I see it as the white doll are discounted because nobody wants them. isn't that why things go on sale, to get rid of the unpopular stuff?
Sergey - 12 years ago
I am sure people who answered they would never buy the toy do not have children. Racial discrimination, price differences, rudeness of a sales associate and Occupy-Wall-Street-like reactions are NOTHING compared to the joy you give your child when you buy what he/she wants. Complain, try to reduce the price, be unsatisfied with unfairness, but do not deny the child what they want.
Cheryl - 12 years ago
You know through ignorance I accepted the prices because I thought that's the way it was suppose to be. I never thought anything of it..
Lori - 12 years ago
So.... when I shop on-line for clothes and notice that a sweater is cheaper in the white color than the black color, I assume it's because the white color is over-stocked at the moment and they would like to get rid of the stock. Not because of any other reason. Why would you be mad that in your demographic that more black dolls were selling and there was an overstock of white dolls? I don't think there was a mark up to anger black doll buyers. It's common sense and it's marketing. Get educated about basic economics here people. Not everthing is a race issue. I can almost guarantee that when the sale price was determined it was bar code they were looking at! Not the actual TOYS!
tracy - 12 years ago
Tm and Alex have it right. I work in retail and no first hand that if a particular product does not sell you mark it down, even if it just one particular color. And sometime, contrary to Laura's view, mistakes do happen and unfortunately they happen quite frequently. It is only when someone complains when something will get done about it.
Laura - 12 years ago
To all of you remarking that it was an oversight or a mistake, a corporation such as Toy R Us have people with Marketing degrees and legal counsel to ensure this type of "oversight" should never happen. This story isn't the first I've heard. The Barbie styling head is available in Caucasian and African American skin tones and the only one on sale was the Causasian colored Barbie styling head. When asked if that was correct, the same response was given "yes". This was not a Toys R Us store either.
Sometimes it takes a repeated victim(indirectly or intentional)of racism to point it out.
tsmiller - 12 years ago
I would have paid the difference without complaint. Different prices for the same same doll of another ethnicity isn't that big of a deal. However, affirmative action is very similar. I am reminded of a protest College Republicans held at Berkley earlier this year. If you don't recall, they protested affirmative action by having a bake sale that charged individuals differently according to their ethnicity. I doubt that Toys-R-Us meant anything by their pricing. And since when should a business sell different products at different prices? They are identical in everything except the color of plastic. If I sell red toy cars and blue toy cars, should I have to sell them at the same price? Whats next, should stores have to carry equitably proportionate numbers of ethnic products? Should stores have to carry a reasonable assortment of ethnicities out of fairness too? These are products not people. Let the laws of supply and demand govern their prices and shelves, and let the Constitution and the Bill of Rights govern us.
Selftaught - 12 years ago
@Suzanne, if the color of the doll is irrelevant buy the cheaper white doll and stop complaining. I hope you've never made a mistake that offended someone else.
Alex - 12 years ago
I agree with Tim's comment. I am sure this was a case of supply and demand. If a product is not selling you lower the price of the product. I would like to think that no one would do this purposely in a nation that is still very sensitive on the issue of race. I am sure this was just commen business and no one should jump to conclusions.
tim - 12 years ago
what if it were the case that the white doll wasn't selling very well, so in an attempt to increase sales the company marked down the price.The fact that they did not realize that it could be portrayed racist would seem very plausible. In turn, sometimes it takes a racist to point out racism.
If it was intentional, then that is just poor ethics on an individual level.
uncle tom - 12 years ago
i want to see a white...... aunt jehmima doll.... just to be politicaly correct....
Criolla - 12 years ago
It is idiotic, what describes a persons race? Ethipians might be dark, but have very fine features, what is a latin, they are not a racer, they come in all colors and mix , some full blooded white,or black or oriental, mix .
Do you have an idea how hard is to find a red head with dark eyes?
I bought for my daughter dolls of all kinds, even when Barbie came out one year with one in a wheel chair, this is became into Balkan nations.
Suzanne - 12 years ago
This is terrible. I would have refused to pay for the doll, and made my opinions known from the top to bottom of this store's organization. Give me a coupon for a future purchase? I don't think so! The color of my skin is irrelevant. As is the color of the doll in question.
I would have refused to buy the doll, as well as the proffered coupon.
None of the listed comments quite captures my disgust with this whole incident.
Suzanne - 12 years ago
This is terrible. I would have refused to pay for the doll, and made my opinions known from the top to bottom of this store's organization. Give me a coupon for a future purchase? I don't think so! The color of my skin is irrelevant. As is the color of the doll in question.
