You Are About To Enter The Webkinz Zone
03.11.07 By Deanna Dahlsad
Chances are, if you have a child 6 - 11, you’ve heard of Webkinz — if you haven’t yet, you soon will…
Upon first glance Webkinz seem to be normal stuffed animals… But they are not.
Webkinz, made by Ganz, are stuffed animals which become alive in a magical world once the Webkinz Secret Code is put in at the Webkinz website. Once the secret code (found on each animal’s tag) is entered at Webkinz World kids are given an avatar which looks like the stuffed animal they own and then the owners can care for their virtual pet, play games, answer trivia, and earn KinzCash.
Think of them as Beanie Babies with lives on the Internet.
According to Ganz’s website, “Every Webkinz has a different secret code, and its own unique personality. Even if you buy two pets that look the same, you’ll see they are really very different!”
Word of mouth has taken over and kids are telling other kids to get the plush toys. Kids make videos and post them to YouTube, fill flicker accounts with photos, and email each other links and invitations to play games, etc. They sell out like crazy, driving parents and gift-givers insane looking for them.
Ganz began the line in 2005, but it wasn’t until holiday 2006 that adults really heard about the toys. Since Ganz didn’t run the usual ad campaign (bombardment) parents discovered the toys only from kids and other adults first heard of them in 2006 when the Webkinz were mentioned on daytime shows like Oprah and Regis and Kelly.
If your kids are on the Internet, they’ve heard of Webkinz. If not, they soon will and they will come to you with the soft whines and the squealing demands soon enough. At least now, you know what they are.
If your child receives a Webkinz, you’ll soon be sharing your computer with a child who wants his or her pet to live in the virtual world of the Internet. At least now you know what you’re in for.
Webkinz and accessories range from $10 - $15, and Lil Kinz (a smaller sized collection of ‘younger siblings’) runs from $7 - $9.
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Article Tags: Ganz, interactive, plush toys, Webkinz================
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March 28th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
I am a lower school librarian. Each year we hold a reference contest. The students ask a legitimate reference question and we have two weeks to try to find an answer. Time is running out and I need an answer for the question, “What was the first Webkinz” made?” Any suggestions on where I might find an answer?
March 29th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Hi Meg, I don’t have the answer — at least not yet.
Prior to writing the article I did contact Webkinz, but received a rather canned reply with instructions to call during specific hours with my ‘code’. I tried to call them today, went through their instructions etc, and received a voice mail. Needless to say, most frustrating & very ‘cold’ for such a ‘family’ company. I did as instructed and left a message… We’ll see if they call.
I do know that the first Webkinz did not have the ‘magic’ W on them…
If I were to guess, gun to my head, I’d say that Cheeky Cat and Cheeky Dog were the first. (Both are now retired.)
If I find out anything for you, or the other questions, I’ll post here &/or write another article should they actually answer them all.
April 4th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
the google
April 4th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
i read on the webkinz world website that the google was made first
May 30th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
are you sure it mit be the Cheeky Dog or cat
May 30th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
oh yea does any one know ware to buy webkinz under $10
May 30th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
I need to know
May 31st, 2007 at 2:44 am
Sorry, Corah, I don’t know. There’s Google and Froogle to help with pricing…
September 16th, 2007 at 12:04 am
HI there,
actually the first one was Googles, but was not released untill recently. At least that is the info I received from them as to why mine did not have a magic W on it.
January 27th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
The first 2 webkinz where the ckeeky dog/cat the basset hound unicorn horse and so on with the retired ones.
January 27th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
The newest webkinz are the kangaroo bnl cheeky dog himalayan cat pink n white cat and snauhzzer.I have 500 webkinz And 10 cheeky dog /cats.
January 27th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
I got the cheekys for 2.00 a piece.
January 27th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
The first webkinz was the cheeky dog hints how much its worth.
January 28th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
John, I have no idea how much it’s worth… Care to tell?
February 24th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
The cheeky dog is 1000 dollars. The cheeky cat is 500 dollars.
March 10th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
[...] but the company has plans to add more interactivity — similar in addictive concept to Webkinz one [...]
March 15th, 2008 at 2:00 am
[...] these things are Webkinz, Hannah Montana and High School Musical (a proclivity that I also see expressed by some of my high [...]
November 11th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
actually, the first webkinz ever made was the cocker spaniel. look on google. most sections will say the first webkinz is the cocker spaniel. others won’t. but, they’ll be wrong.