How many differences can you see?
Clue: At what age will Barbie grow up?
Friday, November 13, 2015
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Because I get the feeling I'm getting through to Mattel
I'm still interested on how well Mattel is doing in selling Barbie. Some fans went gaga over the stiff Fashionistas. Others thought that maybe Mattel is finally listening to its consumers. I figured maybe Barbie sales couldn't go any lower as it has been declining for years now. There's no way to go but up. Well, it still went down and that means more people think Barbie is not worth its price tag.
Mattel claimed that the dollar exchange rate had something to do with the decline, making the gross international sale drop by 19% but the North American gross sales still dropped by 5%, so there.
When I bought Barbie clothes, the minimum wage earner cashiers double checked the prices. They couldn't believe that a tiny Barbie shirt can cost as much as their shirts! They didn't say it out loud but one can tell just by the look in their eyes. The fact is, one can get more value from buying other stuff than Barbie.
Last Christmas, I gave my nieces Barbie dolls. They really weren't that happy. They have enough Barbie dolls. How many dolls does a girl need? Kids don't really care much about doll diversity. My nieces don't care if they don't have an AA or an Asian doll. Barbie never looked like any real person anyways. Barbie is not a real person. She's not somebody you will care for. She's somebody you'll envy and secretly wish ill.
When I saw their reactions, I thought that I should have kept the dolls and use the bodies and give my nieces a different gift instead. That's what I'll do this year. I'm going to give them non-Lego brick sets in pink. Maybe it will encourage them to be more creative. Plus if they lose or broke a piece or two, they can still play with it.
Maybe Mattel has some serious challenges ahead of them. I don't know if the new articulation in the Made to Move dolls will cut it. Personally, I don't like the Frankenstein joints. Maybe those who like the monster dolls will love them but not me. I don't think the trendy fashion will be enough. It has been tested with the stiff Fashionistas but the sales prove that it's not the key. The limited edition dolls really has a limited dent on the sales.
To improve international sales, maybe Mattel can do something about the price. People outside north America pay a lot more. If they can sell more unit a a lower profit margin maybe it will be better than selling less units with higher profit margin. I don't have the figures so I say "maybe".
Mattel has an agreement with a local company so the local company can monopolize the sale of Barbie. It is possible that the same setup is in place in other countries. Maybe Mattel can change the setup. Personally, I think there are other local entities better equipped in selling Barbie locally.
The main problem is making more people buy Barbie. Why will you buy a character you just envy and secretly hate? It's not like Barbie cares for you. That's the problem. Barbie as a character seems to care more about material things and less about the child or the collector. Barbie is the star in her world and we just play in it. Why play in it if you'll forever be an outsider playing by her rules?
In short, Barbie needs to change her identity, not just the skin color. She needs to change her values to make her more relatable. She has to be seen as a friend you can care for, not a plaything. She needs to be human so people will care for her. Maybe the Barbie live action movie will help. We'll see...
Mattel claimed that the dollar exchange rate had something to do with the decline, making the gross international sale drop by 19% but the North American gross sales still dropped by 5%, so there.
When I bought Barbie clothes, the minimum wage earner cashiers double checked the prices. They couldn't believe that a tiny Barbie shirt can cost as much as their shirts! They didn't say it out loud but one can tell just by the look in their eyes. The fact is, one can get more value from buying other stuff than Barbie.
Last Christmas, I gave my nieces Barbie dolls. They really weren't that happy. They have enough Barbie dolls. How many dolls does a girl need? Kids don't really care much about doll diversity. My nieces don't care if they don't have an AA or an Asian doll. Barbie never looked like any real person anyways. Barbie is not a real person. She's not somebody you will care for. She's somebody you'll envy and secretly wish ill.
When I saw their reactions, I thought that I should have kept the dolls and use the bodies and give my nieces a different gift instead. That's what I'll do this year. I'm going to give them non-Lego brick sets in pink. Maybe it will encourage them to be more creative. Plus if they lose or broke a piece or two, they can still play with it.
Maybe Mattel has some serious challenges ahead of them. I don't know if the new articulation in the Made to Move dolls will cut it. Personally, I don't like the Frankenstein joints. Maybe those who like the monster dolls will love them but not me. I don't think the trendy fashion will be enough. It has been tested with the stiff Fashionistas but the sales prove that it's not the key. The limited edition dolls really has a limited dent on the sales.
To improve international sales, maybe Mattel can do something about the price. People outside north America pay a lot more. If they can sell more unit a a lower profit margin maybe it will be better than selling less units with higher profit margin. I don't have the figures so I say "maybe".
Mattel has an agreement with a local company so the local company can monopolize the sale of Barbie. It is possible that the same setup is in place in other countries. Maybe Mattel can change the setup. Personally, I think there are other local entities better equipped in selling Barbie locally.
The main problem is making more people buy Barbie. Why will you buy a character you just envy and secretly hate? It's not like Barbie cares for you. That's the problem. Barbie as a character seems to care more about material things and less about the child or the collector. Barbie is the star in her world and we just play in it. Why play in it if you'll forever be an outsider playing by her rules?
In short, Barbie needs to change her identity, not just the skin color. She needs to change her values to make her more relatable. She has to be seen as a friend you can care for, not a plaything. She needs to be human so people will care for her. Maybe the Barbie live action movie will help. We'll see...
Friday, November 6, 2015
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Adria
Slowly but still with uncertainty, things are going back to normal. I have some time to play with my toys again and not just play but also customize.
Since I bought her, I have been wanting to remove her teeth and shrink her head. I like how my Nikki turned out when I did those. I figured, I can do the same to Adria.
I expect Adria's head to shrink further to the size of Nikki's head. Maybe after a week. I like how she turned out so far.
Now, if only I can get back to sewing...
Since I bought her, I have been wanting to remove her teeth and shrink her head. I like how my Nikki turned out when I did those. I figured, I can do the same to Adria.
I expect Adria's head to shrink further to the size of Nikki's head. Maybe after a week. I like how she turned out so far.
Now, if only I can get back to sewing...
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Frustrating Fashionista
The stiff Fashionista dolls are on sale (30% off) locally. It was the first time I saw some variants on the shelf and I was surprised about the discount. It usually takes a year before they offer it on a discounted rate.
Most local collectors are probably either not interested because of the stiffness, or already bought from online sellers. (I will not go through the hassle of online buying for dolls like these, to be honest.) The local distributor must be frustrated with the nicer online sellers who offer the dolls earlier.
I got these two for their novelty. The rest seems meh. I would have gotten the dark goddess but she's more frustrating to acquire.
The redhead can use Raquelle's body but the blond is a challenge. None of my articulated body is a match. Mattel really knows how to frustrate.
Most local collectors are probably either not interested because of the stiffness, or already bought from online sellers. (I will not go through the hassle of online buying for dolls like these, to be honest.) The local distributor must be frustrated with the nicer online sellers who offer the dolls earlier.
I got these two for their novelty. The rest seems meh. I would have gotten the dark goddess but she's more frustrating to acquire.
The redhead can use Raquelle's body but the blond is a challenge. None of my articulated body is a match. Mattel really knows how to frustrate.
Also, if you noticed, there is no dark-skinned doll in the line up. The Asha doll with purple plaid skirt is also available but she's not really dark-skinned. Hurray for diversity, right?
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