Some blogs have recently noticed that the Webkinz eStore has gone a little further than just selling virtual items that you can buy for your Webkinz pet (for online use at Webkinz World).
Furthermore, only four pets are available, currently.
These pets are: White Poodle, Tree Frog, Bull Dog, and Black and White Cat.
The price to “adopt” these online is $12.50 USD.
Some thoughts for you to chew on:
Setting the real price: What’s interesting is that by setting the price for these items, which are essentially internet codes for new Webkinz minus the actual plushy dolls, they are telling you that a good portion of the price that we all pay is not actually for the doll itself — but really access to Webkinz World.
Giving some respect to off line retailers: Also interesting is the way that Ganz is trying to sidestep offending their US and Canadian retailer partners, by making sure you cannot purchase these virtual pets online if you happen to live there. It forces people to go to stores in the States and Canada. This is particularly interesting since Ganz is currently getting served a class action lawsuit alleging unfair trade practices — which are a direct result of retailer grievances.
eBay to suck eggs?As one prominent blog mentions, Ganz selling virtual pets directly gets around the “middle men” who sell them on eBay, and might be a reason why Ganz is coming down on them.
According to a tip at WebkinzInsider, what has been suspected by many (including us), WebkinzChat PLUS, or KinzChat PLUS, the chatting feature at Webkinz *IS* making a come back! WebkinzChat PLUS, in case you weren’t aware, is the currently non-functioning / defunct way of chatting with other Webkinz while you’re in Webkinz World via the Webkinz Clubhouse
However, unlike other chatting programs you might be familiar with, WebkinzChat PLUS is different.
In fact, it looks like they’ve spruced things up compared to even how it was before. Anyway, to make sure that the things you’re talking about are appropriate, WebkinzChat PLUS has employed two methods to screen messages.
One is “word” dictionaries, which means that it screens and flags for inappropriate words (you probably know what these are), and these words will pop up in orange. However, the words must *also* be spelled correctly, and if they aren’t they will also be flagged. Phone numbers are also “objectionable” content and cannot be shared.
The other way is by “phrase” dictionaries. This is an example that Webkinz uses: you can use the word “boy” and “friend” separately, but to use them together, they say, will trigger the phrase dictionary, and create an error.
Because words need to be spelled correctly, and you probably also need to have an awareness of grammar and diction as well, Webkinz is suggesting that its probably best for users 10 and up. I think, however, based on your own skill level, if that’s something that you’re (or your kids) are comfortable with.
Two other things that are in place that are of some help in making sure that the chatting environment is a safer one.
First of all, Webkinz World users must also get permission by their parents – which is done via an email *to* the parents.
Second of all, unlike the previous WebkinzChat PLUS service, there is a way to flag *other* people if you find the stuff they’re talking about weird, not right, or otherwise objectionable. This is probably an attempt at addressing the criticism that Webkinz may not have been all that responsive if you tried to report inappropriate activity.
If you happen to talk about things that aren’t acceptable, be warned: by getting flagged you might find yourself getting kicked out of Webkinz World altogether!
There’s no timetable as to when Webkinz Chat PLUS is coming back exactly, but with this new information, and the fact that its now showing up in Webkinz World means that its probably pretty soon. Yay!
Webkinz animals are released in batches, but just like Beanie Babies, are also retired in batches! As a result, retired Webkinz are rare, and hard to find. Some of the rarest include Cheeky Dog, which has been retired as of 2007, and there may have only been 50 ever produced in the United States. That particular Cheeky Dog, its important to remember, however, is brown. This is because, Cheeky Dog was re-released in late 2007 with white fur.
While retired Webkinz might be re-released, its hard to predict when retired ones will come back. Its even harder to know when the current roster, or list of Webkinz, might be retired as well!
But as of this writing, here is a complete list of retired Webkinz:
American Cocker Spaniel
Basset Hound
Black Friesien / Black Stallion
Cheeky Cat
Cheeky Dog *
Elephant
German Sheppard
Gold and White Cat
Gorilla
Gray and White Cat
Horse
Leopard Lizard
Love Puppy
Pegasus
Racoon
Blue Rhino
Samoyed
Seal
Sherbet Bunny
Saint Bernard
Tiger Snake / Striped Snake
Toco Toucan
Unicorn
Yellow Lab
Something else to keep in mind? That sometimes Ganz retires Webkinz *really* quickly. How quick? How about sometimes even *before* Webkinz are officially released? Yep — it happened at the end of June 2008, when they announced five Webkinz were going to be retired, even before two had officially shipped out! Its hard to know how often this will happen, but it just goes to show that trying to predict what kinds of Webkinz are going to be retired is tough!
Now, there are some Webkinz that aren’t *really* “retired”, they are just seasonal. These seasonal Webkinz are Webkinz that Ganz only releases around certain times of the year, and they might re-appear the following season. For example, Webkinz Reindeer are released around — you guessed it — Christmas time.
