feel), then just ask for a refund and never buy any of their products again.

It's that simple really. I am sure they will give you the refund.

What 'worries' me is the ulcer I see forming in people like you. I am not debating whether it is justified or not, as I am sure it is.

But it is so not worth the extra hassle and worry in your life.

It's just a toy at the end of the day, not a $100,000 mortgage you can't pay :thumbsup

And I say this as a person who loves his toys beyond belief too :lol

Not quite. That video was made post SDCC and they said the final version would be shown at NYCC. Furthermore, that disclaimer can most likely be considered to be the standard disclaimer used on all toys/toy company products. I realise this is a replica, but from what we've seen, Mattel seems to be treating this like a toy in other ways, so the disclaimer should be no different.

Just because Matty is a huge company, doesn't mean everything always goes according to schedule.

Give them time.

Yes, more time if that's what it will take to maybe give you a product you will love

 

[Ojobenito]

More photos I've found:

First one, a close up. Notice the "bump" on the edge sticker on the left side. Is the sticker peelin or something like that?
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/NYCC12-Mattel/1350026216-6.jpg

Second photo, the stand. I suppose it will come with that. I would have been better a stand like the bob gale's hoverboard, that gave the ilusion to "hover" and it was just 4 wires, but well... a stand should be fine. Nobody will get it to "glide" more than 2 feet. It's totally useless, so let it be on a stand....
http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gallery2/album/NYCC12-Mattel/1350026216-9.jpg

 

[bowspearer]

If that is the way you (and of course others feel), then just ask for a refund and never buy any of their products again.

It's that simple really. I am sure they will give you the refund.

What 'worries' me is the ulcer I see forming in people like you. I am not debating whether it is justified or not, as I am sure it is.

But it is so not worth the extra hassle and worry in your life.

It's just a toy at the end of the day, not a $100,000 mortgage you can't pay :thumbsup

For starters, the "it's just a toy" argument is these days the equivalent of Godwin's Law with collecting.

Secondly, based on what level of income? You're presuming that for everyone ordering one, that it's a drop in the bucket. For some of us though $200 is a significant amount of money. In fact as a full time university student, it is the equivalent of more than 3/4 of a week's income.

In that sort of situation, $200 is far from "chump change" and so naturally I'm going to take it more personally when someone tries to screw me out of that much money. That's forgetting about the principle of the situation.

Just because Matty is a huge company, doesn't mean everything always goes according to schedule.

And yet they're insisting on adhering to their schedule.

Give them time.

It's coming out next month - considering the lead time on production needed; that's going to be it.

Yes, more time if that's what it will take to maybe give you a product you will love

And yet they've refused to delay the product, so this point of yours is completely moot.

 

[razorsharp192]

as a side note, it looks like the edges of the board are angled, but only the lower edge, the upper edge is rounded for some reason