What the heck is up with Woot!
We waited and waited and waited some more..
But then it was over....
No Random Crap during a THREE DAY WOOT-OFF
No Monkeys at all during the Woot Off

This was the Worst Woot-Off EVER

Booooooooooooooooooo WooooooooooooooooooooT

cmcardella wrote:What the heck is up with Woot!
We waited and waited and waited some more..
But then it was over....
No Random Crap during a THREE DAY WOOT-OFF
No Monkeys at all during the Woot Off

This was the Worst Woot-Off EVER

Booooooooooooooooooo WooooooooooooooooooooT

Agreed.... 3 years and no Barrels of Crud for me, was feeling lucky this time..... Boo woot....

cmcardella wrote:What the heck is up with Woot!
We waited and waited and waited some more..
But then it was over....
No Random Crap during a THREE DAY WOOT-OFF
No Monkeys at all during the Woot Off

This was the Worst Woot-Off EVER

Booooooooooooooooooo WooooooooooooooooooooT

I have literally been up the past three days with woot on. As you might not be able to tell, I'm severely dissapointed, but too tired to to write an angry letter.

Maybe in the morning.

Farewell cruel woot!

I don't really want to complain about the quality of products and what was offered because, in many ways, that's part of what a woot-off is all about. In my eyes though, what has been starting to get more and more disappointing to me is what the deals actually are consisting of as far as savings. Recently it just seems that what was being offered isn't anywhere near the discount that other online stores are offering it at and this seems to be constant across regular woots as well was woot-offs. The fun of woot was trying to get that killer deal that you couldn't even come close to anywhere else but anymore it seems like just adding 5-15% to the woot price and you can have it from another site.

It's very fun just waching all the posts get deleted even when they have no language issues just says how they are disappointed and comments about who owns woot... Did I miss something or is woot a fan of sopa? Not sure if I should call myself a woot fan anymore

Will start a FB page for corporate Woot!

sgcduffman wrote:It's very fun just waching all the posts get deleted even when they have no language issues just says how they are disappointed and comments about who owns woot... Did I miss something or is woot a fan of sopa? Not sure if I should call myself a woot fan anymore

I admit I have been just constantly refreshing the page to watch people comment and then get deleted 2 seconds later.

i've been woot!ng for quite a while, and have bought a number of things. i agree that the killer deals seem more few and far between. that's sad.

but to have a wootoff *without monkeys* and WITHOUT A Barrels of Crud is a big mistake. it really risks losing the community feeling that's one of woot's unique points.

there's a whole mythology that's been built up around woot, wootoffs, Barrels of Crud#39;s, flying monkeys: IMHO the Corporate Masters are fooling around with it at their peril.

i'm disappointed.

docflash wrote:
there's a whole mythology that's been built up around woot, wootoffs, Barrels of Crud#39;s, flying monkeys: IMHO the Corporate Masters are fooling around with it at their peril.

It's the whole "Wal-Mart = Low Price" thing again.... everyone just assumes that because Wal-Mart has always had the lowest price for years that they can just automatically go there and save money when in reality once they've trained their shoppers that they are good and cheap and fun then they might as well not bother shopping around anymore. Sadly, it still works for Wal-Mart but I feel it's less likely to work on the internet.... it takes work to drive across the street to Target to comparison shop but it's a slot easier to hit Ctrl-T.

I hesitate to take the bait and move my post over here where no-one but a few insiders will ever see it, especially because I suspect kind of icky motivations on the part of the censors ("there will be no user rebellion against the mothership, no matter how much we depend on the users").

But, here's the totally unthreatening, clean-languaged thing I was TRYING to say on the product page:

_________________________________
ThunderThighs wrote:FYI: All I'm doing is deleting some of the repetitious posts and profanity so people can find information about the laptop in the thread.
________________________________


Hmmm...

Hard not too feel picked on, though, when I look at what stays vs. what goes. It used to be pretty clear what would get your posts deleted, and fair, too. Now, though, there's a distinct tendency to remove too many complaints about/references to the Amazon ownership, which like it or not is one of those things a whole bunch of w00t's dedicated customers have issues with, and naturally want to voice their frustrations/paranoia/sour grapes about on the community pages. Especially at the end of an epic (and epically dissapointing) woot-off.

Oh well, go ahead and delete this one too. Whatever.

granilithe wrote:I admit I have been just constantly refreshing the page to watch people comment and then get deleted 2 seconds later.

I always had a lot of respect for this site. But now that they're actively engaging in censorship, particularly when it is against LONG TIME customers, I have an issue with that. If there was something being said that was offensive, profane, or violated policy... I could understand it - but when people are simply criticizing the way you do business and you're deleting those posts as fast as people can make them - that smells about like the Presidential election does right now.

