Are QVC out of touch?

[suzywoozy]

The comments about Charlie expensive Lapson handbags below made me want to know, what is the overall view, not just with the handbags, but with the expensive TSVs, lack of easypays, way they charge p+p,

Personally, I have stopped watching. I joke about being in 'therapy' for my 'addiction' buy QVCs current output has cured me completely. I'll watch for Decleor and Smashbox, but more than likely I'm either stockpiled or will buy from Justbeautydirect or Ebay. Everything seems overpriced and I can buy cheaper elsewhere, without the p+p.

Also QVC seems to have pushed itself out of my tv schedule by such boring, repetitive shows and lack of imagination. Or have I just grown out of it?

 

[Jo34]

Yes I reckon so some of the stuff they've had on lately brings tears to my eyes I don't remember having so much expensive stuff a year or so ago or may be I just didn't watch it

 

[saffron bun]

Those Charlie Lapson bags were just hideous, with equally hideous prices to match. Why can't QVC just get in some decent fashion & accessories that don't cost a months wages. I don't watch QVC half as much as I used to, the stuff is just over priced tat.

 

[MysteryShopper]

Yes, how out of touch bringing us ridiculously priced handbags at a time like this! If it was say a Mulberry for a couple of hundred quid you might be saying bargain but these bags don't look like bargains to me! Also most of the TSV's seem jolly useless and/or expensive. We need glamourous stuff for sure but at affordable prices, or practical things that we really need.

 

[BurlyBeaR]

i think they appeal to quite a wide range of pockets really. you cant get a 15 quid bit of diamonique or a 4000 quid pearl necklace, 5 lipsticks for a tenner or some ridiculously priced make up for god knows how much etc etc

QVC are massiveley successful - look at the entry on wikipedia for some of the growth figures. they TOTALLY know their market and what theyre doing. look at the number of people on ST.com alone who have bough fluffy emu boots or a very ordinary canvas kipling bag at very steep prices?

what i DONT understand is the P&P - but given that people are still paying it, they'll carry on charging eh.

 

[flo]

Rarely buy off QVC anymore, overpriced at lot of the time and postage totally unreasonable. If they only applied one lot of postage per order it would be much better.

 

[Huggles]

Their fashion is very out-of-touch as far as I'm concerned, they seem to cater for a niche market who like 'lairie' patterns and synthetic materials. I sometimes feel there is a conspiracy to dress the nation in polyester and elastane. M&S are just as bad these days. I may have to go back to making my own as I seem to live in jeans and woollens these days, I can't find anything that makes me look smart/casual. I love Abercrombie & Fitch, Ralph Lauren and Donna Koran but it's very difficult to find outlets...why can't they use designers similar to those?

 

[a107]

They market themselves towards a certain kind of a people, and seem to be successful with it. The presenters are just sales people so they will say any kind of rubbish to get orders coming in. I almost never buy from them unless its a fantastic deal. As for EMU boots, big thanks to QVC and this forum 4 getting me interested in them, I bought mine from amazon at a fantastic price with free p+p, delivered in 3 days!

 

[Lemonsqueezy]

I think QVC must research their market and definately with regard to fashion I feel it is aimed at a niche market...dare I say 50+ who are more likely to TV purchase.

Jewellery is quite diverse with mass appeal I would have thought.

Handbags seems to be a growing market, from nylon global brand Kipling,low end leather Stone Mountain to the more expensive brands like Charlie Lapson.
I have friends who are not high earners but have and will pay £200 + for shoes and bags!

Personally I just can't believe people sit watching TV and impulse buy a £500 watch or necklace.It beggars belief!

 

[Mikado]

QVC have far too many 'considered purchases' in the current climate. Fair enough, not everyone has been/will be affected by the downturn, but surely they could be more representative of peoples circumstances. 9 times out of 10 you can find the products cheaper elsewhere, cheaper postage, faster delivery times etc. They really need to have a shake up or they may find the name QVC becomes increasingly ironic.

