What is Woot?

General

OK, that's cute, but in concrete terms: what is Woot?

Woot is a gaggle of unique companies. Or half a gaggle, at least. Woot Services LLC operates the websites (as seen across the top of this page) and keeps the motor purring. Woot Workshop LLC provides creative content and mans the stereo for the ride. And Woot, Inc. sells the merchandise and pays for the gas. The aforementioned websites, of which Woot.com is the alpha URL, specialize in great new deals every day. They encourage (almost) unfiltered community discussion about that cheap stuff, starting with our own outrageous product descriptions.

What's this big thing at the top of the front page called "Today's Woot"?

That's our featured deal for that day. It's the best deal Woot has to offer, at the lowest price you'll find anywhere on the Web. And as you may have guessed from its name, it's only available today: until midnight Central time, that is, or until it sells out. At midnight, we'll replace Today's Woot with tomorrow's Today's Woot and today's Today's Woot will become yesterday's Today's Woot. Get it?

What is "Woot Plus"?

Woot Plus events offer curated collections of deals, whether they're all from the same brand, all in the same product category, or related by theme. Each event will last a few days, and there will be a few going on at any given time. These are Woot deals, chosen and sold by Woot – not ads or sponsored placements. Woot Plus is an exponential explosion of Woot deal awesomeness. Maybe we should call it Woot Multiplies.

Isn't Woot all about "One Day, One Deal"?

That's where our roots are. But if we can find ways to bring you more cool stuff cheap, it kinda seems like we should. We're pretty sure the combination of the featured Today's Woot deal and our Woot Plus deal events will provide the same surprises you've come to expect from Woot. They'll just do it in larger doses. And we'll still do plenty of bizarre things that make you wonder how in the world we stay in business.

I missed a deal. Can I still get it?

No. Once a Woot deal expires or sells out, that's that. Period. We may offer it again at a later date. But we promise nothing, we allow no backorders, and we have no waiting/notification lists. Sorry. To the swift go the spoils of the race, or something.

I want to talk to a live person there. Can I call you?

No. We are busy sourcing new products and shipping orders. The best way to reach the right person to help you is through our Support page. For product questions, check our forums or contact the manufacturer first. We suggest a dating service, magic 8 ball, or Ouija board for general life solutions.

Will I receive customer support like I'm used to?

Not quite. If you buy something you don't end up liking or you have what marketing people call "buyer's remorse," sell it on Craigslist or at a garage sale. It's likely you'll make money doing this and save everyone a hassle. If the item doesn't work, first, find out what you're doing wrong. Yes, we know you think the item is bad, but it's probably your fault. Google your problem, or come back to that product discussion in our community and ask other people if they know. Try to call the manufacturer and ask if they know. If you give up and must return it to us, then follow on to the next FAQ entry.

How do I return a defective product?

Unless we specifically tell you not to, call the manufacturer of the product you bought. You will likely get a replacement of a new model or better item from them. If we still haven't dissuaded you, report your issue through our Support page. It'll go a lot easier if you have the order number, the name of the product you are returning, and a detailed explanation of the problem. We will respond with return authorization by the next business day. Because we aren't likely to have a replacement in stock, you should be prepared for a refund-only option if that's all we can do. Know that return freight will be at your expense. Again, you will probably get a better deal from the manufacturer, or whoever else handling member service for that product.

Can Woot start listing sale prices in the blog entries?

No, not any time soon. Certain portions of our database have been seized by INTERPOL as part of an ongoing investigation into bootleg cigarette trafficking. Or, possibly, the Russian mafia has hacked our blog and disabled the price-listing function because it was somehow interfering with their spam operation. Or maybe we just don't feel like it. In any case, the answer is no.

Will Woot ever tell us how many units remain available in a given sale?

No. That would spoil the fun. But we will give you one hint, which brings us to...

Why is the "I Want One" button pulsing?

Ah, that means we're in Urgent Mode. Act fast - a sellout is approaching! The pulsing button is like a nutty old prophet guy on the street wearing a signboard that says "THE END IS NIGH," only cleaner, less crazy, and more orange.

I see some orange flashing lights on the main page – what do they mean?

No, you aren't seeing a side effect from your allergy medication. You have found a Woot-Off, a short-term frenzied mutation of our usual procedure. In Woot-Off mode, a new product is launched immediately after the sellout of the previous deal. The number of Woot-Off items, sequence, and quantity will not be announced. When Woot-Off mode is over, the orange lights will disappear and our normal schedule will resume. In cases of painful Woot-Offs lasting more than three days, consult a physician.

