Any American Girl codes??

[jacksmom]

Dd turning 8 soon wants an American girl doll for bday! She has Biity baby but now wants the look a like doll! Just wondering if there are ever any codes, even free shipping would help! Any input appreciated !

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I've been shopping/buying American Girl Dolls for years and have never come across a coupon code. Usually during Christmas they will offer free shipping but if you spend a certain amount, usually $100 or $150. QVC used to sell American Girl Dolls and they would sell out in minutes. I have seen on the Today Show on Jill's Steals & Deals special AG offers. Again, sells out in minutes.

 

[Ilovemyprincesses]

They usually only do free shipping in the spring before Easter and in the fall right before Christmas. It does seem like they have been making changes lately so you never know? They just announce 4 dolls retiring so maybe they will do something?

 

[wendow]

Agreeing with the other posters. This is not the typical time of year that you will see a promotion being offered from AG. The next one I would expect would be in the fall.

 

[keiraliz]

As a collector, I've been buying American Girl dolls for years, but I haven't heard of American Girl giving out coupon codes. They do have a free shipping promo, but as the previous posters said, that usually happens in the spring and in the fall. American Girl does offer some sale items, but the sale items are usually books and clothes (both for the dolls and for girls), never the dolls.

 

[katyjeka]

I needed three for Easter and found no codes. I ended up buying them on eBay for 80.00 a piece, including shipping. They were brand new, still attached to box, hairnet, no "x" on doll. I was lucky enough to find the dolls they wanted, Marie-Grace, Caroline, and one just like me. I missed jills deals last year, but my niece was able to get one for sixty. It was a great deal. I've been watching the site daily hoping to snag one for Xmas.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

They just announce 4 dolls retiring so maybe they will do something?

Which 4?

 

[JanaDee]

Which 4?

Marie Grace, Cecile, Ruthie and Ivy. They are also changing the historical dolls to "BeForever", whatever that is.

Eventually, I see them completely getting rid of the historical series and AG will become just like every other doll company.

Sad.

 

[Iowajes]

This board: http://agfansboard.proboards.com/ does a great job monitoring coupon codes.

I don't order anymore unless there is a discount or free shipping code.

 

[Iowajes]

Marie Grace, Cecile, Ruthie and Ivy. They are also changing the historical dolls to "BeForever", whatever that is.

Eventually, I see them completely getting rid of the historical series and AG will become just like every other doll company.

Sad.

"BeForever" What the heck? I'm already mad at Mattel for what they've done to AG (historicals are already a backseat)- but that just sounds bizarre. I don't know why someone would buy a $100+ doll with clothes that cost more than real clothes when there are plenty of other dolls out there. There is nothing special about American Girl anymore. And over the past 20 years, I've collected 12 dolls (though I'm down to 10 now) and thousands of dollars of accessories- most of which are now retired.

I did hear they are re-releasing Samantha though. They just needed to get her to disappear for a bit because her frilly clothes and fancy accessories are just a goldmine for them.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

It truly is sad what Mattel has done to the dolls. Luckily I have been meticulous in saving all of my AG stuff from when I was little. They sit on high shelves for now, but when dd is of proper age I will share them with her.

I really hope they don't take away the historical value of the dolls. They need to bring that back. I wonder what the creator of the dolls thinks about them now. I wonder if she has any regrets in selling out?

 

[katyjeka]

We've been collecting them for years, as we have four daughters. Oldest is 19, youngest just turned four. I've tried buying cheaper dolls at toys r us, target, etc..and find they are not half the doll. The skin marks easy and the hair and ugly scalp is easy seen on the imitations. I really feel that AG dolls quality is as good now as fifteen years ago. I do hate the new name for the historical dolls, and would hate to see them go. I appreciate a company that allows young girls to stay young a little longer. Girls are old so quick these days, and AG makes playing with dolls "cool". My only complaint is the price of the outfits. Wow!!!

 

[wendow]

Marie Grace, Cecile, Ruthie and Ivy. They are also changing the historical dolls to "BeForever", whatever that is.

Eventually, I see them completely getting rid of the historical series and AG will become just like every other doll company.

Sad.

Yep, I find this whole "BeForever" thing very sad too. It sounds like they are trying to phase out the historical dolls which for us, has been what we love about AG

 

[Ilovemyprincesses]

I heard there is a $10 off $100 coupon in some catalogs. Not everyone is getting it.

