I don’t understand Amazon.com/Woot.com

[Packard]

Woot.com is a subsidiary of Amazon.com. 

It offers a limited selection of items, often “special buys” at steep discounts.  They also sell refurbished, re-manufactured items also at large discounts. 

But Amazon.com is a discounter too.

Right now Amazon.com has the Delta MIDI lathe, 12-1/2” at $893.00 marked down from a list price of $1,120.00.

Woot is offering the same lathe at $603.00, for today only, until supply runs out.

How does this make sense?  I don’t get it. It does not say, re-built, refurbished or remanufactured.  So, presumably new stock.

An just so it diminishes my impression of Amazon.com as a serious discounter, I can order the Woot merchandise using my Amazon.com account. 

 

[Michael Kellough]

One reason Woot is cheaper is they restrict returns.

 

[Packard]

I did not know that.  It would be a factor if I was making a $600.00 purchase.

But if I were about to make a $900.00 purchase from Amazon on the exact same item, I would be inclined to save the $300.00 and go with Woot.

I did once question Woot on the difference between “rebuilt”, “refurbished” and “remanufactured” all terms that they use.  The were steadfast in their position not to respond to that line of questioning.  A very off-putting stance from this buyers point of view.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I did not know that.  It would be a factor if I was making a $600.00 purchase.

But if I were about to make a $900.00 purchase from Amazon on the exact same item, I would be inclined to save the $300.00 and go with Woot.

I did once question Woot on the difference between “rebuilt”, “refurbished” and “remanufactured” all terms that they use.  The were steadfast in their position not to respond to that line of questioning.  A very off-putting stance from this buyers point of view.

It would probably get too far "into the weeds" in explaining these differences, most of which would likely not be within the understanding of the person who has to explain it.

As far as discounting, that always seem sketchy to me. All this BS of using a coupon, coupon code, etc. to get the better price. So, if I am just ignorant of the possibility of these discounts, I just don't get them? Either give the damn discount or don't. Stop the games. You just over-charge people and that's ok?

 

[WillAdams]

Woot started out as a "Deal of the day" company --- to see the current version of that see meh.com --- Amazon bought them for their business model of time-sensitive deals.

Amazon has a lot of warehouse space, with a lot of inventory, which does a lot of business which generates a lot of returns and results in the need to manage inventory and turn-over.

Amazon will list stuff on woot to get it out of their warehouse --- when you factor in the value/cost of the warehouse space, that is why Amazon is selling at the price they are.

 

[woodferret]

Simple and concise.
Should make one wonder why these products have such bad turnover.