What is the Daily Digest email and why would I want it?

It's our daily email summary of the deals available across the Woot family of sites. You would want it so you could see the deals available across the Woot family of sites, but also so you can follow the hilarious hijinks of Mortimer & Monte, our mascot monkeys. They're the funniest primates you'll find this side of a '70s trucker movie.

Aside from email, how else can I follow the day's deals without coming to the web site?

Boy, have you got choices. You can follow our @woot twitter feed. You can follow the Twitter feeds for all of the Woot sites. You can like our Facebook page. You can subscribe to our RSS feed. And search your favorite mobile app store for Woot apps. Aside from natural disasters, civil insurrections, or acts of God, NOTHING should keep you from knowing what deals are featured on Woot at any given second.

Account & Ordering

How do I create a Woot account?

Step right this way, please. All you need to give us to get started is a username, a password, and your email address. Or you can sign in with your Amazon, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter, AOL, or OpenID account. If you use one of those accounts, fear not - we'll never see your password. That's between you and them. Don't drag us into your sordid little liaisons.

How can I change my password, update my email address, set my email preferences, and all that kind of thing?

Your password, email address, email preferences, forum avatar, third-party sign-in connections, forum signature, and more - OK, not that much more - are all accessible through the Your Account page. If you run into trouble, tell us at our Support page.

How can I keep my credit card info and shipping address on file?

Not only can you save your shipping and payment settings, you can save multiple sets of shipping and payment settings. Here's a f'rinstance: say you use a personal credit card for items shipped to your home, and a business credit card for purchases shipped to your office. You can save each, um, set of settings, and only have one option to choose to get both the right address and credit card number at checkout time. Those crucial seconds could make all the difference in getting that tennis-racket washer before it sells out.

What payment options do I have?

You can pay for your orders using VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or Paypal accounts that are tied to a credit card. (Our fast-paced, annoying business model doesn't leave time to wait for your bank to confirm your account balance.) We do not accept checks, money orders, uncut gemstones, or broken promises.

How does one-day shipping work?

You place your order before 11:30 AM Central time. You choose the "one-day shipping" option at checkout. Our elves pile your order onto the backs of a magic pegasus. Your order shows up the next day, delivered by a pegasus disguised as a delivery person. Don't say anything that might reveal their secret. If you order it after 11:30 AM Central, you'll get it the day after the next day. The pegasus/secret rules still apply.

How can I track my order?

Regardless of shipping method, you will get a tracking email once your order ships. You can check your order status on the Stuff You Bought page. Click on the order number to view tracking information for that order. Do not email us the next day asking when your item will ship. Take a breath. Have a cup of coffee. Patience in all things, grasshopper.

It seems like items are missing from my shipment. What do you have to say for yourselves?

First, check the Stuff You Bought page to see if your order was split into multiple shipments. If so, no big whoop, the rest of your stuff is on the way. If not, it means we probably made a mistake. Sorry. Let us know at our Support page.

Why isn't my state/country/province listed; do you ship internationally?

No, we do not ship outside of the United States at this time, and certain sales may not be shipped to certain states. We do not ship to Canada, Mexico, nor to Maggie's Nipples, Wyoming or Assinippi, Massachusetts at this time.

I'll take them all, what is my discount?

There is a maximum of 3 units purchased per deal. You can't have them all. You have to share with the other boys and girls.

I'm a wholesaler/retailer/Bill Gates; can I buy from you in bulk?

No. You can buy a maximum of 3. Please don't ask again or we'll sprinkle some nasty microbes on your next order. Jeez, some people…

Content & Community

What's with the Blog?

Here, in the web log format that was popular like eight years ago, you'll find our daily product descriptions along with articles and links of interest to all our special little Wooters out there. Humor, trivia, pop culture, games, and sheer raw idiocy: you never know what form our genius will mutate into. If you click on “comments” below a blog entry, you'll wind up at the forum discussion topic for that post.

Why do the product descriptions say such bizarre, unhinged, or unflattering things?

We harbor a burning need to entertain. It's an affliction: we crave the laughter of the crowd the way vampires crave blood. We're also compelled to blurt out the truth about products. We'd rather you didn't buy from us than regretted buying from us. But keep this in mind about our product descriptions: they're for entertainment purposes and frequently employ literary point of view; the narratives do not express Woot's editorial opinion. Especially if you disagree with it.

