[cj125]

Just felt compelled to write a wey bit of history as I know it in regards to different pricing between little boutique's pricing versus WalMart, and the like.

I agree... when I was collecting Barbie dolls I originally had to buy certain ones at Mattel approved doll stores, high end stores or buy them directly through Mattel. These dolls were higher priced and simply not available anywhere else. THEN all of a sudden Sam's Club had a Calvin Klein Barbie for $25 when we had paid $89.95 plus shipping!!! Not only was that the decline of the "Limited Edition" Barbies (obviously) but the value of these dolls dropped and they have never recovered.

I didn't buy for resale - only my own pleasure but as you can imagine I was furious with Mattel. Time and time again it was happening. We all learned to wait for these to come out at WalMart, Sam's Club or simply on clearance. What a shame - greed caused the demise of this American Icon. Not WalMart - but Mattel's!!! Once something is mass produced it's not longer a Limited Edition and valuable.

It's only been in the last year or two that Mattel has tried to go back to limiting the number of dolls being made and they are now color coded (ie silver, gold, pink etc). Problem is... now no one believes that they won't do it again and no one is buying these high end dolls.

BTW the dolls stores were paying more for their dolls than WalMart, Sam's etc and in the end many stores went under because of it.

We all like a good deal, and we all want to pay less - it's the big companies/manufacturers that are making the money!
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