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That’s weird, because I went to Target last week and they had more Mega product out than I’ve seen in 6 months. New HALO, Pokemon, egg surprise things, etc.
Definitely looked like it was a planogram, since it was the corner of the aisle, every shelf stocked & carefully arranged. Getting ready for Holiday 2019 already.
As far as Dollar General goes, that relationship really began when Toys R Us couldn't pay toymakers, so all the new Mega toys ended up at discount stores. If they sold well, I imagine the stores just kept ordering.
MarkM is totally right. Discount stores are seeing a huge boost because they're carrying more groceries and other goods, to compete with Aldi.
Since Mega and Mattel are being very secretive, I can only speculate this:
2018 was a year of experimentation; Mega & Mattel were seeing larger, block-based sets weren’t doing as well as the minifigures, so it looks like they decided to go figure-based, and expanded their parts library. A little later, Mega & Mattel were trying to see how to sell them... blind bags? Blister packs? Small boxed sets? Small, less-blocky vehicles?
I think they figured that out by Spring 2019: Blind bags, blisters, and small sets. Only doing large things like Grayskull under the Probuilder line and buying online.
The next phase seems to be purging some licenses, then going after geeky stuff like Hellboy & X-Files, as well as developing new product based on Mattel IPs like He-Man, Barbie, Mighty Max, Polly Pocket, etc. and using the bricks more for free-building & imagination.
I think in 2020 we're going to be seeing the fruits of these couple years of R&D. The Masters of the Universe stuff seems like just a taste of what to expect. We're gonna get more awesome pop culture Heroes figures, but I also think we're still in for many surprises.
This year, Mega has shown a willingness to experiment with scale, articulation, and paint apps more than they have previously; whole new sculpts and figure designs that have already resulted in classic minifigs like the X-Files Gray Alien.
Mattel does need some sort of official channel to buy their toys through. Mattycollector was a s___ show, but they need to figure distribution out ASAP. Now they’re making AWESOME toys, collectors can’t buy them, and scalpers are charging $100 for a Mega Construx Scare Glow. Like, really?
I’d like to see them partner with Amazon or Walmart to handle the online sales & distribution, and just keep a flow of product moving.
But I see Disney buying Mattel (for the IPs), then having a toy factory/direct toy channel for everything Disney. Parks, retail, resorts, etc. Disney then begins taking their licenses back from Hasbro, and the dominoes fall.
They have been quite cozy lately, and Disney’s been throwing Mattel a lot of bones that, frankly, Hasbro should be getting. H’s deal with Paramount has soured things, perhaps?
But The Mouse giveth, The Mouse taketh away.
EDIT: After doing some research, Mattel is worth less than $4 billion, while Hasbro is worth nearly $15 billion. Disney ($130 billion) would be foolish not to buy Mattel outright at this point.
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