Mattel Creations Review: Toys as Art, Art Inspired by Toys
Glory-Anna Oshafi
Mattel Creations is a dominant force in the toy and collectibles industry. Since its inception in 1945, the brand has grown to become a household name for collectors. Today, they have expanded their reach, making art for collectors and toy enthusiasts.
They’re known for iconic collectibles like the Barbie doll, WWE figures, Disney characters, and Hot Wheels. They also have a website that effectively showcases and sells these collectibles.
From high-quality images showing each piece’s artistry to emphasis on limited edition items, the site has many features worth discussing. Learn more in this review post.
Comprehensive Features Analysis
In this section, we’ll review the elements that shape the overall shopping experience on the Mattel Creations website.
Product Descriptions and Collections 9/10
Mattel Creations features many products on its e-commerce website. Using the metrics below, we’ll analyze these products’ descriptions and organization.
- Clarity and Descriptiveness
In clear words, Mattel Creations explains its products and the inspiration behind them. For example, check out the description of the Barbie Inspiring Women Isabel Allende doll in the image below:
They proudly state that the product was inspired by author and activist Isabel Allende. They also explained some of her notable achievements. This is effective because fascination can be a reason for collectors to buy.
People who originally knew the author may not need further inspiration to buy. But anyone stumbling on the description may become fascinated and inspired to buy.
Mattel also highlights other details like the designer, label, and other information relevant to a collector. Furthermore, they state conditions for getting the product and other stores that sell the product.
If you read through the entire description, it’s clear. But the information is congested. A better approach is to highlight important details with bullet points or increase the line spacing and use shorter paragraphs. This will enhance reading.
- SEO vs. Readability
The descriptions are readable. The fonts are legible, and there’s little to no use of technical jargon. They have a flow that makes reading enjoyable.
The focus of their descriptions is to educate and inform the audience. But not at the expense of SEO. When we did a Google search for “Tiana doll collectible,” Mattel Creations was first on the search results after some high-ranking YouTube videos.
Their investment in SEO ensures they are visible to collectors searching for specific collectibles online.
- Creativity and Branding
Mattel Creation’s branding revolves around their zeal to create and share art, while their creativity shines through the well-crafted stories on each product page. These attributes elevate toys to collectible status and reinforce their status as a dominant force in the toy industry.
- Organization of Collections
The Mattel Creations website is like a world on its own. It’s vast and lists numerous products under different brands. So, they offer three efficient methods of organization.
The first one, where they organize products by brands, is more broad because of its sub-categories. Under each brand, customers may shop the collectibles, access the community forum, or do some other activity available for that collection.
The second method of organization is the option to shop by collectible type. Notably, they provide categories like dolls, vehicles, action figures, and other products they offer. So customers who aren’t specific about brands can shop through this option.
Lastly, the brand offers virtual collectibles (Mattel NFTs), which they group as “Virtual” in the menu.
The differentiation and organization of collections enhance intuitive navigation within the website
- Visuals
Each of Mattel Creation’s product pages has various high-quality shots of the product at different angles. Also, when you hover over an image, it zooms in to show the details of the product.
This feature gives customers a view of the product’s quality, which can influence decision-making. The only area for improvement is in their apparel listings. Adding pictures of models in the clothing piece will help customers visualize the items on them.
User Experience 9/10
The user experience of Mattel Creations’ website is exceptional. The few items they have on the menu reduce the time spent checking where each leads, helping customers find what they want faster.
Also, the organization of collections appeals to different customers, giving them the best option to shop based on their intent. Those who are brand-specific can go through the “Brands” category and choose their favorite brand.
Other customers can click “Shop” on the menu to select a type of product. But even when customers go through this route, the website has filters that help them select a brand and other details. So, there’s an overlap of both categories.
Plus, customers can sort products based on price—high to low and vice versa. The filters and the sorting function help customers find products faster and increase conversions.
Additionally, the brand offers different secure payment options, and checkout is seamless. There’s also an option for customers to save their payment details for future purchases on all Shopify websites.
If they choose this option, they will get a code for subsequent transactions to confirm payment. This is more efficient than frequently filling out payment form fields at checkout.
Customer Service and FAQ Page 8/10
Mattel Creations has a dedicated customer service page, which customers can access by scrolling down to the website’s footer. The page shows all the available customer service options, including FAQs, order status, collectibles launch calendar, shipping & return policies, and the contact page.
