Webkinz stuffed animal toy - by GANZ

COMPLAINT: My daugher received a Webkinz stuffed animal that is the latest fad with youngsters, as you can supposedly play with it on the computer thru www.webkinz.com once you are properly registered with a secret code. The problem is that she has never been able to log in, not once ever. The registration DOESNT WORK AND NEITHER DOES THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE. IF you call the Webkinz suport number, you get a voicemail runaround.via email, they send polite responses to email inquiries, but offer no assistance on how to log on. They emailed a response asking for additional information, which she sent. I even tried calling the Ganz customer support number in Cananda, and got the same non response. below is the chain of emails she has sent begging for help, as well as the information about the company and the name of its corporate head. It is a privately held Canadian company. Please help me resolve this. My daughter is crushed, and wants me to buy her another one. But I have no idea if this thing actually works, or if this is some type of scam where parents have go out and buy mulitiple products in order to get it to finally work. Please let me know if you additional information.

CORPORATE OWNER:

Webkinz is made by: Ganz

CEO: Howard Ganz

Industry: Dolls and Toys

Address: One Pearce Road , Woodbridge , Ontario L4L 3T2 , Canada

Contact: Professional Marketing - PR agency for Ganz

Phone: Prof. Mktg 616.949.9104

E-mail: Email User

Web: http://www.webkinz.com

EMAILS SENT TO WEBKINZ:

hi, this is the second time i email you. i previously provided you with the following info.:

1 - Username/User ID: nelson46

2 - User's First Name: Ariana

3 - User's DOB: 12/31/97

4 - *SECRET PET CODE*: WJYWY98K

5 - Desired password: andres1

Please let me know when reset is complete. thank you for your assistance.

----- Original Message -----

From: Email User

To: Email User

Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 10:08 PM

Subject: Webkinz Customer Support - Reply To Your Message

Hi, thanks for writing.

When you write to us with a technical problem about Webkinz World, it helps us if you can provide us with as much information as possible. Try to remember what part of Webkinz World you were in and what you were doing at the time. We'll be more than happy to try and solve your problem.

Don't forget, you can always call our Technical Help department at 1-866-WEBKINZ (932-5469) in the U.S. or Canada, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, EST.

We hope this helps.

- Your furry friends at Webkinz World

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I'm having difficulties logging in. this is the second email i send you

here is the info. you requested:

1 - Username/User ID: nelson46

2 - User's First Name: Ariana

3 - User's DOB: 12/31/97

4 - *SECRET PET CODE*: WJYWY98K

5 - Desired password: andres1

Please let me know when reset is complete. thank you for your assistance.

----- Original Message -----

From: Email User

To: Email User

Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 7:26 PM

Subject: Webkinz Customer Support - Reply To Your Message

Hello,

We can reset the password for you if you provide us with:

1 - Username/User ID

2 - User's First Name

3 - User's DOB

4 - *SECRET PET CODE*

5 - Desired password (that is, what you would like us to set your password as)

Please ensure that it is a minimum of 6-characters long, and preferably is composed of both letters AND numbers.

Regards,

Webkinz Helpdesk

(Note: Please include all the original messages when responding to our emails)

This message, including any attachments, may contain confidential information intended only for the person(s) named above. Any other distribution, copying or disclosure is strictly prohibited. Communication by email is not a secure medium and, as part of the transmission process, this message may be copied to servers operated by third parties while in transit. Unless you advise us to the contrary, by accepting communications that may contain your personal information from us via email, you are deemed to provide your consent to our transmission of the contents of this message in this manner. If you do not want to communicate with us via email, please reply to this message with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. If you are not the intended recipient or have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by reply email and permanently delete the original transmission from us, including any attachments, without making a copy.

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My friend Quincy purchased a Webkinz pet monkey for me for christmas. I cannot log in. I have changed my password several times, to no avail. I get the same message each time that I have the wrong password. The original secret code that was on the tag on the pet is: Wjywy98k what should I do to log on?

Comment On This

i have the pet of the month(bulldog) but i didint get the lootbag and the email saying happynew years with a token while my friends get theirs!!!!!!!!!!i cant understand why im not the pet of the month even though it says i am my bulldogs name is jorden and my account is jangathejaguar please pleas please answer back

Comment On This

I have filed a complaint with the Canadian Better Business Bureau in Ontario.

