Webkinz are exploding in popularity…you can’t buy them here in Greensburg, PA. It’s like a treasure when one of the local retailers receives a shipment. My kids are addicted to them so I thought I’d interview them to find out why they are all the rage. First I talk to my daughter Marisa who is 10. Then a few questions for my son Matthew, age 8.
What is a Webkinz? It’s a pet that you buy in stores that has a password that lets you log online and turn it into a virtual pet.
Where did you first hear about them? Amy (her cousin) bought me one.
How many kids in your school are playing with them? A lot of the girls in 5th grade. I don’t know much about other grades but Matthew’s friend has 13 Webkinz.
Do boys play them too? Yes.
Can you talk to other kids while you play? There’s a thing called kinzchat. If a kid types in a bad word then they get a warning…if they do it three times then they’re like suspended for a month or something.
Why would someone want 13 virtual pets? So they can earn more Kinzcash which is money in the virtual world.
What do you use the money for? You use money to buy your pet food, clothing, and design rooms for them.
Why do you think they’re cool? They are really cool because they’re just like the real world except virtual.
What’s your favorite aspect of Webkinz? Like how you can do your daily activities and how you play the arcade games.
Do you have to care for your pet? Yes it has a health, happiness, and hunger meters that you look at.
What do you do to keep them healthy and happy? You take it swimming or jump on trampoline or you can just take these pills that make hunger and health go up. But happiness goes down if your pet doesn’t get enough sleep or your not playing with it enough.
Do you think they’re a fad? I think they’re going to be around for ten years because they keep making new things for them…Thilani (her friend) said she’s going to play them until she’s 21 if they’re around that long.
Matthew:
What the coolest part about Webkinz? Playing with your pet in the arcade.
How many Webkinz do you have? I would have three but I have one. Because one said you can only use letters between a and z and the other says the code is already taken.
Are your friends playing with them? Three or four people in second grade.
How much time do you play with them per day? You have to play with them three or four hours a day.
What happens if you don’t play with them? Then your Webkinz hunger would go to 85. Happiness would too.
Can your Webkinz die? Umm, I’m not sure, I don’t think it can die. Thilani left hers like a year and everything was at zero but it didn’t die.
Do you like the fact that you have to buy it in a store first? Yes because then you have something you can enter online.
To me it seems the ease of use is a key factor in their success. The kids like the simple games, acquiring kinzcash, and pimping out their spaces for the pets. In all, a simple concept that is totally on fire. Webkinz again is playing to the customization revolution that I have talked about previously.