Comments

Spiritgreen
Oh man, I hope this doesn't prove to be permanent.

I haven't been able to see the new shirts myself yet, and some people who have seem very happy with the quality, but I trust your expertise here. If things are that bad surely Woot will have to change their minds about sourcing them from Anvil...

Brockart
This really is the end of an era.

When they announced the shirt change, I didn't think it would have this big of an impact on the entire community.

All I can say is, THANK YOU ThatRobert! When I started submitting designs a few years ago I kept feeling rejected. Designs I would slave over would never get close the amount of votes to call for a print.

When I got my first Best Loser award, it felt like there was a part of the community out there encouraging me to keep on creating.

This site has been a huge resource, from your in depth stories about garments to the interviews and even helping get the word out for some of the more un-seen artists.

The entire Shirt.Woot community owes you a huge debt. And if anyone tries something like this in the future, they have a lot to live up.

ThatRobert
Spirit, I hope it's not permanent too! But that's up to Woot, not me at this point. I really tried to like the new blanks but at the end of one day of wear, my wife looked at it and said, "Is that the new Woot shirt? It looks like crap!"

ThatRobert
Brockart, thanks for the kind words. I will miss encouraging new artists and see them come back and try again. "Awkward Picnic" is still one of my favorite shirts to wear!

lucky1988
I'm truly sad to see that BestLosers is closing. You've done a fantastic job with this site Robert and you will truly be missed. I haven't received any designs on the "new" shirts yet so I can't weigh in on the quality issues. If it is a sub-par product, hopefully woot will change things back to the "original formula." Remember what happened with Coca-Cola.

ThatRobert
Thanks Lucky, I sure hope you're right about switching back to the "original formula"!

OmarFeliciano
This is very sad. I've been around the Woot community for a few years now. And about 9 months ago, I started submitting designs to the derbies. My designs weren't that great at that moment, but I kept trying, sometimes without hope. But one day, I received a crappy little badge from Bestlosers for my "Another Week Lost" design. That changed everything for me. It motivated me to keep trying harder and harder every week. Not too long after that I had my first Fogged design. And two months after that my first Woot print with a few more designs on the Fog. ThatRobert, you are in some part responsible for my achievements, you encourage me without knowing it, to keep going and I've made it.

I know you've thought this very carefully, but, just like me, there may be other small designers that need this type of encouragement. Think about what you've created here. This is not about Woots blanks, it's about the designers and their art. Closing BestLosers won't hurt Woot in any way (they are hurting themselves if the quality is not the same like you say), but it will surely leave a hole in the community, specially to small artist that felt happy and important every time they found a crappy little badge on their thread, just like I felt when I received mine.

Thank You ThatRobert!

kevlar51
Really sorry to see this. I remember how excited I was when I got my first BLA. You've done a fantastic job of encouraging new designers to keep at it. Thanks very much for everything!

dfunk29
Sorry to see you go! I can understand your reasons, I have yet to order anything over the past few weeks. I have my reservations about the new blanks. I'll give one a chance I'm sure and see.

I always looked forward to seeing the nominations and winners, and you've made part of my week very enjoyable. I thank you for that!

Best of luck, and thanks again!

OmarFeliciano
I know it says "no links". But hey, it's an special occasion.

primitivetool.com/2012/02/29/thank-you-bestlosers-9/

ThatRobert
Omar, Thanks for the kind words and giving me my own BLA on your blog! I don't want you to think I'm closing BestLosers to "punish" Woot in some way. I'm not. They just don't have anything worthwhile to offer me anymore.


Kevlar, Thank you. It's cool that I've been able to see you and so many others move up the ranks at Woot and become regular contributors and winners.


Dfunk, Thanks for the kind words. Hopefully, the new blanks will work for you and you can still enjoy things.

cdrewlow
I remember getting my first BLA and thinking "What is this? Someone thinks I don't suck!" Then I did a little dance.
Thanks once more time for all my crappy little badges! Derbies won't be the same without you.

