Help Webkinz's Narrow Focus...For Now

Over the past few days I've been poking around online looking for info about Webkinz. At 12:28 am this morning, I realized I need to make sure this blog stays focused on the issue of Webkinz customer service. Otherwise, I'll spend way too much time on it.

As I've been reading, I've found Webkinz related articles dealing with the many aspects of kid friendly online worlds: a business slant, safety issues, their growth and a specific complaint about the consumerism taught by Webkinz. Then there are the lighter issues of actually playing on Webkinz. (Check out webkinzmomz.com for more info about the fun part of Webkinz.) With all those options, I could easily spend several hours a day blogging about Webkinz. Oy vey.

Consider this post is my "note to self."

Webkinz Woes Link List

Similar to a blogroll, I've compiled this list of blog posts where people made their Webkinz woes public. I've used Mr. Linky because it's easier to update like that instead of signing in to Blogger each time I find another post. I've entered the blog name followed by a short description of the problem they posted about.

Disclaimer: Inclusion on this list doesn't imply endorsement of the Help Webkinz blog. I've added the names to the list, not the bloggers. (Similar to other types of blogrolls and lists.) To see the self reported complaints, go to Our Complaint Desk.

UPI Covers Webkinz Christmas Outage

This brief article from UPI noted the downtime of Webkinz on Christmas. It also mentioned some larger retailers technical issues as well.

Contact Webkinz

Here's the compilation of ways to contact Webkinz: (Let us know how it works out for you.)

1) On webkinz.com it says to log in to Webkinz World and go to the Contact Us section of the Newz. (The site was down while during this post, so I don't have further instructions. In fairness to them, it is 2:23 am CST and kids should be in bed now.)

2) Webkinz Customer Service number: 1-866-932-5469. These are the instructions you'll currently hear:

• Send an e-mail to support@webkinz.com
• The number won't accept voicemail.
  
• Enter your service code if you have it. (I think you get this after you e-mail them.)

If you wait a minute after the recording stops, you'll hear the Mailbox for the Help Desk" recording with instructions to:

• Leave your first name and phone number. A service representative will call you back.
• If you've left a message w/in the past 24-48 hours, don't leave another one.
  
• Office hours are M-F, 9am - 5pm EST.
  

3) Contact info for Ganz, the parent company, is: 1-800-724-5902 or customerservice@ganz.com.

4) Here's the WHOIS info listed on the Ganz.com domain registration:

Registrant: Ganz
Leo Campione
1 Pearce Rd
Woodbridge, Ontario L4L-3t2, Canada
+1.905851661
112833@whois.gkg.net

5) Per a post on complaints.com, Professional Marketing is the PR agency for Ganz. (They have their work cut out for them.) Their phone number is 616.949.9104.

I used the "solutions" label for this post hoping that one day theses numbers will be the solution to getting help with your Webkinz.

Why the Ads?

Does it seem suspect to have Auction Ads for Webkinz on a blog made to gather complaints about those same toys? Here are the reasons how, in good conscience, I have the ads:

1) Because I'm not calling for a boycott of Webkinz or bemoaning their existence, I'm okay with providing links to E-bay so people can buy the critters. Overall they are still a fun product from a company facing growing pains.

2) Hopefully this blog will actually be of service to someone. In that respect, any income generated from the ads can be seen as compensation time spent building and maintaining this online suggestion box.

3) The primary focus of Help Webkinz is content, not advertising. Comparitively, the focus of the unofficial webkinzhelp.com is all advertising and no content. (That may change if Ganz buys that domain name.)

Okay. I'm glad I got that off my chest.

Don't forget to add your two cents to our Complaint Desk or Success Stories.