Sweet Be's Candy & Gifts

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August 2006

Ganz Webkinz article from:


By Christine Laue, Staff Writer

Webkinz fun in real and virtual worlds

The newest kids craze combines the collectibility of a Beanie Baby and the adoption option of a Cabbage Patch Kid with online interactivity with hours of play, the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Times Free Press reports.

Kids are falling in love with Webkinz plush, pellet-filled stuffed animals by Ganz that are personalized by their new owners at the Webkinz World Web site.

Each critter - from pig to hippo - comes with a tag that contains its "secret code." Using that number, the new owner can log onto the Web site, register and name the new pet to adopt it. Once adopted, the animal becomes a virtual pet in the Webkinz world online.

By playing games on the Web site, kids can earn Kinzcash with which they can buy food and clothes for their pet. The site has a video-game arcade, trivia games, an online newspaper and a chat room.

Webkinz launched in April 2005 to a select test market, said Karl Borst, creative director at Ganz. Last summer they were placed in 3,000 gift shops in the United States and Canada.

Webkinz now has 150,000 members, said Susan McVeigh, Ganz communications manager. McVeigh said the number of members to the Web site is increasing at a rate of 10,000 each week.

"We anticipate 500,000 members by the end of this year," she said.

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