 

[donna255]

I read the QVC community board on the US site. It is filled with posts about $16500 bracelet the $100-$200 beauty TSVs etc and what are QVC thinking. Some posters calling it obscene in the current climate and why are QVC stilling do it. BE is one of the biggest sellers on QVC US and the last TSV at the weekend usually sold around 260.000 units before mid morning this time it was 16000. Don't think it even sold out.

 

[rosey]

I agree that they are out of touch as you can buy most things cheaper elsewhere now that the internet is so available and good. Also most companies have postage of £3 ish for up to say £50 and then free over this amount. Amazon do free delivery over £5!!!! Take the Emu boots I got them from Amazon for £35 free p&p when they were over £80 with the p&p from qvc???

I find now that I watch qvc for the advice and ideas then go looking on the internet to get it cheaper, although I don't even watch as much as I used to as the items and presenters are boring - they were far more entertaining with Paul Lavers and Debbie Flint etc.

 

[lawrenson]

Hi,

I have to admit I tend to watch QVC and then trawl Ebay for the same, or similar products.

A lot of people seem to have businesses buying from the Outlet shops and then reselling on Ebay.

And if something doesn't come up, its rare that I'll miss not having it.

Cheers,
Karen
Drat! Should have bid more on those Duo suede pirate boots! Drat, drat!!

 

[grovesy]

On the postage front I ordered lots of ABC stuff from a site on Monday and the p&p over £50 was free, and my order was heavy. When ordereing from shopiing telly I factor in the p&p.

 

[sheilaj]

I think that they went "slicker" which I hated....seem now to be getting back to the more relaxed less perfect presenting style which IMO is more attractive. They do seem to have stuff on which is hideous and overpriced but hey! they always have.
You always have to do your pricing research (not just with QVC) and quite often even inc the p and p they are the cheapest. I just bought a Kipling bag and purse combo from them that was the cheapest price anywhere even with the steep p and p...same with the craft kits SOMETIMES. As I have said before, the p and p thing doesn't bother me, if the total price inc it is good then I will buy and if not, not, same as with any other mail order firm.
Those Charlie Lapson bags are IMO vomit worthy but you do see loads of peeps with similar, also there is a another US range with a women's name again overpriced and IMHO sooo ugly....but there what do I know, I buy Indigo Moon!
I think the expensive items in the current climate thing doen't worry me....either people have the moolah and will buy or not...places like Harrods, Saks 5th ave etcetera won't be scaling back so why should QVC?

 

[Topaz]

Are QVC Out of Touch

When I first started TV shopping nearly 4 years ago I tended to favour Ideal World over QVC because their prices appeared much lower. However, I soon realised that you only get what you pay for. I then purchased a couple of things from QVC and realised that although their prices were higher, their quality was much better and they had a far greater range of good products. Also, back then their p&p charges were lower.

Now I find that QVC's range seems to have gone 'up market' and in many cases I'm priced out of the market. Some of their handbag and clothing ranges are way over my budget. At the same time, I've found that many of the mid-range items I have ordered have fallen in quality and their packaging leaves a lot to be desired. On top of that, their CS and policy on returns has dropped off. As a result my ordering had also dropped off and will continue to do so.

 

[merryone]

I have noticed an increase in the more "high end" of the market stuff....and the "designer day" didn't really sit right in the middle of a recession! Ok, I can understand that they may not want to present a fully blown credit crunch special..but it would be nice if the did pay homage to the current situation, say by offering more easy pay options, or perhaps having the odd day where p&p's free...or per order!

 

[rosey]

They were putting a lot of items on easi pay just before xmas but are not doing it much this year.

 

[cupcake]

I think the channel is getting quite tired now. It's the same old same old over and over again, and some of the recent TSVs haven't been very inspiring either.

Fashion wise, they are of course waaaay off the mark. And they seem to be pushing what I would consider to be luxury goods more and more these days (expensive handbags and £100+ cardigans).

Makes me wonder how much they are actually selling in the current climate.

 

[mitziemog]

I must be the only person on here that finds debbie flint and paul lavers a bit annoying especially when they went to ideal world all debbie did was slag off qvc and paul just went totally over the top. Both have not really gone on to better things since leaving qvc