I am not 100% done with 2023. As we move into the 2024 range with my random thoughts, posted over on the Wheel Collectors website, I do have a couple of loose ends to tidy up with the 2023 items. One of them is here, as we had the final 2023 basic range issue in the first batch of 2024. There is one small batch of models to still showcase, and I will be getting those shipped over any time now. So, they will be showcased soon. But, for the most part, we are now in the new year, and with it lots of fun with some awesome models appearing. This is a phenomenal batch. You can click here to go to my Matchbox Monday page. I hope you enjoy it. I did put a lot of pictures in this one.
These cars seem to be available everywhere except the UK where we are about 6 months behind and even missing some boxes altogether, Mattel please sort your distribution out, because there are lots of UK collectors just waiting to buy your products but cannot due to poor distribution.
2023 Case M now at Tesco and 2024 Case B at Toymaster. Another poor year for us British Matchbox Collectors with very inconsistent stock. I’d love to blame Mattel directly but let’s remember a lot of this stock comes from independent importers/distributors since the exclusivity deal with Tesco ended in January 2023.
Unfortunately there still isn’t enough big UK retailers selling the brand and help absorb all this excess stock in the same way as the much bigger selling Hot Wheels.
Nothing new from Matchbox for 2024 as of January 31 2024, who’s fault is this ? Shops haven’t updated since ages, thanks Mattel 🙁 Are they happy with like it is ? Why do they ignore distribution problems ? Meanwhile Hot Wheels Mainlines are abundantly everywhere, coincedence ? You tell me 🙁
Do your stores get their stock directly from Mattel or from importers/distributors?
Slightly off piste but I’ve found some of the (rather underwhelming) Best of France models and some equally underwhelming Jurassic World 5-packs, with plastic dinosaur in place of one model in Boyes stores. Suspect they didn’t get those from Mattel!