A shocking discovery

[maymorganlondon]

I can see that it would be much more common to send back clothes than gadgets.

With gadgets (tools, technology, etc) the demos USED TO BE very good and you could judge whether they would be useful for you. So I've never had to send any back, and I've been grateful to Q for showing them to me (even if I've bought them elsewhere).

What happens with technology is that better things come along, and the old ones are discarded.

For example, the iPad is notorious for not having any connection sockets to put photos, music etc on an off it.

So Q showed me a gadget that connected to it via its own wi-fi (not your home wi-fi, so you could use it anywhere).

This was very useful, but a bit long winded. Then Q showed me a special memory stick with a USB one end and an iPad connector on the other. This was much easier, so the other £100 gadget got relegated in favour of the new £100 gadget.

And this sort of thing has happened time and time again, in particular with cameras. Over the 12 years I've bought 3, as each one was so much better, even though about £300 each (all TSV's).

I think that's pretty good over twelve years - every 4 years. You might replace a camera more often if you're a bit clumsy like me (dropping them doesn't do them much good).

I used to recommend QVC's demonstration videos loads in the past... wouldn't dream of doing so now - it's all advertising speak and stock phrases and everything is superlatives but telling you nothing in particular (Abbie Horne, Lee Hohbein in technology, and Carla Laszlo in fashion are particularly bad for this).

 

[stratobuddy]

Having just said that I don't want a new camera, I've just seen Sazza's post about the OTO Canon.

Much better than mine, but also very much smaller.

RESIST, RESIST, RESIST, RE.............

 

[stratobuddy]

Actually, it does not have two of the essential criteria I always look for in a camera.

1. Ordinary batteries such as AA or AAA, so you can easily buy batteries in an emergency. NOT a special power pack so you are completely stuck if it goes flat and you can't recharge it, and a spare pack is invariably expensive.

2. A proper eye level viewfinder, so you can see what you are taking in bright sunlight, and it helps you to hold the camera steadier.

So it was easy to resist.

 

[Silver Fox]

Years ago I bought a Canon camera from QVC & was drawn in to all the info they were giving out about all the things you could do with it.I didn't have a clue how to use it ( not being a tech. person!) then I did not take the batteries out & they leaked ruining it.I claimed on insurance & went to JL & bought a little Panasonic zoom.So I learnt not to be drawn into the hype--but that is just me.Its great if you know what you are buying & get your moneys worth.

 

[iloveshopping]

Actually, it does not have two of the essential criteria I always look for in a camera.

1. Ordinary batteries such as AA or AAA, so you can easily buy batteries in an emergency. NOT a special power pack so you are completely stuck if it goes flat and you can't recharge it, and a spare pack is invariably expensive.

2. A proper eye level viewfinder, so you can see what you are taking in bright sunlight, and it helps you to hold the camera steadier.

So it was easy to resist.

Totally agree with both your points. We have a lovely little Samsung but it has no view finder so it is virtually impossible to get a good photo in bright sunlight.

 

[stratobuddy]

Whenever Matt Trim demos a camera with an eye level viewfinder, he ALWAYS STRESSES how important it is, for the reasons I gave above.

But when he demos a camera without one, he doesn't even mention it. Funny that, I wonder why?

 

[Vienna]

It isn`t what people buy which fascinates me, it`s what people waste which makes me think. Folks spend as they please, some more than others and if something is used to the death, then that`s fair enough but I often wonder how many unused or partly used items are binned, given away or simply languish in houses up and down the Country ?
There`s always a newer, better, more effective item for sale if we are to believe the presenters and yet one tub of face cream or one mascara is going to do pretty much the same job as the previous one which in its time was the all singing, all dancing item to have.
People seem to be constantly searching for the Holy Grail of beauty, home or fashion and I`m wondering just how many people have found it and more importantly stick with it without being swayed to buy the next new thing.
I know we are a Nation of consumers and of excess, we`re all guilty of that because otherwise we`d only own one of anything because that`s all we actually need and it is nice to have choices but sometimes I think some people go too far. Of course that`s their perogative, but to what purpose ? It baffles me, it really does and when I see people ordering 21 items on Beauty Day or someone who owns 2000 bags or 500 Yankee Candles or hundreds if not thousands of pounds worth of unused stuff literally stashed away, I shake my head in disbelief.
I`m not a skinflint. I like nice clothes, nice perfume, I use skincare and I`m grateful for handy gadgets which make my house easier to clean but I don`t want or need 4 vacuum cleaners, the same top in 5 different colours, a dozen jars of face products quietly going off in my wardrobe or 2 dozen eye shadows in more or less the same shades. But that`s just me.

