The Quick Switch
So….yesterday I posted photos of what was believed at that time to be images of the 2016 BFMC exclusive doll. It was was advertised in the BFC ad posted on the Barbie Collection website. Here is/was the entire Ad.
As of today….this ad has been changed. To this…
Notice anything different? Yeah…me too.
Not that I’m complaining mind you about the opportunity to get a better doll than the badly done blue suited City Chic Suit, but how do we feel about this quick switch without any notice or explanation? I’m not sure I like that. It kind of makes me feel that when I sign up for the BFC and give them my membership fee, I’m not really 100% sure what I’m going to get because they have shown they can and will change what they advertised when I bought my membership. Holy cow!! My consumer red flags are at full mast. Is it ok to substitute? Is it ok to substitute without any warning or explanation? I think not. This feels like another black and white vs. grey area in advertising to me. This is certainly NOT the way to build trust with your customers. Yikes! What is happening to our beloved BFMC??? Sound off people….what do we think?
-Rebecca
Inside the Fashion Doll Studio 
It sounds like the beginning of the end. From the poorly redone website to the articulated dolls, to the price changes, and everything in between. People are going to run for the hills.
April 17, 2016 at 8:52 pm
{cut to scene where Rebecca is putting on track shoes} LOL! I hear you Heather….I hear you.
April 17, 2016 at 8:55 pm
Where did you find the ad. I can’t find it.
April 17, 2016 at 9:11 pm
I agree with you !!
April 18, 2016 at 9:45 am
I agree fully with you !! This is NOT the first occurrence with the BFC this year, that left it’s patrons scratching their heads !!
April 18, 2016 at 9:47 am
Heather, you have to sign out of the BFC then go to the BFC tab at the top and click. It’s there. I have NO idea why you need to NOT be logged in but there you have it.
April 17, 2016 at 9:12 pm
Got it thanks.
April 17, 2016 at 9:19 pm
I wonder if they changed it because everyone said they hated the AA one. And thats silly I have to be logged out to see it.
April 17, 2016 at 9:21 pm
While I much prefer the replacement doll, pulling a switch like this without any explanation does not inspire confidence in the company. At this point they really can’t afford to be pulling stunts like this. They really need to do much better at communicating with members or they won’t have any in the future.
April 17, 2016 at 9:32 pm
Yep. That is how I see it too Rhonda. 🙂
May 9, 2016 at 1:13 pm
I just got home from Grant A Wish mini convention. Mattel sent Bill and Carlyle to represent and they brought the blue suit silkstone and new Barbie Look dolls. All were very nice,but,lol you knew would be a but…..for first time Mattel didnt gift the attendees with anything!!!
My table guest as well as those around us all wondered why when they normally do something at this event. Hmmm
Now is not the time to upset the collectors! So many are already pulling up stakes with the exclusive doll sales and dealing with the crappy website. Its time to woo the fans,not piss them off more 😦
April 18, 2016 at 3:55 am
Wow! I had no idea Suzy. So sad to hear. Yeah…again…have no idea what is going on at Mattel. No disrespect to Bill or Carlyle as I am sure they had very little to do with the decision not to send a gift. These convention attendees are loyal Barbie fans. You would think they would want to solidify and bolster that relationship.
May 9, 2016 at 1:15 pm
I do not like them just making changes without saying anything but that is how they work; we hear or see things from others and nothing from them. I was looking forward to the AA but the outfit doesn’t do her justice. I love the pink dress just not sure if I want another platinum doll in pink.
April 18, 2016 at 7:23 am
All very good and salient points Amanda! 🙂
May 9, 2016 at 1:16 pm
Not that I mind another gowned doll but… Why are they doing this to us? If they want to end the Collectibles division, then say so. Or at the very least end the BFC – say something!! Don’t keep feeding us crap (pardon my language) and say it’s pecan pie with a smile on their faces.
If they’re not pulling the plug on either, then they really need to fix a few (rather a lot) of things, starting with their lack of communication with their fan club. As the only saying goes “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you” – well Barbie Collector, I think you should invest in a pair of chain mail gloves.
April 18, 2016 at 8:11 am
Hear Hear! Or should I say “sing it sister!” Yes Pam, you are hitting many of the same points I have. Communication first and foremost would be a huge improvement.
May 9, 2016 at 1:18 pm
Frankly, I think that you post so many complaints about the BFMC that you ought not to be a member of it and go your own way, save yourself the petulance and stress
April 18, 2016 at 10:09 am
I don’t see it as petulance whatsoever. I see it as frustration with a company that you have paid a fee to belong to a club that tempts you with one thing and delivers another. Bait and switch in advertising terms.
April 18, 2016 at 10:46 am
Yep, that was how I saw it too Bill. Nice to know there are others that feel that way. Thanks 😉
May 9, 2016 at 1:22 pm
Was this just a bad choice of words or did you mean to come across as rude and condescending?
April 18, 2016 at 4:48 pm
LOL! Oooohhh girlllll…remind me not too make you angry. Thanks for the backup. Appreciated 😉
May 9, 2016 at 1:24 pm
Face the fact: Mattel just doesn’t care. Period. They don’t care what the faithful collectors think. And I have to ask, what are the designers (who read these blogs religiously and belong to most of the Facebook doll groups) telling Mattel? Anything? Why aren’t they expressing the displeasure of the collectors to Mattel? They have their “lips to God’s ear” on a daily basis? Don’t they have any sway?
April 18, 2016 at 10:43 am
It certainly feels that way doesn’t it Bill 🙂 To be honest, I am not really sure how much sway the designers have right now. I am worried this is corporate handing down decisions with no thought to the customer. Regardless…it’s not making for good business decisions in my opinion.
May 9, 2016 at 1:25 pm
Wow! I’m glad you caught that, Rebecca! It’s sad when a brand you’ve know and loved for years pulls these kind of shenanigans. I really hope they get their act together and maybe shake up their marketing team a bit. After all, one can only bank on brand loyalty for so long.
April 18, 2016 at 4:40 pm
Exactly Lisa….exactly. Let’s all hope for the future but be prepared for reality.
May 9, 2016 at 1:26 pm
Maybe Mattel IS listening? I know you and Rogier had already said that you would pass on the Club exclusive (the AA doll in blue), think about it, if they can’t even sell the club doll to the club members, they’ll wind up with a lot of dolls that they can’t move. And I was with you two, I was like, really, this is the BFMC Exclusive? I have to say, even though there is sometime amiss over there, I like this doll much better as an exclusive offering. At least she’s in a gown. Maybe they’ll come out with another Oops Statement, “we meant to post the doll in the gown, not the blue suit”. One thing’s for sure, it’s been quite the roller-coaster ride over the past year at The Barbie Collection!
April 18, 2016 at 8:20 pm
Way to look on the positive! Yes, I prefer the pink gown for sure over the blue suit. It’s just the “what feels like” underhanded communication of it. Yes, a roller coaster ride is a good way to put it.
May 9, 2016 at 1:28 pm
I have a theory about all this and it comes down to this: money.
If you watched the videos of the process that starts with Robert Best designing the doll to the finished product you will notice one thing–a LOT gets cut out.
I was very disappointed when the jewelry started dropping off until it was finally non-existent. And the fashion began to decline about the same time.
If you watched the Carol Roth convention video (or were there to see it) she also discussed how much more items cost to be manufactured.
In my opinion, Mattel is just trying to stay in business. Unfortunately, we (the collectors) were not the main focus of that business. It was the lower end junky stuff that I played with when I was a child that keeps them in business. It is cheap to make and designed to be disposable, and therefore more dolls are purchased.
It is really sad because I remember all those years ago when I saw one of the first lingerie silkstones in FAO and was actually stunned, by a Barbie doll.
I guess it was fun while it lasted…
April 19, 2016 at 7:35 am
Having an interest in fashion, or more specifcally, in clothes, and the aspects of styling and dressing up, only adds for me NOT to buy Mattel’s dolls.
Even though Mattel often uses in their brand buzzworlds like “Fashionistas”, what you get inside the box is a statue wearing a top sewed to the bottom where the patterns don’t even go full circle.
Barbie doesn’t seen like she likes fashion herself. But indeed “she likes” branding.
Mattel can have the design team they want, and still they show the need to attach another brand to theirs so that Barbie don’t have just… Fashion on.
Last time I bought a new release from Mattel it was the Midge Dream House, a mere playline doll.
But she came with nice pieces of separates, lashed, and an articulated body (including torso arcitulation).
At the time, I tought they would give the adult collectors a nice line passionatly inspired on current designers and styling, but instead, they open an Instagram account to scream to the world that they are “very stylish”, make marketing campaings in fashion week tends, and give collectors the quite uninspired and genericl looking The Barbie Look Collection.
I’m awaiting for the self-proclaimed love for fashion of Barbie to be transferred to inside their boxes, get to the shelfs, and finally, the collectors hands…
April 22, 2016 at 12:18 am
Very well said Berto! I have often commented on the disconnect between the “Barbiestyle” Instagram account and the products they currently offer. If they started producing products that followed the styling of their marketing…they might actually go somewhere with it!
