When I was but a young Consumerist, the only way to get your hands on an American Girl doll — once parents had been successfully harangued into purchasing the pricey toy — was by mail order. Since then, Pleasant Company, now a subsidiary of Mattel, has 20 stores around the country dedicated to selling the dolls as well as a website. Times are changing yet again: starting next month, the dolls will also be available at Toys ‘R’ Us stores.
Not all dolls will be available in the new deal, however: Toys ‘R’ Us will sell American Girls’ new line of $60 WellieWisher dolls (as seen in the above photo) at all of its 870 stores starting next month, reports the Associated Press.
In late October Toys ‘R’ Us will open 700-square-foot American Girl shops inside about 100 of its stores, which will sell the WellieWisher line and American Girl’s signature Truly Me dolls, which come with a $115 price tag. Mattel says it’s planning to work with the retailer to open more American Girl shops within stores in 2017.
Toys “R” Us Global Chief Merchandising Officer Richard Barry said the company is “focused on finding new, exciting ways to bring our stores to life,” the Wall Street Journal reports, pointing out that the new partnership is just in time for the holidays.
Mattel could use the help: last year, American Girl sales fell 8% from the previous year. To that end, Jefferies analyst Trevor Young said in a note to clients reported by the AP that the deal “bodes well” for a turnaround, with sales expected to rise by the end of 2016 or early next year.
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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