This will make you laugh....WAL-MART:

Direct link to photo:
http://cannellefraiche.bratzheaven.com/photos/WalmartBratzP4FS09CLER.jpg

Wal-Mart? WAL-MART????? WAL-MART?!?!?!! Is this some kind of sick joke? WAL-MART??!!??!!??!!!!

All right, so what in the world happened? How did Wal-Mart, of all places, end up selling Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden, after it was reported on this Bratz Heaven Blog that Wal-Mart would no longer be carrying the Bratz License Modular Merchandise after July 2009? How did Wal-Mart, of all places, end up selling Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden after I observed at other Wal-Mart stores that the Bratz aisles at those stores were in the process of being removed and replaced with other doll brands manufactured by other toy companies? And finally, what the God-damn hell took Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden so long to FINALLY appear on store shelves?

First, check out these three entries I posted on my Bratz Heaven Blog:

Wal-Mart No Longer Selling Bratz After July 2009 (04.20.2009):
http://cannellefraiche.bratzheaven.com/b2evolution/blog1.php?p=13

Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden (04.23.2009):
(Blog entry not available due to database crash)

Wal-Mart: Different Store, Same Old Story (04.26.2009):
http://cannellefraiche.bratzheaven.com/b2evolution/blog1.php?p=16

I started my Bratz Heaven Blog on April 17, 2009. This blog is the first of its kind devoted to news, commentary, and other miscellaneous information supporting the ONLY girls with a passion for fashion — and, it's less than two weeks old. Yet, my Bratz Heaven Blog has already started making an impact: The news about Wal-Mart no longer selling Bratz after July, as well as the entry about why Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Sabina and Dresden were impossible to find anywhere, generated an enormous response.

Originally, Wal-Mart was not going to sell Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden, because of the company no longer carrying the Bratz License Modular Merchandise after July 2009. And, at many Wal-Mart stores I visited, I noticed the Bratz aisles gradually shrinking, with many Bratz products and collections being removed from the shelves. I even posted a copy of the Bratz Gooseneck Signing that I smuggled out of a Wal-Mart store in Whitehall, Pennsylvania and that contained information about Wal-Mart discontinuing the Bratz License Modular Merchandise:

http://cannellefraiche.bratzheaven.com/photos/WalmartNoBratzAfterJuly2009Large.jpg

This was confidential information that Wal-Mart did not want anyone to know. However, given the serious nature and circumstances for the future of Bratz, I literally wanted to blow it up in Wal-Mart's face regarding the dirty little secret it did not want anyone to know about Bratz after July 2009.

It looks as though Wal-Mart (or several people affiliated with the company) came across my Bratz Heaven Blog and read those blog entries mentioned above — specifically, the entries about Wal-Mart no longer selling Bratz after July. In an attempt at damage control, Wal-Mart decided to take immediate action and rectify the situation. Not only is Wal-Mart selling Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden at some of the 4,200+ stores in the United States, but there is also a possibility that Wal-Mart is considering renewing the Bratz License Modular Merchandise and selling all the Bratz products and collections for Fall 2009. If Wal-Mart does renew the license, I will definitely keep you all posted.

Of course, I do not really deserve all the credit. The real credit goes to Target, which was to have sold Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden sometime during mid- to late March. According to one of my contacts at MGA Entertainment, Target canceled most of their orders for Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden and sent the shipments back to the company, citing Bratz sales not meeting expectations for the retailer to order more Bratz product lines for the remainder of the spring season (this is not an indication that Target is not selling this collection outright — they may still be selling Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden, but not at all stores and not as much stock as initially planned). Wal-Mart bought up those shipments of Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden that Target sent back to MGA Entertainment and is now selling this collection at their stores.

I do not expect Wal-Mart to admit that the reasons for this sudden about face regarding Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden were because of this Bratz Heaven Blog. After all, Wal-Mart is a very LARGE corporation that cares more about the bottom line. However, if Wal-Mart decides to renew the Bratz License Modular Merchandise and sell the Bratz products and collections for Fall 2009 at all 4,200+ stores in the United States, you can say that this blog definitely played an integral part in their decision.