 

[keiraliz]

Yep, I find this whole "BeForever" thing very sad too. It sounds like they are trying to phase out the historical dolls which for us, has been what we love about AG

My understanding is that the BeForever is a revamp of the historical dolls. As far as I know, the dolls will be getting new meet outfits and the books covers will be changing. I think the format of the books are also changing (the first three books will make up one book, the last three books will make up another book, and then there's a third book). Time will tell if they really are trying to get rid of the line, but I think at this point, they're trying to get girls be more interested in the historicals than they have been lately. I've heard that the historicals haven't been as popular as the Girl of the Year or the look-alike dolls.

I don't know if that makes you feel better or not, but I hope that explains the concept behind BeForever a bit better.

 

[katclicks]

I got a $10 off $100 purchase coupon in the mail today.

 

[RitaE]

"BeForever" What the heck? I'm already mad at Mattel for what they've done to AG (historicals are already a backseat)- but that just sounds bizarre. I don't know why someone would buy a $100+ doll with clothes that cost more than real clothes when there are plenty of other dolls out there. There is nothing special about American Girl anymore. And over the past 20 years, I've collected 12 dolls (though I'm down to 10 now) and thousands of dollars of accessories- most of which are now retired.

I did hear they are re-releasing Samantha though. They just needed to get her to disappear for a bit because her frilly clothes and fancy accessories are just a goldmine for them.

I realize I'm sounding an awful lot like the prickly P.L. Travers in Saving Mr. Banks here, but BeForever is NOT A WORD!

I don't know why but it just kind of bothers me. I guess due to the history of what Pleasant Rowland supposedly created the American Girl line of products to be. I realize she sold out to Mattel and she's a pretty smart lady so I imagine she knew what was going to happen, but still …

BeForever is NOT A WORD!

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

In the past, there have been universal discount codes inside the newly released AG movies ... I think $10 off $100. I wonder we will see one with the new Isabelle movie? That's not until July though ...

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

There's a $10 off $100 purchase being mailed out to some people, but it's only valid in stores.

 

[CraftyMommy]

I know someone who works for American Girl. She is usually pretty tight lipped about what is going on in the company. She has signed confidentiality statements saying she wouldn't talk about their business practices. She did go out on a limb and tell me something, but she made me swear not to give out her name or exactly where she lives or works in the company. She said BeForever is their way of trying to get more people interested in the historical dolls. In the past 10 years, AG has seen a huge decline in sales of the historical dolls. The majority of the customers who buy the historical dolls are doll collectors aged 25+. AG did not want to discontinue the historical line, but sales have gone down so drastically, they had to do a huge makeover in attempts to save the line. There is a lot of resistance from the diehard AG fans, but the company has their bottom line to think about. A change was necessary in order to keep them from eliminating the line altogether. They looked for a way to make the brand more attractive to today's teens, their target audience. During their research and focus groups, teenagers kept showing interest in the "My American Girl" line and the Girl of the Year dolls and had very little interest in the historicals. After a lot of research, the creative team came up with the highly debated name, "BeForever." Yes, its not a real word. AG didn't want an existing word. They were looking for a new, unique word for their line that would appeal to the target age group. Today's teens are into creating new phrases. There are so many words that are popular today that didn't exist 10 years ago, like Yolo, chillax, whatevs, etc. So AG made up their own word too. The 25+ group probably hates the word BeForever, but that's not the audience AG is trying to win over. The 25+ crowd already likes and has bought the historical dolls. They want the teens to think the historical dolls are cool. Many girls think the historical dolls are old and boring. The first 2 books for each doll will be longer books that have the character's old 6 books condensed into them. Each doll's 3rd book will be of a girl traveling back in time and meeting that character in history.

Many people don't like change. They like to stick with what they are used to. But for AG, they had to make drastic changes to relate the historical line with today's teens, their target audience. They put a ton of time and money into the BeForever marketing campaign. If girls start buying the historical dolls (BeForever) then AG will expand the line. If girls don't, then AG will have to cut the line completely.

My contact didn't tell me what the sales figures were, but she said I would be shocked if I knew how small the percentage of historical dolls they sell compared to the MAG line. They have to expand the lines that are making them money. If MAG is selling, that's what's in demand. The BeForever campaign is sort of a last ditch effort to try to salvage them and get them selling again.

Although, most of the AG fans complaining about the change to BeForever don't realize that. AG doesn't really like to reveal their marketing tactics.