The other day, we received a catalog from American Girl. The cover of the catalog proudly proclaims that they offer free shipping (with a $50 minimum purchase). After looking through the catalog, I quickly see that the free shipping is almost a given! They have these new "Real Me" dolls that follow the same idea as Webkinz. You order a doll, and you can play with her avatar online! The basic doll and casual outfit are $95! But, you can add on accessories like glasses, messenger bag, and other accessories for an additional $32. Cool!
You can also buy your daughter outfits to match her doll's. For a pretty scarlet dress and matching hat for both your daughter and her doll will set you back a mere $92 ($66 to dress your daughter and $26 to dress her doll).
After perusing their website, I found that you can also get the doll her own Halloween costume for about $30! That's about what I paid for my daughter's Halloween costume. Sigh.
I don't mean to sound cheap. The dolls are beautiful, and the clothes look gorgeous. But I can't imagine shelling out that kind of green for a toy. I guess everyone splurges on certain things and are cheap about other things. This is a thing that I'm cheap about. My daughter easily tires with most of her toys. I have no doubt that if we invested $200 on a doll and some outfits, she would love it. At first. I can see her easily getting bored with it. And maybe jealous that we spend more on the doll's outfits than we do on her outfits.
I can also see her getting sucked into playing with the computer avatar. I can bet the website for this would be full of ads of other things we HAVE to get for the doll.
I'm just going to file this catalog away in a safe place--at the bottom of the recycling bin.
Here is a link showing one of the dolls and the possible accessories you can get for her. Click if you dare!
Okay, so when Sage turned 4, i got her the itty bitty twins and my SIL got her the matching dress. Let me tell you, those dolls currently reside on the bottom of her closet. She has ZERO interest in dolls (I can't tell you how sad this makes me, altho I'm glad not to spend the 4$). The dolls are beautiful and really well-made, but be SURE she'll play with them!
ReplyDeleteMy 12 year old went through looking at accessories for a doll that's about the same size as the AG dolls that she's had since she was 2... she wants over $100 in accessories alone... told her to save her pennies...
ReplyDeleteyeah my eldest got into them around 6. She REALLY got into them around age 9 or 10 when all the other girls her age had them...she is obsessed with them and all the accessories. in some ways tho I am glad she likes them more than boys at age 12 now. I am embarrassed to say how much AG accessories and dolls we have. I didn't buy any of it though, her relatives and grandmas get it for her. For us its been worth it since she does play with it all everyday. she is into the line of AG crafts they sell at michaels now.
ReplyDeleteyou know I had friends that loaded some cash into those....you should have seen their panic when they didn't know where the doll was...kind of like loosing a kid.
ReplyDeleteYou were brave to even open the first page of the catalog....I'd have put it in the junk mail pile right off. I hope your daughter likes Barbie...she's still beautiful, affordable and I've saved a bundle making clothes that my GrandGals think are prettier than any store bought ones....especially when they have the same dress to match!
ReplyDeleteOh Cheryl. I get this catalog, too. I don't even open it. I suspect my grands would play with them for a day and lose interest. The only thing of everlasting value to them at this moment is their stuffed animals and those little German animals cast of hard plastic.
ReplyDeleteThere's a little girl at preschool who has many of these dolls and her Mom dresses them alike...and I always wonder what they do for a living to afford that!
Thanks for the interesting link to Alphabe-Thursday.
I enjoyed this little walk down expensive lane.
A+
I think filing the catalog at the bottom of your recycling bin is an Excellent idea :-)
ReplyDeleteCrazy! Manufacturers try everything to part us from our money. A toy does not need to be expensive to be good. Some of the most loved and played with toys are very simple or inexpensive.
ReplyDeleteSuch an interesting, thoughtful post. TFS!
ReplyDeleteXOXO LOLA:)
Those dolls have more expensive clothes than me :(
ReplyDeleteI'm glad my baby girl is 38 years old :D
ReplyDelete~victoria~
I am glad I only had a son! I am glad my son is 20, not that he doesn't still like expensive toys (ie cars). Sounds like you've filed it in the perfect location!