This is my last Woot-Off and its doubtful I'll do business with Woot! again - I am going to in fact try to cancel the two orders I placed during the Woot-Off as well.

I don't like companies that censor their users for voicing truthful opinions in a non-offensive manner in what is supposed to be an open forum.

The ability for us as a community to chat about the product and other issues helped make this site "special." Evidently we have thighs of thunder crushing the spirit of Woot! and its loyal follower, and I use the term loyal very loosely at this point.

Let's make a graveyard for all the posts TT is deleting over on the other page.





From TT: Resized that for you. Good place for it.

Here are two more DELETED posts from woot!s most recent woot!-off:


Gabemax wrote:Hmmm...

Hard not too feel picked on, though, when I look at what stays vs. what goes. It used to be pretty clear what would get your posts deleted, and fair, too. Now, though, there's a distinct tendency to remove too many complaints about/references to the Amazon ownership, which like it or not is one of those things a whole bunch of w00t's dedicated customers have issues with, and naturally want to voice their frustrations/paranoia/sour grapes on the community pages. Especially at the end of an epic (and epically dissapointing) woot-off.

Oh well, go ahead and delete this one too. Whatever.


brucedoesbms wrote:

Your post is noted nonetheless, but, I too have ascertained a particularly heavy-handed editorial policy since the Amazon takeover, and in particular, a serious decline in the quality, or should I say items LACKING in quality that woot! made its reputation upon... my feeling is we are seeing the beginning of the end for woot! as we knew it... it's OVER... sad... it used to bring sooooo much joy, but now I'm always looking over my shoulder...

Just sent an email asking to cancel the items I purchased from this woot-off, because of this debacle. We will see what happens.

no-cursing - check
no-repetition - check.

I would just hate for this to get deleted because of an accidental swear or repetitive statement.

Gabemax wrote:

From TT: Resized that for you. Good place for it.

Thanks, couldn't remember the resizing code.

And yeah, unfortunately this backwoods graveyard is the good place for it. That was sort of my point.

Compared to some of you I'm a baby-wooter with only 3-4 years and less than $1500 spent here. But I suspect I'm right there in the sweet spot of where many wooters are.....found the site early enough to still feel like an early adopter but still remember how "our woot" felt.--- and even after all this time and no luck with the Barrels of Crud we still have our collection of Woot monkeys from virtually every woot-off since joining proudly displayed (and split)in our homes/offices. And when someone comes in with the question of "what's that...?" (and they do...daily) instead of launching into our spiel of "it's the greatest site ever blah,blah,blah...." we will simply and sadly say "used to be cool but now...not so much".
It's was great while it lasted-
Cheerio-

P.S.- btw..I'm not angry/furious/standing beside myself....just a Lil sad. But seriously....if u didn't see this coming u haven't been paying attention...

bought 3 items during the woot off, going to join you and email asking for the orders to be cancelled.

Akapl2002 wrote:Compared to some of you I'm a baby-wooter with only 3-4 years and less than $1500 spent here. But I suspect I'm right there in the sweet spot of where many wooters are.....found the site early enough to still feel like an early adopter but still remember how "our woot" felt.--- and even after all this time and no luck with the Barrels of Crud we still have our collection of Woot monkeys from virtually every woot-off since joining proudly displayed (and split)in our homes/offices. And when someone comes in with the question of "what's that...?" (and they do...daily) instead of launching into our spiel of "it's the greatest site ever blah,blah,blah...." we will simply and sadly say "used to be cool but now...not so much".
It's was great while it lasted-
Cheerio-

I have to agree with that statement. and I am only slightly older that you as far as account creation goes. It used to be cool... that pretty much sums it up.

well i'm fairly new to this site, i started on in about a 2 and 1/2 years ago, so i really don't understand how woot has changed since its early stages to now. I know i probably missed the old woot by joining too late, but the only thing i've noticed is that some of the deals aren't as awesome as they used to be (pair of headphones that retailed at $250 that woot had for 50 - which have since been stolen). Could someone fill a Skippy Squirrel in on what these changes have been?

ThunderThighs wrote:When we are non in woot-off mode, product threads are moderated to keep the focus on the product as much as possible. As always, after a woot-off, there are complaints about it being the worst woot-off ever. I let some of those ride but after a bit, I need to trim them out so those that want to find information about the product can do so without sifting through pages and pages of non-product posts.

It's nothing personal and this thread is a great place to vent.

The question is whether those concerns are going to be heard. I understand that you bear the burden of having to listen to some people complain that every woot-off is "the worst ever" but I think this particular one hit a nerve in some of your consumers; myself included. I know I only have 16 woots (I'm a broke grad student what can I say?) but I've seen most of the woot-offs in the last 4 years (not a long as some, I know)and the tone has definitely changed. No Barrels of Crud That's half the reason I got excited about this place in the 1st place.

