I have always been a doll collector but recently started collecting American Girl dolls.
The last couple of months when I have ordered via the website - the Truly Me dolls have come to me in a very unpleasant way - meaning no hair tags, hair nets or doll activities kit - am wondering if other collectors are noticing such a vast decline in quality?
There is no comparison to the quality comparing to A Girl for All Time dolls or even Maplelea Dolls - these two brands in my opinion are so much better - even their Customer Service ranks much higher compared to American Girl -just wondering if other collectors are noticing the difference
Thank you for your time,
Eleanor
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I have not purchased a TM doll since the end of August (she did come with an activity book back then) and I don't purchase other doll brands, but I find AG's customer service to be overall very good. I do think that it is often better when you call than it is in-store (I think people at corporate are better trained than the people in stores). I live 6 miles from a flagship so I am quite fortunate to be able to make nearly all purchases in-store (except for some exceptional online sales), so I am lucky to be able to pick out the items that look out the best, especially the dolls. I'm especially surprised at your customer service experience. I would try calling them again and speaking to someone else if I were you.
ReplyDeleteI have been buying AG since 1998 for my kids and now myself. There is a HUGE decline in quality and the Mattel buyout is the mark of change. The items are no longer marketed for little girls but to collectors and grown up girls who are brand invested. The huge price tags for non-authentic items are disgustingly aimed towards those who can afford them. PC's pricing reflected their costs not their unattainability for the middle class child. You could save up and have something that would last for your own children - not so now.
ReplyDeleteEverything about AG since the takeover is "plastic" to me. I buy a lot secondhand or other brands or even non-branded items instead of giving my money to Mattel's American Girl. I am thankful that other brands have stepped in dedicated to the founding principles of AG. It's very sad to me to watch this happen.
I began collecting AG dolls & things as a child in the early 90s. There has not been a single year that I have not purchased something from AG. In many ways quality has decreased as the prices have increased, but sometimes I still find items that are top notch. As for Truly Me dolls specifically, I would say they are a mess lately. I have seen many brand new dolls arrive looking like they've already been played with. Messy hair, chopped hair, & hair shorter than stock photos show. Then there are the new zip ties that make the heads hard to turn. It's really looking like prices need to drop, especially when they no longer come with anything.
ReplyDeleteI am an international AG collector, and have only been collecting since 2014. I recently purchased a Truly Me #64, who is pictured on her box with an activity box, it was included. I also purchased #66 at the same time, no activity box pictured, and was not included - I did not need another one anyway. Maybe the activity boxes are no longer being included, I think for mailing purposes they are additional weight and risk coming loose and damaging the doll in transit. Both my dolls got their ears pierced and both still came with their hair in nets. No complaints from me.
ReplyDeleteAll my interaction with American Girl is by phone or email, and all the service I've ever had has been great, and/or very prompt.
You could have just caught AG in the middle of the switch from the My American Girl Dolls to the Truly MW dolls. I am like you in that I've never had any big issues cone up with agcs, but I've been collecting since 2011.
DeleteI agree with everything being said. Customer service is the best I have seen from their call center. Even the service in the store is better than most stores that are local. The quality in their TM dolls has declined a great deal though. I bought a TM 31 and her hair is aweful. One part is crimped and the rest perfectly straight. How can this be? Even in real life when people have crimpy hair it usually is mostly crimpy and when they straighten it, they do not straighten one part leaving the rest of the hair crimped. By the time I took her hair net off I was already swindled due to her face. It was too cute so she is mine to keep. Still, the hair was a major disappointment. It's sad because hair is usually the selling point of a doll especially for young girls who love to style hair. I could not imagine giving my TM 31 to a little girl. The hair quality is not anything like pictures or what I see on their dolls in their displays. I have noticed the decline in hair quality with Barbie first. I used to love playing with Barbie's long hair as a kid. Even as a collector the hair still is the selling point for me which is why I eventually stopped collecting them. I have one or two but they are few and far in between. Hopefully, this is a phase that the company is undergoing while they find their way back to making great dolls for 2017.
ReplyDeleteno problems here :) sorry i can't help more
ReplyDeleteI have had problems with the hair since the dolls don't come with hairnets anymore. At first I thought that I was sold a doll that had been returned as the hair was messy and the cards were missing from the box. I think the price should have gone down because the cards were missing. Is the way American Girl keeps the prices down,by removing something from the box? I have seen possible leaked packaging for the new girl of the year. The doll's box has changed and the outfits appear to be packaged the way the Wellie Wishers are packaged, not in the boxes. I hope this isn't the case. Madelon
ReplyDeleteWe've only gotten into AG the past 12-18 months and haven't purchased any TM dolls. We love the Bitty babies, Bitty twin outfits/accessories, WellieWishers. My eldest daughter is slowly collecting Maryellen's items. The TM line doesn't appeal to my kids. The items are too expensive and we tend to shop Our Generation or etsy for modern doll clothes, or Dollie & Me for matching clothes.
ReplyDeleteMy children do, however, love love love the TM poseable pets line.
ReplyDeleteJust from comparing the photos of the wigs between the historical and the TM, it seems like the TM dolls have lesser quality wigs. The hair usually looks very straight, which makes styling hair difficult.
Just comparing the wavy/curly hair of WW Willa and Emerson to WW Ashlyn - we can do a lot more with Willa and Emerson and they look great. Adhyln's hair is so straight it just sticks out in odd unnatural directions if you put it up. I feel like TM wigs would be similar
I agree! The last TM I got was in May but even then, she came with some sort of scratches, that make parts of her skin very shiny compared to the rest.
ReplyDeleteI got my Julie doll just before they changed her meet outfit. Her hair is very thin. I took her back to the AG store in Houston to exchange her. We opened half a dozen boxes and the hair on all the dolls were thin. I just kept my original doll. VI bought my Addy doll at a Navy (Nex) store in San Diego. Last month I decided to take her hair down and the ribbon was sewn into her hair.
ReplyDelete