I suggest that anyone else having a complaint with Ganz/Webkinz.com do the same. The information you will need is:

www.bbb

and

Ganz

1 Pearce Rd

Woodbridge, ON L4L 3T2

905 851-6661

I requested a refund of the price paid for ten Webkinz pets as the service promised was not provided. If we all do that, maybe Ganz will do something about their service!

Comment On This

Well, You should NOT have written the password and username you wanted, or the secret code on here, maybe somebody has STOLEN them. You should have blocked it out, like this:

password: ********

Comment On This

My daughter received 3 Webkinz's for Christmas and one for her birthday. Two worked, one stated that the code was already used, and the other just won't let her log on. She really likes this web-site and the games. The believe the company just needs to better support their software. I looked up the Better Business Bureau www.bbb.org under the United states in NY (there is a mail drop address in Cheektowaga where I live) This info gave the company name, address, name and e-mail address of a Susan McVeigh in Canada. She is the primary contact and complaint contact. And according to the BBB report in the past 3 years no one has placed a complaint with them. This might be a good place to start if you don't get anywhere with Ms. McVeigh. Wish you the best of luck

Comment On This

VERY IMPORTANT!!! If you can remove your secret code, sign in etc information from this website please do so!! Anyone who sees it can claim it as their own!

One big problem with Webkinz.com is they recommend/require high speed internet connection. It can be a real pain in the rump to login and play with dialup. I have dialup and it takes 5 times of logging in and refreshing (hit F5 key) before I can get onsite.

GOOD LUCK - I hope things are resolved by now.

Another great site to make complaints at is www.planetfeedback.com

Comment On This

My daughter keeps throughing a fit because your web site is not loading on our computer. When she first got her webkinz it worked fine. but for the last 2 weeks it will not pop up. All we get is a blank screen. She misses playing with her wbkinz on-line. Please What is going on?

Concerned Parent

Comment On This

The BEST way to contact Ganz (Webkinz) Customer Support it THIS:

- Call 1 - 800 - 724 - 5902

- Then DIAL 0

- Tell the Operator that answers that you need to speak to someone about issues with your Webkinz account.

- You will either get a customer service rep immediately, or, get to leave a voicemail.

- DO leave a voice mail - but, also, write down the Name & Extension number of the customer rep

- If they don't call back in a reasonable period of time you can THEN try calling back at the same 800 number

- BUT instead of dialing 0 - DIAL 4 - and then the person's extension number.

This worked for me after calling the person's extension number back 3 times.

HOWEVER - Right now it appears that Ganz customer support policies are NOT the greatest...

I believe more people need to send hard copy (snail mail) letters to Howard Ganz at the Canadian address... Enough is enough!

There is an AWESOME website - webkinzinsider.com that has TONS of useful info & a forum of great people that can help with many of these issues.

Comment On This

Your website is not working tryed to go to your website and it wont load up.

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We have experienced the same issues with a Webkinz. The ID was already used so we e-mailed the support group at Webkinz. We received an e-mail from Webkinz asking for more information which we provided promptly. We then received another e-mail asking us to call. We have called twice and we were forced to leave a recording. They have never called us. I even sent another e-mail asking for help, but have not received a response thus far.

I am unsure whether they even have a customer support department. It all seems like automated response triggers from Webkinz. Unbelievable.

Anyone have any ideas about getting a live body at Webkinz?

Comment On This

I have had difficulty with Webkinz also. My daughter received hers for a birthday gift in October. For a couple of months, she absolutely loved it! Then, she could no longer get logged on. I e-mailed GANZ, and like everyone else, was given responses that were no help at all. One response even said that being able to log on is not guaranteed! My daughter has forgotten about it now, but I still have a bad taste in my mouth. Ganz is false advertising. Isn't the whole point of getting a WEBkinz to use it on the WEB??!!

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My 4 year old also received a Webkinz as a gift, we set up the account as we were told, and the next time we tried to log on we were told that the username does not exist. Of course she is devastated she cannot play with it and I am very frustrated. Either these things are a scam, or maybe the website is hacked and the info taken. Definitely won't be buying another. Stupid Webkinz!

