There are some real pitfalls, I guess in creating a sense of "community" in the relationship between what are STILL really customers and providers.

Sometimes it leads to expectations of a type of goodwill - especially flowing from the provider to the customer - that can become unrealistic under some business conditions.

Businesses need to (and usually want to) listen to customers. But you can't consistently do the bidding of ALL your customers and still be viable as a business. That becomes more the case as the size and diversity of the customer base expands, right?

Slydon wrote:

That having been said, I'm sure it'll show up again when you least expect it. Please try not to be mad at us when that day comes.

Can you drop us a hint as to when we can expect to see the next crapbag?

It is sort of frustrating to work for hours and hours to provide some fun stuff hidden all over the site and then hear Oh My Gookie! WOOT DIDN'T SELL ME SOMETHING THEY DON'T HAVE ANY FUN LEFT AT ALL but you know what? Every day I see at least a few people, often names that I've never seen before, posting in the comments or in the blog posts or on Twitter or Facebook that something I wrote made them happy. And I could be just shooting low, but if I get one person smiling, I feel like it's worth the work. So you get to be today's, peachtek, and thank you.

I can't speak for the crap department and the decisions they made, but I do know that when we sell the Bag, we also get page after page of "Woot, you sold out, cancel my account immediately because I didn't get one!" Even when we try games and codes to eliminate the bots and give long-time users a chance, there's still so much anger from people who seem to think they should be entitled to plastic straws, a cracked VCR. and a photo of "Jaws" from Moonraker. I don't know what it is about this little bag that makes people so angry but I'd very much like it if that wasn't the only reason people came to the site. And, thankfully, there are a great many people who don't think that way, and come for deals and fun.

Everyone in my department works hard to provide some fun for people, and it's cool if you don't care for it, but it's sad you think all we've got to offer comes with a price tag attached, especially since we've done Bagless Woot-offs a few times, well before we were acquired.

That having been said, I'm sure it'll show up again when you least expect it. Please try not to be mad at us when that day comes.

Hey, that's a quality post +1

I have enjoyed the write-ups over the years, so thank you! The Barrels of Crud mean little to me, I enjoy the write-ups and used to enjoy the fantastic prices on good items (i.e my super cheap Vornado's!)

Thanks for all the good reading over the years! You made me laugh often. =)

Woot has unfortunately become part of the 1%.

Just keep in mind Woot/Amazon that we are the 99% that you rely on.

The Woot off needs to have fun swag at least like the monkeys, flashing lights, or special shirts. The calendar does NOT count.

Slydon wrote:As I've stressed, I'm one of the writers so I can't at all speak for the people upstairs, but I do know that some companies go their whole existence just HOPING to have these kinds of problems. We (by which I mean me and you guys reading this) have generated a community that actually cares enough to be mad when an expected item doesn't appear. Does that happen at a car lot or a pizza place? There's a real feeling that you are connected to us, and that's wonderful! It's the reason I work long hours to try and make you guys laugh, and feel so happy when I see an occasional +1 on a Facebook post linking to me! I just hope the anger is more misplaced surprise and not hate, because we really do see you guys out there and want to help you have fun, even if we can't always explain what we're setting up behind the curtain.

I promise you, as long as you still see my name on blog posts, there will be someone here who wants you to have fun on the site. And there are a great many people exactly like me in every department of this company, all the way to Snapster's office.

U know what man? Right here, this is good customer service. Communication is key. Thanks for reaching out to the little man with a fist pound and wink. U got our backs we got yours.

tjsynkral wrote:The Woot off needs to have fun swag at least like the monkeys, flashing lights, or special shirts. The calendar does NOT count.

At least it can help remind you of the days we were not offered a Baalism Of Cynodontia.

DRAGONSBLOOD wrote:
...So all you negative people just need to take a chill pill and find something to be grateful about.

