Webkinz giveaway draws crowds to local store

Staff at Jester’s Fun Factory in Fergus were a little surprised by the response Friday night to their Webkinz event.

Dozens of people packed the store at the Highland Plaza and lined up in front as the 5 p.m. start of Friday’s “Webkinz Extravaganza” neared.

In recognition of Webkinz World’s third anniversary, the Ganz Toy Company let participating retailers give away one of the plush toys to anyone who spent more than $10 in the store.

With only 500 free Webkinz to give away, adults and children started lining up and browsing in the store by 4 p.m., staff member Lorri Amos said.

“By 5, we were packed right to the back of the store,” she said. Staff had to limit numbers when the lineup filled the store’s main aisle from front to back. By just after 5 p.m. about 60 people were lined up outside as well, where store owner Evelyn Gould, in “jester” costume, kept them entertained with magic and games for the kids.
Other staff were surprised at the local turnout, when toy stores in nearby cities were also running the giveaway promotion.

“It was awesome,” Amos said of the event. “We had a lot of happy customers.
“We want to give a really big thank you from us to them. They were just so great – they stood in line being patient … Our customers are just awesome,” she said.
The 500 free Webkinz lasted through the weekend to 2 p.m. Sunday. Two brothers got the last two giveaways, but handed one over to the girl in line behind them, who would have missed out on the free gift, Amos said.

Webkinz World is an extremely popular online site children go to after buying the plush toys. Each of the many Webkinz pets has an access code for the website, where the plush pets become virtual ones, states a Jester’s release. Children can create a special world for their online pet by earning points through game-playing on the website.

Last year Webkinz made up eight percent of Jester’s sales, Gould states – even though she couldn’t get any to sell until May. This Easter weekend they made up 25 percent of the store’s sales.

Jester’s and other retailers find it difficult to keep up with demand – one 12-year-old local customer has more than 70 of the plush toys, Gould states.
Source: http://www.centrewellington.com/news.php?article=460