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December 19th, 2011
03:13 PM ET

Poll: Would you pay more to get a toy of a specific race?

Niaira Taylor's daughter wants a Baby Alive doll for Christmas, so she stopped at a Toys 'R' Us outside Atlanta to buy the doll. On the shelf, though, she saw that the white doll was $31.99. The black doll - the one her daughter wanted - was $44.99.

The dolls are identical except for their skin colors - Baby Alive dolls are available in skin tones listed as white, African-American and Hispanic.

"The manager, she said, 'Yeah, it's only the Caucasian doll that's 20% off,'" Taylor told CNN affiliate WXIA 11Alive. "So I said 'You mean to tell me I have to pay full price for the African-American doll, but they're all the same exact doll?'"

The answer: Yes.

She left without the doll and called the store's corporate office, but never heard back. Toys 'R' Us told WXIA its policy is to charge the same amount for dolls of different ethnicities, and the store later changed the prices to $35.99. Toys 'R' Us blamed a pricing error, and offered Taylor a $25 gift card.

Barbie gets a natural hair makeover

Taylor's daughter will get the doll she wanted. But what would you have done?

Posted by
Filed under: Black in America • Economy • Ethnicity • How we live • Polls • Race
soundoff (135 Responses)
  1. Jasa SEO Indonesia

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    October 29, 2012 at 8:40 am | Report abuse |
  2. Exalted Cyclops

    It's called supply and demand. Of course the communist party (liberals, democrats, progressives) don't believe in that. Everything is racism to them and Kim Jong Hussein Obama should directly control everything in the country.

    December 21, 2011 at 12:20 pm | Report abuse |
    • Jean

      You are exactly right about supply and demand. The same applies when you adopt a child thru a private agency. Because the demand for white babies is more, the adoption fees are more. Since there are so many black babies without homes, and not enough adoptive families to meet the demand, adoption fees can be as much as half of what it costs for a baby of another race. I know this for a fact because I'm an adoptive parent. It has nothing to do with racism.

      December 21, 2011 at 12:53 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Hypatia

    Y'know, it was probably an overstock issue-often stores will discount items that are overstocked to move them quickly. I do think this entire article is slanted to create controversy where none was ever intended.

    December 21, 2011 at 12:06 pm | Report abuse |
  4. OregonTom

    This has nothing to do with race. They most likely ordered way more white dolls than they needed. That happens with lefty products, guitars for example.

    December 21, 2011 at 11:27 am | Report abuse |
  5. little gifts

    the price differnces is sad. though atlest there is a doll. where is the nativer american dolls? i know there are so few native americans its not profitable to make them. but hell atlest you have the option of getting a doll with your child skin tone. some of us never will.

    December 21, 2011 at 12:04 am | Report abuse |
    • speakthetruth

      American Girl makes a Native American doll named Kaya. She is priceless!

      December 21, 2011 at 12:21 pm | Report abuse |
      • Proud

        That's awesome IF you have the kind of money to spend on an American Girl Doll....
        Don't get me wrong I love they fact that they have all these different kind of Dolls at American Girl but their prices are insane!

        December 22, 2011 at 10:21 am | Report abuse |
  6. One+One=Too

    Here's something for ALL you racists, bigots and plain Fools. 7 Nov 2012 NEWSFLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIM OBAMA WINS RE-ELECTION BY LANDSLIDE!!

    That wiped the smiles right off your smug faces didn't it! HA, Ha HAAAA!

    December 20, 2011 at 9:15 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Guest

    Im surprised things like this even make it into the news.I cant believe that anyone who works anywhere would be stupid enough to enforce something so stupid.Even if the employee didnt have the authority to change the price,the manager at least should have.I know Ive taken initiative and made decisions myself while working jobs like this.Why corporate policy always goes against common sense Ill never know.

    December 20, 2011 at 9:13 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Charly

    Do they put the AA dolls on the back of the shelf?

    December 20, 2011 at 7:13 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Rachel

    I'm a white mom of two AA girls, and I will tell you that I usually see AA dolls in clearance while white dolls are full price. I take advantage of this and purchase many inexpensive AA dolls for my girls.

    December 20, 2011 at 6:07 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Heidi

    My daughter wanted the same doll – the white one. Even though I am latino and my husband european. I got her the hispanic one, simply because it's bilingual, while the white and black one speaks only english. Hasbro should make them all the same! And price them all the same!

    December 20, 2011 at 6:02 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Bigwilliestyles

    @ billyjo: white people already have beauty contests that are geared to whites: the 'Ms America and Ms Universe contests; they also have television stations geared to white content: CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, HBO, etc; and there are many National Associations for the Advancement of White People: they're known as the Ku Klux Klan. Happy now? Thought so.

    December 20, 2011 at 3:21 pm | Report abuse |
  12. mandy

    In my experience i often see the darker color dolls dicounted when the lighter color dolls are not. Supply and demand. My daughter just picks the doll she likes the looks of the most. So her dolls vary in color.

    December 20, 2011 at 3:19 pm | Report abuse |
  13. PepTalk

    Toys R Us sadly isn't the only store to do – if you go to Amazon.com, "My First Dollhouse (caucasian family)" is over $30 less than the one listed for African American families. It's disgustin.

