| Webkinz and Lil Kinz toys are becoming more | | | | For instance, let's examine what happened to the |
| popular every day. What are Webkinz? If you | | | | Retired Webkinz Cheeky Dog. Since GANZ |
| have an elementary or middle school kid in your | | | | discontinued it in Summer 2007, it has become |
| house, you already know the answer to this | | | | one of the hottest and hard to find item on the |
| question. If not, in 2006 GANZ company opened a | | | | market. Most places now have it out of stock or |
| Webkinz World web site for kids and started | | | | with a very expensive price tag. But a year ago |
| producing two kinds of plushy toys - Webkinz | | | | you could easily find this plushy toy for only |
| (the bigger ones) and Lil Kinz (the smaller ones). | | | | $11.95 or less in many retail stores. But look at it |
| These "cute critterz" quickly gained popularity | | | | now - PriceGrabber returns two listings for |
| among kids and their parents in 2007 and 2008. | | | | Amazon: $989.95 and $1,199.99. That's 10,000% |
| In 2007 GANS company started "retiring" some | | | | difference in price! Friend of mine mentioned to |
| of their webkinz. It does not mean however that | | | | me recently seeing a lot of 6 Cheeky Dogs for |
| they will not "work" any longer. Retired webkinz | | | | $3,600! That's $600 per retired Cheeky Dog - not |
| can still be adopted and their secret code should | | | | a bad deal you may think - but spending that |
| still work with the Webkinz World web site. All it | | | | much on a small plush toy? Even $600 is 5,000% |
| means is that the GANZ company will no longer | | | | - the numbers are insane! |
| produce and sell particular webkinz. These webkinz | | | | Another example is the Retired Webkinz Cheeky |
| and lil' kinz will be discontinued or "retired". | | | | Cat. Similar story, except the price tag is not as |
| Right after GANZ announces retirement of some | | | | high yet. You can still find it for around $200 on |
| webkinz, that's when the webkinz community | | | | the Internet. It's currently listed on Amazon for |
| quickly jumps on buying up the to-be-retired | | | | $299. That's still a huge profit - 2,500% from the |
| webkinz. The more people want to buy, the more | | | | original $12. |
| demand grows for these webkinz and lil kinz, and | | | | Are you thinking about adding the next retired |
| they quickly disappear from the store shelves. | | | | webkinz or lil kinz to your retirement portfolio? |
| And, of course, people start buying just retired or | | | | What other investments will give you such a high |
| to-be-retired webkinz on the Internet which | | | | return? And these numbers are just after 1 year! |
| results in shortage of webkinz. Shortage of these | | | | Well, this may be a stretch. Who knows how long |
| virtual pets and more people still wanting them | | | | the webkinz craze is going to be around and |
| increases the price of these "critterz". The basic | | | | nobody really knows what webkinz are going to |
| law of economics tells us that more demand and | | | | rise in price as much as the Retired Webkinz |
| less supply drive the price for goods higher, so | | | | Cheeky Dog and Cat did, but even if the price of |
| some of retired webkinz prices simply go through | | | | the future Retired Webkinz goes to $25, that's |
| the roof. | | | | 100% return. Not bad at all. |