Hear, hear. I've been a wooter since 2005, so I feel I'm qualified to speak on this. Woot is what it is, and I still enjoy the random deals. I got me a great deal on a USB missile launcher this time, and I'm thrilled. Barrels of Crud are kinda overrated, in my opinion, so I can take or leave them. I'm not surprised that things have changed after seven years - I kinda expect that sort of thing. I'm still a satisfied Wooter, and a little taken aback by all the hatin'.

Damage control is an amusing thing to watch.
Eeeek, someone fix this mess

jloveland wrote:Hear, hear. I've been a wooter since 2005, so I feel I'm qualified to speak on this. Woot is what it is, and I still enjoy the random deals. I got me a great deal on a USB missile launcher this time, and I'm thrilled. Barrels of Crud are kinda overrated, in my opinion, so I can take or leave them. I'm not surprised that things have changed after seven years - I kinda expect that sort of thing. I'm still a satisfied Wooter, and a little taken aback by all the hatin'.

(suicidal tendencies)

All I wanted was a Monkey!

I didn't come here for the bags or the chimps. I came here for the deals. There are some, but as stated previously, one has to do their homework.

Maybe if the bags were easier to obtain...

But that camcorder just hanging there for hours was... well... unsettling, to say the least and I'm a novice. I can only imagine what this was like for a veteran!

Slydon wrote:See? One more person amused by something I wrote. The day's looking UP!

Yes, but I am laughing at you not with you. lol

Slydon wrote:if only we had some sort of crying emoticon to reflect how this makes me feel

Welcome to whine.woot.com

Any woot-off that doesn't end with my receiving the Loch Ness monster... is a crappy Woot-off. Therefore... they're all crappy. I've never received a bag of Nessie. Ever.

Slydon wrote:if only we had some sort of crying emoticon to reflect how this makes me feel

Okay, bad form on my part, my apologies.

wootyougot wrote:(suicidal tendencies)

All I wanted was a Monkey!

Wow! I like monkeys as much as the next guy, but there's so much else to live for. Bacon, Star Trek, LOLcats, Mountain Dew...

wootyougot wrote:
All I wanted was a Monkey!

And w00t! wouldn't give it to me!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoF_a0-7xVQ

I've attached my post below from earlier today that I posted in another forum before I knew this one existed. Phew... While I'm not trying to take away from anyone's point of view especially those who have been frequenting this site many years before me.... I happen to like woot in its current incarnation. Yeah I said it! I get some good deals on some random stuff I didn't even know I needed from time to time and some humorous and informative posts from you folks. Again, I cant speak to what it used to be, But I am one of many who like what it is now for better or worse. Sometimes I see something cool and even go buy it on another site (maybe even another brand or model), after reading your comments. (Just bought a foam mattress off AMAZON lol). I was very caught up in the mass hypnosis hysteria of the hunt for the Bag of Cuuuuuuuuuute! yesterday, so maybe I was a little irrationally bummed, but that's it really. So in closing, I love woot, as well as all of you and your opinions. It's a lot of love...can't you feel it?!

****post from earlier****

I've decided I don't blame woot, I blame all of you! I didn't even know what a bag of crud was until yesterday and now I WANT IT!!! I WANT THIS BAG OF CRUD YOU SPEAK OF! WHY WAS IT STOLEN FROM ME!?!?! I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS OR WHY I WANTED IT, BUT I REALLY WANTED IT! Crappity Crap crud crud crud!!!
......
Sorry, everyone, my apologies. I feel better now.

jloveland wrote:Wow! I like monkeys as much as the next guy, but there's so much else to live for. Bacon, Star Trek, LOLcats, Mountain Dew...

I have a twisted version of "My Favorite Things" running though my head now. Which is to say, that's not exactly a bad thing for a Friday, so thanks.

Not particularly sad to see the Bag of Carp go - I think it causes a lot of frustration and gets the community riled up about the wrong things.