ThatRobert
CD, thanks. Glad I was able to encourage you to keep at it!

chachachino
I think these guys have said it all. I haven't been on woot for very long. But those little badges encourage me where the daunting elusiveness of the fog would intimidate me. So thanks it meant a lot and made a few of my days. I hope you'll find a reason to come back.

ThatRobert
Thanks Chacha. I'm loving your style and know you'll get more attention if you keep at it. I hope I find a reason to come back too.

SkekTek
Thanks for everything, ThatRobert! This site was great for me since it helped me get to know other designers, and had a lot of inspiration for keeping going (despite my frustratingly long track record of almost wins). Getting a BLA was a special honor.

I hope best losers comes back again someday- maybe not for derbies, but perhaps some other contest.

ThatRobert
Thanks Skek. I hope BestLosers can come back as well. Nothing else has quite the weekly focus like Woot that works good for what I'm doing here. I'm keeping my eyes open!

fishbiscuit
I'm very sad to read this. ThatRobert, you have done such a service for artists and fans of great woot designs. I echo everyone's sentiment, receiving a BLA and being interviewed for a derby win was an exciting high point for me! Thank you and I really hope we continue to see you around these parts.

ThatRobert
Thanks for the nice words, FishBiscuit! I know I'll see you around since you're one of the best at keeping up at a lot of different sites. I'm going to start doing more of that myself.

j5
Thatrobert,
I haven't been following the derbies like I used to, but noticed the lack of BLAs this week. I'm very sorry to see this, but fully understand your reasoning. Unfortunately, woot won't go back because they don't need to. Out with the old (customers) in with the new. They have plenty.
Best wishes for your future endeavors.
-john-

Ochopika
I'm sad too. I remember my first BLA award for "The Redwood Estate". It was when I was drawing my designs by hand and scanning them into GIMP. I worked all night on that design and getting a BLA made it feel worth the effort! Your award gave me more confidence to keep going, even though my designs were mostly pretty crappy at the time. Thanks for your hard work on this site. I know you've inspired a lot of artists around here.

Andy47240
Bummer! This is really sad, but I can not blame you.
Getting a BLA here and there was always been an honor. You always have such a great eye for the under the radar designs that not everyone noticed.
My interest in shirt.woot comes and goes, but you were always a comfortable constant that will surely be missed in the community.

Tjost
Really sad to see this go. I remember getting two bla's my first derby I entered (the same one that I did the binge in). I always enjoyed reading about your picks and it was always a special thrill to get a bla. Hope to keep hearing from you in some capacity. Keep us informed :)

missmelis
Your decision is definitely understandable. The new blanks are just not as good as the old ones, and woot's response to people's dissatisfaction is, well, unsatisfactory. It's really hard to believe that their claims about the importance of community are anything but lip service anymore.

That said, this is a sad loss for the shirt.woot community - and not just for the designers, although other commenters have clearly expressed how meaningful the Best Loser Awards can be to them. As someone who has never entered a Derby and probably never will, I can say that you'll also be missed for your own designs and your comments. I hope woot gives you a reason to come back.

ThatRobert
j5, yeah, I think Woot will be sticking with this decision. With the $2 increase plus the blank cost savings, they would have to sell a LOT less than they used to for it to hurt.


Ochopika, I love stories like that! Any part I've had in encouraging artists to draw more, take risks, and expand their horizons made it all worth it.


Thanks Andy. I miss doing the BLAs already but I'll still be an occassional poster on Woot. For both you and I, this would be a great opportunity to experiment on other sites!


Thanks Tjost. I'm sure we'll run into each other here and there online.