    December 20, 2011 at 2:52 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Proud

    Honestly I think it's a shame. It's hard enough to find a black doll -and please don't even try to buy a mixed-race one if you don't plan on spending $100-. People come in all kinds of complexions and dolls should too (for the same price)!

    December 20, 2011 at 2:02 pm | Report abuse |
    • red

      I agree, it's a pain to find African American Cabbage Patch dolls in the stores... Online, they are priced higher and/or out of stock. Wanted one so badly for my daughter last year.. I had to settle for the newborn one without the hair.. Maybe next year I'll be more lucky.

      December 20, 2011 at 2:31 pm | Report abuse |
  15. JaneyS

    I wouldn't pay $30 for any doll in the first place. That is an outrageous price.
    I found a black Baby Alive doll at a yard sale for .50 cents. And I bought that for my white kids because they wanted a Baby Alive doll. I don't care what race the doll is, I'm gonna buy whatever is the cheapest because kids don't play with toys that long anyways.

    But seriously, $30-$45 for a fricking doll that was made in China for less than a dollar?!!!!!!! Insane!!!

    December 20, 2011 at 8:44 am | Report abuse |
    • whosurdaddy

      sad........ i paid 300$ doll for my kid and it was nothing really.

      December 20, 2011 at 9:09 am | Report abuse |
      • One+One=Too

        That's more than I paid for my first kid!

        December 20, 2011 at 8:49 pm | Report abuse |
    • Tate Murray

      i wouldnt pay a nickel fo no black doll. probably steal me blind then rape me and kill me in da mornin while smokin crack and cryin at da welfare office

      December 20, 2011 at 1:13 pm | Report abuse |
      • red

        You are a true definition of a bafoon...

        December 20, 2011 at 2:26 pm | Report abuse |
      • One+One=Too

        It should.

        December 20, 2011 at 8:50 pm | Report abuse |
    • Aditya

      I always amdried these dolls as I was growing up, though never received one. I forgot about them until I saw them at a Hallmark store. By then, my daughter was about to turn ten. With her 10th Birthday we began the tradition of ordering a large round cake and asking that the center be left blank so that we could place the doll in the center. I always line the bottom of the doll with foil and/or plastic. We have some beautiful pictures of her with her doll cake. She will turn 18 in February and I already have her new doll. We really panicked for her 16th birthday when production had stopped and I had to go on the internet to find one (unfortunately, it did not come until the week AFTER her BD).

      September 13, 2012 at 8:50 pm | Report abuse |
  16. Heather

    The only times I've ever seen dolls priced "by race" was when they were clearanced or accidentally overstocked and in those cases, I've seen it happen to all but Asian which are hard to find. I typically bought whatever doll was cutest and in my budget because I wanted my sisters and then my children to have dolls of all skin tones.

    December 20, 2011 at 8:15 am | Report abuse |
    • pedro

      thry better start making some Mxican dolls too im sick of this. aiways the black doll that starts trouble

      December 20, 2011 at 8:54 am | Report abuse |
      • Jenn

        I would like to know the explanation for the price differences. And these posts are ridiculous. If you are trying to teach a child self love and that your image is beautiful, then it needs to be reflected in all areas. I complained to wal-mart about not having any dolls of color. I noticed more dolls. I always buy my daughter black dolls and barbies etc.. It is my preference for my child. I think it sucks that the black doll was more.

        December 20, 2011 at 9:18 am | Report abuse |
      • lilly

        Jen are you racist because you want your child to have colored dolls? Or is that reserved for white people who want their children to have only white dolls? Why is it that when white people want to associate with their own kind its racism ,but its ok for blacks to have the same

        December 20, 2011 at 10:30 am | Report abuse |
      • Disgusted

        I totally agree lilly, black ppl only buy black dolls for their kids and its fine but then if white ppl do it is being racist. Whatever, sometimes black ppl are more racist than whites, they are so judgmental. And they look down on everyone who isn't black. Pls give it up.

        December 20, 2011 at 12:00 pm | Report abuse |
      • One+One=Too

        EHOUGH your mitching. 40 years ago there was no black anything. Forget about Latino. Superman was white, Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, no blacks in the Justice League of America, Casper, Barbie, Ken. Long Ranger, We had Cisco and Zorro for a minute but, it was plained the only thing black about them were their clothes. Theer were no black anything but the night. I dared you ask why would blacks want something for their kids that look like them. How dare you be so historically challenged and outsourced that you bemoan a people need to be represent in their own country. Give me a G+++amn Break!

        December 20, 2011 at 9:02 pm | Report abuse |
  17. mutou

    Maybe they could investigate WHY the prices are different? What's the point of this article without it?

    December 20, 2011 at 6:13 am | Report abuse |
    • mike

      Toys 'R' Us blamed a pricing error, and offered Taylor a $25 gift card

      December 20, 2011 at 7:57 am | Report abuse |
  18. Zipperneck

    ... I "axed her..."

    sheesshhh. Learn to speak, "dog"!

