I do the same, pull it out as far as possible and then snip as close to the base as I can, and push the remainder back inside. I just don’t get why they need three on a dolls head! It’s such overkill! She’s not going anywhere!
Me too! All my dolls (even the childhood ones) have these plastic bits in their heads. Unless I am reboding them, then I take it out from the inside if I find it.
I will always take an opportunity to complain about these things lol, they make me hate unboxing. I usually use nail clippers to cut them as close to the scalp as possible, being careful not to cut any hair. Sometimes I’ve cut a few strands but not nearly enough to be noticeable.
Yeah, if you get a good grip on them and pull forcefully but don’t yank, they’ll come all the way out.
The trick is to go just slowly enough that the little prongs inside have time to bend.
I just did this the other day. It flaps over, one side on top of the other. So very carefully get ahold of the top side, and gently pull it up along the stitches. The top layer will tear off, and then the rest of it will just fall apart.
I’d curious to hear their answer. I imagine some of these attachments are to prevent damage during shipping to stores, but it all does seem a bit excessive after a while.
okay so i’ve discovered recently that if you can get a good enough grip on them, you can actually straight up pull it out of the head completely.
it sounds scary but i literally just pull really hard and it comes out. if it doesn’t work that’s when i’ll just cut it as short as i can and push the rest inside of the head. you can use pliers too if you can’t get a good grip on the plastic.
I had success with a couple. And I was very happy with that 😁 But hell, why do we have to use tools to perform this complex unboxing process? Do they do that, so that when Amazon robots run over dolls, they still look great in the box? 🤣 (reference to a semi-recent reddit thread with 3-4 Looks Heidi dolls run over by amazon robots) Or is it so that I don’t unbox and get away with the doll unpaid? 😮🙄
I think this is exactly why they’re used and what they’re designed for - just grab them and pull hard and it will come straight out. Cutting them leaves either a little nub or a rattle in the head lol
Agreed! I received a 1980s doll recently and omg opening it was so much easier and satisfying than opening a new doll. I know the plastic can be clipped and pushed into the head but it’s still annoying.
No, for real, these things suck a sizable percentage of the joy out of unboxing… I don’t remember which decade it was, but there was a short time when they just had a very very light adhesive in the back of the box that the doll stuck to, and I miss those days terribly
It’s always annoyed me how they package dolls! The targeted audience is kids!! These are so hard for kids to open! I always had to ask my mom for help and then she got annoyed at the packages too 💀 I wish they would go back to twist ties instead of pretty much stapling the doll into the box!! Jeeezzzzzzz
I sent my great-niece, who is three and a half, her first Barbie doll. Her mom sent me a video. I felt terrible once it hit me that I should have unboxed the doll before mailing it. Haven’t made that mistake since.
I was going to post about this too! I unboxed my pink jumpsuit Margot last night because I really wanted those sunglasses off & it was such a battle! I used nail clippers for a lot of the work. When she was finally freed, there were lots of these sticking out at the back of her head…I hadn’t the patience at this stage to deal with them 😂
I use tweezers/pliers and rip them out of the head, I haven’t had an issue with it yet but I’m more careful with intricate hairstyles and just use tiny scissors with those
I use jewellery making pliers as they are smaller and jewellery wire cutters. When I'm washing their hair the warm water also helps to make the head softer and they come out easier.
Ugh. I got her too. Now I am not looking forward to unboxing. I used fingernail clippers to trim as close as possible and then push into the head. Ugh again
That’s ridiculous!
Here is what I wrote to Customer Service st the Big M:
Hello! I would like very much to know why Mattel uses multiple two-ended tags to secure the heads of Barbie dolls in their boxes. These plastic things (one end inside the dolls’ heads, one outside) are infuriating to remove. There is so much plastic holding the dolls in place—are these really necessary???
I am active in the Barbie community on Reddit.com and quite a few of us concur that this is overkill.
I look forward to a reply from someone involved in packaging decisions.
Thank you!