Do you guys have any awesome videos I can watch? Like, maybe called something awesome like "Wootcast"?

How did you know? As a matter of fact, we produce a weekly Wootcast video redolent of the same sense of humor seen in our blog posts and product descriptions (for whatever that's worth). You can see the new one every Monday on the Woot front page, or keep an eye on our YouTube channel. It's better than most of what you'll find on basic cable, and it certainly costs a lot less to watch. (And make.)

Wait, I thought the Woot podcast was a daily audio thing.

Get with the '10s, Gramps. We ditched that noise, like, ages ago. Now you can watch the video instead, once referred to on the Woot Wikipedia page as "not nearly as good."

What's the deal with the Community?

A teeming hive of chitchat, the Woot Community forums are where the rambunctious, erudite, vicious, hilarious Woot conversation never stops. It's a world of savage beauty and deep spiritual insight. (Note: claims of beauty and insight have not been evaluated by the Federal Discussion Administration.)

How do I join in the Community?

First, you will need a keyboard. Then you need a Woot account. Once you're all logged in, find a discussion that piques your interest (by browsing the Community, or clicking on a discussion link on a sale or blog post) and feel free to let it fly. Just keep it PG-13.

What are Quality Posts and who decides what gets named a Quality Post?

Our crack community team does its best to pierce through the din and elevate the most interesting and informative comments about each deal. And their best is very, very good. Turn to the QPs listed in the first post of each discussion thread for the cream of the comments.

What's the meaning of the triangle and the square next to my name in the forums? Is this come kind of hobo code designating me as an easy mark?

No, no, no. Well, kind of. The color of the square represents how many Woot purchases you've made, and the triangle indicates your Deals.Woot reputation. (In other words, how much you contribute to the crowd-sourced, Internet-wide bargain-hunting carnival known as Deals.Woot.) If you're wondering whether other users will judge you by those colors, rest assured: they will definitely judge you by those colors.

What is this hideous monster pictured with my name in the forums?

That's no monster. That's your custom Woot avatar. It's randomly generated from parts drawn by ultracool illustrator Will Guy, and unique to your account. If you're the kind of grump who hates fun, you can change it - maybe to something that just says I'M LAME.

Somebody in the forums says they work for Woot. How do I know if they're for real?

Under their username you should see a little orange square and the word "Staff". If you don't, they're full of it. If you do, treat that person with the deference and respect due your social superior.

What is not allowed in the community?

First, the usual disclaimer – we're not responsible for the content of any user- submitted post in our community. In practice, we'll try to enforce some simple guidelines below. We want good and bad feedback and will not defend ourselves by means of censorship.

1. Do not post personal information such as addresses, phone numbers, etc.
2. Do not post any advertising to which you are related or stand to profit from the referral. (This means any reference to another site must be on topic, such as a lower price found, a product review, articles of particular interest to Wooters, etc.)
3. Do not post fake reviews (good or bad) of a product you have not physically used or seen used firsthand. Feel free to post what you've heard, just try to be clear and upfront about it.
4. Do not post anything that isn't safe for work, or safe for kids. Again, think PG-13. We're sure you're aware that there are plenty of forums on the web that would love to have your smut. This is not one of them, and we'll enforce it. Complain about it too much and we'll tell your grandma what a sicko you are.
5. Do not include any graphics in your signature that are larger than 5K in filesize, or in any other way obnoxious.
6. We know spamming and forum vandalism when we see it. We will enjoy ruthlessly destroying it. So bring it, chumps! Bring it!

Company

Where are you guys located?

In the hearts of gadget-loving skinflints everywhere, which happens to be just outside Dallas, Texas. A statistically insignificant few of us are based in Seattle, Washington.

Do you have a privacy policy? Is it a secret?

Yes, we do, and no, it's not a secret. Read it in full.

Can I work for Woot?

We don't know – can you? Check out our job listings and you tell us. We're not a huge operation, but we do have need of a few good homo sapiens from time to time. Repeatedly applying for jobs you are clearly not qualified for is a good way to wind up in our never-hire file.

Is it true that Woot is a subsidiary of Amazon?

Usually it's a good rule to never believe what you hear from a rapping monkey puppet. But in this case, yes, Woot is an independent subsidiary of Amazon. No, we don't get an Amazon discount. So stop asking, Mom.