    December 20, 2011 at 5:53 am | Report abuse |
  19. lisa

    I wouldn't even spend that much on a darn doll! Use the money for something better. But I would have been mad if they weren't priced the same. Why should I have to spend more for a doll in my color? Regardless of supply and demand, it just doesn't seem fair.

    December 20, 2011 at 5:40 am | Report abuse |
  20. D L

    Office depot does the same thing with USB flash drives. Same type/ size, same manufacturer but different color. So this example is the same except it eliminates the question of race. So why does it happen? Because companies are run by people who may or may not know how to delight the customer. Don't like how they do business? Simple solution, just don't shop there. You make the decision on which stores you want to support. Legally there has been no crime. Ethically there are arguments for both sides so you can't win there either. Now be a good consumer and go use that gift card and forget the whole thing.

    December 20, 2011 at 2:37 am | Report abuse |
  21. Karl

    If the black doll were discounted, would someone instead make a stink about how it implies that african americans can't afford to pay full price for their toys?

    December 20, 2011 at 2:31 am | Report abuse |
    • lisa

      good point

      December 20, 2011 at 5:29 am | Report abuse |
  22. Shelly

    wah wah wah! I just paid twice as much for a doll house for white plastic family and the black family with the house was cheaper. Do you see me complaining. psh. no.

    December 20, 2011 at 12:58 am | Report abuse |
    • billyjo

      was the toy with the black plastic family the projects or like a low income housing thing? why was it less money? Racist toy company?

      December 20, 2011 at 1:06 am | Report abuse |
    • REV. AL SHARZZZZZPTON

      i demand that they raise the standard of living, and the price of black plastic families and houses.

      December 20, 2011 at 1:25 am | Report abuse |
  23. whosurdaddy

    IF you order 100000 white dolls and 10000 Black dolls from factory, these are the prices you will get. Stop telling people this is racism, its cost of making vs supply and demand.

    December 20, 2011 at 12:12 am | Report abuse |
    • alex

      You are correct. It's all about supply and demand. Perhaps the white doll wasn't selling well and they needed to drop the price. Do you really think a corporation like Toys R Us would actually make the decision to discount items based on race and lose major business as a result? People tend to overreact to this kind of stuff and jump to conclusions too quickly.

      December 20, 2011 at 8:31 pm | Report abuse |
  24. whosurdaddy

    Less demand leads to higher price, its simple.

    December 20, 2011 at 12:07 am | Report abuse |
    • billyjo

      um......nice try,..... but i think eco 101 says that if demand is high the price will increase...... if there is a surplus of goods.....because of low demand....... the price will drop lower until the surplus is cleared from inventory. so you will see the price of a purple car will be less then a more popular color..... because the demand for purple cars is lower then the demand for more popular colors...... wish i didn;t have to say it, but i have to call a spade a spade.....so to speak

      December 20, 2011 at 12:33 am | Report abuse |
      • alex

        If you have a large supply of something, that means you either ordered too much of it or it's not selling well. Either way, a price decrease is necessary in order to sell more of that item so you won't have a large supply anymore. The demand for the white dolls may have been low, not high. As a result, the price has to come down to match the demand. If the demand is low, then the supply is high; price must decrease.

        December 20, 2011 at 8:41 pm | Report abuse |
  25. Derek

    Its quite simple really: The black doll is going to cost more to make. How? Either they have machinery specially for the black doll that produces fewer dolls, thus the machine sits idle and is costing money, or they have to take time to switch their machinery over for the black dolls, which takes time and thus, money. Its not racism, its economics. Not to mention, if you have to have a certain race doll, you're going to pay what it costs, so they're going to charge what they can get, but if they changed the price of all their dolls, demand would go down. If you think race is bad, try paying the premium for left handed objects.

    December 20, 2011 at 12:03 am | Report abuse |
  26. billyjo

    i always get tricked up on the race question....on job apps, college admission applications, drivers licenses forms and so on...........but its really a trick question.......cuz the correct answer is...........HUMAN RACE..............EXCEPT FOR BLACK PEOPLE OF COURSE......

    December 19, 2011 at 11:41 pm | Report abuse |
    • eskimo

      sorry but.......HUMAN RACE, although it may be correct, is not an option

      December 19, 2011 at 11:55 pm | Report abuse |
    • mjg

      It is every interesting... the only doll my daughter wanted for xmas was a black man doll for her loving family dolls which I could not find until this week online and they are almost twice the cost of the white man and the black grandfather is twice as much as the black man- so NO black man- maybe after christmas.

      December 20, 2011 at 11:29 am | Report abuse |
  27. lacey

    http://www.marionstar.com/article/20111218/OPINION03/112180303/Church-isn-t-place-go-order-win-prizes

    December 19, 2011 at 10:56 pm | Report abuse |
  28. Ecost dweller

    The Black Doll is what I have gotten but not From Toys R Us. And to all of you so called "race is not an issue" people. It should not be but it is. Biracial is seen as most people in this country as a light skin black person. Still Black, just remember that. Look at how the so called non racists treat our bi racial president.

    December 19, 2011 at 10:45 pm | Report abuse |
    • marketeer

      if a store has the exact same style of shoes, in four different colors and one color is not selling well. they cannot put just one color shoe on sale to move it, without putting the others on sale too?? hmmmmm i wonder.