I would have refused to buy the doll, as well as the proffered coupon.
None of the listed comments quite captures my disgust with this whole incident.
billyjo - 12 years ago
Yes.... all black dolls should cost more.....cuz they're so special .......
Why couldn't she just buy the white doll? Racist!
I see it as the white doll are discounted because nobody wants them. isn't that why things go on sale, to get rid of the unpopular stuff?
I am sure people who answered they would never buy the toy do not have children. Racial discrimination, price differences, rudeness of a sales associate and Occupy-Wall-Street-like reactions are NOTHING compared to the joy you give your child when you buy what he/she wants. Complain, try to reduce the price, be unsatisfied with unfairness, but do not deny the child what they want.
You know through ignorance I accepted the prices because I thought that's the way it was suppose to be. I never thought anything of it..
So.... when I shop on-line for clothes and notice that a sweater is cheaper in the white color than the black color, I assume it's because the white color is over-stocked at the moment and they would like to get rid of the stock. Not because of any other reason. Why would you be mad that in your demographic that more black dolls were selling and there was an overstock of white dolls? I don't think there was a mark up to anger black doll buyers. It's common sense and it's marketing. Get educated about basic economics here people. Not everthing is a race issue. I can almost guarantee that when the sale price was determined it was bar code they were looking at! Not the actual TOYS!
Tm and Alex have it right. I work in retail and no first hand that if a particular product does not sell you mark it down, even if it just one particular color. And sometime, contrary to Laura's view, mistakes do happen and unfortunately they happen quite frequently. It is only when someone complains when something will get done about it.
To all of you remarking that it was an oversight or a mistake, a corporation such as Toy R Us have people with Marketing degrees and legal counsel to ensure this type of "oversight" should never happen. This story isn't the first I've heard. The Barbie styling head is available in Caucasian and African American skin tones and the only one on sale was the Causasian colored Barbie styling head. When asked if that was correct, the same response was given "yes". This was not a Toys R Us store either.
Sometimes it takes a repeated victim(indirectly or intentional)of racism to point it out.
I would have paid the difference without complaint. Different prices for the same same doll of another ethnicity isn't that big of a deal. However, affirmative action is very similar. I am reminded of a protest College Republicans held at Berkley earlier this year. If you don't recall, they protested affirmative action by having a bake sale that charged individuals differently according to their ethnicity. I doubt that Toys-R-Us meant anything by their pricing. And since when should a business sell different products at different prices? They are identical in everything except the color of plastic. If I sell red toy cars and blue toy cars, should I have to sell them at the same price? Whats next, should stores have to carry equitably proportionate numbers of ethnic products? Should stores have to carry a reasonable assortment of ethnicities out of fairness too? These are products not people. Let the laws of supply and demand govern their prices and shelves, and let the Constitution and the Bill of Rights govern us.
@Suzanne, if the color of the doll is irrelevant buy the cheaper white doll and stop complaining. I hope you've never made a mistake that offended someone else.
I agree with Tim's comment. I am sure this was a case of supply and demand. If a product is not selling you lower the price of the product. I would like to think that no one would do this purposely in a nation that is still very sensitive on the issue of race. I am sure this was just commen business and no one should jump to conclusions.
what if it were the case that the white doll wasn't selling very well, so in an attempt to increase sales the company marked down the price.The fact that they did not realize that it could be portrayed racist would seem very plausible. In turn, sometimes it takes a racist to point out racism.
If it was intentional, then that is just poor ethics on an individual level.
i want to see a white...... aunt jehmima doll.... just to be politicaly correct....
It is idiotic, what describes a persons race? Ethipians might be dark, but have very fine features, what is a latin, they are not a racer, they come in all colors and mix , some full blooded white,or black or oriental, mix .
Do you have an idea how hard is to find a red head with dark eyes?
I bought for my daughter dolls of all kinds, even when Barbie came out one year with one in a wheel chair, this is became into Balkan nations.
This is terrible. I would have refused to pay for the doll, and made my opinions known from the top to bottom of this store's organization. Give me a coupon for a future purchase? I don't think so! The color of my skin is irrelevant. As is the color of the doll in question.
I would have refused to buy the doll, as well as the proffered coupon.
None of the listed comments quite captures my disgust with this whole incident.
This is terrible. I would have refused to pay for the doll, and made my opinions known from the top to bottom of this store's organization. Give me a coupon for a future purchase? I don't think so! The color of my skin is irrelevant. As is the color of the doll in question.
I would have refused to buy the doll, as well as the proffered coupon.
None of the listed comments quite captures my disgust with this whole incident.
Yes.... all black dolls should cost more.....cuz they're so special .......