Comment On This

I too am having a frustrating experience with this stupid thing! My daughter manged to get into the account set up and 'create' an account - and now we have no idea what the 'username' and 'password' associated with the 'secret code' is. There is no way she could have put in a valid e-mail address associated with the account set up(which I think would be a good preventive measure - to abort the process if valid info is not plugged in). Now - when I go to the C/S to inquire, it won't let me do it w/o the corresponding account information - which is the problem in the first place!

Grrr - what a racket. You can bet we won't be purchasing any more of these things.

Comment On This

We are having big time problems with Webkinz also. My daughter has been saving up her money and buying all these animals so she can enter them on the web. So for 6 months she entered the codes and thoughtfully put items in the virtual rooms. Then one day they were all gone, all the items, the special items, the cash...everything.

The customer service is all prewritten crap and you can't find any real help. Does anyone have any email addresses to the big wigs at their corporate office?

My daughter is so upset, she put a lot of hours into it for nothing.

Comment On This

I did have a problem with a Webkinz and Ganz took care of the problem. I originally called Bonnie's Hallmark in Clarkston, MI where we purchased the Webkinz to handle the problem and the owner would not listen to me or take care of the problem. I contacted Ganz directly and they took care of it right away. I do find the system slow during the time that I think a lot of people are on at the same time but other then that we have been happy with Webkinz.

Comment On This

My children have received several webkins as gifts. These things are worse than any other addictive "screne" game because my young children actually believe they must feed their "pets" every day or they will die. And if the fussing over computer time wasn't enough, apparently there are hackers who sit around all day putting in codes and passwords, then clearing out all the earned "money" and purchased "items" by sending them to other accounts. Yes, the hackers are to blame and should burn in hell for cheating children. But, really, isn't Ganz ultimately responsible for this ridiculous non-educational waste of money and time? There are MILLIONS of other BETTER toys and activities for our children. Yesterday I went into popular toy store. They told me they despise webkins and will never carry them. I applaud those toy sellers who have such principles, and the parents, teachers and daycare providers who actually put some thought and care into the activities they provide to children. Shame on Ganz.

Comment On This

I purchased a Webkinz for my daughter about 8 months ago from a local toy store. It has been one hassle after another with the site being "Down for repairs" and "updating." It seems everytime I log in, they are being repaired. I've emailed with no luck or even a response, so I suggest you stay away from them. Most people do not have problems, but those of us that use our hard-earned cash for them feel very jipped that they don't stand by a product that should work when we want to use it. I have refused to spend one more cent on this product and will never buy or suggest a Webkinz for anyone ever.

Comment On This

My son, too is having GREAT difficulty logging on to his room. 2 of my children have 2 webkinz each; my daughter's computer sits right next to my son's. However my son up until 3 days ago was able to access his room, but now gets logged off when he makes any further attempts. Yet my daughter, contiues on. They have identical computers, all the same updates, we have changed his password and NOTHING. The "Tech Support", "Customer Support" is a load of crap. The fields of choices are so narrow, there are only drop down choices (that only require automated responses from thier end) There are no free fields to write a specific concern.

We all need to contact the Consumer Specialist of our respective news stations and request thier intervention. Maybe this would get Ganz's attention. Does Canada have the equivilant to Better Business Bureau? I will be contacting them here in the states to see if they can offer any assitance.

Comment On This

My son received a Webkin for Christmas, as did a million other kids. So registration problems were not a surprise on Christmas day. We finally got our registration in, and he has not a room since. This is his first and only room, so he has not exceeded the limit of 10. I have emailed everyplace I could, and called the "customer service"(note quotation marks..) twice...nothing. I can understand a backlog the first few days, but Ganz should have seen this coming, they track their sales, don't they? And for this to go on this long with no response is inexcusable. I guess we don't have it quite as bad as some others, at least we can go on and play some games, but my son's webkin's "love/affection" meter is depleting because he can't get into the room.

This is just rediculous and should not be going on at this magnitude for so long. I am trying to get through Ganz in a "non Webkins" way, but can't seem to find any email or phone number. The stupid thing is that I have two other new Webkins to give to my kids as birthday presents...is this problem still going to occur???