      December 19, 2011 at 11:13 pm | Report abuse |
      • Disgusted

        I have been to many stores that have the same shoe in different colors and only one color is on sale. Stop playing the race card. Get over it. Black ppl always think that everyone is discriminating them. Are you serious its just a doll. No one is being racist, get over the race thing.

        December 20, 2011 at 12:26 am | Report abuse |
      • billyjo

        oh yes, and that 2012 purple cadilac escalade with 22 inch rims .......will probably cost less then A BLACK ONE too.... by the way........ look out GM the race card is coming your way.....lol

        December 20, 2011 at 12:51 am | Report abuse |
      • Muse

        I've worked in retail before and we put only certain colors on sale ALL the time, because that specific color didn't sell. Just sayin'.

        December 20, 2011 at 1:08 pm | Report abuse |
  29. lacey

    they are all made in china and shold be boycotted for that, so what if one was more than the other, tires are all black but cost different based on size/tread design. next they will have qu33r babies in stores, they will be dirt cheap cause no one will want those little f@gs.

    December 19, 2011 at 10:33 pm | Report abuse |
  30. alimonyjones

    To all those who read this far: 99.99% of you who use the word "racist" actually mean "bigoted". True racists are rare squared. Just sayin'.

    December 19, 2011 at 10:14 pm | Report abuse |
    • billyjo

      Well im going to have a talk with the racists...... who run the "Miss Black America ".... contest.... or the racists who run "Black Entertainment Television" B.E.T.....and the ones which run the NAACP......I wonder what would happen if you changed the black references to WHITE....IN SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS OR COMPANIES?????????

      December 19, 2011 at 10:44 pm | Report abuse |
      • marketeer

        the answer to that question is easy, Race Riot. Burn the town, loot the stores, free for all..lol

        December 19, 2011 at 11:23 pm | Report abuse |
      • Whodat

        Actually, white people do own BET
        And at one point, Miss America contests banned anyone who wasnt whtie

        December 20, 2011 at 4:19 am | Report abuse |
  31. ariiialis

    This is crazy why would it be $44.99 when the other one is $10 off

    December 19, 2011 at 9:28 pm | Report abuse |
    • billyjo

      After some careful consideration I have concluded that the black doll cost more because of taxes.....Toys R Us is probably trying to recoupe some of the Obama care tax dollars they spend on third employees........????

      December 19, 2011 at 9:57 pm | Report abuse |
      • Ocie

        "Third employees" can't be eating up all of the "Obama care tax dollars" with their 12% of the population selves. Do the math before you get folks mad at people for no good reason.

        December 19, 2011 at 10:33 pm | Report abuse |
  32. peleka

    I certainly applaud that mother for bringing it to the "Toys R Us" attention. I wouldve done the same myself. I'm a pacific-islander mother with a fair complexion. Why should I have to pay more for exactly the same item?! Times are tough nowadays and every penny helps. Happy holidays to that mother for speaking out. Bah-Humbug to TOYS r US!!

    December 19, 2011 at 9:02 pm | Report abuse |
    • MazeAndBlue

      My first thought was supply and demand. Simple economics! Then after my wife and I discussed this issue. My thoughts are ?????? Just don't know.

      December 19, 2011 at 9:18 pm | Report abuse |
  33. sonic10158

    does it cost more because the black doll's paint (or whatever they do differently in manufacturing to give it the other color) is more expensive to make than the white doll's paint (or whatever they do differently in manufacturing to give it the other color), or does it cost more because the seller hates the idea of diverse dolls?

    December 19, 2011 at 8:57 pm | Report abuse |
  34. wallace

    Why did cnn even cover this? Also, the black girl code thing also? Perhaps to stir the racist pot. Which always works BTW. Heck, I would like cnn to investigate the effects of affirmative action on white males that had just graduated college and could not find a job cause of their color? Yes it was discrimination in its purest form.

    December 19, 2011 at 8:41 pm | Report abuse |
    • lisa

      CNN likes to do this Race in America bit and define America by a skin color. CNN is very racist and pro-illegal immigration. Seems to me they like to stir the pot. They will never run a story on white men because it doesn't stir the pot enough for them.

      December 20, 2011 at 5:34 am | Report abuse |
      • Corry

        was that comment aimed at me??? If so then u need to get a sense of what is going on boefre commenting. My comment was a response to jocoman22 s. The statement about youtube is made by the devil was a sarcastic one but I guess u didn’t get that. Atheists don’t believe in god so they don’t believe in the devil ergo they don’t make everything about the devil. Looks like u need to read more and educate yourself boefre commenting. This way u won't be speechless. I'm not kidding u.

        April 18, 2012 at 6:19 am | Report abuse |
  35. Jim Baker

    Ok I gotta say, this is warmongering on CNN's part. And you people still in uproar about it, all of you are racist. There was a specific amount of dolls to be sold at the discount prIce. They had both Black and White dolls. These dolls, given a specific count, were given a specific UPC code, which will tell the clerk this doll is on sale. In an attempt to keep the shelves stocked, someone stocked the uncoded dolls right next to the coded ones. It just so happenes THE BLACK DOLLS AT DISCOUNT HAD SOLD OUT!!! thus leaving the white discounted dolls. Since they were understocked on black dolls, THEY STOCKED THEM.

