DOLLS Magazine Sends Out "Winner" Notifications for I Love How You Love Me Poppy Giftset

Earlier today, DOLLS Magazine sent out emails to the 60 lucky people who got the chance to purchase a Poppy giftset. Sighs of relief were heard but there is a great deal of vitriol on the DOLLS' site right now.

Carie Ferg, DOLLS Associate Publisher, wrote:
"We sincerely apologize your Poppy Parker ordering experience was so frustrating. Basically, our server became so overwhelmed with activity at noon, that we couldn’t activate our store as planned. After increasing bandwidth and trying to activate for several hours, we decided the best thing we could do given the circumstances was to take orders via the e-mail form. The quantity then did sell out in just over five minutes. We’ve learned for the future that we need MORE bandwidth. Sorry for any inconvenience this caused. "

Several collectors responded harshly:
 "Carry [sic], I think that's crap....you should have sent an email out through the w club about how you we're going to give the 60 out since your server couldn't handle it, so everyone had a fair shot.... Or picked from the names that weren't picked in the lottery.  Jones publishing has bad customer service and bad business practices!!!"

"To Txxxx and Cari [sic],
In a nut shell - BAD form.
You DO NOT change the rules of the game in the middle!
It's cheating. Plain and simple.
Thanks for absolutely nothing, but a frustrating waste of 2.5 hours. "

Collectors are attacking each other as well.  You can read it for yourself and be amazed at the intensity of the anger.

http://www.dollsmagazine.com/manufacturers/integrity-toys/491-p-is-for-pretty-pure-and-poppy-parker.html

I was not at all surprised at the disaster yesterday. This has happened before and will happen again. DOLLS Magazine was not prepared in advance for the onslaught. They should have been informed by those in the know at Integrity Toys what to expect. They were left hanging in the wind.
I saw their offer to take emails not as a switch midstream that was done without regard, but as an attempt in an emergency situation, to help potential buyers.

I also understand the depth of disappointment of those who did not get to buy the set. I suffered at the hands of FAO during the AFL Platinum 'sale.' That debacle was handled even worse than this. Some collectors were confirmed by FAO personal shoppers and then two weeks later told there was no doll for them. It was terrible!

It's becoming rather unsafe to post opinions on the doll boards these days. I have read that people are afraid to post opinions for fear of being attacked or ridiculed. I think they have a rational fear. 

 NOTE:
 Sic – generally inside square brackets, [sic], and occasionally parentheses, (sic) – when added just after a quote or reprinted text, indicates that the passage is just as it appears from its original source. The usual purpose is to inform readers that any errors or apparent errors in the copied material are not from transcription – i.e. that they are reproduced exactly from the original writer or printer.

The W Club Takes Down Another Website!

Power to the W Club Members! In an attempt to order the remaining Poppy gift sets, collectors (not just from the W  Club) charged onto the Doll's Magazine website at precisely Noon CST. Almost immediately, the site crashed and stayed crashed for several hours.
People have been leaving comments; here are several:


-I too tried for two hours and even spoke to someone on the phone and was never able to get on to the site. 
 -I would like to thank Dolls Magazine for this wonderful opportunity I was given not being able to buy anything, it was magical and I am grateful.  
-I've also been at working trying to order since 1PM EST time
which is noon CST. Either I get under maintentance or overloaded. 
-Poorly handled. Why offer something for sale if the website to order it can't be used? Now it's sold out? Ridiculous. I'm extremely disappointed in the whole thing. I won't be back here for any more offers. 
-sorry, but the link to WClub members never got online and the doll is sold out? how can that be possible? I heard you took some emails here in this page. it NOT FAIR AT ALL as it was not addressed to all members and once this site is open to the public, anyone could have purchased the doll. please revise it and open the opportunity to ALL MEMBERS to purchase the 60 dolls left to make this thing right.
-This was so poorly handled, it's a disgrace. I wasted two hours on your stupid site waiting for your stupid link to come active, and then you sneakily put up a note to let people know that they can email their order! WTF? What about the rest of us who were using the link YOU provided for us. I will never read your magazine again. 

The liaisons had previously posted that they have nothing to do with how Dolls will be selling the remaining sets. They are a separate entity. So why did the W Club offer any for sale at all? Did Dolls magazine think they wouldn't be able to sell the giftsets. I'm perplexed.


