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