    So seriously, STFU with all the racist crap, and CNN, you need to pull these warmongering topics and questions like, "Would you pay more for a black doll?" Its not the cause, its not racist, its numbers. Get off your damn high horses.

    December 19, 2011 at 8:04 pm | Report abuse |
  36. ill

    where the "HЄLL NO! AND FȖϾK THAT STORE CHAIN FOREVER" choice?
    im actually surprised they went with the "pricing error" bullѕhіt, i thought it'd be them blaming it adding color cost more bullѕhіt

    December 19, 2011 at 7:48 pm | Report abuse |
    • billyjo

      Well.....paint does cost money.....the White dolls shouldn't have to pay for it........like in real life

      December 19, 2011 at 7:51 pm | Report abuse |
      • TheKraken

        Wait a minute, white people don't have to pay for paint in real life? THAT'S ABSURD. WHITE PEOPLE ALWAYS GET HAND ME OUTS. ALWAYS GETTING THEIR PAINT.

        I.AM.THE.43%

        December 19, 2011 at 8:16 pm | Report abuse |
  37. Gordon Kamish

    The black doll comes with the "Velvet Jones" book.

    December 19, 2011 at 7:13 pm | Report abuse |
    • billyjo

      It's doll discrimination ....... wait..is that unconst

      itutional now too?

      December 19, 2011 at 7:46 pm | Report abuse |
  38. TheKraken

    I'LL PAY YOU ONE THOUSAND DOLLA TO MAKE A TOY RACE OF KLINGONS!

    I'll also pay TWO THOSAND DOLLA FOR BARBIE DOLLS WITH REALISTIC CROTCHES.

    December 19, 2011 at 6:53 pm | Report abuse |
    • billyjo

      I don't see a problem....black dolls should cost more...cuz they're so special ....

      December 19, 2011 at 7:04 pm | Report abuse |
    • billyjo

      How much is the, "don't ask....don't tell". GI Joe doll..in black?

      December 19, 2011 at 7:09 pm | Report abuse |
      • Ocie

        Ha! Good one! 🙂

        December 19, 2011 at 10:37 pm | Report abuse |
  39. Charly

    I don't get it, if the black doll costs more doesn't that mean the store views it as being more valuable? So what is the compaint? I mean, there would have been a serious uproar if they charged more for the white doll.

    December 19, 2011 at 6:45 pm | Report abuse |
    • ill

      where the "HЄLL NO! AND FUϾK THAT STORE CHAIN FOREVER" choice?
      im actually surprised they went with the "pricing error" bullshіt, i thought it'd be them blaming it adding color cost more bullshіt

      December 19, 2011 at 7:45 pm | Report abuse |
    • nik

      This is because people are racists. Does it matter whether the doll is black or white? No. The only people who care about this sort of nonsense are racist people who can't just GET OVER the difference in melanin. It means nothing, stop making it mean something.

      December 19, 2011 at 7:46 pm | Report abuse |
      • Ocie

        Means nothing until YOU can't afford to buy a doll for YOUR kid, instead of SOMEONE ELSE can't affort to buy a doll for THEIRS. And yes, $10 can make it impossible for some people to buy a doll in this economy. Try patching together a living off of 3 part time jobs and losing one of them right before Christmas and see how YOU feel about $10 AFTER THAT. That would be like taking your paycheck now and cutting into 3 pieces and throwing one piece into a flaming trash can right in front of your face, NOW, let's make everything you buy cost TWICE AS MUCH and that's what it's like living right near poverty level. See the $10 problem now, I hope. And, if it is only one race that has to put up with it, it leaves it looking like the folk's with the more expensive of-color-dolls are the only one's that have been slighted AGAIN, and during the holiday's with the kids too where it's really gonna hurt.

        December 19, 2011 at 10:43 pm | Report abuse |
  40. russ

    It jus isn't toys r us cause they were selling the same dolls on amazon and the african american dolls were priced higher. It wasn't an oversight and its plain and simple racism!

    December 19, 2011 at 6:32 pm | Report abuse |
    • Upset in CA

      So the black doll costs more – big whoop. Ever heard of suppy and demand? Amazon uses dynamic pricing – as a matter of fact, you'll get a different price then the guy on comp next to you if you have cookies. I can't speak to Toys R Us, but Amazon runs algorithms to determine the best price to move inventory and make a profit. Sorry if someone finds it offiensive that a price difference emerges because not enough people are buying white dolls.

      December 19, 2011 at 8:46 pm | Report abuse |
      • alex

        Sorry if someone finds it offiensive that a price difference emerges because not enough people are buying white dolls.

        I couldn't agree more with the sentence above. The people complaining that this is a race issue have race issues themselves.

