Dear American Girl...


As many of you know, I have been very frustrated with american girl lately. I decided to send them an email! Have a look:

I have loved american girl for 9 years now. But now my love is faltering. I feel like your prices have risen dramatically in the past few years, and I am no longer comfortable purchasing your products. When you get this, your company will continue to chug out cheaply made items from your factories in China. You will continue to overprice your items. And girls will continue to purchase them.

Let me introduce myself. My name is Anna, I am 14 years old, and I received my first AG doll for my 4th birthday. My passion for dolls has blossomed through youtube, where I create videos about my dolls and their life. I have transformed my closet into a dollhouse, and posted almost 200 stop motions on youtube. (If you would like to watch one, heres a link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E2cfVtxI2I&feature=channel_video_title ) I spend much of my free time creating these videos, and American Girl dolls are something I hold dear to my heart.

But latley, I have become very frustrated with American Girl. Your prices have skyrocketed in the past 5 or 6 years. You probably receive many emails every day about this issue, but I hope this one stands out to you. I hope I can be part of the change. I want you to lower your prices not because I am lazy and dont want to work for money. (I have a steady babysitting buissness, which gives me some income. I also work at a summer camp and earn money from that.) I want you to lower your prices because I feel it is unfair.
This is Unfair to little girls. Not every child is lucky enough to be born into a wealthy family. There are many little girls out there who want to buy a doll, but dont even get the chance. Their family just can not afford it.
There is a little girl that lives in my neighborhood, and would carry a ratty baby doll everywhere. I would see her every once in a while. One time I was taking pictures of my dolls when she walked by. Of course she had her ratty doll with her. As soon as she saw my dolls, her face brightened and she skipped over to have a look. She asked if she could touch my doll. I said sure. She told me how much she wanted one for herself, and it melted my heart. She lives in a trailer park. She has very little money. And she really wanted an american girl doll. My friend Natalie had given me her old Josefina doll a few days before, and I knew just what to do. When I gave the little girl that doll, I can not even explain the joy I felt inside. It was such a good feeling to share my love of american girl with someone who normally could not afford to experience it.
But that is only one girl. There are thousands more, some of them send me messages on youtube. These little girls never have get to experience american girl. I think you should give them the chance.
I have sent you emails before, and so have my friends. Your usual response is that you want girls to work hard for their dolls. This is totally reasonable! It is just that most little girls would have to have 4 lemonade stands on busy Saturdays to buy a doll outfit. Older girls have to babysit for 3 hours to get that doll outfit. That is a bit too much. Because of your prices, I have not purchased any of your products for 7 months.

Also, Please assure safe factory conditions! I would be much happier purchasing from mattel if I knew that you did not use child labor, that you had fair wages ect. I am not saying that your factory conditions are bad. I actually have no clue what they are like! Still, I would like for you to have good conditions for you workers.

I really hope you take into account my concerns. But if not, I guess I understand. You are a busy company. I just hope this message makes you think.

Comments

  1. That letter was really touching, Anna <3 It really made me think, "this is wrong!" I really hope american girl knows what they're doing. You certainly sound like you have a better idea of how to run a business than they do!
    -charlotte

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    1. Yay it was touching a lot I remover dolls used to be $95 then they went up 5 to $100 and now I have work to get my dolls my own money !!!!!!! My parents provide me shelter and food and water and there not gonna waist 105$ on a doll and I agree. Have you seen mckennas bed it is more expensive then the doll itself !!! Crazy people actually the price McKenna is TWICE as much as her and then at 20$ so then you get the total 225 so they want them to work for the doll which takes a while then its gonna take em awhile to get $$$$ ! Same here I have a passion for dolls and only Therese type of dolls I have stopped buying there products for 4 months

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    2. Hey guys hey Anna I hope you like my passage it is UN FAIR

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  2. its true lots of family's can not afford American girl dolls one of those family's is mine. they just cost way to much...

    sincerly,
    Seeha

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  3. Even though my parents tell me im too old for an american girl doll (im 12) i still enjoy them. To get a new doll i have to raise money myself, which is hard for a twelve year old. The American Girl prices are to high. Youve inspired me to write to Americangirl and try to change this. :)

    Abby.

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  4. You really made me think about how much others would like to expierience American Girl but can't because AG takes to much pride in being a great company and thinks everyone should have enough money to buy whatever they want. BUT THEY ARE WRONG times a million. It is very injust but people shouldn't stop loving the dolls, jusst the company they came from.

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  5. You really made feel like american girl should really lower there prices.Not only because some little girls cant afford them. its because some people have to work there butts off just to get a product that isnt even the best quality.I can sew better than that company and I just started sewing LAST
    SATURDAY.I think american girl is just taking pictures of the products in better quality, put them and on there website, then selling children the products so they can ask there parents to get it for them and in two days the product either rips,breaks, or the product doesn't work.American girl is just a DIRTY THEIF!!!!!!

