WebKinz Deals Online
I don't usually go for fads or follow the crowd. However, my kids love stuffed animals and Ganz makes really soft cute ones. So, I gave in to Webkinz. I was concerned with 4 little kids wanting to go online and play in Webkinz world, but they really just love just playing with their Webkinz plush animals. We go online only occasionally, and I admit I love playing the games.
I won't pay full price for a toy, and certainly not when I need 4 of them just to get started. I went to my local Paperstore to get an idea of how much these little guys are going for. Webkinz, the 8.5 inch animals run $10.99 here in MA. The smaller Lil Kinz 6.5 inch go for $8.99. These are my baseline comparison prices for shopping online. The cost plus shipping should not exceed the local store price.
Once I started searching with Google (the search engine not the WebKin by the same name) online, I discovered the first benefit of finding these little WebKinz online: greater selection! There was a huge selection compared to my local store. There were also tons of websites. Everybody is in on it! I started getting lost in surfing for WebKinz.
I discovered there are lots of WebKinz cheat sites. Yeah, you can cheat in WebKinz World. How awful! Of course those sites caught my attention. I had to see what they were about. Geez, just as in real life people have discovered ways around earning money honestly, there are lots of folks out in cyberspace ready to help you cheat and get easy WebKinz money (Kinz cash). Some are legitimate hints on how to play the games better on WebKinz, and buy and sell your WebKinz possessions.
However, others site suggest cheats that looked too much like dark alley dealings for small plush pets! Here I thought these were just sweet innocent little pets and sweet innocent little kids behind them! WebKinz website of course will kick off you and your misbehavin WebKinz pet if you are caught cheating!
Back to shopping for WebKinz deals!
I went to the big toys stores online first, eToys and Toysrus. Toyrus isn't playing with WebKinz. They support Shining Stars where you not only get a plush animal and a magical online virtual world, you also get to register a REAL star in you name in the International Star Registry! Cool, huh? I checked out the Shining Stars, and still wanted a WebKinz (I mean for my kids, not me.)
eToys.com was overpriced, even with any sales they sometimes offered. When I checked the website, some were on sale for $14.99. I will use the white WebKinz Rabbit as an example, since that is one of the ones I eventually purchased (from eBay). eToys: $19.99 + $4.33 shipping! Yikes! Who are you guys kidding??? I can get 3 Rabbits on eBay!
eBay
Speaking of eBay, I looked there next. I purchased WebKinz Rabbit as well as Cheeky Monkey, Koala, Googles, Alley Cat and some Lil Kinz like the Lion, Penguin. Yeah, I got addicted quickly, even for a veteran eBayer. I even got caught up in a LOT auction of WebKinz and ended up with 4 duck-like platypus animals named Googles, which I promptly turned around and resold 3/4 on eBay.
On eBay, do a search for a particular Webkinz you would like. Check the auction description to ensure the tags are unused so you can register your WebKinz on the WebKinz website (otherwise you are purchasing just another plush pet). Also, check the seller's feedback to ensure you are buying from an excellent eBayer seller. ( see my post about smart shopping on eBay: How to Shop and Save on eBay)
Click on completed auctions to see the completed auction final sold prices and shipping costs. You can get some good deals. I don't have the patience for auctions, so usually I only bid if there are less than 10 minutes left. There are enough eBay sellers selling WebKinz that you have plenty of choices. I love the ones that have less than a 1 minute left. That's how I got Rabbit for $2.99 + $5.95 shipping.
Amazon.com
My next stop in search of WebKinz was Amazon.com. There, I also discovered there are more Webkinz than you can imagine. Retired or not these furry little guys are taking over the world like "Trouble with Tribbles" on Star Trek! Some animals are retired after a certain time. The retired Webkinz do command a higher price on eBay and Amazon.
For each WebKinz listing on Amazon, you will find about 10 or more sellers offering the same animal for a variety of prices and shipping rates. You can find a WebKinz for a reasonable price on Amazon.com.
I found another good deal at Costco.com wholesale club. You do need a wholesale club membership to shop at Costco. I would not recommend the membership fee just for some WebKinz but if you happen to have a membership, I found some 4-pack variety packs on Costco for $39.99, shipping included. They include the Black Cat which I found out is seasonal for Halloween.
The WebKinz have been around for a while now since Ganz introduced them in 2005. I think that means they are lasting longer than version 1.0 of TY Beanie Babies. They are going for less and less on eBay. I noticed some auctions end at a starting bid of 0.99 cents with $5-$6 shipping. Maybe the fad is nearing an end? Regardless, my kids are loving them, and I may get them one more each.
WebKinz List of Pets
If you are not sure who's who in the WebKinz world, start with Wikipedia.org under WebKinz:
The above link is the list of all the WebKinz pets available. On the Webkinz website, once you register and adopt your pet, each pet has a special item and special food. Those items are identified in this list as well.
Stuffed Animal Donation Locations
So if you have allowed WebKinz into your home or are planning on letting some of these pets move in, you probably need to discard some other plush toys to make room. There are many places that accept clean, good condition stuff animals as donations. You don't have to take abandoned stuff animals to the landfill.
Clean small stuffed animals are always needed by EMTs, Fire and Police Departments to give to children who are involved in trauma and accidents.
This is one site I have used that is in MA.: Project Smile, "Help Bring Comfort to a Hurting Child." You can send your stuffed animals from anywhere to Project Smile, or do a search on Google for stuffed animal donation centers, near you. Maybe after the year free subscription runs out on some of your Webkinz, and your kids have moved on, your littl Webkinz can make another child smile.
You can probably gather all the retired TY Beanie Babies you may have previously accumulated and any other stuffed animals piled in the corners of your bedrooms, and donate them to a good cause.
By the way, TY Beanie Babies generation 2.0 are online now too in their very own virtual world. It is pretty much unanimous: all stuffed animals now live in a virtual reality! I don't think any child will ever be happy again with just a plain ol' cute stuffed if that animal does not come with a sewed on, tied on, virtually irremovable super secret access code to allow the stuffed animal a life of its own on the Internet!
I am at least happy my children still sleep with their plain ol' loveys (We have Bunny, Pinky Puppy, Beary, and Teddy) which only exist in our real world. Oh, the WebKinz do sleep with them too.
More Information about Webkinz
For general information about WebKinz, go to the source, the manufacturer, Ganz:
WebKinz Deals Online
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