 

[maymorganlondon]

Whenever Matt Trim demos a camera with an eye level viewfinder, he ALWAYS STRESSES how important it is, for the reasons I gave above.

But when he demos a camera without one, he doesn't even mention it. Funny that, I wonder why?

I'd hate to have a photographic (eidetic) memory... imagine how annoying all the presentations of different items would be? The unique selling point for one would be immaterial on another. It's all about the sales at the end of the day. Matt Trim's photography expertise these days comes a poor second to the requirement to sell as many of whatever he's talking about as possible.

The role of the guest presenter is becoming more and more lead sales person. The sharing of knowledge and expertise is shrinking as a core component of a presentation. In fact I would hesitate to call a lot of what goes on on selly telly as presenting the product and explaining how to use it; how it works; what it's benefits are. It all comes down to what that lowest of the low common denominator (Peter Simon on Ideal World) says: JUST BUY IT!!!!

 

[Toril]

I bought a Casio compact camera from QVC, when it was on offer, ages ago. I can't remember much about the demonstration, but it's dead easy to use. That, and a Clickfree, are the only two techy items I've bought from QVC. The Clickfree is great and the camera was bought to keep with me, when I'm out and about, incase a photo opportunity arises. When I'm actively out taking photographs I use a Canon SLR and a Fuji which were not bought from QVC.

 

[stratobuddy]

In the olden days of camera demos, they used to show all the controls, dials etc, usually in closeup, and explain what they all did.

Now all we see are photos of Matt Trim's dog.

 

[historymystery]

Good point. You would think that these channels would reward loyalty, but perhaps that's an alien concept to them.

Wow, you are a star customer. Have you ever been invited to any special events? Remember when they had loyal diamonique customers guesting on shows? You should be asked to appear as a keen techie or diy fan. At the very least, anyone spending over £1000 per year should get free p&p and be asked to trial new products. A bit of loyalty recognition wouldn't hurt.

 

[Moth]

When I joined, QVC used to be the place to go for good value and many things were genuinely cheaper to buy with them than on the DHS. I do not know where they strayed from the path now, but everything is way overpriced now. I look in but usually know that I won't be able to afford what's on offer. The cost on everything has risen, especially on beauty products, so they controlled my spending for me by putting most of it out of my reach. I hate the hard sale methods too, they really make you feel like they're doing you such a grand favour by being allowed to spend a fortune with them. When you go out and about, how often do you actually see any of these expensive things being worn or carried by your average person in the street? I rarely watch now, mostly down to boredom and repetition than anything. They have nothing of interest for me now, but, in the past I used to have the beauty stockpile and a nice collection of their jewellery. The items back them were good quality, in precious metals and decent designs but now everything is cheap in construction and appearance but high in price and not worth it. I never understood buying really expensive jewellery from the telly anyway. If I wanted to fork out hundreds, or maybe thousands, for something, I'd head to a decent jeweller and expect to be treated like royalty while I make my choice! It still beggars belief that QVC will charge a customer P&P when they've just spent a small fortune on products.

 

[stratobuddy]

Yes, that almost £1,600 B and O speaker had £4-95 PP added!

I remarked about how mean that was to my OH.

BTW I won't tell her about this thread !!!

 

[Scout]

. . . . . Now all we see are photos of Matt Trim's dog.

Better than looking at pictures of people, it's a beautiful dog :mysmilie_48: