AMERICAN GIRL Doll Experts...some Questions??

[WeLoveLilo05]

We are fairly new to AG Dolls. DD just got Kit for Christmas and ADORES her! She kept saying that was all she wanted for Christmas and I was a little "iffy" about getting it for her, but she is taking really good care of her and plays with her constantly. We are also enjoying her books as well, we are on book #2.

Here are my questions:

1) If something is "sold out" (not backordered) on their website does that mean that they retired the item? We are looking for Kit's typewriter and it appears to be "sold out" on the site. I also noticed her reporter dress is "sold out" as well.

2) And if the item is "sold out" does that mean there's a chance we could find it at an AG store? is there a chance we could find Kit's typewriter? we are heading there next week for her birthday. Also, I know DotY Chrissa is now retired, but some of her accessories are still on the AG site, does that mean her accessories may be in the store as well?

3) When buying on ebay I noticed people saying "No X on the bottom" does that mean its a fake? Or is it slightly imperfect or something?

4) Where do you usually find cheap used AG items? I found one of kit's outfits @ a thrift shop in WONDERFUL condition for $9. anywhere else I could search?

5) When did mattel buy out pleasant co.? And now what does that mean? Are the dolls not the same quality. I noticed those dolls that are made by Pleasant Co. on ebay are going for much more.

If there's any other info, news, where to find things cheaper, etc. you would like to share, we are listening.

THANKS!

 

[-Hope-]

We love eBay as our source for cheap accessories. We aren't really sticklers for "Authentic" though (except for the dolls themselves). DD gets clothes on eBay, some official outfits and some not. Also, the major retailers have jumped on board with the popularity of the dolls and now sell their own cheaper versions of them. We don't buy those dolls but we do buy the clothes and furniture. We've seen them at Target and K-mart and a friend told me that the ones at K-mart are also found at Wal-mart.

We got Kit on eBay for dd's birthday a couple of years ago and she is an original Pleasant Company doll and then we got Ruthie directly from AG website this Christmas. Kit's body is flesh colored as opposed to white and her skin tone is a bit different but we haven't noticed a difference in quality or size and her face is exactly the same as her friend's Kit doll that came from AG.

Kit is currently at the doll hospital; she's needed to go for a while because when we bought her her legs were a bit loose however, DD couldn't bear to be apart from her for 2-3 weeks so we waited. Now that she has Ruthie she was willing to send her in for the necessary 'surgery'. I'm anxious to see after they clean her skin if her skin tone still seems different than Ruthie's.

 

[Bunchkin]

An 'X' at the bottom on an item means that it was a return to the company and sold at the annual sale in Middleton, WI which benefits Madison, WI children's museum, which is in the next town over. AG's HQ is in Middelton and the sale is held in a giant warehouse. Expired and new items are sold there. We have been to the sale twice and found so many great deals on tons of items including dolls. AG does have a rule that if you purchase items from the sale you agree not to resell them, but I've heard this happens regardless.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

An 'X' at the bottom on an item means that it was a return to the company and sold at the annual sale in Middleton, WI which benefits Madison, WI children's museum, which is in the next town over. AG's HQ is in Middelton and the sale is held in a giant warehouse. Expired and new items are sold there. We have been to the sale twice and found so many great deals on tons of items including dolls. AG does have a rule that if you purchase items from the sale you agree not to resell them, but I've heard this happens regardless.

I had no idea that they do this. Man, this makes me want to go to WI for the first time ever.

And OP, yes if something is out of stock on line you may find it in the store. That happened with the Kirsten stuff in December. It was a no-go on the website but I walked over to the store and there were oodles of the outfit I was looking for.

I was just in the store on the 1st (launch of the new doll) and I don't recall seeing any Chrissa items. There are obviously the books but I think the clothes and accessories have probably been shipped back to the main warehouse. They really try to push the new Girl of the Year.

Enjoy your trip with your DD. I hope you're eating in the Cafe. They really do quite a nice meal for a reasonable price.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I had no idea that they do this. Man, this makes me want to go to WI for the first time ever.

And OP, yes if something is out of stock on line you may find it in the store. That happened with the Kirsten stuff in December. It was a no-go on the website but I walked over to the store and there were oodles of the outfit I was looking for.

I was just in the store on the 1st (launch of the new doll) and I don't recall seeing any Chrissy items. There are obviously the books but I think the clothes and accessories have probably been shipped back to the main warehouse. They really try to push the new Girl of the Year.

Enjoy your trip with your DD. I hope you're eating in the Cafe. They really do quite a nice meal for a reasonable price.

Yes we are eating at the Cafe, we are both super excited! Did you go to the one in NYC, did you notice any Kit typewriters lying around?
I feel like taking a plane out to WI for their next benefit too! I'd pick up a few dolls/accessories and store put them away for Christmas/birthdays.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

If you do visit wisconsin theres an american girl outlet in oskosh. Its a great place to visit and there stuff is priced a little lower than on the website. They dont have the dolls but have clothing and accesories!
I found a outlet store for AG with a website: http://americandolloutlet.com/ (has Chrissa stuff)

 

[Ppufi]

Pleasant Co. was the first company. In the early 2000's I believe, Mattel bought them out. P.Co. had better quality items in terms of accessories/items. Wood istead of plastic, better details on things, etc.

 

[Bunchkin]

Here is a link to the Madison Children's Museum where you can find info and sign up for email alerts for the annual sale.

There are several good hotels right in the area to stay at.
And every time we've gone we have seen cars from all over the country!!! And I've heard the people in the lines talking about where they came from to get to the sale.
So if some of you are in the NJ/NY area and would like to go, be assured others will be there who have traveled just as far or farther.
We lived outside Chicago when we went to the sale and made a weekend out of it.

 

[Beca]

We were at the Dallas store on Jan 1st to buy Lanie, and we were told that all Chrissa stuff had been boxed up before store opening that morning to be returned to headquarters.

 

[SueM in MN]

Here's a pretty good wikipedia write up about Pleasant Company, which was started by an actual woman named Pleasant Rowland.
We got the first catalog that came out in 1986, when there were only 3 dolls (we lived in the Madison area). One part of the inspiration for the dolls is listed in the article as a trip to Colonial Williamsburg, but another inspiration written about in the catalog was a carefully preserved doll with a trunk full of accessories and clothes.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Yes we are eating at the Cafe, we are both super excited! Did you go to the one in NYC, did you notice any Kit typewriters lying around?
I feel like taking a plane out to WI for their next benefit too! I'd pick up a few dolls/accessories and store put them away for Christmas/birthdays.

Yes, we went to the one in NYC and no, I didn't look for any typwriters.

And yes, I would love to roadtrip to WI for the next benefit. Hmmm...