I was, however, very disappointed by this Woot-Off. A Woot-Off, as I understood it, was a rather ingenious way for Woot to clear its warehouses of unsold inventory by offering items rapid fire, at a significant discount, to a giant mob of impulse buyers.

I felt like this Woot-Off was seriously lacking on the "significant discount" front, and gave me more of a "lol better buy this camera if you want to get to the Carp!" feeling. It's a little disheartening to follow a Woot-Off only to see item after item listed at minimal, or no discount at all compared to the everyday offerings of major retailers.

All I'm saying is the relationship isn't feeling quite as symbiotic as it once did.

agingdragqueen wrote:I actually don't think so! I haven't gotten one and my requests for coworkers to bring some back were met with hand-slapping.

On Facebook I commented with: "It would be a total invasion of our customers' privacy if we went through every hateful complaint we got last time from people who didn't get a Barrels of Crud but REST ASSURED, they were cruel." We're finding a better way to do things, but no matter what we're doing we're getting some serious complaints- Barrels of Crud not, etc.

If you have some direct suggestions as to what we can do to make things fun, more fair or otherwise interesting- please PM me! I'd be happy to take your suggestions. We're trying to find a middle ground while at the same time keeping people happy- we aren't right now with the status quo, but we want to. We reeeeeeally really do.

Thanks for the offer. That's pro-active.

You have my permission to look through my posts wherein I complain that woot has lost its' luster. The NEW status quo isn't working.. The OLD status quo was. The solution is simple: throw out the business model that Amazon want's you to follow, and go back to what Matt Rutledge designed and nurtured.. It worked.. It will continue to work even as the internet evolves...

agingdragqueen wrote:I actually don't think so! I haven't gotten one and my requests for coworkers to bring some back were met with hand-slapping.

On Facebook I commented with: "It would be a total invasion of our customers' privacy if we went through every hateful complaint we got last time from people who didn't get a Barrels of Crud but REST ASSURED, they were cruel." We're finding a better way to do things, but no matter what we're doing we're getting some serious complaints- Barrels of Crud not, etc.

If you have some direct suggestions as to what we can do to make things fun, more fair or otherwise interesting- please PM me! I'd be happy to take your suggestions. We're trying to find a middle ground while at the same time keeping people happy- we aren't right now with the status quo, but we want to. We reeeeeeally really do.

Totally took you up on your request for suggestions! Hope you enjoy them!

messyt wrote:U know what man? Right here, this is good customer service. Communication is key. Thanks for reaching out to the little man with a fist pound and wink. U got our backs we got yours.

* Like *

Slydon wrote:I write most of the job descriptions, so thank you.

It is sort of frustrating to work for hours and hours to provide some fun stuff hidden all over the site and then hear Oh My Gookie! WOOT DIDN'T SELL ME SOMETHING THEY DON'T HAVE ANY FUN LEFT AT ALL but you know what? Every day I see at least a few people, often names that I've never seen before, posting in the comments or in the blog posts or on Twitter or Facebook that something I wrote made them happy. And I could be just shooting low, but if I get one person smiling, I feel like it's worth the work. So you get to be today's, peachtek, and thank you.

(edited)

Yippee!!! Wait... so am I gonna get the crappage or what? Demmit man, I'm so confused!

In all seriousness, I come here for the comraderie, the funny writeups, and the easter eggs that I find all over this site that I tell others to go to. I have found some really cool fellow wooters to commiserate with and when I go somewhere that still gives me the occasional giggle, I'm gonna keep going and throwing my bucks at it. If nothing else, just to make sure guys (and gals I assume) like you and your coworkers are still there to make me giggle. So here, have a cat.

peachtek wrote:Yippee!!! Wait... so am I gonna get the crappage or what? Demmit man, I'm so confused!

In all seriousness, I come here for the comraderie, the funny writeups, and the easter eggs that I find all over this site that I tell others to go to. I have found some really cool fellow wooters to commiserate with and when I go somewhere that still gives me the occasional giggle, I'm gonna keep going and throwing my bucks at it. If nothing else, just to make sure guys (and gals I assume) like you and your coworkers are still there to make me giggle. So here, have a cat.

