Hi everyone! At the start of the month, we announced that we had made some important updates to our User Agreement. If you missed that announcement, you can find it here.
There were two important parts to this announcement, each one generating several follow up questions from our players.
PART I: Archiving and Deleting Accounts
“Webkinz World accounts are no longer being archived. Accounts that have purchased pets, in-game currency or Deluxe memberships may be deleted after 24 months of inactivity. Accounts with no paid activity may be deleted after six months of inactivity.”
“Players with archived accounts will have until September 30, 2019 to retrieve them. As of October 1, 2019, all remaining accounts in the archive will be deleted. As a result, the usernames associated to these accounts will be available once again to register as new accounts.”
Here are some of the questions you asked about this updated account policy, followed by our answers:
Q: Does this mean you are deleting all free accounts?
A: No. We are only deleting abandoned accounts still in our archives as of October 1, 2019
Q: How do I retrieve my account if it is archived?
A: If you know your user name and password, just attempting to log in will automatically retrieve your account from our archives within 24 hours.
Q: What if I don’t remember part of my log in?
A: Please email Customer Support at: webkinzsupport@ganz.com. Please note though, they can only search for an account by user name, an email (if one was provided), or one of the registered pet Adoption Codes on the account.
Q: I haven’t played Webkinz in many years, but I still know my user name and password, yet when I try to log in it says that my information isn’t correct.
A: If you haven’t logged in to your Webkinz account in more than 7 years, we are currently required by online child privacy laws to delete it.
Q: What can I do if my old account has been deleted?
A: If you still wish to play Webkinz, the only thing you can do is start a new account. Starting a new Webkinz account is FREE, comes with a pet of your choice, and also includes a 3 day free Deluxe Membership trial.
Q: I’m already playing Webkinz. If I don’t log in, will you delete my account?
A: STARTING OCTOBER 1ST, 2019: If you have a FREE account where you NEVER adopted another pet, or NEVER bought eStore Points, or NEVER bought a Deluxe Membership—and then stop logging in—we will delete that account after 6 months from your last log in. If you have done ANY 1 of those paid actions—even if your account is currently downgraded to the “Free Player” tier, we will only delete that account after 2 years from the last log in.
Q: Why are you deleting paid accounts after 2 years of inactivity now instead of 7?
A: We have already proactively retrieved many of the biggest accounts from our archives, in an attempt to preserve them for players who may return within the original 7 year legal deadline. However, there are still millions of smaller accounts that add up to massive amounts of data which is no longer feasible to store. Removing these accounts also means that millions of user names will be freed up for new players.
Q: To keep my account active, do I have to log into my account through the web or the mobile app?
A: Logging in to Webkinz on web, desktop, or mobile will all keep your account active.
PART II: Selling or Trading of Virtual Items
“The User Agreement now also explicitly forbids the sale or trade of any and all virtual items, with the exception of the trading of items for items through the in-game system. Virtual items may not be sold for cash, traded for eStore points, or traded for any equivalent service or consideration. Accounts violating these terms may be permanently banned.”
Here are some of the questions you asked about this updated virtual item policy, followed by our answers:
Q: Can we still trade items in the Clubhouse Trading Room?
A: Yes. Using our in-game trading system is still allowed.
Q: Can we still send items through KinzPost?
A: Yes. See more about this below.
Q: Can we still sell items for KinzCash back to the WShop?
A: Yes. Selling items in the WShop is still allowed.
Q: Can we still arrange for trading items on the Webkinz Newz trading forums?
A: Yes.
Q: What if a trade of virtual items was arranged between two players outside of Webkinz World, like on Facebook?
A: As long as it is a straight trade of virtual items through the Clubhouse Trading Room —not involving eStore Points, real money, or equivalent services—where the trade was arranged doesn’t matter. Remember KinzPost is for gifting ONLY, not for trading.
Q: Can we still gift items to friends and family through KinzPost?
A: Yes. Anything sent as a true gift is fine. But if that “gift” was sent in exchange for real money, eStore Points, or equivalent services–THAT is not allowed.
Q: Does this mean we can’t buy or sell any virtual Webkinz items on sites like eBay?
A: Correct.
Q: Can we trade codes for virtual items or virtual pets for real money, eStore Points, or equivalent services?
A: Codes are yours and can be sold/traded as you see fit. Just remember that you can’t trade the codes for virtual items in an any way, as virtual items can only be traded through our in-game trading system. Also, if you trade codes for any service that breaks our Terms of Service, your account will be considered to have broken our Terms of Service as well.
Q: I paid real money for some of the virtual items and pets on my account. Doesn’t that mean I own them and can do anything I want with them?
A: No. Please refer to our User Agreement which states that all game content “is owned, controlled or licensed by or to Ganz”.
Q: What about buying pet Adoption Code tags from places like eBay or other sites?
A: While buying the physical Webkinz pet Adoption Code tags that are not attached to a plush toy from a secondary seller on sites like eBay is not forbidden in our User Agreement, it is not recommended. An unsealed Webkinz pet Adoption Code may already be used, or could potentially compromise your account’s security.
Did I miss any questions you still have about this update? And what would you like me to report on next? Let me know in the comments below.
an off topic question (I wish we had an easier way of asking questions!). The Toadstool theme seems to be missing in the Wshop… any reason why?
It was retired to the Curio Shop
You’re right. the theme picture is in wshop, just none of the items! How weird, don’t remember them saying it was retiring.
