Is retirement such a bad thing?

[supernonamegirl]

In some cases, I don't think it is.

I would be upset if they retired an entire collection, but can completely understand why they might retire certain items. It increases the collectability of the line and makes each retired item more precios IMO. It would also make the collection more of an "investment" and I know that isn't exactly the purpose, but it may be good in business terms.

Let's start with clothes. I remember when the LE outfits and was soooo pleased. Each girl hadn't had new outfits in ages, and I assumed it meant we'd be getting more further down the line, every two years or so.

Though, it's not quite as often as I imagined, (I also wonder if that might not have been the original plan, and then got shuffled around) I stand by thinking that was a good plan. They can only make so many at a time, so, in a way retired clothes may mean *new* clothes. I know I would still like to have that Town Fair outfit, but I want that new yellow tea dress just as much.

The same goes for furniture and items, if an item for Felicity isn't *nearly* selling as well as the similar one for Kirsten, then maybe it needs to be changed.

I also think that retiring the friends after 3-5 years would be useful and allow for more friend dolls. Imagine Nellie retiring to make way for an Agnes or Agatha doll!

I wouldn't want to retire one of the core girls, of course, or even really their main story collections, but for the extras, I do have to wonder if retirement might not be a bad thing. Just curious to see what other people think.

[likewow]

I tend to agree with you. I mean, we all know and accept that AGT items will be retired and no one really has a problem with that. I agree that I don't want the core outfits retired. Really, from the historical collection, a relatively small number of items have actually been retired. For a serious collector who wants to complete a certain doll's collection, it doesn't seem to me that it should be cost-prohibitive to finish a collection if you've already got all the current pieces. (The exceptions here are Josefina's piano and Felicity's clothes press. But what I'm saying is, if you already have the rest of Addy's collection, what's another $60-80 for her sweet potato pudding set, for example.) I think retiring items lends to the thrill of the chase for completists, and for non-completists there are plenty of other outfits and accessories to choose from. I would be fine with them retiring the Friends dolls, as long as there was a little advance warning.

[Pressed_Flowers]

I see the need for retirement: what's the point of making an item if its sells are down? They are a company and are in it for the money. At the same time though I think they could have been a little fairer in their decision making. We've watched Felicity's collection dwendle and Samantha's grow and grow. Would it have really killed them to have kept Felicity's work gown when she's wearing on the cover of her Changes book!

And despite how excited I am about the relauch of Felicity and lanch of Elizabeth it seems awefully cheap. If they wanted Felicity to have a new Meet dress they should have designed one instead of using one that already exisisted and stripped her collection of a dress. And why retire her rose garden dress in the midst of relaunching her. It just doesn't make sense and I truly hope they offer it separate.

And just so I don't seem like I'm on a Felciity soapbox...why did they change the color of Kirsten's cats?

[lscogbill]

I'm definitely for retiring Today stuff since it's so trendy to begin with. But I wish they wouldn't retire the historical things, even if it means keeping the collections smaller and having more characters. After all, how many outfits does one doll need? The things I really love are the little accessory sets - I think they add the historical charm.

[historylover]

As balletmom said, I can understand items from the Today line retiring. The clothes and items are trendy and if they aren't changed frequently would be out of style and then wouldn't sell.

I do not see a need for any of the historical things retiring. You have to remember that American Girl is here for the kids, not for the collectors. It is the moms of all these kids that are keeping the company doing well, not the collectors. Yes, the moms are the ones who purchase the items for the the kids, but most moms of kids this age are not collectors and never want to be. Retiring things, whether it be a doll, an accessory, or an outfit from the historical line is just bad business to me. Children get very disappointed when something from their favorite doll suddenly isn't available anymore and if the kids get unhappy, then the moms aren't happy and they will go to another company that can provide what their children want.

[StarTrekCaptain]

I agree with you. I do not collect for profit because I could NEVER sell my stuff!!
BUT I am a completist collector and I do tend to like the idea of getting something and then maybe later it isn't for sale. Its like somebody here said, "it adds to the thrill".
NOT the main collection, because I think its sad if people can't buy that anymore, since it is the basis of American Girl.
But extra things, side outfits and stuff, to me, are fine as being Limited, because not only does it clear the way for new stuff later on, but also it makes your item seem more special because you can't get it anymore.
Also I think it's neat to go through the history of AG and see past items they've had that they maybe don't make anymore.

BUT I agree with lIkeWow, I want to have warning!! Otherwise it just isn't fair and it leaves people feeling angry!! [img]confused.gif[/img]

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ August 17, 2005 04:04 PM: Message edited by: StarTrekCaptain ]</font>

[josephhswife]

I guess what fooled me is that I thought the historical lines would be around forever. I'm sad when I've seen something come and go from a historical doll's line of clothing. Sometimes I think that's the advantage of fewer dolls--more complete collections. I'm trying not to be upset about it...but somehow I'm still mad today finding out that Kirsten's plaid dress is sold out. What does this mean? Gone forever?

[Skittl1321]

Everyone keeps talking about "complete collections." That's something else they have retired. Does anyone else remember when there was actually a "complete collection" available for sale? If I remember right it cost about $1,000 and was my ultimate dream as a kid.

Now they have SO much stuff, I don't think they could put together a complete collection.

[mayergirl]

I remember those complete collections, because I got Josefina's right after it came out. My parents and I decided that I was going to want all of the collection anyway, and it was worth saving the money (at the time you could save almost 200 dollars). I got Josefina stuff for Birthdays, Christmases, and as payment for doing extra chores around the house.

[dianasmama]

They still have the complete collections for purchase at the AGP's. Last year, just for fun, I inquired about some of the prices. You have to take up one of the slips to the register and they get it all and ring it all up for you. Probably way over $1,000 by now!

Laurie

editing to add: they retired way too many things for Josefina considering she had only been out for about 2 years when the retirements took place. And then, she hasn't had a single new item in about the last 3 years!

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ August 17, 2005 11:28 PM: Message edited by: dianasmama ]</font>