American Girl Sells A Homeless Doll!

Filed Under: Business Blitz

This doesn't make any sense!

American Girl, the company that is known for their historical dolls, is causing some controversy over the recently-released doll Gwen Thompson.

So what's the big deal?

The company sells her with the story of her being homeless.

But, if someone buys the doll wouldn't they technically be giving her a home!?

So what does CBS do? They send correspondent Hattie Kauffman to a homeless shelter here in El Lay to get actual homeless people's response.

Here's what Hattie discovered:

[One homeless advocate] observed to Kauffman that she finds "the whole concept to be extremely disturbing. It's not a doll I would ever buy for a child."

There are between 7,000 and 10,000 homeless children in L.A. alone, Kauffman notes, and it's doubtful many, if any, could afford Gwen's $95 price tag.

One homeless woman in a shelter Kauffman visited said Gwen touched her heart when she saw the doll in its box.

The women praised the doll, Kauffman reports, until they learned Gwen isn't a fundraising device for the homeless.

"I don't even see why you would make a homeless doll, anyway," one woman said to Kauffman, unless it was being used to raise money to help charities aiding the homeless.

They do make a good point, if they're charging almost $100 for a doll, they should at least be giving some kind of donation to help those that are homeless or at least help raise awareness!

And we know the parents that are buying these expensive dolls for their kids are at least fortunate enough to have a home to keep their dolls.

American Girl's got some 'splainin to do!

Posted: September 29, 2009 at 4:59 pm