This happens over and over when an outside source sells - except Bergdorf Goodman. That worked seamlessly.

I Just Had to Debox Them

I bought the Barbie Louboutin shoe collection although I thought, even on sale, that it was ridiculously overpriced. The packaging was irresistible. When they arrived, I was not disappointed and because the presentation was so pretty, I decided to keep them boxed.
That lasted 2 weeks. But I couldn't stand it. They had to come out. I had to touch every pair of shoes with my grubby hands and play with them.
They are definitely not going to fit my FR dolls but there was a Silkie hanging around and she got to try a pair.
I was pleased to find that there is a box and a shoe bag for each of the nine included pairs of shoes. This is definitely a fun item.

Tonner Pre-Toy Fair Release

 I'm just going to highlight just a few of the new releases. Stranger characters first.

Kermit The Frog - Wild Frogs (LE500) Price $69.99

He's cute, if you like frogs. I love the jacket. Kermit is 11" tall and is good friends with Miss Piggy.  ;-)

Futterwacken (LE300) Price $249.99

If I could rent this doll for a week, I'd do it. That's how I am with outrageous character dolls. I like them for a short period of time and then they get tiring. There's no point to redressing because their fashions and make up are what makes them special. I absolutely love the costume on this doll as I loved Tarrant, The Mad Hatter's costume previously.
Johnny Depp  head sculpt, 17" Mat O'Neill body, green eyes with red wigged hair, lily skintone.

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dee (LE 100) $374. Set

These characters from Alice in Wonderland are resin. Outfits are removable but shoes and socks are painted. They have 5 points of articulation.
I always thought their names were Tweedle Dee Dee and Tweedle Dee Dum.
They were very funny in the movie and for an Alice fan, they will be an enchanting addition to a collection. They are cute.

2011 Cami Wigged Basic (LE500) Price $109.99

 This Cami comes with two wigs. The other one :

 The best thing about her is the inset eyes. That's a new feature - besides the fact that she and her sister releases do not have crimped hair. Yay. The other new Camis do not have inset eyes.

Damon Salvatore (LE1000) Price $169.99

 Thud! This guy is hot. He represents a character from the Vampire Diaries.
Damon has the 17" Matt O'Neill body, blue eyes and brunette wigged hair. Wigged hair on a male doll is, to me, always superior as it lays better.

James Collins (LE 500)

17" Matt O'Neill™ Body; Brown Eyes, Raven Hair, Tan Skintone

Price $ 189.99

James Collins is so vanilla compared to Damon and reminds me of Lord Asriel from the Golden Compass - at least his suit does.  He should have been given a wig, too.

Daniel Craig is so hot.

You can see the rest at www.tonerdoll.com.
Don't forget, there will be more on February 11, 2011.

How Can A Doll (Without Sexual Organs) Be Gay?

Tonner talks! Andy Mills is gay.
Does he frequent gay bars? Will he carry tiny condoms in a tiny wallet? Will he be a vehicle to educate the doll collecting masses about safe sex? Or is this a very clever attempt to reach into the closet and fill it with dolls?

I always thought Matt O'Neil was gay.  Tonner should have had Matt come out of the closet. There could have been scenes in which an anguished Matt confesses to Tyler that he's always had feelings for Russell.  The Joker could play the therapist.  (Matt sees him as a joker anyway.) Then Tyler can throw him out. They've been married less than 2 years. So sad. All this time and she had no idea. He's been working late almost every night.

I can picture the scene in my doll room when my guests and my little cousins come over. I will introduce my dolls and give a little back story (on those that have a back story) and when I get to Andy...I...well...uh...I usually don't discuss my dolls in terms of their sexual preference. But he will be in a far corner of the cabinet eyeing Trent. I'll have to say something.

Andy Mills LE 500  $179.99

Without Glasses

I Love Obsessed Doll Collectors

It's such a pleasure to find an obsessed doll collector. They make me feel so frugal. I posted a picture on Prego earlier. In one of the comments I was asked if I saw a picture that was posted  yesterday. The link led me to this:

Johanna Reinhardt

Don't forget to click on the picture to see the full-size version.
This is Johanna's collection which contains every vinyl EG and two resins. She also has all the clothes and accessories except for one corset. Gee, Johanna, how did you let that one get away? LOL