Bear in mind that Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden had a very reduced production run, because of legal fees and other monetary issues due to the ongoing litigation against Mattel, as well as the December 3, 2008 injunction (modified 27 days later to allow MGA Entertainment to continue selling Bratz through 2009). MGA Entertainment is not making any more of the Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden dolls, so whatever production was manufactured before the December 3, 2008 injunction is what is being sold. Therefore:

I am elated that I finally found Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden at a retailer here in the United States — after the excruciating and brutal torture I endured trying to find it! And not just a retailer in the United States, but a retailer in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I even went so far as to "prove" that Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden were so difficult to find that I traveled 216 (!) miles to a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Clearfield, Pennsylvania and purchased the collection there. I have never in my entire life endured an experience such as this before, and it will not be long before I endure this experience again, since the Bratz products and collections for Fall 2009 will be very difficult to find in stores when they are released this summer. Despite that MGA Entertainment sent me Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden at the end of March, I was happy that I got this collection, but I felt as though I did not really do anything to get it. I wanted to actually walk into a store such as Wal-Mart or Toys R Us and find Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden in stock, rather than take the easy road and have MGA Entertainment send this collection to me. It took a lot of hard work, as well as a lot of patience, to finally get Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden. For that, I have to thank MGA Entertainment, my wonderful Mom, and a lot of other people for making it all happen.

Most importanly, I have to thank Target — even though it was for all the wrong reasons. Based on Target's track record with selling Bratz in 2009, it was expected that Target Corporation would take this initiative to cancel selling Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden at most of the 1,600+ Target stores in the United States. Target has abused Bratz in the most nastiest and most appalling manner I have ever seen, all in an effort to prevent consumers from purchasing Bratz and to justify their "bad Bratz sales." And because of Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden, it is official: I am finished with Target. Target has never supported Bratz, and this retailer's actions represent the final verdict on their hatred toward Bratz and toward MGA Entertainment. I will never again shop at Target for Bratz, and I hope that what I accomplished with obtaining Bratz Passion 4 Fashion Spring 2009 Sabina and Dresden encourages Bratz fans to avoid Target and purchase their Bratz dolls elsewhere.

Mr. Larian and MGA Entertainment: PLEASE DO NOT SELL ANY BRATZ PRODUCTS AND COLLECTIONS TO TARGET EVER AGAIN. THAT ESPECIALLY INCLUDES THE BRATZ PRODUCTS AND COLLECTIONS FOR FALL 2009. Enough is enough. TARGET SUCKS.

One other point I should also mention is that when I am referring to Target, I am referring to the Target stores in the United States — NOT the Target stores in Australia. Target Australia has absolutely no affiliation with Target Corporation US, and that's a good thing: For all I know, the Bratz aisles at the Target stores in Australia are a lot better than the Bratz aisles at the Target stores in the United States.

Wal-Mart Contact Information: http://www.walmartstores.com/7663.aspx

Document obtained from the Wal-Mart store in Piscataway, New Jersey (and a very special thank you to my wonderful Mom, who faxed this document to me).

Related blog entry: Wal-Mart No Longer Selling Bratz After July 2009 (04.20.2009):
http://cannellefraiche.bratzheaven.com/b2evolution/blog1.php?p=13

Larger View:
http://cannellefraiche.bratzheaven.com/photos/WalmartNoBratzAfterJuly2009_02Large.jpg

Apparently, this is Wal-Mart's dirty little secret about Bratz that the company did not want anyone to know. However, isn't it obvious that there are a LOT of dirty little secrets Wal-Mart doesn't want anyone to know? Given the serious nature and circumstances for the future of Bratz, this is certainly one dirty little secret that has Mattel's pink stink written all over it.

If consumers didn't get it then, they better get it now: Mattel and its Thief Operating Officer (and worthless scumbag) Robert Eckert want to obliterate any and every doll brand in existence, forcing consumers to purchase Barbie. Manipulating retailers such as Wal-Mart to no longer sell Bratz is one of many activities that Mattel is utilizing to accomplish its goal of "killing" Bratz. And, you can be rest assured that there are other retailers Mattel will manipulate and wield its influence on so that they, too, empty out their Bratz sections and not sell any merchandise with the Bratz name on them.

