The Problem with American Girl's Quality!!!

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and my behind the scenes account @behindthestudiobykris

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[idreamofjonny]

As someone who collects mainly 80’s Pleasant Company, there is a marked difference that started when Mattel bought the company. They moved doll production to China to cut costs and the dolls have never been the same since. They were previously made by artisans in Germany (and sometimes in the USA) where the quality standards were much stricter. Managing costs is extremely difficult for most businesses right now, and I can definitely see cut corners as a result.

[AugustBlue]

Quality control issues have been going on for quite some time. I got my brand new Jess in the summer of 2006, and she has the wonkiest eyes I've ever seen - one much bigger than the other, and she's always looking down. Grey eyes were initially retired because they had a tendency to develop silver eye, and bubble eye was also a defect that was common. Not to mention, some Kaileys and first edition Nellies turned orange, and dolls from the 2001-2004 era sometimes had a sickly grey tone to their skin. However, the major difference between quality control issues in the 2000s vs now? AG fixed all these problems! They didn't make excuses.

It's very sad to see, as someone who has been a customer since 2004. AG used to be an heirloom quality, luxury doll that was supposed to last a very long time. With the horrible business decisions made over the last 8 years (the Beforever rebrand, removal of most kid-friendly interactive aspects of the AG website, doing away with Innerstar U etc) AG's sales plummeted, and they have chosen to cut corners instead of backpedal and return to their roots. Make the brand fun for everyone, and you will have more customers. I remember spending hours on the AG site as a kid, playing games, doing crafts, sending e-cards, messaging other kids on the AG Club site. I was so excited to get the catalogues, AG Magazine and Imagine Magazine in the mail. Adult collectors were able to enjoy it too - an easy to navigate website, prices that reflected the quality of the product, and content that encouraged families to participate in with their kids. There used to be so much consumer engagement, and I'm just not seeing that anymore. I do appreciate that they make some Youtube videos for kids, but other than that, I'm not really seeing how kids can fully get involved and invested in the brand. It's just a cute doll to get Mom to buy.

AG has really shot themselves in the foot by pandering to wealthy influencers and forgetting about the core of their brand - heirloom quality dolls intended to represent real childhood. AG was supposed to be the anti-Barbie - but now it seems like an 18" version of Barbie.

[RuneyDude]

Based on inflation, AG dolls were actually quite a bit MORE expensive when they launched - the relative price compared to inflation has actually decreased over the years. At launch in 1986, the dolls with paperbacks cost $68, which is over $180 in todays money! Some of that is from when the production was switched from Germany to countries with cheaper labor markets, but I think on top of that, a lot of the QC issues we see now is the toy version of “shrinkflation”. It’s hard to give less of a doll (though they’ve started doing that too with the skinny dolls), so instead they’re cutting production costs by allowing a wider margin of error to pass through quality control measures.

[GenieLouise-dl]

I remember reading that the dolls were priced similarly to the cost of video game systems…more of a “willingness to pay”’ issue rather than actual production costs. The new Truly Me dresses appear so cheap with such a simple design. At the very least, they could have included the jacket or some of the other accessories.

[paulettepalmer]

I feel like the excuses AG uses to explain their defects have nothing to do with anything but GREED, GREED and more GREED! I'm seeing this attitude creeping into everything I buy anymore and it seriously grieves me!!! AG is my happy place-I don't want to loose that!😑

[Alixthecollector]

Hear hear!! As someone who got his first doll back in 2001 and then a few more in 2005, so coming back to the brand last year as an adult collector I was shocked at the current quality! It's heartbreaking, it really is and thank you for addressing the issues, hopefully they'll pay attention and wise up before it's too late.

[brigc]

I actually had no idea the skinny body thing was an actual issue until this video 😅 I noticed it on Claudie because she's so pretty but I was like "wow she's so cute and her face is so chubby but why does she looks skinnier?" and then now that I'm watching this video I see that this is an issue. I just recently got a Kira doll from my younger cousin, and she's the newest I have (all my dolls are 2nd hand, my 2nd newest doll is Marie-Grace with a body tag of 2011) and I can def feel a weight difference between her and my Pleasant Co. Sam + see the eye difference, feel the vinyl different, wig difference, and also the body size difference! Though I don't think Kira is as skinny as the Claudie dolls, she does have a body tag of 2017. It's kind of wild to see all these differences from dolls that are ~30 years apart.

[nerdoftheatre]

11:44 I saw multiple people say that their Disney dolls had two different eye shapes! These are $300 dolls! It is SO obvious when you see the angle of the lashes. I have seen this issue even on product photos for several dolls! I saw a Julie product photo that had a Julie with two different eye socket shapes.

[jessicah]

I feel like the smaller bodies are almost a shrink-flation thing. If they need to raise prices a bit to maintain quality - good wigs, tight limbs, robust bodies, matched eyes - fine, but don't cut corners and ruin your heritage brand to make a few bucks.

[bunnysdolls]

Thanks so much for mentioning my Evette’s eyes! I did send her back and will be taking a trip to an AG store to pick one out myself. Loved this video and your input on all things AG!