ReplyDeleteMy mom has purchased one for my niece. I think she liked buying it more than Grace plays with it. The dolls and all their accessories are so expensive.
ReplyDeleteI think I will pass on that purchase! I did buy my little Yorkie some underpants in Disneyland that match the ones I bought for my little granddaughter. I think I've gone far enough!
ReplyDeleteI clicked it. The doll has a better haircut than mine and talk about the clothes, WOW! When my daughters were younger I bought them some really expensive dolls when I traveled to France. They never played with them. They just loved their Barbies. Go figure. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAnne-Marie
If I thought she'd play with it appropriately, and (most importantly) if she had a gaggle of friends that was into it and it made her an outsider NOT to have it...then I would probably cave. I'll take any "in" that I can to get her some friends!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter (now twenty-five) still rubs it in that she was the only one of her friends who didn't have one of these dolls -- they were so popular in our community. The local Historical Society even held teas for girls and their American Girl dolls. I called to find out if you could bring a different kind of doll, and they said "sure", but, alas my daughter didn't want to be the only girl there with the "wrong" kind of doll. It just was not in our budget to buy the designer doll in those days, so we just had teas at home!
ReplyDeleteThis is a discussion I know many parents have had. Major bucks for something that uncertain. Sounds like a great call on your part.
ReplyDeleteI am always amazed at how much people spend on toys for kids ... on the other hand, i love that they are such wholesome looking dolls ...
ReplyDeleteHmmmm. I'm sure marketers are happy that these dolls look so appealing. I hear cash registers ka-chinking! :)
ReplyDeleteThat was an eye-opening E post! That some people would pay more to dress a doll than I spend on my own clothes! Expensive, indeed... :-D
ReplyDeleteWay too expensive! I agree. The dolls are beautiful but the amount of play time would not make up for the cost.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter could get her own outfit for the price of one for the doll.
I'm sure the doll is beautiful BUT I'm not looking. I have twin girls aged 2 and not into dolls just yet but I certainly do not want to get caught up in such expense. I'd have to take out another mortgage!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, my kids always had more fun playing with the boxes their toys came in.
ReplyDeleteI've gotten those catalogs in the mail and thought briefly about buying some for my granddaughters, and then thought, no, I'd really like to retire some day!
I'm sort of ashamed to admit that I'm having a gorgeous doll made for my granddaughter for Christmas this year. It's a bit pricey, too, but it's the kind of thing she can keep on her bed for years...which is how I'm rationalizing it.
ReplyDelete"/
Hi I am your new follower via Alphabe Thursday.
ReplyDeleteI am glad my sons grew up in an era ( oldest in about to be 40 and my youngest will be 26 in
ReplyDeleteNov ) when toys weren't so expensive. I cannot believe what parents are having to pay now for
the latest games, etc, not to mention high end jogging shoes, etc. It's all a bit outrageous. My oldest liked to play with boxes...the cardboard kind more than most of the toys I bought. Lucky me.
You are not alone my friend. My grandson asked for a Batman Lego set for his birthday. I thought OK, no biggie. But as usual, the local big chain stores didn't carry it so I thought I'll just go online and order it. Not! Can you image stepping on a $495.00 Lego Batman? When is it all going to end. ~Ames
ReplyDeletehttp://rivahchick.blogspot.com/2010/10/e-is-for-epitaph.html
Great post! I adore dolls and have a large collection but....I think this American Girl business has gone too far! People in America are jobless, homeless and hungry. These dolls have their own salon where you can get their hair done! I think there is a time to draw the line! They opened a store here in the Denver metro area. I am sorry I am not paying for a doll to get a new do! I am with GRIT Sue! Barbie still rules. My late sister use make tons of clothes for my dolls! I really miss my sis and I still have tons of Barbie dolls! I think your post was very informative and the responses here are great! Anne
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that we didn't ever have to get into that 'must have' doll stuff. Waaaaay too expensive for my wallet and waaaay to much fuss about a toy!
ReplyDelete