budget can also come into it, if you want the bed/bedding to last many years, keep things as plain as possible. That is the cheapest way around it that i can think of. i have bought a Dora toothbrush and Dora knickers (as a tt-ing reward), but nothing that is permanent. i think the franchised stuff is there, because the manufacturers know that kids love it, and that when they grow out of it age group wise, the parents will feel like they have to buy a whole new lot, of whatever the newest fad is. I know i can't manage that updating, so stay away from it.

i'm thinking my dd's bed needs to last her until she is an adult, she will go through many phases from now until adulthood. Buying the Dora accessories (pillows etc) seems like a good compromise, as suggested by Cherished1.