American Girl Club (2004)
This article is about the paid 2004 online club. For the 1993 mail-in club and the Historical Society, see The American Girls Club.
The American Girl Club was an online exclusive program that debuted in 2004 and ended in 2006. It included both an interactive website and exclusive items.
History
The American Girl Club debuted in 2004. A membership cost $20 per year. In exchange, members received a kit with a charm bracelet, a "Girl's Guide," a "Mom's Manual," a membership card, and a $10 coupon for their next American Girl online purchase (it could not be used in an American Girl Place store). This shipped for free.
A major draw for the club was the interactive website. Members could play games online, earn points, or "Stars," collect "treasures," and send messages to friends. Stars could be earned by completing activities on the site, reading American Girl books, doing activities with friends, or visiting American Girl Place stores. Stars could then be redeemed for virtual treasures or real-life charms for the charm bracelet.
Families were assured that the website was safe for their children: "American Girl Club contains unprecedented safety features to protect children’s online privacy, and meets the requirements of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)." The "Mom's Manual" even described the safety features to families. A separate section of the website also allowed adults to change the security settings and make exclusive club purchases.
The club ended abruptly on June 12, 2006. Emails were sent to parents informing them that the club would close, and new memberships could no longer be purchased. The official closure date was August 15, 2006, but most exclusive items sold out within days of the announcement.
The reason for the abrupt closure was unclear. Some collectors speculated that membership numbers were too low to continue the program. Others cited spam messages on the interactive site and questioned if there were security issues.
Website
While the website is defunct, videos of it remain. A preview of the site was available on the Felicity: An American Girl Adventure DVD and can still be viewed.
Exclusive Items
Members had to log in with their American Girl Club username and password in order to purchase items. A membership included a charm bracelet for potential charms. Bracelet is silver with a small American Girl logo tag on one end and a pink crystal-style bead on the other. It also came with a spinning AG Club charm on it. The bracelet came with a red fabric pouch with a silver snap closure and a silver American Girl logo embroidered on it. The bracelet could later be purchased separately for a cost of $12.
Retail cost for charms was $6.
American Girl Club Charms
- Stone of Friendship
- Stone of Courage
- Coconut
- Samantha and Nellie Locket
- Kit
- Marisol - 2005 Girl of the Year
- Birthday
- Determination
- Felicity and Elizabeth Locket Charm
- Real Beauty
- Jess - 2006 Girl of the Year
- Love
- Birthday Gift
- American Girl Place New York Club Exclusive Charm- 2005
- American Girl Place Chicago Club Exclusive Charm- 2006
- Character Charm Collection with Bracelet
- Inspirational Charm Collection with Bracelet
- American Girl Club Charm Keeper
Generic Jewelry
- Club Charm Necklace Set for Girl and Doll
Doll Items
- American Girl Club Fan Outfit
- American Girl Club Jacket
- American Girl Club Sandals
- American Girl Club Hooded Tee Outfit
- American Girl Club Wallet - Girl and Doll Set
Children's Items
- American Girl Club Logo T-Shirt
- American Girl Club Logo Shorts
- American Girl Club Bucket Hat
- American Girl Club Backpack
- American Girl Club Sport Bag Set
- American Girl Club Jacket
- AG Club Hooded Tee
- AG Club Skirt
- American Girl Club Purse and Scarf
Bundles
In spring 2006, two sets were bundled together as the American Girl Club Doll Outfit & Jacket Set. It included the American Girl Club Fan Outfit and the American Girl Club Jacket. Retail cost was $26.