Squishy Face and Arms

In the latest bizarre twist by Mattel and American girl, the company has started making the faces and arms of American Girls out of "squishy" vinyl. Not only does this further cheapen the product, it makes the doll very difficult to dress and allows the child to distort the face and arms. The underwear change is definitely more than just a style change. A photo provided by one of our petitioners shows that the "butt" of the doll is no longer the same shape as the front. It is now narrower and raises. This makes the older clothes not fit over the doll's body the same way. I complained about the ubderwear change to customer service and received this response: Dear Amanda, Thank you for taking the time to write. The decision to make this change was made for several reasons, including our ability to continue producing a quality product without the price of our doll going up. And because we learned from our consumer research that the new underwear design will make play easier for some children and will ensure the underwear cannot be lost, we hoped it was an overall benefit for most. Having observed for decades how girls play with our dolls, outfits, and accessories, we believe the change will not limit how a young girl imagines or interacts with her doll. We apologize for any disappoint this has caused you. Again, thank you for writing and sharing your story with us. We like to receive both compliments and concerns from our customers, as that is the only way we know what interests you, what products you would like to see developed, or how we may improve our products or service. We value your comments and appreciate the time you took to share them with us. Sincerely, American Girl Customer Service Question: Is cheaper vinyl that allows the child to distort the face and arms truly a "quality" product. I don't know of a parent who agrees.