Walmart Faces Heat For Pricing Black Baby Dolls Higher Than Others In Same Lines
Image ID 13391381 © via Mick20 | Dreamstime.com
Walmart has issued an apology after it came under fire for pricing Black baby doll sets higher than ones with a Caucasian baby.
The incident, as reported by WCPO, was first brought to the public’s attention when Asheria Brown from Florence, Kentucky, had wanted to purchase a doll set for her eldest daughter. In-store, she only found sets with Caucasian babies, so she decided to place an order online instead.
However, when she saw the price of the doll set with a Black baby, she was shocked to find that it cost nearly US$15 more than the ones she saw in store. At first, this seemed to be a pricing error, but when she looked for other similar sets, she found that the same price discrepancy occurred.
“There are seven Black babies and there are seven white babies, but one set is US$39.97; the other is US$25,” Brown told WCPO.
Now @Walmart, we are sick of this!!! Why is the black doll soooo much more expensive than the others 🤔 pic.twitter.com/t4GUrd86nI
— Khai (@KhaibTweetin) December 14, 2021
Fuel was added to the fire when users on social media found other examples of price discrepancies at Walmart. A Black Barbie was listed at US$34.44, while its Caucasian counterpart went for US$29.88. Another Black doll with black hair was priced at US$69.99, although its two white counterparts with blonde and brunette hair were US$30.
According to the Atlanta Black Star, Walmart attributed the price difference to a “systems error.” It said: “The price difference in the two items was the result of price changes made systemically. We lowered the price on a select group of toys, including only one of these dolls, to help drive sales.”
“Unfortunately, we overlooked the impact these changes would have on similar items whose price did not change. This was an unintentional error on our part and we sincerely apologize to anyone it may have offended.”
Dr Sabrina Thomas, a doll historian and docent for the North Carolina Museum of History, offered a different viewpoint, saying that the difference in prices could be due to economics rather than overt racism.
“The problem, I believe, when we look at these discrepancies in pricing is that toy manufacturers do not produce Black dolls in proportion to the number of people in the human population,” she posited.
While the reasons could certainly be a combination of nuanced factors, Walmart assured the public that it would take extra care to right the problem.
“Walmart is a firm believer of diversity and inclusion. As a company, we are investing resources and developing strategies to advance equity for all within our wall and society,” it said.
@Mattel and @Walmart why is the black doll more expensive? This is not my first time seeing this 🤔 pic.twitter.com/jkthwnW1GF
— Omega (@agemo83) January 10, 2021
This is crazy! Even if you are letting a third party use your stores why not at least make the price point comparable?
— Sicily!!! (@Sicily25) December 22, 2020
Or better yet if you don’t have the same black doll find another third party who has it for the same or similar price?! @Walmart pic.twitter.com/ygS5aGzHJ7
[via Atlanta Black Star, cover image via Mick20 | Dreamstime.com]
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