Mattel has announced 8-10% wholesale (case price) increases for their independent re-sellers.
Not exactly unexpected with record prices for all metal commodities and most obviously, gasoline at $100 a barrel – most everyone knew this was coming (you need crude oil to make plastics itself – not to mention powering the plant and transportion usage – just to name a few).
While most wholesalers and smaller retailers (online and b&m) will unfortunately have to pass along price increases to consumers – it’s hard to say what will happen at the big three retailers since they may or may not have contracts in place with Mattel for such a contingency. My guess is that Walmart has prices locked in for the year (Mattel presumably had forecasts and projections for commodity pricing in 2008 and already built in a portion of the price increase) and Target & TRU have some favored-nations agreement that if they hit certain ordering goals, wholesale prices are matched for them – so presumably, we’ll see a small increase at the big three – not the full 8-10% but of course, they also have to pay to heat the stores and gas up trucks from their distribution centers so prices in the stores today might be the lowest of 2008.
Sorry to bring up the whole real world thing 😦
TWO A DAY 
It’s the lead free paint that’s so expensive.
I don’t know about everyone else, but I’d pay 20% more if they’d just start putting out new cars again at a consistant pace. I’m dying over here. I need a fix and I got nothing but purple Ramone’s lauging at me on the pegs man! Just laughing!
In Asia, the price of the is about USD6.50 ~ USD8.00, which is quite ironic as the Cars are made in Thailand or China (Asia countries)
I heard from Mattel staff that for Asia market, they send everything to Hong Kong, then only distribute. So maybe this is why additional cost incurred.
The price in the UK is effectively double that of the US, especially with the current exchange rate. Whilst the Disney store, Toys R Us and the likes of Sainsburys and Tescos are selling them for £2.99, the smaller chains and independants are selling for £3.99
Single cars are currently half price in Sainsburys in the UK. £1.49 each. Movie Moments and Minis are 25% off.
Jon
I don’t care what the price of the cars. Will pay whatever. Have all of them including Flea and Flik, Gasprin and Tow Cap, etc. Missing only Dudley will look at Walmart in the morning….
Walmart has had nothing and what they did have is gone.. Guess I will have to purchase Dudley online…
(METROXING: Some WM stores are just putting out the G case which has Dudley so don’t up too quick – Dudley is also coming in case J).
Rebecca,
Don’t do it. I have been staring at Dudley’s for two weeks. Let me help you out.
H cases are on their way, i will be shipping next week!!!
Anime Chuki & Lightning Ramone
(METROXING: Thanks!)
It is an 8% price increase accross the board.
Traver
EM thanks so much for the offer however I went into Target at 8 this morning and Dudley was on the shelf. 2 of them to be exact and I took them both… Walmart here has had Dudley, but he is always gone.. Walmart did away with the Movie Moments here in Colorado Springs though. Why I don’t know. Now I have everyone made so far except for CHUKI that came out today in Box H.
My local WM had also put MM on sale for $7 US but it was only for the older Supercharged cards. I guess since they use the individual UPCs that can do that. Target never could since they use one stock number for all MM
Shooter357 my local Walmart marked all MM all the way down to $5.88 new (World of Cars) and old (Supercharged) because they wanted to get rid of them. I sure stocked up on Rusty and Dusty for my friends and all when they went to that price. Now there isn’t even a place for them at all.
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