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 Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:01 pm
Ok I don't know how many of you are familiar with the Bratz dolls. But if you have a daughter, niece, sister or granddaughter around Toni's age, then you more than likely know what I'm talking about.
Toni got a new Bratz doll for her birthday from one of her friends on Saturday. After everyone more or less left, she asked me to open it. So I said sure, and began to attempt to get into the package. Let me tell you, it's like trying to get into Fort Knox when opening. It always been difficult to get to the actual doll because they use those annoying rubber wrapped metal twistie ties on both arms, both legs, around the neck and around the waist. Not only that but they wrap rubber bands around the feet and hands.
A half hour and several paper cuts later I STILL was struggling to get the carboard off the back of the doll in places. I find out why. They are now using a HOT GLUE GUN and GLUING the cardboard to the twistie ties!!!! Im all for safe packaging but the is getting outrageous!!!! Each doll is getting harder and harder to remove and Im tired of struggling and cutting myself just to get these dolls out of the package.
After I finally got that out, she brings me her new Barbie doll and I just wanted to cry. But I went ahead and opened it. Took me 5 mintes, I was STUNNED. That Barbie was just as secure in the package as the Bratz doll and it took less time!!!! So I decided to have Rue help me lodge a complaint to the company that makes Bratz.
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Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:02 pm
Here is the mail Rue and I sent to the MGA company:
Name: Jessica Ireland
Email: morquarwen@yahoo.com
Subject: Bratz packaging
Comments: My daughter recently got two different Bratz dolls for her
birthday. I would like to complain about how difficult it is to get
these dolls out of their packages. It took me almost a half hour to get one doll out of it's packing. This is unacceptable. It's just ridiculous
and I am making this complaint for you to change how you pack these dolls.
She also received a Barbie doll and it only took 5 minutes.
*************
Here is what I got in return:
*************
Hello Ms. Ireland,
Thank you for contacting MGA Entertainment.
We appreciate you bringing to our attention your problem with the
packaging of the Bratz dolls. The packaging of our products may seem
excessive, however, having a secure package ensures you will not be missing pieces when you purchase our products. When walking through the toy aisle in many stores, you will see several opened and damaged boxes. We try to prevent our products being damaged on the shelf by providing very secure packaging. I have passed your comments along to our production facility so they can consider ways to make the packaging easier to open while remaining secure on the shelf.
We hope that you will continue to enjoy our products and services for
many years to come. Thank you once again for writing to us about your concerns.
************
Well that was helpful wasn't it???? Im seriously considering never buying another one of these dolls again. I have NEVER seen a damaged Barbie doll, or an opened package when Im in the Barbie doll aisle ::shakes head:: I don't know why I even bothered scream
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Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:17 pm
you did better than me..
i ordered an item for my Mum for last Christmas, when it arrived it was broken in 2 places, well i was not amused, i sent it back with a letter stapled to the invoice because the'reason for return' box wasn't big enough for what i had to say.
i stated my displeasure in no uncertain terms, the item box was pristine, so it was obvious to me that the damage had been incurred at the point of manufacture, i pointed this out to them, my displeasure being enhanced by the fact that i had to pay to return an item that should never have reached dispatch it the first place, i told this company that i would never buy anything from them ever again, also that i'd tell everyone that i know not to buy from them either.
All i got was a standard 1 line reply, and i still get catalogues from them with'priority customer' on the front scream
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Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:55 pm
Jess, I'm glad you agree! I've ranted a number of times (perhaps on this guild as well, around Christmas time and/or Jade's birthday) specifically about how HARD IT IS to get Bratz dolls out of the package! It's ridiculous! They've got the twist ties, the rubber bands, the threaded string, the tape, AND the little plastic things with the T's at each end, like on hang tags, and the real kicker to me is also the hot gluing of the cardboard together so that even GETTING to the twist ties, tape, string, and rubber bands is a challenge! It's the most horrible and difficult challenge of birthdays and Christmas, and Jade being such a "Jade Bratz" fanatic, I get a lot of it.
I've ranted to a lot of people in real life about this too, and marvelled at how most packages you buy, like rice, milk, hot pockets, even sardines, have special packaging that makes it EASY to open! Like "Tear Here." WTH happened to the easy open tabs on these? I mean even finding an end to untape and pulling the stiff plastic open is a big challenge!