        December 20, 2011 at 8:51 pm | Report abuse |
  41. roadwarrior

    ho ho ho

    December 19, 2011 at 6:21 pm | Report abuse |
  42. roadwarrior

    and to all a goodnight

    December 19, 2011 at 6:18 pm | Report abuse |
  43. Heather

    ...I bet a white santa at that walmart would of been priced differently, since I doubt it was a 'hot' selling item....

    December 19, 2011 at 6:15 pm | Report abuse |
  44. roadwarrior

    i could not have said it better myself best wishes to you and have a merrychristmas

    December 19, 2011 at 6:14 pm | Report abuse |
  45. Heather

    Another example. Do u notice how some stores have more xmas stuff then jewish stuff in some places? Why do u think that is? Do u think the manager of the store is racist against jewish people? NO, its called what will sell and what won't. I one time was in Maryland, walked into a Walmart and there was nothing but Black Santas, Black Baby Jesus' and such, I didn't feel discriminated against, I just took one good look around and realized I (being white) was the minority of this area.

    December 19, 2011 at 6:13 pm | Report abuse |
    • Ocie

      But if you were just as free as everybody else to the "black santa", "black Baby Jesus" dolls, etc. nobody was making it harder for you to get what you want and easier for them to get what they want–just cause of something nobody can change once they realize people don't like it, RACE. If either you or them wanted different y'all both had to pay the same price at the same different store, so no difference. If that's the case,I don't blame you for not being mad.

      December 19, 2011 at 10:48 pm | Report abuse |
      • Ocie

        Also, if you were a poor white single mom trying to make her kids happy and the white nativity scene beside the black one was like $10 more expensive, every black single mom who wanted to make her kids happy could afford it, and you couldn't. Now when you think about how that would make YOU feel if it were YOU instead of how THEY should feel as THEM–or how You would feel if you WERE THEM–maybe you can see why people are upset when it's THEIR doll and not YOURS that is harder to come by. 🙂

        December 19, 2011 at 10:52 pm | Report abuse |
  46. b .tut

    The world is not fair. If my daughter wanted that doll ,i would buy it.no matter if the doll was white,black.tan I dont have alot of money .i wake up every day wondering if im gonna still have a job and if I have enough money to pay my bills. Its not about the color of the doll . Its about our love ones. To put a smile on a llittle girl or boy face. That would be pricleess to me. Have a nice holiday !!

    December 19, 2011 at 6:09 pm | Report abuse |
  47. roadwarrior

    if this country is so racist then more to iran

    December 19, 2011 at 6:07 pm | Report abuse |
  48. Heather

    I worked retail for a long time and I know for a fact that pricing is based on demographics. Major companies produce the same or similar items for all their stores, as an example, we sold ethnic hair products but majority of our customers were white, so we sold the ethnic products at higher price since the items didn't move off the shelves as often, they still wanted to make a profit BUT if u went 2 towns over and bought that same ethnic product at the same store it would be cheaper cause the customers were mostly ethnic rather than white. Its not racist its how it is. Its based on where the store is located and who their customers are, can't get mad at the company for trying to make a profit, isn't that what corporate america is about?!?? $$$$....

    December 19, 2011 at 6:07 pm | Report abuse |
    • Confused

      Your scenario does not make sense. If you have the same identical items for different races in a predominately caucasian area, it would make more sense profit wise to sell the items designed specifically for caucasians at the higher price due to making more money and those items moving faster. The items for the other ethnic groups would not move as fast and therefor there is no reason to have the price higher. The object of any retail store is to still move merchandise, not let it sit on the shelf at a higher price.

      December 19, 2011 at 7:07 pm | Report abuse |
      • Chris

        The discounted price allows more movement in the stock which if that is the aim to get the item to sell, the demographic consumers think they are getting a bargain at the discount price and this purchase the discounted item. More volume of merchandise but same profit in dollars.

        December 19, 2011 at 7:15 pm | Report abuse |
  49. bubba

    Gotspraypaint?

    December 19, 2011 at 6:02 pm | Report abuse |
  50. Xavier Pattonson

    They should be able to charge what they want. I thougt the enlightened were beyond skin color.

    December 19, 2011 at 5:36 pm | Report abuse |
  51. Raasray

    I would have paid more for the better doll. No prob.

    December 19, 2011 at 5:29 pm | Report abuse |
    • Shabbacon

      Better doll? another racist loser..

      December 19, 2011 at 5:35 pm | Report abuse |
  52. imaguard

    The pricing was an honest mistake. It's not a cover-up, or a conspiracy, or an overt act of racism. It was a mistake; plain and simple. To declare or think otherwise is much more racist that the mistake itself.

    December 19, 2011 at 5:26 pm | Report abuse |
  53. Meagan

    I had the opposite experience a while back. My daughters wanted baby dolls for their birthday. When I went to TRU, all the black babies were on sale (or maybe it was clearance, can't remember) and all the white babies were on full price. I asked an employee and she said that the black babies don't sell well, so they have been marked down. I think this whole story is about supply and demand and not racism.

    December 19, 2011 at 5:24 pm | Report abuse |
    • TheKraken

      Meagan, you sicken me. You illegally let your daughter buy babies? What kind of TRU do you go to? Selling babies and all. Sick. You should have reported that TRU to the authorties/BBB. 😛

      I kid, I kid!

