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American Girl Phenom

jenevang

jenevang

Rocking a two-piece under my scrubs
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Apr 20, 2011
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OK, my 8 year old DD has finally discovered American Girl dolls (despite my desperately trying to shield her from them for years, LOL). "ALL" of her friends have them. *Don't give into peer pressure, little one* :giggle

Anyway, she wants one for Christmas so we are giving in... and I'm telling grandparents to get her accessories. Whew, they are expensive! And Plentiful ;). Seriously, there is no way they are paying their marketing team enough.

Anyone else sucked into the AG vortex of doom? Do they EVER go on sale? Or do they follow the Apple "they will buy our stuff even if we never discount it" philosophy?

I'm holding out until Cyber Monday to order her doll "just in case" but I fear it is an exercise of futility.
 
Back in the day (my daughter is now 20), I never found them to go on sale. We would buy the doll, one or two of the outfit/accessory items and call it done. She played with those dolls and they are still in great shape. She had 4 brothers and some of their video games were expensive at that time. And the books were great. She read all the books.
 
When they discontinue one of the girls, she and her stuff are discounted. Of course, then you have to rush in and grab everything because once they're gone, they'll be ridic expensive on eBay. My mom grabbed one for my daughter when it was discontinued, so she'll get the doll when she's old enough, but she'll never get showered with all the accouterments. Which is fine with me! lol
 
We get the magazine frequently in the mail. I have been one of the fortunate ones in that my daughter does not seem interested. She is not a fan of dolls. I say that I am fortunate only bc of the cost. I had high hopes of my girl and I spending time at the local shop enjoying a mommy daughter lunch in the bistro.

Oh well, I have learned to just go with the flow. :)
 
Not too often do they have sales, but they offer free shipping from time and time. We also get "other" brand doll accessories that are great as well!
 
MandaKay said:
Not too often do they have sales, but they offer free shipping from time and time. We also get "other" brand doll accessories that are great as well!
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Oh, good to know... what is the "other brand", LOL. (see, I'm new to this... I have 3 sons)
 
Trista said:
We get the magazine frequently in the mail. I have been one of the fortunate ones in that my daughter does not seem interested. She is not a fan of dolls. I say that I am fortunate only bc of the cost. I had high hopes of my girl and I spending time at the local shop enjoying a mommy daughter lunch in the bistro.

Oh well, I have learned to just go with the flow. :)
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Trista, this is the 1st year Arabella has been interested AT ALL and she will be 9 in Feb. Have faith, there is still time for you to join the revolution.
 
Trista said:
We get the magazine frequently in the mail. I have been one of the fortunate ones in that my daughter does not seem interested. She is not a fan of dolls. I say that I am fortunate only bc of the cost. I had high hopes of my girl and I spending time at the local shop enjoying a mommy daughter lunch in the bistro.

Oh well, I have learned to just go with the flow. :)
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We get the magazine too, how on Earth did they figure out we have a girl "the right age". So thankful that Bianca couldn't care less about them! YAY!

Now, those evil skylanders are I think worse than the american girl! They already announced next year there is a Marvel Skylander and Bianca is already asking for it! NEXT YEAR!
 
ku-xlarge.jpg
you mean this dolls? how much are they?
 
The dolls are $105-$110, depending on which one you get.

We have three here. Fortunately my mom loves to sew doll clothes, so we have a nice big wardrobe. :)
 
Target has dolls that are the same size and the Target accessories will work for the AG dolls. My DD has two but she outgrew them almost as fast as she started liking them. I'm thinking she was 9 with the first one and 11 with the second but she was done with them by 12. They sit on a shelf in her room, waiting for her to have babies some day and play with them. Both of my girls had Bitty Babies, however, and those dolls got a lot of play. Still have their Bitty Babies. We did send one of the AG dolls (the first one she got) in to the AG Doll Hospital for a head swap due to crazy hair. It was fairly affordable and returned her doll to like new condition.
 
Kylie wanted one when we got the catalog, but I told her they were too expensive and recycled the catalog one day while she was at school lol. I think she's forgotten about them now... so we may have dodged that bullet for now. Besides, there is NO way my husband would let me spend that much on a doll lol.
 
The price is outrageous! Now... has anyone seen the prices on Hot Wheels tracks? INSANE TOO!
 
My nieces have gone and gotten their American Girls as birthday presents and last year I won a Caroline Abbot doll, which I gave to them to share. I've boughten clothes for the dolls that cost more than my clothes!

I think the Journey Girls at Toys R Us are so much prettier!
 
MissKim said:
Target has dolls that are the same size and the Target accessories will work for the AG dolls. My DD has two but she outgrew them almost as fast as she started liking them. I'm thinking she was 9 with the first one and 11 with the second but she was done with them by 12. They sit on a shelf in her room, waiting for her to have babies some day and play with them. Both of my girls had Bitty Babies, however, and those dolls got a lot of play. Still have their Bitty Babies. We did send one of the AG dolls (the first one she got) in to the AG Doll Hospital for a head swap due to crazy hair. It was fairly affordable and returned her doll to like new condition.
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So the Our Generation dolls stuff fit w/ AG? That is SO GOOD to know, b/c I'm not sure my DD would know the difference when it comes to clothes/accessories.
 
jenevang said:
So the Our Generation dolls stuff fit w/ AG? That is SO GOOD to know, b/c I'm not sure my DD would know the difference when it comes to clothes/accessories.
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Not sure about the clothes, but the beds/other accessories work. Anyone know about the clothes?
 
I haven't tried myself (since we don't have dolls) but I heard the clothes fit them.
 
Our Generation, from Target and there's What a Doll at Kmart, and something at Walmart too.

We got sucked in the same way, my 7 year old started going on sleepovers and found out she was "the only girl in the whole world" who doesn't have one, lol. The sticker shock was outrageous!! They don't go on sale, but you did just miss free shipping, lol!! I will say, while I'm not sure the doll is worth $110, the AG brand is a much nicer and better quality doll than the generic dolls. We have a lot of generic accessories though. Anything that fits an 18" doll will work. Katelyn's favorite stuff is What a Doll from Kmart, for $25 you get a dress for your daughter and a matching doll dress! And Kmart has lots of sales! We have Saige and Julie.
 
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My girls' grandmother started them out with Bity babies when they were 3 years old and I wanted nothing to do with them. They have really gotten into reading the books, though, so I'm more okay with them now. They each got a doll from me and accessories from their grandmother last Christmas. This year they each had their heart set on another doll, so we're doing the same thing. They do know that because they are so expensive that the doll is pretty much all they will get...they're okay with that.
 
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