[karacoconutag]

I had no idea that American girl had gotten rid of the neck strings until Kit's rerelease when I saw reviewers complaining about her neck strings, having no idea why they were there. I got all my dolls between 2001 and 2008, so I had no idea that the strings ever went away.

[dianaalmazan]

Thank you for making this video! Since the rebrand, I have not purchased a new doll from AG because things have just gotten completely out of control. I want my voice as a consumer to be heard that I am not willing to pay $115 for a doll with a thin body, eyelashes, eyebrows, uneven eyes, remolded editions of their face molds, and wonky problems with their teeth. I love AG and have been collecting since 2010. I know that everyone wants the company to produce excellent quality dolls that will keep bringing their consumers back. I hope more people will contact AG or post content like this to make our voices heard. I know AG can change course as they did in 2017 with the permanent underwear.

[accidentalalien]

I got my first doll, TM67, late last year. I watched tutorial after tutorial for how to take care of her hair months before I got her, so imagine my disappointment when the last inch of each of her curls refused to curl, and were constantly dry.

This being my first AG doll, it took me many months before I realized that her frizzy ends weren't normal.
A flat iron and a boil wash later, and her hair is silken perfection.

[TrobertABQ]

Using zip ties on the necks allows American Girl dolls to be sold directly to Canada. Canada does not allow the neck cords for safety reasons.

The 35th Anniversary dolls had neck cords. AG would not ship them to Canada. Sellers marked them way up to sell them second hand when they were still in stores.

And yes, it is a lot easier for adult collectors to tighten doll limbs and do other cleaning or customizations that require head removal with the neck strings than with zip ties.

[Lizardonni]

I didn't know the body shrinking was a thing til I got my first new doll outfit in 10+ years, in 2016. I have a 2006 Felicity and she doesn't fit in any of the new clothes. The waists are just too small and tight for my doll. Had the same issue with GOTY Nicki from 2007

[lisbetsoda]

American Girl has cheapened it's brand so much and it is terribly shortsighted. They save a bit here and there but take away the magic for children and adults alike. I read all the comments here and couldn't agree more both with them and with your excellent video.
The simple little details where that cut corners speak volumes. Like you mentioned, the boxing:. It used to be a magic moment to open a doll out of the classy box with the band, to the neckties and their shrinking size. Who do they want to compete with? They used to be the leader of the pack and everyone else would try to be like them. That won't last as they are going in the direction they do. Quality control costs money - yes. It is cheaper to make them right the first time than to have everyone send their dolls in for eye exchanges and removal of perma-panties. Those who just learn about the dolls now will never know how special they used to be. It is so upsetting.
This video should be brought to the attention to American Girl. They need to know that so MANY of us have issues with the dolls. We also ought to all put this in the comment section under each product so that it is all over their website. We can't just say we are thrilled that Evette is cute. Yes, she is but that does not make up for their shortcomings.
Also, why make their dolls look so grown up when they were supposed to be about 10-year olds. Grrr... It frustrates me and saddens me so much.

[lnp]

Aside from the obvious bludners (permapanties, new eyes), I feel like the more subtle, insidious changes to the face molds have bothered me the most. You briefly mentioned the updated Sonali face mold, which is one of the worst things they've done. I just hate those rounder, closer together eyes and smaller mouth that look terrible next to the original Sonali mold. When #84 came out I really considered getting her, but when I saw pictures of her next to an older Jess mold doll, I couldn't believe how much larger the eye openings were and I just didn't like her as much. I've always thought they could have done a better job on Nanea's face mold (I never liked the look of the painted eye corners). And now with the general trend of dolls having big eyes (is it even really a new trend though?), they are making not just the opening of the eyes larger, but the actual eyes themselves. I wanted to like Corrine, but I think those giant eyes look like alien eyes and and I just get past that.

[gpk]

I got my 1st AG doll in 1994 and it’s been painful to watch the decline since Mattel took over. Everything about the dolls are just less. The thing I hate the most is the Barbiefication of just about every aspect including their hair, clothing and accessories.

[makomoe]

I bought all of Molly's outfits and her meet accessories directly from AG this year. I have a PC Molly and I noticed that her beret was tight on her head and I struggled putting the shoes on. I'm at least able to close the velcro. Still, I shouldn't have to worry if AG decides to re-release her outfits only to find out they're snug on her!

[TrobertABQ]

Mattel purchased Pleasant Company in 1998. Pleasant Rowland remained president for 2 more years. Early 2000’s had some dolls that had been designed before 2000. Since 2000 there has been a twist and decline into Mattel-ism.

I live in a state with no AG stores. The only AG doll I have purchased new in box in person was at a Toys R Us. I enjoyed seeing the Truly Me dolls together in a case and choosing one in person. I still have the 53 I put in Marie Grace’s wig and the big red, AG bag.

Love my CYO and my older Truly Me dolls. I have heard that new dolls may be numbered in that missing group between TM 92 and TM 100. I am not interested in the new dolls with the extra eyelash stickers and brightly colored hair.