      December 19, 2011 at 6:33 pm | Report abuse |
      • Jester

        Try buying someone now. Bury those days, they're not coming back.

        December 19, 2011 at 10:02 pm | Report abuse |
    • Luise

      I have been buying Josef dolls over the past 25 years. It all staretd with my two nieces who have complete sets including the graduation and wedding dolls. I now have two daughters that I buy the dolls for. My oldest is 17 and my youngest is 13. This is daddy's special birthday present to each one every year and they look forward to getting them and reading the message on the doll. It has become such a tradition that if I hide the doll until the last present they start asking where their doll is. All of their friends love to look at them and have a little bit of envy because they are so pretty and will last a lifetime. The above comments are from a dad that loves to see the twinkle in his daughters eyes each year they open their Josef dolls on their birthday. I only wish Josef would start making the graduation doll again. My oldest will graduate in 2010.Greg Brown, a doting father

      September 13, 2012 at 7:35 pm | Report abuse |
  54. AR

    I'm neither black or white, but I wouldn't buy at Toys'R'us if I was that mother. There is never an oversight or oops in a corporate world. The fact that they charge differently for a different looking toy, is outrageous. All of thos readers that colored people are paranoid and also find racism, are correct. It's because it exists!

    December 19, 2011 at 5:17 pm | Report abuse |
    • Priscila

      i used to pin a heart on my sleeve to nemird myself that i talk too much. originally i'd had differen't states of the hearts like spazzing and bummed and amped, but since i'm not an emo kid i just used the one [which is bad enough].point of story: emotion dolls, pretty good idea. just don't get angular bangs that cover half your face and start listening to thrice or i WILL hit you.

      April 19, 2012 at 10:36 pm | Report abuse |
  55. devan

    I would have bought the damn doll and went on with my life.

    December 19, 2011 at 5:07 pm | Report abuse |
  56. Professor Trollworth

    OMG! Obviously racist! There is 0% chance this was done for non-racist reasons such as pricing errors or because they had too much stock of one particular model or anything else. Racist!!!!!! Everyone should boycott the store and never buy anything from them again even if they take additional corrective action.

    December 19, 2011 at 5:05 pm | Report abuse |
    • 2for1

      This was not RACIST, this was an error. Get it straight. And to be perfectly honest, I can't even imagine how much uproar there would be if the Hispanic/Black dolls were marked LESS than the Caucasian dolls. People need to find better things to worry about.

      December 19, 2011 at 5:18 pm | Report abuse |
      • IHateLies

        2for1... parent post was being sarcastic.

        December 19, 2011 at 6:03 pm | Report abuse |
  57. LauraS

    This isn't about one doll costing more than another. It's about one item being marked on sale and the other not. This is a problem with quite a lot of items at most stores. I recently went to two Toys R Us stores looking for some particular toys. There were 'sale' prices that didn't correlate and even no pricing on the shelf for two of the the items I wanted. And, FIVE employees I talked to couldn't figure out what going on. It's called incompetence not racism.

    December 19, 2011 at 4:58 pm | Report abuse |
  58. roadwarrior

    when ever something doesnt go they way a person of anorther race weather it be black hispanic and so forth its called racist all of cry babies get over it
    it

    December 19, 2011 at 4:57 pm | Report abuse |
    • Andrei

      For the last 21 years, our family has been cotnlclieg josef dolls. Now, it is time for me to start 2 more collections for my granddaughters. We are so excited to keep up the tradition started by my mother-in-law from Brooklyn. NY.Thank you,MargaretManalapan, NJ

      September 14, 2012 at 7:04 am | Report abuse |
  59. marisa

    Im sorry but what has this world come to. I can see the persons point about one being more expensive than the other. I see this all the time with various items. But i'm sure if the black/hispanic doll were cheaper people would be screaming racism and the naacp would be all over this. I did get a small chuckle off this because there are much more important things in this world, to read this article on cnn is nuts.

    December 19, 2011 at 4:55 pm | Report abuse |
  60. bookratt

    Fewer black dolls are purchased, but the cost to produce either a white or black doll is the same. To be able to make money, the maker must charge more for the doll which has far fewer sales.

    That's business, not racism.

    If people want the price of black dolls to come down, then they need to buy more black dolls, so that the businesses which make them can sell them at a lower price.

    Supply/demand. Cost to make/Sales price needed to make a profit. Businesses are in business to make money, not friends.

    Never confuse business with friendship, and never confuse someone trying to sell you something with someone who has your best interest at heart.

    December 19, 2011 at 4:23 pm | Report abuse |
    • TheKraken

      Supply and demand. But then again isn't it hard to make a doll of another race when you are not sure how it will sale? In atlanta, there are a lot of middle class blacks, more than other parts of the country. This is a rare expception, as many other cities will have the reverse problem. In general for Toys R Us the white dolls are a bigger seller THROUGH THE COUNTRY and the higher price is to help keep the white dolls moving.

      December 19, 2011 at 4:30 pm | Report abuse |
    • huh?