Okay, so Mattel wants me to purchase a Barbie doll. Mattel believes that I have been deceived by the Bratz hype for the past few years and wants me to rediscover what makes Barbie the so-called "#1 Fashion Doll And Property In The Entire Universe." Fine, I'll purchase a Barbie doll — so I can burn it in my fireplace, capture the entire thing on my digital camera, and post it on YouTube. Other than that, NO WAY, NO HOW, NO BARBIE.

And because of Wal-Mart's astonishing decision to no longer sell Bratz after July 2009, Mattel has made its intentions clear: Eliminating competition through multi-million dollar lawsuits is more important than investing that same money (and time) creating quality consumer products. There is absolutely no legitimate reason for anyone to reward a company whose pursuit for total domination of the toy industry is by dragging other entities into the courtroom and litigating them into bankruptcy and destruction — such as what Mattel is trying to do to MGA Entertainment. Furthermore, anyone who purchased anything manufactured by Mattel (especially anything with the word "Barbie" on it) should go back to wherever he or she purchased those items from and demand a complete and full refund of their purchase.

It is a devastating shame that Wal-Mart has made this decision to discontinue carrying the Bratz License Modular Merchandise, after everything MGA Entertainment and Mr. Larian have endured with the ongoing litigation against Mattel in regards to ownership of the Bratz franchise. There are going to be a lot of very unhappy Bratz fans when they start searching for the Bratz products and collections for Fall 2009 and seeing empty Bratz aisles at Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart Contact Information: http://www.walmartstores.com/7663.aspx

The Bratz products and collections MGA Entertainment has planned for Fall 2009 will be the best products and collections the company has ever manufactured. But, could they be the best Bratz products and collections that you will not see in stock at any retailer anywhere?

2009 has been a real tough year for Bratz and for MGA Entertainment. Ever since Mattel stole won the rights to the Bratz franchise back on July 17, 2008 (and later assured the rights on December 3, 2008, when Judge Stephen Larson granted Mattel the injunction to order MGA Entertainment to cease all manufacturing, production, marketing, and licensing of Bratz), vendors and licensees have severed ties with MGA Entertainment. Mattel has stained MGA Entertainment with the impression that it is a fraudulent company which manufactures illegal products by stealing ideas from other organizations, and these vendors and licensees do not feel that MGA Entertainment is a very trustworthy company to work with.

Among those licensees severing ties with MGA Entertainment is the largest retailer in the United States, Wal-Mart. I recently obtained a document from a Wal-Mart store in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, which states that Wal-Mart will no longer be carrying the Bratz License Modular Merchandise after July 2009:

Larger View:
http://cannellefraiche.bratzheaven.com/photos/WalmartNoBratzAfterJuly2009Large.jpg

The document also states: "WE WANT TO BE COMPLETELY OUT OF BRATZ BRANDED MERCHANDISE BY JULY 2009." Take it for what you will, but unless the document was referring to that specific store in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, those two statements imply that ALL 4,200+ Wal-Mart stores in the United States will be emptying out their Bratz sections by July 2009.

I contacted Wal-Mart's Merchandising Team about this issue. The company did not respond to any questions I had about the reasons why they were no longer selling Bratz after July 2009. In fact, they insisted that the news about Wal-Mart no longer selling Bratz after July 2009 was news to them.

Yet, at the Wal-Mart Stupidcenter in Easton, Pennsylvania, I observed evidence that this news was, in fact, correct, and that the removal of Bratz at Wal-Mart was well underway: The Bratz Cowgirlz dolls were removed from the shelves and would not be restocked. Bratz Wild Life was also gone, including store exclusives (e.g., Bratz 2 ft. tall Wild Life Cloe, Bratz Wild Life Tent). Bratz Magic Hair Cut N' Grow was also gone, including styling heads. At other Wal-Mart stores I visited within my radius, similar Bratz removal activities were taking place; at the same time, stores were emptying out whatever excess Bratz stock they had in their stockrooms, in their attempt to rid themselves of these wonderful dolls. They would no longer be ordering any new and/or further products/collections with the Bratz brand on them.

This news of Wal-Mart no longer carrying the Bratz License Modular Merchandise has to be really devastating for MGA Entertainment, after everything the company and its President and CEO Issac Larian have endured with the litigation against Mattel. Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the United States, and for NONE of the 4,200+ stores in the chain to sell Bratz after July 2009 is the nail in the coffin for any chance of the Bratz' survival at the end of the year, if that nail has not been hammered in already.