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  6. There are other ways to get clothing and accessories for your dolls. I am an Emily Rose at home consultant, and if you can get your mom to go in with you you can also be an emily rose consultant. They have awesome velcro on their clothing that will not snag, all factories that they use are inspected but are in China. Their products are safety tested by CPISA so they are safe and lead free. Etsy shops feature lovely hand made items for the dolls. I have an Etsy store with Doll jewelry and accessories, and one of a kind hand painted t-shirts. I have a friend with post-cards that double as posters and clothing in her Etsy store. There is even a lady that makes Harry Potter costumes that are amazing for the dolls. Libbery Jane sells clothing, shoes and patterns, and you can learn to sew and create your own doll fashions. Many Etsy retailers are Liberty jane partners. The good news is you do not have to rely on American Girl. I love the face molds on Madame Alexanders 18 inch dolls, I have 3 in the house now. One is as she came, she was purchased brand new. I find the hair quality poor. They have rooted hair. I have 2 others I purchased second hand that are being made into boys and are getting wigs with boy hair styles that I found online. I still have hair to remove from where it was rooted, then I need to sew clothes. My sons wanted American Boys, and I am making one for my BFF's daughter who'd like a boyfriend for her doll. I turned a Second hand Samantha into a boy for my one son. I watched Stephenswodadancer's repair videos. (Get the real stringing elastics though the hair ties get weak fast). Ways to save money though on the dolls. I love your videos and I am planning to show my niece the possibilities for her dolls. Keep up the good work.

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  7. Thanks for the suggestions, I mostly get my doll clothing from other places too! Emily rose is a great site, and so is liberty jane. I even sew a lot of my clothing.

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  8. Basilmentos, great letter! You said it gave the little girl so much joy to have the doll, and how american girl replies with they want the girls to work for a doll... I think it is mean if a little girl wants a bitty baby that is about $50. A little girl can't get that joy from getting the doll because it cost to much. American girl is being mean, not letting a little girl have joy. Don't they want a little girl to have that joy. Seriously if they want more business they should lower the prices because they have such great dolls that are so much fun to be with when you are scared, sad, and just need someone who will be with you when no one else will.
    You are one of the nicest girls I have heard of. You are so thoughtful to be sending a letter to American girl, and giving a doll to a little girl who doesn't have the money to. Great Job!!!!
    (If you are wondering who I am, I am 123AGgibsongirl on youtube. I am a huge fan of your videos and love seeing what you write on your blog. I don't have a blog account for dolls yet, but the one I am writing from is one I made when I was little for me and my friends) :)

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  9. Thank you so much! I am looking forward to their response as well. Hopefully they will actually write it out personally instead of a computer generated response.

    Anna

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  10. Hi :') I think that they have gone over the top. I know my friend would want another doll, but she probably will never be able to save up for one more. But there are other kids and adults that dosen't even have one doll, even thought they dream/dreamed about it. When I save for my dols, I don't have any money over for things. But other children can't even have a doll. I'm accely in a way embarresed of the dolls I have. Not about having dolls, about having the amount of dolls I have. Some people think you're a rich snotty kid becouse of this. I think that's wromg to think, but I understand them. Really you would almost have to be "rich" to buy even one doll. I want to save up for Kit, I won't be able to buy a thing while I'm saving up for her. My mom buys me things somethimes, but some other kids can't even buy things the self. I know it sounds selfish, but we all want that little thing in the store and that. But we can't, couse we are saving all our money for a AG doll. This is wrong. I have been thinking about writting something like this to AG in a long time. Maybe It'll make a difference, maybe not? But prices "can't" get higher. If they do higher the prices, they'll lose custoners. But they have allready loosed custmoers. And even sone customers that they have never been able to have, becuse of ever since high prices. When American Girl was "new", they were considered as luxury dolls for rich children. Even thought they are not considered this particullary way anymore, they are still the same. And even almost worse! Even thought their coulity was much worse in the late 90-early 20; The price is only going up and up! Just last summer, when I first saw AG, a doll cost 95$. This was high, now it's five dollars more. That's nothing, you think. But really think of those who can't even afford bread. And has I child who's only dream is getting an AG doll? For them 5$ can be much money. And ten dollars more, nothing. But now you react, "who would pay 110 dollars for a doll?" Who would pay 100 dollars for a doll? Well, we all accely do. AGs are over-priced, if they put garante of factory condisions. And lowered prices. AG would make children's lifes easier. And get more people buying things from them. I think it was wonderful of you giving her Josefina, Anna :') I bet she hardly can't apart from her doll :) Hugs Tilde(marchmallowde on AGTube) :')

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  11. Anna, Your amazing! I have 3 american Girls But It took me nearly half of the year to get enough money to buy 1! Its crazy how much the prices are these days. I DO NOT Plan on buying another doll anytime soon. My doll that i just bought Is already loosing Eye lashes, her legs and arms are REALLY loose, And her Eyes Don't Open and close anymore :( Its Way sad that all these little girls Cant have an american girl doll. My Best friend Came over one day, And she really wanted an american girl doll, So i told her that she could "Baby sit" My doll while i went on a cruse. I think its Amazing that you made a difference in that little girls life. I will also send a letter. Thank you Anna!

