| When the Ganz gift company developed | | | | On adopting ten virtual pets a Webkinz |
| their soft toy line Webkinz they had no | | | | owner gets a special bed called a "super |
| idea that they were opening the doors | | | | bed" and also gets 2000 of the virtual |
| for a multi-million dollar franchise. | | | | currency called Kinzcash. Also a Webkinz |
| With over 2 million Webkinz sold, there | | | | owner gets a "rare item" on addition of |
| was a time when there was a shortage of | | | | every subsequent pet after the first. |
| Webkinz in the market. But before we | | | | Just like the real world, all activity |
| discuss the creation of Webkinz any | | | | on the website is centred on spending |
| further the first thing to discuss is | | | | and earning of Kinzcash. Users can use |
| what a Webkinz is? A Webkinz is a | | | | Kinzcash to buy items, have their pet |
| stuffed toy available in a variety of | | | | examined if its gets sick (yeah the pets |
| avatars, but the fact that a Webkinz can | | | | actually get sick) and to curry favour |
| be a Kangaroo, Butterfly, or Duck is | | | | with other online players. In addition |
| nothing special. What is different is | | | | to making the virtual world similar to |
| that a Webkinz comes with a small tag | | | | the real world, online pets have various |
| with a number on it. A Webkinz owner can | | | | properties attributed to them. |
| use the special number to register with | | | | Adopted pets have a happiness meter, a |
| the Webkinz website. | | | | health meter, and a hunger meter. So in |
| Once a Webkinz owner signs himself up | | | | essence a Webkinz owner has to log on to |
| the owner gets access to the world of | | | | the website regularly to play and |
| Webkinz. There are currently over one | | | | entertain the pet. If the levels of any |
| million registered users on the Webkinz | | | | of the previously mentioned meters fall |
| website. Every time a Webkinz owner | | | | the pet takes ill and has to be taken to |
| registers with the site he is given a | | | | 'Dr. Quacks' for treatment, however |
| virtual pet. The owner of the Webkinz | | | | taking the pet to Dr. Quacks usually |
| can then assign his virtual pet a name, | | | | costs Kinzcash. |
| gender and also choose an avatar. | | | | Unlike other sites a Webkinz virtual pet |
| Essentially a user 'adopts' a virtual | | | | can never die, it can get sick but it |
| pet online. Once a Webkinz owner has | | | | can never die. The current membership |
| adopted a pet online, a Webkinz owner is | | | | duration is one year, after the first |
| given a room, and some virtual furniture | | | | year a user gets a 30 day grace period |
| to decorate the room. Each virtual pet | | | | in which a member is expected to renew |
| has its own sets of advantages and | | | | his/her membership (only real cash |
| disadvantages, and must be fed using a | | | | accepted!). People with more than one |
| special food item assigned to it. | | | | Webkinz can usually enjoy longer |
| A person buying more than one Webkinz | | | | duration of membership as they have more |
| can register with the site, and adopt | | | | than one adopted pet. |
| pets in addition to his existing pets. | | | | |