Just posted the Unboxing video, and I will have a photo Case Report soon. For now, have a look at all the good stuff in this case:
#tranquilcollecting
#tranquilcollecting
Just posted the Unboxing video, and I will have a photo Case Report soon. For now, have a look at all the good stuff in this case:
It’s all well and good that the cases are loaded but here in Philly and a 50mi radius I’ve seen very little past probably the B case! I mean I was able to recently pick up the Ford wagon but these cases are coming in a way where you see little or nothing of the models you may be hunting. Imo the 24ct cases are hurting distribution. It actually looks as though the days of hunting at brick and mortar stores are numbered. These stores that are carrying MBX have little space or their fitting as much MBX product that it hurts the peg space. There are so many models that I would double up on but just can’t find them. Never seen the white Crysler300. The old police car another mia model. Seems with the 24ct cases you have to be at the store when they get there because the next case will be 3 letters later! It’s a dam shame and frustrating as hell. They finally rise the brand from the ashes but good luck getting what you are looking for!
That’s a good case. But I’m still hunting for the F, G, and H cases…
Same here… Matchbox has become quite a rare sight in the last few months. Dollar Trees have stopped stocking them. Walmarts around my place are very infrequent in bringing new stocks, and when they do all the licensed vehicles fly off the pegs in a day and most of the time I’m left with the generic junk which no one buys. Targets have about 3 to 4 pegs left for Matchbox and there are a few generics from Batch A or B stuck to the pegs. With Toys r Us gone, the power grabs are gone as well. So it’s mere luck if I ever see a new Matchbox batch. Seeing a new batch preview from Lamley does not excite me anymore, sadly – as the chance of finding what I want is almost none.
that’s a long rant… sorry.
Amen. It’s great stuff, but even with dedicated hunting effort and spending more in time and transportation than the cost of the toys, I can’t find these products that are supposed to be generally available from major retailers. Where do they go?
@ King Joe
Don’t apologize for posting facts. I used to love collecting Matchbox, but these days when I see Lamley doing a Matchbox unboxing, it just depresses me. Matchbox is owned by Mattel, why can’t they get their act together and straighten out the distribution process for Matchbox?!
One of the best Matchbox cases in a long time! And the card art is just gorgeous! Now if only people actually found these in the stores.
Just deal with Wheel collectors or AJ
Matchbox distribution…..utterly pathetic. Oh how i wish I could attend a matchbox event just so I can give a voice for all frustrated collectors. I think most can agree that it’s really hard to find matchboxes these days.
Who’s at fault? Is it Mattel, or is it the shops for not ordering? Our local Fred Meyer department store keeps the product stocked, and has for years.
It’s Mattel’s fault (for us in the UK anyway). They have restricted Matchbox to only one outlet here and that’s Asda (Walmart) who have soul exclusivity. Matchbox is always empty but hot wheels are restocked regularly even though both sell well. Even before Matchbox was restricted to Asda pegs were always bare in every other shop. However hot wheels were and always are full to bursting. Which says to me that Matchbox stock isn’t reaching stores. This A, B, C, D case distribution just does not work at all and leaves masses of peg warmers. If they could only monitor the best sellers and replace the slow sellers that would be great. I look forward to the Chevy Caprice next year but I doubt it will ever reach pegs here.
In contrast the distribution of Matchbox Jurassic World items has been great. I can’t recall reading any complaints about people being unable to find what they want. Matchbox was even kind enough to keep some in Thailand for me to buy and send some to other countries which don’t normally get Matchbox.
The only thing i see on the pegs are two crappy generics, on the other hand i live in a rather small area, that maybe the case 🙁 I see this is the same regardless of a country You live in. I just wish 1990’s return, in the sense that everything that was on my radar, i could buy without an effort, but that’s just wishful thinking. I remember, back in the early 1990’s Matchbox had great distribution, always right on time, big thanks to the Universal Years, when these ended (1993) things changed for worse, definitely 🙁
Hotwheels seems to fill the matchbox holes in uk. Even poundland, the second unofficial source don’t stock anymore. (usa long cards). Hotwheels taken seat. If it’s cut backs? Mattel are doing a good job! Distribution?!?!…… Mattel seems to know where to place hotwheels in your face! A few years now knowing great mbx are about and way out of reach and price. Going to lower depth to get mbx. Very frustrating. Then again i do want that hotwheels ford escort mk1. Probably easier to find!
Why does Hot Wheels for the most part not have distribution issues like Matchbox?? Can’t really wrap my head around that (if I said that in the correct text).
Who decides about the colours? The Chevy Impala wagon in that odd dark blue is almost depressing, the tinted windows make it worse! No one had black tinted windows those times, a light clear green, yes!
Forget about the boat, make a decent interiour with a dog in the back! And a hook for that other trailer, please! How go camping, with no hook?!
Same colour issue with the black BMW i8! Sure, many people buy black cars! But on a tiny toy, it makes all the nice design details disappear, and in the shelf on the peg, a black car in a clear glossy blister gets easily invisible for mom buying a toy for the boy! Beside, in which store will You find a Matchbox? The supply out there is a desaster!
Thought I left this but I guess it didn’t get posted.
The 24ct cases are the problem imo! Don’t think most stores are past the D case here in Philadelphia and that’s a 50mi radius. I was lucky enough to get the Ford wagon but that was a long way from home. Seems by the time the stores restock their 2 or 3 cases in advance. It’s ridiculous because right now MBX is putting out great stuff but because of the small cases there just aren’t enough to go around. Almost thinking that Mattel is not all in. I mean their putting out a great line here and here and on Instagram people complain they can’t find them! It’s been what, like 3yrs since they turned things around but distribution is STILL a problem. If they knew that these were sought after and were serious about making MBX a success there would be as many MBX on the pegs as HWs. To me MBX is putting out a way better product right now, you just can not get them! Common sense tells me if they were serious about making MBX a serious contender in retail there would be an onslaught of product. HWs is obviously Mattel’s top priority. Thing is they have more peg warmers then MBX these days. There are so many peg warmers that I just have no patients to go through everything on the HWs pegs anymore. They fall all over the place and if their in a bin their usually destroyed. The Premiums are usually repeats of models over done. I loved the A100 van but HWs has done so many now it’s old.
Coincidentally, I saw a carbon black I8 pulling up to a BMW dealer service It look so sinister from the side in that shade, yet so understated compared to other super cars. I am definitely looking forward to the matchbox version, even if I have to hit up ebay.
I finally ran into some of these today… there were 3 Vista Cruisers, a couple of Camaros, the MBX 4x4s, the ’59 Chevy Wagon, Trail Tracker, SWAT… but no Mercedes 6×6, trailer, BMWs (neither i8 nor M5) or flatbed truck.