I can put a bag of carpagess on your doorsteps :-)

Woot should announced, "There is going to be a One Day Woot Off tomorrow." Then sell used, broken and worthless items all day. Inform us, " at 5:00pm EST there will be 1000 Bag of Cuuuuuuuuuute!s" Then send out only fake poo....

agingdragqueen wrote:That's the issue- we're so big now and have so many legal bits to worry about that there's a lot of particulars we have to pay attention to now.

It DOES work, I wouldn't continue working here if I didn't believe in the company and its evolution, but at the moment- we're having to pander to our consistent and long-term customers as well as the new and they're very different. Not that I'm trying to draw a divide. It's been wonderful meeting the new people and keeping so many of the old- but we need to find something to work for everyone.

But yes, suggestions- I'd love them. I've got a lot of freedom in my position to influence and know every facet of our business. We're working on making things fun again, but fun again for everyone who visits.

We all want our cake and be able to eat it too...

Seriously though, every woot-off should have a Bag of Cuuuuuuuuuute! and a monkey (something) somewhere in it.

That would make us oldies happy and the noobies crave it.

I was fine with out the crap, since I haven't gotten anything worth keeping in a while, but I was looking forward to a monkey.

agingdragqueen wrote:we're having to pander to our consistent and long-term customers as well as the new and they're very different. Not that I'm trying to draw a divide.

Okay, newbies on one side and vets on the other.....

Ready!!!

Raise Your Barrels of Crud

Aim!

FIRE!!!!

patriot14 wrote:Okay, newbies on one side and vets on the other.....

Ready!!!

Raise Your Barrels of Crud

Aim!

FIRE!!!!

patriot14 wrote:Okay, newbies on one side and vets on the other.....

Ready!!!

Raise Your Barrels of Crud

Aim!

FIRE!!!!

You newbies are so new......

New cars are jealous of your scent....

agingdragqueen wrote:
If you have some direct suggestions as to what we can do to make things fun, more fair or otherwise interesting- please PM me! I'd be happy to take your suggestions. We're trying to find a middle ground while at the same time keeping people happy- we aren't right now with the status quo, but we want to. We reeeeeeally really do.

I am glad that you'all have chimed in.. But by reading this thread (and the comments that got deleted) that what we (speaking for myself) want are simple.
1) Make the Woot-Off's fun again
2) Monkeys!!
3) (Not Mandatory) but the occasional Barrels of Crud
4) Did I mention Fun?

I for one was disappointed in how this Woot-Off was ran (Cameras anyone?), and shocked that it ended the way it did. That is where my comments/frustration are directed. Not to the staff (love you guys!) but the just general way it was handled this time.

Occupy Woot HQ!

I am SERIOUSLY shocked by the vitriol and venom spewed out last night and today. During the 7 years of my being a member here, I never saw such baloney about nothing. I have never, ever received nor am I weeping about a Barrels of Crud - tried but lately hearing what people have gotten, I am really not interested. Back in the day - early days - we were delighted with the pop-up mystery speakers (took me a year or so but I did get them), the roombas, the breadbox/toaster, the computer stuff that was cheaper than anywhere else. Oh, yeah, somoneone might moan that they had tried yet once again but failed to score an item, but never, ever, this childish (and that is the ONLY word for it IMO) behavior by seemingly adults. What about change occuring over time do those of you who are so angry and miserable not understand? Hell, I used to get 7% - 15% on bank deposits - loved it and miss it, but the economy does not allow for that any longer. And, for anyone who criticized Matthew's weekly wootcasts - shame and double shame. The writers are exceptionally talented people who work tirelessly to bring forth entertaining and informative (AND at the same time) for us to peruse on here. I am ashamed of most of what I have read as it has been directed to staff.