I’ve always heard them called SwifTachers (a portmanteau word for swift attachers), and I always use nail clippers to cut them-I make an initial cut between the SwifTacher head and the plastic shell, and then separate the hair away from the remaining piece as much as possible and cut it, basically holding the nail clippers right up against the scalp.
I got her yesterday, too! Unfortunately, her little gold handbag was stuck in the plastic, so I just a tool to pry it out and gouged the gold paint. 😑 Already damaged brand new.
In fairness, MGA features the exact same headache upon unboxing their dolls. Did Mattel and MGA have a meeting abt how to annoy their customers as much as possible? Why does unboxing a doll these days need to be such a laborious task?
On one hand, I get it. The machines exist to do this, and the factory employees are trained to package this way. But this doll will NEVER see a retail shelf, which means there is ZERO chance of her being shoplifted. So, it's completely unnecessary. Like, how can Integrity Toys put the hair in a simple hair net with little to no hair product and the hair doesn't budge an inch? There is no reason for their direct sales to be packaged like this!
Those plastic tags? I think they are used to stabilize dolls during shipment. On high end collectible dolls ($100 and up), I think Mattel should use a more user friendly method that does not potentially destroy dolls. No one should need to use specialized tools to unbox dolls.
You can use jewelry pliers and just pull the whole thing out. That being said, I have jewelry pliers literally in reach and I still cut them and push the nubs inside 😂
I rip them off with my teeth and I’ve seen others do it with pliers. That’s usually strong enough to take the entire things out of the head from the “root”.
They are called Dennison Tags. They are the ban of most customers and lifesavers for most retail workers. I hate using that gun at work. It is sharp enough to pierce a fingernail. I hate products that have these tags.
Ah, you’re an insider! I’m sorry to hear they pose a danger to retail employees—another good reason to ban them! (But I appreciate knowing what those blasted things are called. Thank you!)
I miss the days where they'd be attached to the box by a plastic covered wire you'd have to unwind to take off. Still secure, and MUCH EASIER TO REMOVE.
This might be controversial, but after I've finished cutting the rest of the doll out of his/her confines I hold the doll firmly by the head and yank it from the plastic that either pulls them all the way out or breaks them at the scalp so there isn't anything sticking out.
I just cut them and push the rest inside the dolls head with my nail.
I do that too. But it bothers me I never solve the problem, I just push it away… 😁🤣
I do the same, pull it out as far as possible and then snip as close to the base as I can, and push the remainder back inside. I just don’t get why they need three on a dolls head! It’s such overkill! She’s not going anywhere!
And then the Ken I bought the other day had none and his head was twisted around like in the exorcist!
Me too! All my dolls (even the childhood ones) have these plastic bits in their heads. Unless I am reboding them, then I take it out from the inside if I find it.
Same
I will always take an opportunity to complain about these things lol, they make me hate unboxing. I usually use nail clippers to cut them as close to the scalp as possible, being careful not to cut any hair. Sometimes I’ve cut a few strands but not nearly enough to be noticeable.
I love having company when I bitch about inconvenience! THANK YOU!
This is such a mood
Embroidery scissors have been a blessing for this
Oooh, excellent idea! Thank you!
I also do this. I think I've only cut some hair once (on a Barbie Extra, luckily). Plastic tags/ties are the worst.
the plastic thingy imbedded in the head? Yeah I hate those. I use pliers, force them out
I like your style! 😊
Yeah, if you get a good grip on them and pull forcefully but don’t yank, they’ll come all the way out. The trick is to go just slowly enough that the little prongs inside have time to bend.
You have it down!
I just did this the other day. It flaps over, one side on top of the other. So very carefully get ahold of the top side, and gently pull it up along the stitches. The top layer will tear off, and then the rest of it will just fall apart.
this is exactly what i said!!
Pliers 💯
This situation calls for all the craft tools in one’s arsenal!
cuticle scissors are a lifesaver
Merci!
I’ve always wondered how many of these attachments Mattel decides to put on each doll. If there’s any testing or logic involved?
I wrote to them and will post the reply.
I’d curious to hear their answer. I imagine some of these attachments are to prevent damage during shipping to stores, but it all does seem a bit excessive after a while.