May 9, 2016 at 1:09 pm
Very well said MissC. I think you have a very strong point. As with most anything…it boils down to money. Once we saw cuts ( fewer issues, few accessories to no accessories) being made the writing really was on the wall. Thank you for laying it out . 🙂
May 9, 2016 at 1:30 pm
Nothing that Mattel does surprises me. People don’t want to face it but the days of collecting high quality Barbies whether silkstone or vinyl is over. From here on it will just be crap. Perhaps Mattel has fired so many good people that they just can’t get the truly creative types anymore, perhaps the CEO’s are just more concerned with what’s going in their pockets than the quality of their product, in any event with a website that just doesn’t work, waiting room nightmares, quality issues, silkstone dolls that look like playline dolls, bait and switch prices and dolls, blatant lying about the silkstone body not changing, fashions not fitting the articulated silkstones and not even bothering to offer an apology for releasing such garbage – well you get the picture. This Mattel is not the Mattel of yesteryear this is some odd apparition that even managed to lose the Disney princess contract. Collectors’ should definitely run for the hills.
April 19, 2016 at 8:59 am
You are voicing many of the feelings and frustrations of other collectors Marina. It’s just so sad. Not the Mattel of yesteryear for sure.
May 9, 2016 at 1:32 pm
this is exactly why i have hesitated joining the club! DO YOU HEAR ME MATTEL?
April 20, 2016 at 2:28 pm
That is your consumer voice and power talking Debbie. You go girl!
May 9, 2016 at 1:33 pm
Makes you wonder WHAT has happened since the 2008 crash. Tonner is floundering, too. Maybe not as much disposable income? Millennials NOT into fashion? Yes, there is a longing for the days of Delphinium Silkstone Barbie- simple, yet elegant. Now to be happy to get a Silkie with holes for earrings!!! The good thing about the articulated Silkies, the play-line clothes fit them. Not sure if that’s a plus or not. Glad I have my Basic Barbies and accessory sets from a few years ago!!!
April 21, 2016 at 3:29 pm
Exactly Steven…I think we are all glad we have some previous years collections to enjoy. I don’t know what the future holds but I can at least enjoy what I already have 🙂
May 9, 2016 at 1:10 pm
I am very disappointed with the Silkstone Collection thus far. It has lost most of its glamour, atelier and haute couture feel and everything just looks so cheap. I mean compare the dolls this year to what we saw 2, 3, 5 or even one year ago. Cheap, playline looking.
I dont know why they decided to make them articulated. The Silkstones are supposed to be mannequins. They are not toys for little girls that need a lot of posing. And then how the proportions have been changed – smaller breasts, smaller boobs, boyish waist. Not attractive. Not to mention that the articulation itself is not very good and hardly worth it.
But i think the worst still is just the low end, low quality fashions that are nothing compared to the Silkstone dolls of yesteryear. Very disappointing.
And I’m sorry, I dont buy the “too expensive to make” line/ excuse anymore. This seems to be like the number one excuse go to excuse for people these days everytime they produce a sub-par product or increase prices and it is becoming tiring. They are using slave labor from China, for god’s sake.
So, no I’m sorry, I dont buy it. And I am tired of doll companies, Integrity Toys included, blaming their incompetence and bad products and pricing and just overall laziness on product aesthetics and quality on the age-old “well, these are hard times” excuse.
Im very disappointed with the Silkstone line this year and rather sad that if they do not change course now, this wonderful line of exquisite, high end collector dolls will soon go the way of the dinosaurs.
May 9, 2016 at 12:14 pm
I hear your comments L. I hear them and am disappointed as well with some of the decisions that Mattel is making. At the end of the day, consumers get to vote with their pocket books and if the products are not selling, then said product line will be discontinued. While I may not agree with the direction the BFMC is currently taking I do see some hope in a few of the vinyl dolls they are producing. I was encouraged to see the Misty Copeland doll and the popularity it has achieved. I also like the look of the new Barbie Look dolls yet to be released this year. If articulation in Silkstones is not your thing, perhaps it’s time to look into different product lines. I agree with you in that it is really frustrating and sad to see something that was so fabulous become not so fabulous. I grieve right along with you on that perceived loss. I am taking this time to focus on what I have already collected and enjoying that. 🙂
May 9, 2016 at 12:53 pm
I don’t mind the articulation as much as I mind the missing lack of quality and haute couture-ness and exquisiteness of the fashions. I could deal with the articulation if the fashions were to die for, but they are not. So my dissatisfaction is two fold.
I think I will use this opportunity to buy some of the older release Silkstones that I have missed out on over the past few years and focus on expanding my vintage repro collection.
I do hope Mattel listens to the feedback of collectors and brings back the Silkstone before it is too late and they have alienated too many fans.
May 9, 2016 at 5:37 pm
huh? where did my comment go?
May 9, 2016 at 12:15 pm
Your comment was just in a queue waiting to be approved. You should see it below now.
May 9, 2016 at 12:42 pm