    Cindymagic66 :)

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  12. Anna I am so touched. I believe the same thing. I have probably 3 friends who have decent money but can't afford American Girl products. I have for dolls, a look-a-like, Elizabeth, Felicity, and Lanie. I had to beg my heart out for the look-a-like and Lanie. My family is very poor and at the moment we have no money at all. (which is not surprising) Anyway I think that letter was very good. I support you in every way!

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  13. Anna I totally agree with you. American girl's prices are just ridiculous. I have never gotten anything but my doll from American Girl because of the insane prices. Also, I am a new blog user so if you could check out my blog (AMPlified) it would mean the world to me. I also sent you an email so PLEASE reply to me. I am a HUGE fan

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  14. This is soooooooo touching that it made me cry!!! I once had something with the little girl thing happen to me to! I was at the battered woman's shelter and saw a little girl who was 5 I had brought an American doll for a little girl to play with wile I was there helping she had came up to me and asked if she could hold it for a minute and cried while holding it. I was tiring up and felt sooo bad! So I told my mom and we order her a kit doll! When we gave it to her she cried and cried and cried and gave me a huge hug! I also cried too so now I know how lucky I am to have a home and things to play with! So American girl you need to donate all of your expired dolls to homeless shelters because it's just sad to see all the poor people out there soo mabe you can do that.
    -nadia

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  15. I think I've got an idea. we could all send emails to AG about their prices. if we do They'll see how many people agree.

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  16. Go anna! you are SO right. AG's prices are waaaay to high. McKenna's rain gear costs more than it would cost to get some myself! You have inspired me to send a letter kinda like yours (sry!) and I am gonna mail it soon. Fingers crossed they read it!

    Clare

    ps i <3 u anna!

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  17. We NEED to do a boy cott or a protest or SOMETHING!
    DId you know what the dolls cost a little over $10 to make!?!?
    WTH is wrong with American Girl? WHY do they need to charge so much?! I'm 14, and really want to buy some for stopmotions, but can't because they cost so much!
    OMG seriously Pleasant Company?
    What about all the little girls that want to buy your dolls?
    If it's all abot money to you, then why not put your doll prices down to $49.99? And the beds and stuff to like $35? You.Would.Make.A.FORTUNE!
    PLEASE :( I would LOVE to have an American Girl doll to do stopmotions, maybe I'll buy one on EBAY cheap, but I WILL NOT support them with their ridicuosly high prices!

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  18. ANNA I SUBBED U AND THT LETTER WAS GREAT U SHOULD START A BUISSNESS KINDA LIKE AG BUT BETTER MABEY THEN THEY WOULD STOP INCRECREASING HIGH PRCIES TO BE HIGHER BTW PLZ SUBB ME AND MABEY ENTER MY CONTEST
    YOUTUBE: TheAGdiva100
    ~xoxo paige

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  19. AMERICAN GIRLS PRICES ARE TOOOOO HIGH WE SHOULD ALL POST COMMENTS EVERYWHERE SAYING DONT BUY FROM AMERICAN GIRL UNTIL THEY LOWER PRICES

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  20. Do you know what really sucks? What sucks is that you take so much time to write an email about something that you feel strongly about and what does AG do? They send you an automated response saying "...Blah Blah Blah, we are sorry you feel this way, blah blah blah we try to price our products at the lowest we can, blah blah blah, we want girls to work for their AG products, Blah blah blah..." And you get the point. And then, they just make their prices even more expensive than before! It is like AG doesn't care about anyone who doesn't have the money to buy their things.
    That is just a shame Anna... I know how you feel. I hope one day, AG will realize that they are a selfish company who doesn't know wrong from right.

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  21. I agree I remember when I first got into AG their products were quiet cheap but now the price raised by quiet a bit

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  22. It was so nice of you to do that for that little girl! I say, we should go on strike, not buy AG products, until they lower prices or ensure safe factory conditions.
    THEY LITERALLY DID A DOLL WHO WORKED IN FACTORIES!!!
    We should boycott. After all, we are their fans, they should listen to us.
    They should also, if they have any dolls leftover, like they overstocked by the end of the year or something donate the dolls.

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  23. My name is Anna, I am 14 years old, and I received my first AG doll for ... american-girldollhouse.blogspot.com

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