Ambassador Report 2
Thank you for all those who took the trouble to write a comment or two regarding the first report. Thanks also to all who ensured the report reached the various message boards. I hope I did not miss anyone out. I will pass on all of your comments and publish responses. There is certainly a huge cross-section of opinion proving you cannot satisfy all of the collectors all of the time, though most comments had something positive to add!
I promised more new liveries last time and here are three emergency vehicles. Your views are welcome. The multi-coloured decoration certainly makes the Ford F350 Ambulance (MB771) more appealing to both adults and children. This will be the 2013 standard issue. The Ford Explorer (MB860) with Police livery looks very different from its previous colour schemes and certainly stands out in the bold Police livery. Is this the sort of vehicle that is used in the US as a Dog Van? The third model is the Police Interceptor (MB821). I am sure it will sit well with the other emergency vehicles.
In the first report some of the models for this year and next year were mentioned. Two models designated for this year have unfortunately been delayed. The Range Rover Evoque and BMW R1200 tools are not ready and so they will be 2014 releases. I am sure both of these will be popular models and so will be well worth the wait. Samples of the MBX Coupe have been received and it is on schedule for later this year.
I listed the latest MAN numbers last time. There does appear to be an issue with the MAN number for the 2000 Corvette so I will keep you posted.
I am a fan of the Real Working Rigs. They remind me of the old Major Packs and King Size. However, it seems that latterly most of the large chain stores in the US did not share the view. I do not know whether they were sold outside the US. I spent hours in the US driving from one Kohl’s branch to another. Unfortunately, it appears only Kohl’s, of the nationwide chain stores, has stocked Real Working Rigs on a regular basis and the collector has had to be quick to find both the singles and the expensive Mission Force sets with one RWR before they were gone.
Presumably the other large chains have decided not to stock RWR any longer, hence the demise of this excellent range. I asked Mattel whether it would be possible to have some different tampo designs on the popular models. The answer was that only the Mission Force versions could have exclusive decoration and not the singles.
I am certain I am not alone in lamenting the fact that some 5 packs and all 10 packs no longer have completely unique colours. The 10 pack with all exclusive models was the most difficult to find and presumably the most popular and must have generated considerable sales. Given the fact that sales of 5 packs and 10 packs have always been high, I wondered why Matchbox could not simply change the base colour of the model and leave the regular series decoration.
Mattel explained to me that if a change is made to the actual colour of a model, it will create a new SKU (This refers to a Stock-Keeping Unit which is a unique identifier for each distinct product) for that model. Mattel allocates Matchbox a given number of SKUs each year to utilise across all their ranges. I presume this includes singles, 5-packs, licensed 3-packs, 9/10-pack exclusives, Mission Force,Skybusters, Big Boots, Critter Creatures and basically anything that uses a Matchbox logo. Thus, there is always a choice to be made and not recolouring all items in a 5 pack enables something else to be recoloured. On top of this, there are also financial issues and requirements that have to be met and planned for.
Collectors may feel hard done by the fact that a SKU is not used to change a miniature model but it must be remembered that Mattel exists, as did Matchbox in the past, to sell toys and that the vast majority of these toys are purchased for children and collectors are a very tiny but vociferous minority. Nevertheless, I askedif a change did not involve a SKU issue, could there be a change in decoration colour, for then collectors would have more to chase and sales would increase.
I was told that changes to wheels are done at will depending on demand but changes to interior colours and windows do affect the cost and can only be done as a running change and only if necessary since moulded colours are pre-ordered in advance. There are also licensor issues if colours etc. are changed. Matchbox arewell aware and understand that variations drive collector interest. Running changes are necessities that often happen on their own and list of variations in any year show how many changes are made.
SIXTY YEARS OF MATCHBOX
It seems that sixty years of Matchbox miniatures is passing off without too much of a celebration, especially in England where the range has its roots. If all of the moulds during that time had been preserved I wonder which 24 models would be chosen to represent these sixty years.
I had a quick look at the new models released over the past sixty years in ten year blocks. As a child and then as an adult, I wonder what your comments would have been regarding these models manufactured then. Would you have been thrilled or critical? In the hope of making this more interesting I have included pre-production Superfast models rather than the issued versions.
1953 The Cement Mixer (3a) was one of the first three Moko Lesney castings but Jack Odell told me it was a bad choice as it had little play value, beyond being able to turn the barrel. He said it was one of his first mistakes but it could not have been that bad a seller as it stayed in the range for eight years!
Comments on Message Boards
The response to the photos of the Ford F1000 panel truck in a fire department livery was overwhelmingly positive, though there was considerable debate regarding authenticity of the livery. Some claimed it would be more fitting if it were marked as a rescue unit rather than a Fire Chief. It was argued that in the 1950s most Chiefs had cars, but panel trucks were commonly used as the first rescue trucks for many Fire Departments during this era. One suggestion for the future was to see the F100 in Civil Defense markings.
Comment was made that the blue tinted windows contrast well with the red livery and would sit well next to the 2013 Show Fire Chief Buick. One collector took the trouble to back up his comments with a beautiful photo of the real vehicle.
Here is a local Fire/Rescue Vehicle retired from service. Year in service was 1950.
The response to the photos of the Ford F1000 panel truck in a fire department livery was overwhelmingly positive, though there was considerable debate regarding authenticity of the livery. Some claimed it would be more fitting if it were marked as a rescue unit rather than a Fire Chief. It was argued that in the 1950s most Chiefs had cars, but panel trucks were commonly used as the first rescue trucks for many Fire Departments during this era. One suggestion for the future was to see the F100 in Civil Defense markings.
Comment was made that the blue tinted windows contrast well with the red livery and would sit well next to the 2013 Show Fire Chief Buick. One collector took the trouble to back up his comments with a beautiful photo of the real vehicle.
Here is a local Fire/Rescue Vehicle retired from service. Year in service was 1950.
Finally, I think these reports should be two way. Mattel like to know your views and clearly there is a limited amount of research possible into the best and the poorest selling models. I think it would help if you would identify the current peg warmers or perceived poor sellers and also report the fastest sellers. Maybe there is a model that you have found difficult to find – possibly the Buick Police Car or the BMW Motor Cycle. Maybe there is an unexpected model that you have still not found from last year – for me it is the 30 Garbage Grinder on a small European blister, though I know it was issued and it is easy to find on the large US blister.
Thank you again for your responses. Keep them coming. I can take both comment and criticism!
Nigel Cooper
September 1st 2013
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