And this is very weird...the emails before mine are including passwords and secret codes...isn't anyone concerned about someone stealing this info? I want to be contacted in private email, not on a public forum asking me to divulge private information..Thanks to anyone that can help..

Comment On This

I am having the same problem as not being able to get into the room. We bought 2 Webkinz, and 2 outfits. I would like the company to refund my money, or fix the problem. I am STRONGLY NOT recommending anyone to waste their money on these. They do not respond to any of the 3 emails that I have sent except for the "automatic response". THEY HAVE VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.

They did have a posting on their bulliten that they will give us extra points, and a months free subscription. It has been 3 weeks since we have not been able to do anything, I do not consider that a free month. WHO WOULD TRUST THEM WHEN THEY DONT RESPOND TO YOUR EMAILS.

This toy is a ripoff, and a big disappointment. We would have had more fun with winning the "cheap" toys out of the vending machines. The quality of the stuffed animal that you are left with equals the quality of the "claw machine" toys.

Comment On This

This is the comment I sent to the store where I bought the product. I know it isn't fair to the store--but if we ALL email the store where we bought the darn things--maybe Ganz will lose a few sales and start listening. Feel free to use my email and substitute your information.

Hi [store]: My email is ---. This will seem like a small complaint to you, and I am sure you can do nothing about it, but I want you to know that I have several other friends who have had the same experience. Prior to Christmas, I purchased two Ganz Webkinz at your ---- store. My girls received these from ‘Santa.’ To our dismay, they did not work on the Webkinz site—the site said both codes had already been used. Now, I know this is not true, as I bought them at your store, and your clerk took care to tell me that Webkinz were not returnable. The Webkinz site has admitted, via their bulletin to parents, that there has been difficulty—but it is now 10 days past Christmas and I, along with several friends, have not received satisfaction from the company. It seems to me that a store like ---- should not carry such a shoddy product with such poor customer service. I hope you will at least complain to them on my behalf, as apparently the consumer has no power whatsoever with this company. I thank you for the many, many other quality products I have purchased from your store. This is most certainly not one of them. --- name

Comment On This

My poor 8yo daughter managed to access the site for a month, then for the last 3 months she hasn't got past log in on our computer. She can get access for her girlfriend's PC's. We have a mac which I have upgraded, I also upgraded the flash player and everything else they suggested on the website. Still no luck, we even bought another one, hoping the adoption would kick start it. Of course they accepted the registration, but still no go at log in. I've tried to contact them, but as you have stated...impossible. One area I did find, didn't have enough room to fit my full email address in? What did they do to their site that we could access and then suddenly not access? Worse than that, I work in a toy shop in Australia, and my boss just took stock of them, what am I to say to customers when I can't even access the site? Bad business Ganz! And really bad customer service, what can we do to be heard?

Tracey

Comment On This

I am experiencing the same problem. I can't get into the room and we are automatically logged out on some of the game areas in Webkinz. It is awful. You just can't get in touch with anyone. I've never encountered such a site in my life. People should not put up sites that can not accommodate the influx of customers. My son is very discouraged at this point. We haven't even received an email reply in five days.

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My daughter lost the tag on her first Webkinz- nothing we could do- so we got her a new one. She registered herself (she is 8)and cannot remember her username. I put in all the info we have, including the secret code and her password but it will not give me the username. It just says our info doesn't match their records. I have tried everything I can think of but nothing works and these people don't answer emails. What can we do? WE have the stupid code- why isn't that enough? Lauren Rentz

Comment On This

How can you contact Webkinz?- I need to let someone know what happened. I purchased a Webkniz necklace for my 8 year old daughter and she wore it to school. By the time she got home, it had to be cut out of the back of her hair. She has hair that is pasther shoulder and she wore necklaces before without problems like this. Please advise how to contact them. Plus - I would not recommend this to anyone to purchase until they change their design.

Thank you,

Dianne

Comment On This

I TOTALLY AGREE. I BOUGHT ONE FOR MYGRANDSON AND I CANNOT GET INTO THE WEB, THEY KEP GIVING ME NEW CODES BUT NOT ONE WILL WORK I THINK IT IS AREAL RIPOFF AT CHILDRENS EXPENSE