I really like the way Woot.com has continued to create a buzz for the past 2 years. I really wish there was a way to track how many of the purchases are purely knee-jerk & spur of the moment buys. Then again, the items are so inexpensive that selling them off on eBay for a profit warrants the impulse buy. The simplicity of the site is outstanding, and for some reason reminds me of Costco meets the Black Adder.

For those of you not familiar with Woot.com, there’s an entire Wikipedia page and FAQ page with all the information you’ll ever need. In a nutshell, one item goes up for sale at midnight (Central time) each day and stays on the homepage regardless of whether or not it is sold out. On different occasions, special buys are offered like the infamous Bag O’ Crap which contains various items & sometimes a special surprise (no not that kind of surprise, an expensive electronic gift type of surprise). Most of the items on the site are electronic and household goodies accompanied by some of the most colorful and sarcastic descriptions. As an example, I’ve copied and pasted their product info for today’s PC Defender Wireless Screen Lock that’s up for sale:

We don’t care why you need this PC Defender Wireless Screen Lock 2-pack. Whatever it is that you can’t let people see on your computer, whatever you suspect your co-workers have been doing at your workstation when you’re away, we’d rather not know. Seriously, keep it to yourself. We’re creeped out enough by our fellow man as it is.

All we know, and all we need to know, is that the PC Defender Wireless Screen Lock locks your computer screen when you walk away and unlocks it when you get back in range. You need enter no password! You need toggle no switch! Just stick a dongle into any regulation-size USB port and tote the transceiver around in your pocket, on your belt, or in an intimate cavity. It’s so easy we’re tempted to call it the E-Z Wireless Screen Lock. Like the ladies, your computer will always notice when you walk into a room. Unlike the ladies, it will not begin gathering its things and sidling toward the exit…

There’s even a Product Stats page that contains a nice statistical wrap-up of the item’s purchase activity for the day.

I can only imagine how entertaining it would be to work at Woot. And with an estimated $40 million in yearly revenue and only 30 employees, I’m pretty sure the paycheck isn’t bad either.

Sincerely,
The Closet Entrepreneur

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