The Webkinz Will Rise

Webkinz are a new breed of virtual pets, and if you've never heard of them, you're either childless or your kids haven't started begging for one.

Armed with a Webkinz stuffed animal, children can use the toy's special ID to join a Web-based community. The Webkinz online community encourages tots to learn how to care for their "pets," have fun with other kids, and, of course, keep buying more stuff. Experts of all ages believe Webkinz and other Internet-connected toys will be the rage this year.

Currently "webkinz" ranks in our top 100 searches, a lofty spot for a fuzzy toy. The savvy side of the phenomenon is how the toys often change and go out of circulation. Queries like "new webkinz" (+371%) are almost guaranteed to appear in Search, as are the various accoutrements of a fully equipped Webkinz-maniac: "secret codes" (+359%), "charms," and "lip gloss," of all things.

Buzz for "webkinz.com"—the website where all the virtual pet magic happens—has experienced a nearly tenfold increase over the last year.

With this kind of trajectory, we have little doubt that the Webkinz craze will grow well into the holiday spending season.