The FAQ page lists multiple questions grouped by topics. They list the questions at the top of the page and provide answers below. But each question hyperlinks to its answer. So, the design allows customers to find questions quickly, and the hyperlink ensures they get the answer just as quickly.
They also have dedicated FAQ pages for their NFTs and virtual marketplace to avoid congestion of the general FAQ page. Then for the contact page, there’s a contact form, an address, and a phone number. However, response is limited to specific hours of working days.
We applaud them for the organization of their support page, especially the single customer service page where customers can access everything else. But times have changed, and customers want answers as quickly as possible.
Return and Shipping Policies 9/10
Customers can access the return and shipping policies page via the dedicated customer service page or through the website’s footer.
They concisely explain the shipping policy, using paragraphs to differentiate texts and tables to communicate shipping rates. They also incorporate headings to separate segments of the shipping policy. This arrangement is effective because it’ll be easy for anyone to read through and get vital information.
Similarly, the arrangement of the return policy enhances readability. They use bullet points to communicate vital details. However, there’s a part of the return policy where there’s no space between bullet points. Customers may end up reading one point into another and get confused or misguided.
Slightly increasing the space between bullet points will further improve readability.
Promotions and Discounts 8/10
Mattel Creations has a launch calendar page for upcoming launches.
Additionally, they incorporate countdown promotions in anticipation of the product launch.
Seeing a “ticking clock” builds excitement and anticipation among collectors and fans. It can also create a buzz around the product and drive higher sales when it’s launched.
Other promotions they offer are member-only perks.
Special Features and Innovations 9/10
Mattel Creations shows it’s a customer-centric brand by incorporating the accessibility mode on its website.
The accessibility mode makes the website easier to navigate for people with disabilities such as visual impairments. This feature shows the brand’s commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that all customers, regardless of their abilities, can engage with the brand and access products.
It also opens Mattel Creations to a broader audience and boosts the brand’s image as a socially responsible and caring brand.
Strengths Showcase
Generally, every aspect of Mattel Creations contributes to its popularity. But here are two features that significantly elevate the brand:
- Community Forums and Engagement
Mattel Creations has a forum for every brand in their collection, where collectors with similar interests interact with one another and the brand. This makes collecting more fun. Also, the brand interactions foster a strong connection between the brand and collectors, leading to customer loyalty and repeat business.
In addition, the brand has specialized paid memberships that offer exclusive perks to members, including early access to collectibles and exclusive members-only collectibles. They also get access to special sales, voting privileges for new designs, exclusive content, and members-only forums.
These perks tap into the psychological pull of scarcity and status. It also makes the exclusive collectibles highly sought after. As a result, it increases demand and encourages non-members to consider joining. This translates to increased revenue for the brand. All of these happen on the website.
- Attractive Product Pages
Another strength showcase is Mattel Creation’s product pages. Some of these product pages are like virtual magazines. An example is the Barbie Signature doll, A Tribute to Fashion Barbie Doll. After the traditional product description. It shows various high-resolution images of the doll explaining its fashion, special details, and inspiration.
Just as readers are drawn to explore every page of a well-designed magazine, customers are more likely to spend time on product pages that are visually rich and informative. It contributes to the thrill of getting the product and seeing how the brand specially designed the product page.
Growth Opportunities for Mattel Creations
Mattel Creations needs to improve its customer service. The brand requires a solution that responds to customers, even outside working hours. Many toy collectible companies are springing up. Although Mattel has been in the game for decades, there’s still room to overtake.
Mattel Creations can secure its place as one of the leading brands in the industry by improving its support availability.
Final Rating
Rating Breakdown
- Product Descriptions and Collection: 9/10
- User Experience: 9/10
- Customer Service and FAQ Page: 8/10
- Return and Shipping Policies: 9/10
- Promotions and Discounts: 8/10
- Special Features and Innovations: 9/10
Overall Rating—9/10
Mattel Creations lives up to its status as a superior brand in the toy and collectibles industry. From the captivating visuals, product stories, well-designed product pages, inclusivity, and community, the website provides an immersive shopping experience. When they enhance their customer service, Mattel Creations will be unstoppable.
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When Mattel Creations integrates Juphy into their website, here are more benefits they stand to gain:
- Juphy increases sales because it can analyze customers’ interactions and preferences to recommend toy collectibles or a matching hoodie/t-shirt.
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