Thanks MissMelis. I keep hoping I was too rash with my judgement about the quality of the blanks but then I see how my shirt or my son's shirt looks at the end of the day and I realize there is no way to go along with this huge drop in quality. I find Woot's new blanks inferior to pretty much anything else out there.

bluejester
Man, I thought I was just missing the Best Losers because I wasn't clicking on the right designs, but then I saw the link that j5 posted and saw the sad truth. Thanks much ThatRobert for all of your time, effort, and heart that you've put into this site. I totally respect your decision. I got the blanks and am less than thrilled myself with the quality. It feels like the end of an era, I always thought that the Best Loser award was not only great for seeing what designs deserved more notice. Heck, I'd be willing to bet that woot themselves used the Best Loser Award to see what should get a HM. I hope that things change so that you can bring this back some day.

Mavyn
You will be missed. The BLA's were great, and it's sad that this change results in a loss to the artists.

ThatRobert
Thanks Mavyn. Yes it's sad and I really wish there was a way I could keep doing it.


BlueJester, yeah, it IS the end of an era. I think there are more than a few artists and loyal customers that have already left because of this. Now many of the regulars will be people who haven't been here very long or who come after this and never knew a time when the blanks were decent. Woot definitely did crib the BLAs a few times, especially before Travis joined up. It was cool to have that influence for a while.

bassanimation
Very unhappy to see such a solid member of the community retreat. I remember getting a BLA on my very first derby entry. It was such a cool thing to receive because it meant someone was looking at my work, even if it wasnt at the top. Thank you so much Robert, for everything you did for us artists. A BLA was as good as an HM in my book, and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy to receive one. I will sure miss seeing them :(

ThatRobert
Thanks Bass. I remember when you joined and made a splash with your style. I'd love to be able to continue to support the artists but it's hard when the final product is a such a lousy tribute to all their hard work.

stardamsel
Aww.. no more BestLosers and BLA's?? <:-( I first got a crappy little badge on my "S is for Storybook" design -- it made me think that maybe I had a fighting chance in this Shirt.Woot Derby thing. And then you interviewed me after my first print, "Poker Game".. man, that was so cool :-D You have the gift of encouraging emerging artists, TR. Hope you come back soon... fingers crossed for happier days and better Woot shirts! :->

ThatRobert
Thanks Star. I'll join you in hoping for happier days!

Edgar
you shoulda named yourself AWESOMErobert instead of thatrobert, thatrobert, because you rock! :D

choiceweb0pen0
I'm sad to see this blog go too. I used to follow derbies weekly, but over the last year or so, noticed a tread for cutesy cartoon images to win and basically less and less tshirts designs that I wanted to own. I have a drawer plus anyway, so it's a good time to stop checking in quite so much. Will still check out your other blogs all the same.

ThatRobert
ChoiceWeb, thanks for stopping by. The "cute" trend was not specifically so much that as it was a renewed focus on themes that generate more money. We should have known that was only the beginning of the end...


Edgar, thanks for dropping by and saying hi/bye. AwesomeRobert was probably taken. :)

dreadwood
:( I was slow to find the site, and sad that it's over now. Thanks for everything you've done, and let's hope that Woot reconsiders.

ThatRobert
I think it's been long enough now that we can give up hope in Woot "reconsidering".

profbrendan
Man, it's the middle of May and I just read this after realizing I hadn't seen you much lately. Well, crap.

Put me in the same camp as everyone else, Robert. It's such a bummer to see the things that made Woot special go away, but there's no one to blame but them and their recent business choices. I completely understand your decision and I'll be keeping an eye out for you around the community.

I too remember how stoked I was when I got my BLAs and how encouraging it felt. You did a really good thing for a long time, and I think it's obvious that a lot of people appreciate that. So thank you, and good luck.

ThatRobert
Brendan, yes, Woot (or Amazon?) has definitely chosen what kind of business they want to be and they're aggressively moving in that direction. That's fine for a big corporation but not so conducive for any kind of community.

I'm spending more time at GoodJoe. They're on AA blanks now. They're not quite big enough to need a BestLosers-type blog but maybe someday! Drop on by and try the weekly contest some time.