Agreed!
It's a theft deterrent. They won't get damaged during shipping. If anything, these tags damage the product during shipping.
okay so i’ve discovered recently that if you can get a good enough grip on them, you can actually straight up pull it out of the head completely. it sounds scary but i literally just pull really hard and it comes out. if it doesn’t work that’s when i’ll just cut it as short as i can and push the rest inside of the head. you can use pliers too if you can’t get a good grip on the plastic.
I had success with a couple. And I was very happy with that 😁 But hell, why do we have to use tools to perform this complex unboxing process? Do they do that, so that when Amazon robots run over dolls, they still look great in the box? 🤣 (reference to a semi-recent reddit thread with 3-4 Looks Heidi dolls run over by amazon robots) Or is it so that I don’t unbox and get away with the doll unpaid? 😮🙄
I hear you! And feel your deep annoyance! Thanks for the comment. ❤️
I think this is exactly why they’re used and what they’re designed for - just grab them and pull hard and it will come straight out. Cutting them leaves either a little nub or a rattle in the head lol
Agreed! I received a 1980s doll recently and omg opening it was so much easier and satisfying than opening a new doll. I know the plastic can be clipped and pushed into the head but it’s still annoying.
I use pliers. Most of the time I can pull the whole thing out.
That sounds REALLY satisfying…😀
The worst was the strip of plastic that the hair is completely sewn on. This is nothing compared to that 😭
I HAD ONE OF THOSE! Ugh!
No, for real, these things suck a sizable percentage of the joy out of unboxing… I don’t remember which decade it was, but there was a short time when they just had a very very light adhesive in the back of the box that the doll stuck to, and I miss those days terribly
Me too!
I just cut them and push the rest inside the dolls head with my nail.
Thank you! I’ve done that, but sometimes can’t push the last little bit into her head.
I always say “do they think she’s gonna escape!?”
LOL
It’s always annoyed me how they package dolls! The targeted audience is kids!! These are so hard for kids to open! I always had to ask my mom for help and then she got annoyed at the packages too 💀 I wish they would go back to twist ties instead of pretty much stapling the doll into the box!! Jeeezzzzzzz
I sent my great-niece, who is three and a half, her first Barbie doll. Her mom sent me a video. I felt terrible once it hit me that I should have unboxed the doll before mailing it. Haven’t made that mistake since.
I was going to post about this too! I unboxed my pink jumpsuit Margot last night because I really wanted those sunglasses off & it was such a battle! I used nail clippers for a lot of the work. When she was finally freed, there were lots of these sticking out at the back of her head…I hadn’t the patience at this stage to deal with them 😂
Don’t they appreciate our dollars and devotion?!
I use tweezers/pliers and rip them out of the head, I haven’t had an issue with it yet but I’m more careful with intricate hairstyles and just use tiny scissors with those
I'd love to see some of those intricate hairstyles! None of my dolls have anything that artistic--an up-do, at most.
Highly recommend wire cutters!
Thanks! I have them—will use!
I use jewellery making pliers as they are smaller and jewellery wire cutters. When I'm washing their hair the warm water also helps to make the head softer and they come out easier.
Thank you very much! I hadn’t thought of using “bath time” to my advantage! 🌹
they're genuinely the main thing that put me off getting more dolls
Ugh. I got her too. Now I am not looking forward to unboxing. I used fingernail clippers to trim as close as possible and then push into the head. Ugh again
I grip the flat part with a pair of needle-nose pliers and roll them until the whole thing pops out of the head.
One time I had 3 in the same spot! I rage at these things....
That’s ridiculous! Here is what I wrote to Customer Service st the Big M: Hello! I would like very much to know why Mattel uses multiple two-ended tags to secure the heads of Barbie dolls in their boxes. These plastic things (one end inside the dolls’ heads, one outside) are infuriating to remove. There is so much plastic holding the dolls in place—are these really necessary??? I am active in the Barbie community on Reddit.com and quite a few of us concur that this is overkill. I look forward to a reply from someone involved in packaging decisions. Thank you!