I have a question its off topic but I just have to know do the retired pets codes still work on Webkinz world?
Yep
whenever I go into the trading room on KC+ no one is ever there, regular KC trading room is never good for me because I want specific items and you can never ask them for something specific like ‘Neo Gothic Flooring’ without KC+… what a shame…
I’m working on a Nursery Room, and I can’t buy the Pink Changing Table, Blue Changing Table, Rocking Horse, or Stroller because I am not a Deluxe Member. If you want to help, please send to plentyofpenguins.
I tried, but couldn’t add you as a friend, not sure why
never mind, I was adding it wrong
This is making me nervous… what about older accounts with PAID Deluxe memberships that expired and still have eStore points and super rare items?
Wait so trading items using KinzPost is no longer allowed? But on the announcement post someone asked this question and Sally said that it was allowed, that as long as you’re trading items for items using the in-game systems (trading room/KP) it was fine? Can you please clarify?
I was wondering about this as well. Recently traded someone for items in the a mystery box, trading like for like, and the only way to do it, if you use the forum here, is to send through KinzPost. Why would we not be able to swap out items for items on a mutually agreed to plan?
I could be wrong but I will attempt to answer this one. I think that you are confusing trading room with Kinzpost. You can trade via trading room, that is not Kinzpost. If you use Kinzpost it is considered a gift only. *hopes that she is right and hasn’t messed everything up*
Can you pass along a TIP to the ESTORE . Mystery bags IF we could pick 1 item I would buy more I got 1 of the $10. bags and my main item was WALLPAPER !! Needless to say I am not spending more kind of sad :(
I agree
Whenever I read this stuff about the quicker account deletion I get so nervous…
Same here. =,( Gotta get my brothers to get back on so their accounts don’t get deleted. They have so many rares and won’t give their account to me because of what I did in the past! (I replaced my mom’s ABC wallpaper with some other wallpaper and it didn’t return to her dock. XD)
I have been given several accounts by people that no longer play. It would be a shame if they let the accounts be deleted rather than let you , or someone else, take them over.
Webkinz World accounts are not transferable, per the user agreement.
Okay, now things are getting scary. Please define ‘transferred’ vs “Grandma, will you take care of my Webkinz?” I take care of 17 accounts. 9 of them I started myself; the other 8 were started by grandkids. I have kept them active for years by either adding a new pet or renewing Deluxe Memberships every single year. Pretty expensive! I have spent hours, days, weeks being sure every account earns the free Pet Medallions. I know that doesn’t count for anything, but it was a lot of work! So, my question is, Are these accounts considered transferable to the point of being banned?
I’ve copied a couple of sections from the User Agreement:
“You agree that you are entirely liable for all activities conducted through the Account. In particular, you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and you are responsible for any harm resulting from your disclosure or allowing the disclosure of your password or from use by any person of your password to gain access to your Account.”
“Accounts, user names and passwords are not transferable, even between your own Accounts, and similar to Virtual Items, have no retail value and are not redeemable for cash.”
Per the user agreement, those accounts have not been transferred to you, though you are accessing them by virtue of having the passwords. Attempting to sell an account could lead to it being banned. Logging in to someone else’s account is not recommended, but would not lead to the account being banned.
Wait a second… I log into my Dad’s one all of the time!! Is that bad? I mean, yeah, he gets irritated when I dress his pets up in girly outfits, but he’s thinking of changing his password.
I still have items that have not worked since your first updates and still don’t work. Also, I cannot delete or sell. Will these ever work?
Some items can’t be sold. Like eStore ones. I wish we could sell some of them for eStore points back.
Can we still send estore points to other players?
I second this question. I frequently send points to friends for birthdays.
i didn’t even know you Could do that
As long as it is a gift. But trading other in-game items for points is forbidden as well as selling them, or trading them for other Estore items as well. So as long as it is a gift it should be fine! If Steve would like to comment if I didn’t word it right please do! Haha
What goes for items also goes for eStore Points. True “gifting” is fine. Sending eStore Points to someone in exchange for items, pets, or equivalent services is not allowed.
Hey, red! It’s radish/09xStarlightx09 here! Yeah, I think gifting stuff like that is fine, but not actually trading them. If you remember, when I was in the KC+ TR I didn’t want anyone to trade eStore points because that was against the rule. GIFTING is fine to me, but I didn’t want anyone to be banned there, so yeah. And Steve, what about pets who try to scam people? There’s this bully, who has been bullying and pretending to be my best friend when in reality, he’s a bully. He keeps on trying to make unfair trades! He wants me to give him my Plumpy’s Glasses, WZ Jeans, and MVP Trophy hat for just Dr. Quack VITAMINS. I say no to all of it, and he keeps on blowing out hearts to other players and keeps on pounding me, and it’s annoying! Yes, I do fight back and I say “You’re so funny!” and he gets confused but gets even more mad at me AND my other account because he wants to make an unfair trade with me! He gets mad when I saw ‘No’. Could you guys like put more words in the KinzChat filter? Like, “It’s not for trade.”, “Sorry, this is an unfair trade.”, “GANZ WILL BAN YOU BECAUSE OF YOUR BEHAVIOR!”(JK), “You should follow the rules because you could get banned.”, etc. To friends, I ask for food while I give them cool rare items and things that they’re looking for for just food or nothing to be nice!! Bullies on the other hand, ugh. I don’t let anyone mess with me like that, and I just get to frustrated with them!! Bad pet names, bad friend requests, it’s so annoying!