In the end, its your(or Amazon's...whatever) company to run and you do whatever you want; but as someone who has made a ritual of staying up till midnight just to see what's on Woot! nearly every night for the last four years I am a little disappointed in how this one really seemed to have lost the excitement (relatively predictable items, no Barrels of Crud etc..) it used to have. I only complain because I care and I'd hate to have to lose that ritual that I've really come to enjoy.

Have a good night/morning.

here to voice my opinion

-disappointed for no Barrels of Crud
-no creativity/monkeys
-deals not as good

y u no good no mo woot

I will never buy another thing from Woot again. Not joking. I'm not a mega customer with less than 50 buys, but I have bought 30 times+.

This is totally inacceptable. And to have one next time is no excuse at all. I wasted much time over the past three days.

I know that since you're publicly owned you dot even care about this note, but poor showing. Whoever made this decision is a fat cat living in an ivory tower.

Weak.

ThunderThighs wrote:I sent an email to the head dude for these and referred him to this thread. Hope that helps.

Thank-you for that-
Whatever beating you've been taking by the children really shouldn't be directed at you for doing your job.

shadowknight125 wrote:The question is whether those concerns are going to be heard. I understand that you bear the burden of having to listen to some people complain that every woot-off is "the worst ever" but I think this particular one hit a nerve in some of your consumers; myself included. I know I only have 16 woots (I'm a broke grad student what can I say?) but I've seen most of the woot-offs in the last 4 years (not a long as some, I know)and the tone has definitely changed. No Barrels of Crud That's half the reason I got excited about this place in the 1st place.

In the end, its your(or Amazon's...whatever) company to run and you do whatever you want; but as someone who has made a ritual of staying up till midnight just to see what's on Woot! nearly every night for the last four years I am a little disappointed in how this one really seemed to have lost the excitement (relatively predictable items, no Barrels of Crud etc..) it used to have. I only complain because I care and I'd hate to have to lose that ritual that I've really come to enjoy.

Have a good night/morning.

The new fiscal year and all the associated changes in tax, politics, and morality have changed woot! forever in a negative way... after all, look at what the amazonians have done to, arguably, the greatest lead-off hitter of all time in Major League Baseball, Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners... He is now batting third -- kinda like we are...

In keeping with the state of Virginia, I think woot needs to undertake a transvaginal ultrasound prior to the next Woot-Off.
Perhaps THAT will help us find all the monkeys.

plaster wrote:I have to agree with that statement. and I am only slightly older that you as far as account creation goes. It used to be cool... that pretty much sums it up.

Well-worded, Akap. I feel the same way. I also have two co-workers and there was a time when we would/could get excited about Woot-offs. But now, for about a year, the one has removed the notifications from her phone and the other doesn't bother to tune in anymore. "They have nothing good anymore," is his opinion. I am happy that over the years I got one BofC - and it's been frustrating that it always seems to be offered the same time of day (when many of us are at work- away from computer access.) But the fun things are gone, fading away for quite some time now - -likewise the Wooters. In fact, whereas I used to rush home and turn on the computer before even greeting the family -- today i realized that I had not tuned in at all -- that's how insignificant the Woot-Off has become. Like they say -- the thing that is worse than hating someone - is ignoring them. I am sad to see that many of us are drifting into the "ignore-I don't care anymore" set of mind. I still look forward to checking Woot at midnite to see the new daily offering - but the Woot-offs seem to have gone the way of expediency at the expense of their loyal following.

I'm just kinda sad because after reading online about how cool this site was I decided to join it a couple days ago, but it sounds like I really missed it in its heyday. Oh well, I still bought a couple things (more on the crap side than the awesome side, but that's how I roll. :-) ) I'm sorry to everyone who has been loyal for years and feels betrayed, because I can tell this seems to be a much different place then it used to be from how people talk about it. Hopefully they'll realize that and bring it back so all of us newbies can get a chance to see what it used to be like.

I use to spend alot of money here, now they never give me a reason, big companys think they can buy the image, add their "cuteness" and lose sight of all that made the business successful in the first place. What a shame!
I'd say goodbye, but the woot! I knew is already long gone. For you that are left running this place, turn out the lights, the party's over! (and they are probably thinking "It's the economy stupid" kma

Maybe Woot is just trying to make the bags of crap less predictable. I've told my wife what day the woot off would be and when to look for the Barrels of Crud#39;s and Ive been right for 3 months in a row. Maybe no Barrels of Crud#39;s signals a change in the right direction.

Half full - This Wootoff did have Leakfrogs!

Half Empty - Ending with a Camcorder?

I know not every wootoff has a Bag of Cuuuuuuuuuute!, but it does something - monkeys, lights, etc. Sorry the .99 2012 Woot calender (we are in Feb) or USB panic buttons just doesn't count.