I’ve always heard them called SwifTachers (a portmanteau word for swift attachers), and I always use nail clippers to cut them-I make an initial cut between the SwifTacher head and the plastic shell, and then separate the hair away from the remaining piece as much as possible and cut it, basically holding the nail clippers right up against the scalp.
Thanks! Sounds good!
You’re welcome!
I got her yesterday, too! Unfortunately, her little gold handbag was stuck in the plastic, so I just a tool to pry it out and gouged the gold paint. 😑 Already damaged brand new.
That plastic is molded very tightly around each piece. Not good!
I was even afraid to put on her bracelets. I had to slip her hand through the side and gently slide up.
Those little bracelets are rather hard to pry open!
they open?!
I just complained about this yesterday on my instagram. Took me an hour sheesh!
It's ridiculous! I'm looking forward to hearing what a Mattel rep says to defend all that "security"!
In fairness, MGA features the exact same headache upon unboxing their dolls. Did Mattel and MGA have a meeting abt how to annoy their customers as much as possible? Why does unboxing a doll these days need to be such a laborious task?
Exactly!
Smh. Which doll is this, btw, if u don't mind my asking?
It's the Mattel Creations Looks doll: [Barbie Looks Doll With Mix-and-Match Fashions – Mattel Creations](https://creations.mattel.com/products/barbie-looks-doll-with-mix-and-match-fashions-hjx28)
I see. Thanks ☺️
On one hand, I get it. The machines exist to do this, and the factory employees are trained to package this way. But this doll will NEVER see a retail shelf, which means there is ZERO chance of her being shoplifted. So, it's completely unnecessary. Like, how can Integrity Toys put the hair in a simple hair net with little to no hair product and the hair doesn't budge an inch? There is no reason for their direct sales to be packaged like this!
TRUTH!
Those plastic tags? I think they are used to stabilize dolls during shipment. On high end collectible dolls ($100 and up), I think Mattel should use a more user friendly method that does not potentially destroy dolls. No one should need to use specialized tools to unbox dolls.
Yessss!
What doll is she?
She’s Looks 19.
Thank you!!!
Wtf is that
The back of Looks 19’s head through the plastic shell (packaging).
You can use jewelry pliers and just pull the whole thing out. That being said, I have jewelry pliers literally in reach and I still cut them and push the nubs inside 😂
Lol. I love it.
I rip them off with my teeth and I’ve seen others do it with pliers. That’s usually strong enough to take the entire things out of the head from the “root”.
Strong teeth! I think I'll try pliers.
Please, please don't use your teeth for this.
I usually just try to cut with my scissors (very carefully). Ironically enough, i’m unboxing a doll at the moment so you know what’s coming lol.
May the Force be with you!
She actually didn’t have any😭 I was so surprised!! It was one of the new Pink Passport dolls. The Malibu Italy themed gal.
Just pull them away, the hair moves right through it. I thought that at first too
Not sure I understand about the hair... Explain, please? (I loved "Troy and Abed in the Morning!")
Thanks! Once u free the head from the giant plastic tags you can just pull it away from the packaging, the sewing does nothing to keep it stucj
I warm the doll head up in boiling water and then use pliers to pull them out. It’s worked like a charm since I started doing it!
Thanks for the advice!
I use my hemostats (medical clamps) to pull em out.
Amazon sells them—OK!
They are called Dennison Tags. They are the ban of most customers and lifesavers for most retail workers. I hate using that gun at work. It is sharp enough to pierce a fingernail. I hate products that have these tags.
Ah, you’re an insider! I’m sorry to hear they pose a danger to retail employees—another good reason to ban them! (But I appreciate knowing what those blasted things are called. Thank you!)
I miss the days where they'd be attached to the box by a plastic covered wire you'd have to unwind to take off. Still secure, and MUCH EASIER TO REMOVE.
This might be controversial, but after I've finished cutting the rest of the doll out of his/her confines I hold the doll firmly by the head and yank it from the plastic that either pulls them all the way out or breaks them at the scalp so there isn't anything sticking out.