Retired Webkinz aren’t really any different than “normal” Webkinz. They don’t have special features in the doll, and having them doesn’t mean you get anything extra in Webkinz World. They’re just more valuable as a collector’s item because they Ganz has decided not to produce them any more.
If you’re a collector of the Webkinz, then it might be important to keep out for which Webkinz might be retiring, and which ones — if they’re retired — are making a come back. If you’re interested in purchasing a retired or rare Webkinz, eBay or other sites on the Internet are your best bet.
If you’re NOT a collector, then just enjoy Webkinz plush dolls for what they’re worth to you (and your kids if you have kids) — because they can be a whole lot of fun.
I’ve noticed that in some Webkinz retailers, they keep the Webkinz internet codes — the ones that are in plastic pouches around their necks — behind the counter, away from curious hands. Why? Because sometimes, they’re target for no-goodnik thieves, which is exactly what happened in Oakland, California the other day.
This likely means that these Webkinz animals will probably be heading straight to the discount pile (i.e. dramatically marked down), or will have to written off entirely, as without the codes, no one will ever be able to use them online via Webkinz World.
Theft doesn’t seem to be a rare occurence in Webkinz World, as kids who are a little too trusting are often the receiving end of bullies who end up stealing their passwords and all of their loot … well, its not that uncommon, it seems.
As reported via a number of other blogs and forums, there is a new game on Webkinz World called “Alyssa’s Star Challenge“.
Alyssa’s Star Challenge is located in the Charm Forest, but doesn’t actually require any charms to play. The goal of the game is a little bit like Gem Hunt, in that you have to try and collect the items — in this case, all stars — to get prizes, like KinzCash, and food.
You only have one try per day, and three clicks per try.
In each try, you basically look at the sky, and click on the stars or comets that cross your screen. There are 21 kinds of stars in all, and are divided into three categories: glow flakes, sun sparks, and astro emblems.
Just like Gem Hunt, you can hold on to your stars, or trade them in with the fairy that appears, to get KinzCash. If you find all 21 stars, you’ll be awarded the Star Challenge Grand Prize, which is the Fairy High Council Throne.
Be patient, though! Remember, it will take you at least a week minimum to find all 21 stars — and probably much longer.
Keeping in mind that cheating in Webkinz is something that is strictly frowned upon, and may get you banned, here are a few more Webkinz cheats that you should try (if you’re thinking of getting banned, that is!) that I’ve heard of:
Chocolate Easter Eggs: This trick only works around Easter time! At around Easter time you may see an easter egg floating across your screen if you’re playing in your room. Hurry and click on it! Chocolate Easter Eggs appear in your dock, and you can sell them for KinzCash (10 Dollars per egg!)
Speed Up Time: Go to “Things To Do”, then go to the arcade and click on the “Wheel of Wow”. Click on Spin and minimize your browser; open up your browser and go to any other site. Sometimes you’ll hear the wheel move real fast. If you open up the browser with the Wheel of Wow, you’ll have noticed that its done in 5 seconds (or less).
Pet Sleeping On The Wrong Side Of The Bed: You have to buy a bed for this one. If you have one, that’s great. What you need to do is click on the bottom side of the bed when your pet is sleeping; wait a couple seconds. Your pet should be sleeping at the wrong side of the bed.
Guk.ca, still down for many days, hasn’t resurfaced yet. Webkinz Island has been one of the oldest and best known Webkinz sites on the Internet for many years. If anyone has any idea what’s happened let us know!
One of the arcade games you can do in Webkinz World is Ant Mania.
Ant Mania involves moving a small ant up and down a picnic blanket, while avoiding red ants and the big black spider. The point of the game is to gather food while not getting attacked. Each bit of food gets you points that you translates into KinzCash at the end of the game. 15 points translates into 1 dollar of KinzCash.
You can use your keyboard to move up and down, but to move diagonally you’ll have to use two keys together. For example, to move up and left, hold the buttons up and left!
In order to help you avoid the red ants and black spider, there are a few “power ups” you can gather. A snail makes the red ants and spider slow down; the lady bug gives you a shield that keeps you alive if you get touched by one of the red ants or spider. And, the sneaker, of course, makes you go faster. Use these power ups wisely — each of them only lasts a few moments.
Now that you know the rules and the hints, go and get that food!
“Nuts for Candy” is saying that what Ganz is allegedly doing is against certain US laws, and makes it difficult for some stores, as they’re forced to pay for a lot of stuff that might not sell, and take away space in their store for stuff that does. Part of what makes things unfair is that after paying for $1000 of non-Webkinz stuff, there’s no guarantee that their application to sell Webkinz stuff will be approved.
No word yet from Ganz as to what they think of this issue.
Guk.ca, also known as Webkinz Island, one of the oldest Webkinz sites on the internet, still appears to be down. Seems like no one is writing about it or cares about it, except for us, as we wrote about it yesterday.