There doesn't seem to be as many good deals as there used to be, but I'm still a woot fan and will keep coming back, but I'm just not buying as much as I used to.

I'm the owner of a very active forum with over 30,000 members (whom post in access of 3,000 new messages a day) and whenever there was a Woot-Off, there were always multiple threads started by people wanting to warn others there was a Woot-Off going on. These threads then always continued people discussing what they bought and how cool the Woot-Off was.

And now?

For the past year, not a single thread was started over a Woot-Off. None. Apparently, people don't care anymore.

Personally, I don't follow Woot-Offs anymore. I can't really place my finger on it as to why, but I guess it boils down to the fact that the products aren't as exciting and the deals aren't as good anymore. Woot has lost its appeal to me.

Also, I get the distinct feeling something is wrong with the products they sell as "new". Three of the last four items I bought aren't performing as they should. They aren't broken per se, they just don't work as advertised. One is a Sanyo HD Camcorder that doesn't give anywhere near the quality I see in posted videos on YouTube (made with the exact same camera), the second is a Film & Slide Converter that I threw away after using it once (the quality of this thing was abysmally bad) and the third is a digital microscope that can't seem to focus properly. All three items are supposedly "new" but I seriously doubt that they were.

During the last Woot-Off, I was able to score a Barrels of Crud. Quite by accident really because I happened to open my browser right at the moment the item changed to the Bag. And much to my surprise I was successful grabbing one. But even the Bags have lost their appeal. They really are Bags of Junk now with cheap dollar store items in them.

But to make a long story short, Woot-Offs (and Woot in general) have lost its appeal to me. Whether it's because Woot has changed or because the "freshness" has worn off, I don't know.

I've been around since '04, joined only a couple of months after woot was founded and yes, I can agree with a lot of what has been said here, this was a horrible woot-off.

Not to have any monkeys, which i have only ever been lucky enough to snag 3 of, and no Barrels of Crud which I have never been able to snag, is very disapointing.

If the calendar was supposed to be the "Barrels of Crud " then that was a joke. Maybe they will surprise those who ordered the 2 month old calendar with some extras but very unlikely.

I have somewhat of a different opinion.

I've doing woot for 6 years, 52 purchases for several thousand dollars.

I don't see that much of a change in the site or woot-offs during the whole time.

I do see more negative customer posts.

But not having a bag this time seems to me abusive of customers.

It's already a far overrated marketing tool that gets customers to put in way more effort to sit on top of the site day and night - it's incredibly 'successful' as that tool for Woot. To not have one seems to me a way to say to customers, don't spend that time.

The flying monkey not closing the woot-off, just a pointless abandoning of a tradition.

So I think customers are overly negative about woot's 'changes', but the bags which are already way overrated - too hard to get, requiring too much time in a bad technical setup leaving people hung trying to order - are a good reason for woot to lose customers.

They didn't even communicate anything about not to expect a bag this time.

I don't care about disclaimers they 'don't have bags each woot off' - I can't remember the last one they didn't, and there's no good reason to not have them. They like the customers monitoring the site - but not offering that one small price for it.

xxrahxx wrote:I have literally been up the past three days with woot on.

You guys probably deserve this.

You choose to spend 3 days of your life waiting for the thrill of a race where you have to buy junk items which no one could manage to sell.

Some lucky people MAY end up receiving some valuable, RANDOM stuff for 100 or 1000 dollars, which thay may not need.

U serious? Three days of life for this? Aren't you able to make some self-criticism on this?

I thinks at Amazon there are some wise people, to help you quitting this madness.

Some of you even buy unneeded items just to make a possible Barrels of Crud showing up asap, please realize that this may be a not credible story to tell outside of here.

Hopw someone will learn.

Dissapointment is not a strong enough word. I mean come on, no monkeys or Barrels of Crud#39;s. I was hopeful I would find my elusive Barrels of Crud this time. But alas, no!!!!

I wasted three days hitting F5 with nothing to show for it.

Shame on you Woot, er Amazon!!!! There is something to be said for tradition.

docflash wrote:i've been woot!ng for quite a while, and have bought a number of things. i agree that the killer deals seem more few and far between. that's sad.

but to have a wootoff *without monkeys* and WITHOUT A Barrels of Crud is a big mistake. it really risks losing the community feeling that's one of woot's unique points.

there's a whole mythology that's been built up around woot, wootoffs, Barrels of Crud#39;s, flying monkeys: IMHO the Corporate Masters are fooling around with it at their peril.

i'm disappointed.

Well stated, Doc. I feel the same way. Loyal customer, up for three days, excited to be back on Woot after a few months away (not purchasing anything). Sure, I purchased something small but I honestly will not purchase another item on Woot until they have a legitimate Woot-off, that means screaming monkeys and Bags of Crud.

Woot, you sure are standing on a slippery slope right now with all your loyal customers and fans.