From the movie “Wicked”
Source: Universal Studios
thousands of Mattel’s Wicked brand fashion dolls are disappearing from shelves, but not because of consumer demand.
The company was forced to withdraw its character doll product line after a packaging printing error. Instead of listing the websites of universal The box for the movie “Wicked” contained a link to a pornographic website from a group called Wicked Pictures.
Mattel said in a statement: “Mattel has identified a misprint on the packaging of Mattel Wicked Collection dolls sold primarily in the United States that was designed to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page. “I realized that there was,” he said. “We deeply regret this unfortunate mistake and are taking immediate corrective action. Parents are advised that the incorrectly printed and incorrect website is not suitable for their children. We ask consumers who own the product to either destroy the product packaging or hide the link. Contact Mattel Customer Service for more information.”
target, walmart and Amazon removed its “Wicked” line of dolls from its online store as of noon Monday. best buyBarnes & Noble, Macy’s. The product was also sold here kohls and retailers such as DSW. Throughout the day Monday, some sites were still taking action against listings.
It’s unclear whether Mattel will reprint the packaging or provide retailers with stickers that cover the incorrect website domain. Mattel did not respond to CNBC’s request for additional comment after issuing its initial statement.
“Mistakes can and do happen in the toy business, like any other business,” said James Zahn, editor-in-chief of The Toy Book. “This was probably an innocent oversight following normal processes. Most consumers, children and adults alike, will never read the fine print on a package, and after all, the package ultimately It is very unlikely that a child will read the back of the doll’s box and go online to visit the website.
The incident comes as Universal is stocking retail shelves with “Wicked” merchandise ahead of the film’s Nov. 22 release. The green and pink salvo is expected to provide a major boost to the retail industry in time for the crucial holiday period.
However, Mattel’s profits may be affected by the cost of removing the dolls.
“I think the impact will depend on the resolution, but that remains to be seen,” said Morningstar analyst Jamie Katz.
“The big winners in the short term are resellers. This weekend, the hoopla will set off a flipper frenzy, with retail shelves quickly being cleared by opportunists looking to make a quick buck by selling on eBay and Facebook Marketplace. “Because it’s been empty since,” Zahn said.
Already, dozens of Mattel dolls in misprinted packaging are available on eBay with list prices ranging from $40 to $2,100. The dolls retailed for between $20 and $40, depending on the character and outfit.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal is the distributor of “Wicked.”
