I saw my first actual Liv doll (as opposed to a picture on the net) in a toy shop just before Christmas. She was in the middle of the doorway, obviously so everyone could see her because she was new and special. But I was shopping for nephews and neices and she wasn't on my shopping list so I thought 'interesting' and walked on. One of my friends bought the Boutique Window set as a present for her daughter but told me it was a Barbie set so I don't think that special display made much impact.
But now Christmas is over and I have time to wander and look and so a few weeks ago, I was in our nearest Toys'R'Us store. Now I had time to explore and I found - Liv dolls. Not many - the choice was between a set with Alexis and her dog (and her eyes were set so she looked a bit cross-eyed) and Schools Out Katie. But at $10, Schools Out Katie was good value. You could also buy extra wigs for $5 - they only had pink. And they had some playsets - the scooter, the drum set and the Boutique Windows set. So I bought Katie and a wig.
It was only later that my daughter (who is also my photographer) said I should have bought the Boutique
Windows set as she could have used it for some good photos.
Our nearest Toys'R'Us isn't that near so it was a couple of weeks before we went back there. Naturally they had sold out! So I thought I would check out the other local stores that sell dolls:
K-mart and Target - no Liv's.
Toyland - which is where I saw Liv first. Here we had a choice of Katie with two extra wigs marked down from $34.99 to $13.99 or $10.99 if the box was damaged, or Schools Out Daniela marked down from $24.99 to $13.99. (I wasn't tempted.) The only other Liv items were these:
also heavily marked down. In fact, it looked to me like a final clearance of an item which will not be stocked again. We'll see.
Big W - here there was the whole range of female Schools Out dolls - all on the clearance rack marked down from $13 to $10. No other Liv items.
So I haven't got the Boutique Windows set (which for some reason is being sold here as a Fashion Design set) yet. But I did end up with another Liv doll.
I couldn't resist as she reminded me of a girl I know and I couldn't leave her on the shelf. She has been renamed Raquel in her honour.
So will Liv be easy to buy in Australia? At the moment, I don't think so. Will I ever get the Boutique set? We'll have to see.
Yes, it is sad that the Livs were discontinued but in one sense they never even made it to Australia. We only ever got the first female dolls, none of the later dolls and no boys and they were never really promoted here at all. However, you can still find the odd doll for sale on the bottom shelf of some of the smaller toy shops here.
ReplyDeleteI just picked up a Liv Doll at our local Salvos..she is beautiful..the articulating joints and the glass eyes..why did this doll not do well. I am now looking around for more..nothing here in Aus..have to go US or UK...so sad really. xxA
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, Liv just didn't survive. Not just in Australia but in the US as well although there were a number of series of Liv dolls released over there which never made it here which was also sad. They were lovely dolls, beautifully made and so poseable but I guess Barbie (and Monster High) had the market cornered so they couldn't compete.
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