      Really Bookratt? Mostly Black children want Black dolls. Black people are a minority in America....so shouldn't the manufacturers take that into consideration? Don't make so many if there is a concern that they will not be sold. If this country weren't so racist, then maybe white children would want the black dolls too and it wouldn't be an issue. Researching the demographics where they are sold might be helpful as well.

      December 19, 2011 at 5:09 pm | Report abuse |
      • Lex

        Taking my Puerto Rican kid and Asian goddaughter to the store. Guess we're just going to buy the white doll cause its cheaper. That's the scam they're trying to run. So the next generation can inherit the racism that are instilled into us.

        December 19, 2011 at 10:19 pm | Report abuse |
      • mjg

        my daughter is white but diffenitly wants a black man for her doll house

        December 20, 2011 at 11:49 am | Report abuse |
    • Kattie

      It's not just business, it's discrimination. You have 2 identical dolls, they do the same thing and serve the same purpose and one is cheaper is wrong!!!! Toys R Us said it was policy to price the dolls at the same price despite of the color. They failed to do that. I blame poor management for this!!!! It's managment's job to ensure everything is priced correctly. They failed to do so. Many companys have policies like that to make sure discrimination is not goin on to their customers as well as employees. If they didn't they would have room for possible lawsuits.

      December 19, 2011 at 5:15 pm | Report abuse |
  61. southern_gent_from_mississippi

    Seems like just another racist black person thinking theyre owed something simply because theyre black. The doll she wanted wasnt on sale so she chose to make a foolish scene like many racist blacks folks do these days. Whats next for her? A trip to her local supermarket where she wants a case of pepsi but only coca-cola is on sale?

    December 19, 2011 at 4:17 pm | Report abuse |
    • TheKraken

      Ironically, you're the racist one here because you are making this into a big race thing. You're stereotyping and the same reason why issues like this keep in the news.Just. Stop.

      December 19, 2011 at 4:25 pm | Report abuse |
    • TRUTH

      Where in the article did it say she made a foolish scene? Sounds like she asked a question, got an answer, and left. And as for your sorry a$$ example, Coca cola and Pespsi are two different brands idiot. The dolls in question were the same brand. Your commentary was racist, ignoran, and just plain dumb....much like you are.

      December 19, 2011 at 5:17 pm | Report abuse |
  62. joe

    that was a very poor job by toys r us. if you take care of the customer you won't have a article about you put out there for the world to see. This was obviously an innocent error that could have been corrected by anyone with any common sense. now its been blown up and disected. anyone complaining or defending the price has no clue, in most case sale prices are applied to all styles just as toys r us said. the fact that it didn't doesn't mean anyone is racist. but not understanding the sensitivity of the situation and not giving the customer the sale price was extremely poorjudgement.

    December 19, 2011 at 4:13 pm | Report abuse |
  63. atcdude11

    it always boils down to race sad

    December 19, 2011 at 4:13 pm | Report abuse |
  64. Booo

    My mother once told me about this when I was a little girl. I'm biracial and I had dolls of all colors. I already had a white cabbage patch doll and I wanted a newer style one black so "they could play together." I was disappointed when I got another white one. My mom said the black one was more expensive. You all can cry post-racial nonsense all you want, but little girls who like to play mommy want dolls that look like what they see in the mirror. I never had that because my dolls were either very white or very black (which is another problem in itself, to me). I'm glad the mother was able to get the doll and it is wrong to sell the same doll of two races for two different prices.

    December 19, 2011 at 4:13 pm | Report abuse |
  65. Ohsotired

    Perhaps the store was overstocked with white dolls and discounted them. This happens frequently for many items. Lotions with specifics scents, clothing, nail polish, flooring in specific colors don't sell as well so are discounted to reduce stock. Perhaps the buyer ordered too many of the white doll which can be the case for the items listed above although you won't see an article written about them.

    That said, Toys'R'Us should have seen the price variable would create backlash and priced all the dolls equally to avoid even the suggestion of inequality.

    December 19, 2011 at 3:51 pm | Report abuse |
    • TheKraken

      I can imagine now. If slavery ever comes back, "but this is not fair. Why are all the white slaves cheaper?" "There are over 100 million of you...so......we gotta bulk discount":P

      December 19, 2011 at 4:22 pm | Report abuse |
      • Ohsotired

        No retailer wants stock that they have paid for left on the shelves. If after running reports you as the retailer note that a particular item is not moving – discount it. Its not rocket science, its retail for cryin' out loud.

        December 19, 2011 at 10:13 pm | Report abuse |
  66. TheKraken

    I don't really care much. I'll get my kid (once I graduate and have one, that is) any doll they want and race probaly won't matter. This is opposite of what I've seen, as many places have the white dolls the most expensive an the black....discounted. Really depends on supply and demand people. They want BOTH the black doll AND the white dolls sold as much as possible. The only color that matters is green (or the respective color of your monetary materials).

    Of course, I had this one experience working at Toys R Us where the lady was upset because only the black dolls were left.....in a wealthy white area. So much for diversity.

    Then again, where is our: Asian, Native American, Indian, Pakistani, Arab, Russian, Colombian, French, Jewish, Irisish, Italian and several other dolls? Racists....:P

    December 19, 2011 at 3:50 pm | Report abuse |