My original thought was they must be going to all these lengths to prevent theft from the box. But seriously, with the amount of effort it takes to get a Bratz doll out of the package, people are just gonna steal the whole box! Forget trying to steal it from the package! I'm semi-impressed that you got a response back from them that specifically relates to the complaint you sent it, which means they actually READ the thing, unlike Neo... but their claim that it's to prevent small pieces from falling off, they really don't need to go to nearly as extensive lengths to secure packaging like that! What address did you use? I want to write them as well. scream
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Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:06 pm
Try here fawN: http://www.mgae.com/feedback/default.aspJust click complaint and follow the steps. I'm very tempted to write her back and tell her that Barbies are secure in their packages. Obviously Mattel understands and agrees with us scream
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Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:14 pm
And another thing I just thought of. What about those that suffer from arthritis or other ailments that affect the hands? I mean, if I, who has complete use of my hands struggles to open these packages, what about those who DON'T have complete use? Can you imagine how hard it would be for them? Espically if there is no one around who can help them open these packages. Really, MGA needs to get on the ball and attempt to improve this without making us feel like we need a chisel to chip away the glue and wire cutters to cut the wires .
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Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:15 pm
Oh, you know what? I think I decided once that next time I attempt to tackle a Bratz box, I go in with a good pair of scissors and just CUT all the wire ties and stuff from the doll's side. Hopefully that will be quicker/easier than manually separating the glued pieces of cardboard and untwisting each tie and threading them through... Next time Jade gets a Bratz, I'll see if that strategy is any easier.
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Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:17 pm
morquarwen And another thing I just thought of. What about those that suffer from arthritis or other ailments that affect the hands? I mean, if I, who has complete use of my hands struggles to open these packages, what about those who DON'T have complete use? Can you imagine how hard it would be for them? Espically if there is no one around who can help them open these packages. Really, MGA needs to get on the ball and attempt to improve this without making us feel like we need a chisel to chip away the glue and wire cutters to cut the wires . Ohhh good point!! Yeah, if they had no help, there's no way it could be done! I lost a lot of manual dexterity when I had my head injury, and I need help with jewelry sometimes and I have a really hard time now tying threads and such, but someone like Jason's grandmother with all her arthritis, there's no way!
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Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 8:26 pm
That is absolutely ridiculous! I used to be able to get my OWN Barbies out of the packages when I was a kid. I hope that they start figuring out something else to do with them.
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Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 8:50 pm
That was part of the fun!
Getting the doll out of the packet!
Having to ask for help, letting someone else touch YOUR new toy before you get to play with it was unthinkable!
They def need to get it sorted out!
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Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 9:14 pm
It was so hard for her to try and sit there patiently as I worked as patiently as I could. I know she was getting antsy, but every time I cut myself, she would apologize like it was her fault that the doll was so hard to remove. Thats always the hardest part, explaining to her that she isnt at fault for simply wanting to play with her new doll ::kicks MGA HARD::
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 12:08 am
I had to stop in the middle of homework to comment on this...
Don't use scissors. They are not safe. In order to cut all the stuff, they need to be sharp, also sharp enough to slice a hand... Use a pair of wire cutters. They sell them at Michaels these days. This way, the do the job, but have no real sharp point in the front to slice a hand.
Being Barbie! I have learned... Trust me!
Back to work!
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 11:24 am
Just thought I'd post the email I sent to morquarwen@yahoo.com:
I just want to let you know that I will never buy Bratz products because I've seen people trying to separate the dolls from the packaging and how unreasonable it seems. I just thought you should know that there are quite a few mothers who have decided they are no longer going to buy these products for that reason. I understand the importance of keeping boxes from being broken into but I thought it was important for you to know how many people no longer want to buy your products in order to make a more informed decision about what kind of packaging is best for your company. Good luck!
Jenni Gaffney
mother of a 2 year old girl
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 11:26 am
jennimac Just thought I'd post the email I sent to morquarwen@yahoo.com: You realize that's Jess's personal email right? She's the one who originated the email above, not the recipient of it.
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 11:30 am
morquarwen And another thing I just thought of. What about those that suffer from arthritis or other ailments that affect the hands? I mean, if I, who has complete use of my hands struggles to open these packages, what about those who DON'T have complete use? Can you imagine how hard it would be for them? Espically if there is no one around who can help them open these packages. Really, MGA needs to get on the ball and attempt to improve this without making us feel like we need a chisel to chip away the glue and wire cutters to cut the wires . MysticfawN My original thought was they must be going to all these lengths to prevent theft from the box. But seriously, with the amount of effort it takes to get a Bratz doll out of the package, people are just gonna steal the whole box! Forget trying to steal it from the package! Somebody really ought to share these thoughts with them as well! They are good thoughts! I just emailed to that address from my own email, I hope that works too!
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