At this point, the only question you can now ask yourself is, "....what now?" Even more to the point, "....who's next?" Well, given Target's track record with Bratz in 2009 (and this retailer's abuse toward Bratz is legendary), it won't be long before Target joins Wal-Mart in announcing that it, too, is no longer selling Bratz. It is only a matter of time before the ax falls and Target drops the other shoe.

Of course, July is three months away, and anything can change between now and July. But we already know the bad news about Bratz at Wal-Mart. And you will continue to hear of more bad news such as this in the weeks and months to come.

MGA Entertainment better seriously consider setting up a shop on eBay and selling all the Bratz products and collections for Fall 2009 online. If retailers are not willing to sell Bratz (either because of the ongoing litigation against Mattel, or because sales of Bratz dolls are not doing well, or because they just hate the dolls in general), perhaps MGA Entertainment would be better off selling any new Bratz products and collections to Bratz fans such as myself — even if the company stands to lose hundreds of millions of dollars selling Bratz online only. Since MGA Entertainment is a distributor that sells only to retailers, the company should bite the bullet and sell directly to consumers.

Hold up, wait a minute....MGA Entertainment, selling all the Bratz products and collections for Fall 2009 ONLINE ONLY? Directly to consumers? Really? I know, it is a terrible idea, but desperate times call for desperate measures. How else is MGA Entertainment going to generate money from the sales of all those Fall 2009 Bratz products and collections if not a single store in the United States is going to sell them? Should this company attempt such a risky move? Mr. Larian, two words: DO IT.

As for Mattel....I don't know how anyone at Mattel can live with themselves, after what they have accomplished with trying to destroy the Bratz brand. I'm sure they're toasting their champagne glasses, congratulating themselves for a job well done and proclaiming, "Here's to Barbie, for 50 more years of dominance in the industry!"

Mr. Robert Eckert (Chairman/CEO of Mattel, Inc.): No matter how much you and your despicable company tries to force pink down every consumers' throats, no matter how much you wield your powerful influence throughout the foundation in order to restore respectability in the toy industry, you will NEVER convert me into a Barbie fan and you will NEVER use your litigation to take away MY Bratz dolls. Furthermore, Bratz will ALWAYS and FOREVER belong to Mr. Larian and MGA Entertainment. You are worthless scum, Mr. Eckert, and BTW, my pink is far more sweeter and sexier than anything Barbie owns pink — including the pink Ken enjoys sucking on.

(Original date of article posting on my Bratz Heaven Website: December 3, 2008)

UPDATE: On December 30, 2008, Judge Stephen Larson of the United States Ninth Circuit Federal Court in Riverside, California modified Mattel, Inc.'s injunction request to allow all retailers to sell all Bratz dolls and Bratz related products manufactured by MGA Entertainment, Inc. through the end of 2009.

On December 3, 2008, Mattel, Inc. won a permanent injunction against MGA Entertainment, Inc. regarding ownership of the Bratz franchise. According to the injunction, MGA Entertainment, Inc. no longer owns the rights to Bratz and was ordered to forefit every aspect of the franchise to Mattel, Inc., including manufacturing, production, marketing, and licensing of the Bratz dolls and all materials associated with Bratz.

The decision by Judge Stephen Larson to approve the injunction was the result of the court's findings that Mattel, Inc. had established its exclusive rights to Bratz drawings designed by Mr. Carter Bryant, a former employee at Mattel, Inc. who conceived the concept for Bratz while under contract with the company. On July 17, 2008, a jury in United States Ninth Circuit Federal Court in Riverside, California unanimously determined that Mr. Bryant violated his contract when he developed the concept for Bratz at Mattel, Inc. and transferred his concept to MGA Entertainment, Inc. A month after the verdict was handed down, the same jury awarded Mattel, Inc. $10 million on copyright infringement damages and $90 million for breach of contract during the penalty phase of the trial, determining that only the first generation Bratz dolls violated copyright but subsequent generations of Bratz dolls do not violate copyright. However, Mattel, Inc. confirmed to the court that both first and subsequent generations of Bratz dolls, as well as all Bratz products MGA Entertainment, Inc. manufactured since the Bratz inception in 2001 — including current core female fashion dolls available in the marketplace — were a violation of Mattel, Inc.'s exclusive rights to the Bratz franchise.

