Barbie Sales Since 1950.

Barbie is still evidently around and ever popular as they wouldnt be selling them still?

BUT is it ever popular? As my subject is 'the childs' relationship with Barbie, i need to get the childrens input, however as it is an audience that i am not and cannot be in direct contact with, I've had to check it all out on the internet.

Is the market of Barbie now more aimed at the older generation and collectors? Or are there still a few children getting the different pleasures and relationship with Barbie? Is this relationship healthy? 

Here is an exract from wikipedia on Barbie and Sales...

'Mattel estimates that there are well over 100,000 avid Barbie collectors. Ninety percent are women, at an average age of 40, purchasing more than twenty Barbie dolls each year. Forty-five percent of them spend upwards of $1000 a year.'

'In recent years Mattel has sold a wide range of Barbie dolls aimed specifically at collectors, including porcelain versions, vintage reproductions, and depictions of Barbie as a range of characters from television series such as The Munsters and Star Trek. There are also collector's edition dolls depicting Barbie dolls with a range of different ethnic identities'.

US sales of Barbie fell 15% in the first quarter, despite a February stunt which saw her "breaking up" with her suitor of 43 years, Ken.
That combined with other problems to see overall profits at the Barbie maker Mattel slump by 73%.
Barbie is feeling the heat from rival brands such as feisty "Bratz" dolls.
Her bad performance domestically in the first three months of the year followed even worse figures in the last quarter of 2003, when sales fell by 25%.
Global sales of the doll have also continued to fall off, dropping 6% in the first quarter following a 5% drop in the one before.