Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Been following this site for quite some time. Some geniuses behind this concept. You`ll have to follow it for at least a week to see the power of what they do and how much merchandise they turn. But it`s a concept that some folks on the SuN network might be able to incorporate into their marketing and business plans.

The site is Woot - www.woot.com

The copy and messages are fun, too. The people behind Woot know how to have fun at work!

R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

This is good stuff R@.
I like the copywriting--fun, weird, and not the stereotypical sales hash.
Some might be turned off on that. But, I bet they have a focused, loyal customer base and that`s their focus.

Swaynester,

Wait to you see the volume they turn and the following they have. Blows me away.

R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

Richard,

What is it about their site that made you begin to follow them?


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Kim
the-petset.com
blogfabulous.com

Good afternoon Kim,

Lots of things impressed me. The concept. The writing. The time offering - when it begins each day. The challenge of finding out who is behind the site and the business - in other words, who is the "Mother Ship" running this thing - and I found out with some digging ... and the pieces fell together.

Have never bought anything from Woot. Just enjoy watching what they do and the way they do it. It`s an education to see different marketing and sales concepts put into action.

I`ve spread the "Woot" word to everyone I know and many have turned into Woot-addicts - and they thank me - weird. Watching how they react is part of the investigation and study.

I hope to have a Woot-something site one day. Working on some ideas with some associates now. Might evolve - who knows - but the business exercise is worth the effort.

R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

Ah.  I see.  How would you explain what their overall concept is for a techno nerd, such as myself?

I felt intimidated by the home page...just sooo much information.


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Kim
the-petset.com
blogfabulous.com

Kim,

If you follow the site for a week or so, regularly, you`ll see that the product mix is not always techno - i.e.: they`ll run a deal on golf clubs sometimes and other non-electronics. I believe they started with electronics (the Mother Ship is electronic-related, too) and they do stay in that category a lot, but as you read the copy for each product, each day, they do not take themselves very seriously. And the copy on the About Us page is downright standup comedy material.

Besides - I`m no techno nerd either - know enough to be dangerous. It`s their business model and marketing and customer evangelism they have created that amazes me. They`re hitting some hot buttons with a certain market and turning some numbers every day.

R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

Kim, not sure if you got the gist from the woot page.   They offer one product a day, starting at midnight (or 1am?  It`s a timezone thing).  They sell it until it`s sold out, and then you have to wait until the next day.  This creates a frenzy of activity on the site as people clamor to be first in line so that they get to decide for themselves whether they want "it", whatever it is that day.  Better to see it and opt to say "Not for me" then to come in an hour later when it`s sold out and say "Dang it, I wanted that."

Once in a blue moon they also have what they call a "woot off" where they just do product after product for a good 24 hours or more.  One goes up until it sells out, and then the next goes up.  That`s fascinating mob behavior if you watch their forums, because when a lousy product comes up you`ll see people encouraging their fellow Wooters to buy it just to get it off the screen and move on to the next one.  And, sure enough, many will.  They`ve also got a built in karma model -- when a product sells out, woot will announce who bought the most, who bought the last one, and so on.

I cut back on watching woot, personally.  I have bought several things from them.  But it just wasn`t worth monitoring it at what to me is 1am when, 95% of the time, it`s not a product I need.  I think it appeals more to people who see a good deal on something and then start by assuming that they will buy it unless they can think of a good reason not to, and that`s not me.  (A good example is the silver charm bracelet that comes up for sale every now and then.  I watch people say "Hey, that`s a good deal...maybe I can give it to my sister or mother or something," where I look at it and say, "Don`t know anybody that would want that.")



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Personal: http://www.morinfamily.com/blog
Geeky: http://duanesbrain.blogspot.com
Shakespeare: http://suchshakespearestuff.blogspot.com

This shopping mentality makes me itchy...I can`t even shop at a name designer warehouse...too chaotic...it`s not the right shopping experience for me....but I`m with Richard on the tonality of the thing, great copy.

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Kim
the-petset.com
blogfabulous.com