We here at Bratz Heaven are deeply disappointed and saddened by the decision from Judge Stephen Larson to approve Mattel, Inc.'s injunction that has resulted in MGA Entertainment, Inc. ceasing any and all ownership of Bratz. While Bratz Heaven is disappointed and saddened with what has transpired from the injunction, under no circumstances will Bratz Heaven be affected in any way by this decision. Bratz Heaven will continue serving its purpose to provide Bratz fans around the world and beyond with an enriching and enlightening experience supporting the ONLY girls with a passion for fashion. Since Bratz Heaven was originally created in July 2004 and launched nine months later in April 2005, we do not believe that Mattel, Inc. will extend their ownership of the Bratz franchise to all fan websites, fan groups, and other related multimedia with the Bratz name on them.

Millions of Bratz fans, including myself, have reached out to the many wonderful people at MGA Entertainment, Inc. and its President and CEO Mr. Isaac Larian. These incredible and outstanding people have contributed a tremendous amount of hard work and effort to create a product that has simply changed the lives of children everywhere. Bratz will forever belong to MGA Entertainment, Inc., and the company sincerely appreciates your kindness and support during this difficult period.

Thank you for your understanding and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Robyn Barnette
Bratz Heaven Website and Yahoo! Group Administrator
Website: http://www.bratzheaven.com/
Group: http://group.bratzheaven.com/
E-Mail: robyn@bratzheaven.com

Copyright © 2008 Bratz Heaven. All Rights Reserved

Hello, and welcome to Cannelle Fraiche: The Bratz Heaven Blog. Cannelle Fraiche is my nickname, but my real name is Robyn. I would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone who is reading this blog, where you can read news, commentary, and other information about Bratz.

How did I generate my interest in the Bratz dolls?  In a nutshell, it all started in July 2004 with a $26.71 investment at Wal-Mart, when I purchased two Bratz dolls:  Bratz Funk Out! Jade and Bratz Funk Out! Dana.  I was looking for a new doll line where I can express my love for dolls through photography, and I purchased these Bratz dolls "just to see what would come of them."

It has been five years since I had purchased those two Bratz dolls at Wal-Mart, and my interest in Bratz has long erupted into something challenging and exciting.  Today, my whole universe revolves around these wonderful and amazing dolls.  I have a large Bratz Doll Collection, and it would be too exhausting for me to list the Bratz dolls in my collection. However, let's just say that I have all types of Bratz dolls:  Special Collector's Edition dolls, dolls that are no longer in production and are considered collector's items, dolls from current collections, and even dolls that are not available in the United States.  Yes, I even have the Original 1st Edition Bratz dolls from 2001, which are currently locked away in a safe since they are considered the "holy grail" of all Bratz products and collections.

In addition to my collection, I run a Bratz fan website called Bratz Heaven (http://www.bratzheaven.com/), which features articles, collections, doll photography, fan fiction, song lyrics, downloads, videos, links, trivia, and more about Bratz.  I also run a Bratz fan group (http://group.bratzheaven.com/), where fans and other doll collectors can come together and connect with each other to discuss about Bratz.

Of course, my Bratz Heaven Blog is not going to be <I>entirely</I> about Bratz.  I also intend to discuss other topics on my Bratz Heaven Blog that are not related to Bratz or other doll brands manufactured by other toy companies, because I do have a real life outside of my Bratz universe.

I am grateful to share with you my life and my love for the Bratz dolls, the ONLY girls with a passion for fashion, through this Bratz Heaven Blog and through the Bratz Heaven website.  Nobody is exactly sure what the future holds in store for these dolls.  But at the level Bratz is at right now, these dolls are here to stay for many years to come.  And, even if there is a day when Bratz is no longer made and these girls with a passion for fashion go on to pursue other exciting things in their lives, I hope that I can continue to support them for what they have accomplished in my life and the lives of millions of children everywhere.

Anyway, welcome to Cannelle Fraiche:  The Bratz Heaven Blog!  And thanks for visiting.  Best friends never looked this good.  DAMN SKIPPY!