And most important for the business-minded, the sites create a space for building a brand and advertising a product. Most offer some sort of virtual currency, whether it's Trollz "Trollars" or “gaia gold," to buy virtual goods, often distributed as a reward or incentive for participation. Some of them also sell virtual items for real money. It is said that a store sells between 60,000 to 180,000 gaia online gold a day. In addition to virtual goods, many of these sites want their users to buy real-world products. Mattel hopes to sell Barbie-inspired handheld music players to interact with the Barbie Girls site. Gaia Online sells all manner of physical garb.
For established brands like Barbie, Trollz, and Disney, it's all about getting girls to convince their parents to go from virtual fun and games to real-world purchases. For the startup companies without strong brands or established products, the financial model is more about sponsorships and brand integration. WeeWorld, a site that lets you create cute avatars that can act out emotions using instant-messaging commands, partnered with AOL Instant Messenger to set up a sponsorship with Skittles where WeeMees sport Skittles bikinis, ride Skittles skateboards, or wear Skittles T-shirts against an animated Skittles background. New Line Cinema recently launched a promotion on Gaia Online for its film The Last Mimzy, inviting Gaians on a quest to view the movie trailer and then retrieve a "Mimzy plushie" to accompany their avatars.
RSS Feed