ASA Complaints Page

[Ilovebid]

I'll have a go!!
1) I agree there's nothing wrong with 'maybe' or 'might' etc. these words of vagueness can be very useful get out of jail free cards.
However, the shows are scheduled days in advance so of course they know whether the product will be back or not, it is, therefore, a blatant lie to say things like 'I don't know if you'll see this again, or whether it'll be at this price'.
2) I also agree with you that it's a good idea to research products you want to buy.
However, I would suggest that most purchases from Bid are impulse buys with no time for research. Therefore, we rely on the presenter telling us the truth like carat weights, gold weight and purity, even handbag size is important. So all most of us ask is truth, clarity and transparency.
Oh, and as a qualified healthcare professional, I wouldn't recommend anyone have a go at open heart surgery after doing research, it usually take many more years of practical training than that!!

Well, I can certainly understand your point of view...I don't agree with it, but I can sympathise with it. Buyers in the UK have enough protection under the distant selling regulations to be able to buy first and research later - we are some of the most protected consumers in the world when it comes pressure selling too. The protection of consumers from unfair business practices act 2008 (I think that's the year) expands these rights to the point that its incredible we even have any shops still trading in this country!

Don't worry, I will resist the temptation to do open heart surgery. I do however have a nice new pair of pliers so might have a bash at dentistry...

 

[Ilovebid]

1) MAYBE. Yes, this would have been fine if the Yarvik came back the next day with the same offer, but not in the next shift where nicola even mentioned it would be on again later!

2) It's obvious misleading, otherwise why wouldn't they say/ put in the description the weight? If it was 20g I'm sure we wouldn't hear the last of it.

Maybe means maybe, it's a magical word in the world of sales. If someone is selling you something and they use the word maybe in any way, think twice about it. As for the gold, come on, you only get what you pay for, if the item was £1000 and lacking in the gold department then you'd have an argument but it was a cheap price and is therefore cheap jewellery.

 

[Ilovebid]

Oh my, that's great business sense....stop selling a popular product! Whatever next?!

It's the law of supply and demand. Restrict supply and create demand....you want it? You want it?....you can't have it!

 

[aqua]

It's the law of supply and demand. Restrict supply and create demand....you want it? You want it?....you can't have it!

On the contrary-the entire sales methodology depends on closing the sale there and then,before the prospect cools off.
I must say,without wishing to be rude or offensive,that I find your posts very odd and I suspect that you have a motivation that you are not disclosing.

 

[Enigma]

Yes, spot on, buyer beware - I agree it's certainly not the most honest way of selling something by 'not volunteering information that would otherwise make the buyer rethink the purchase' but it works and its well within the law.

I wonder how many of a piece of jewellery they would sell if they just put it on screen with a price and said nothing, with no description...just have Peter Simons stood there smiling going 'isn't is just amazing'...

The ASA doesn't agree with you. If withholding pertinent information in order to maximise sales was OK then we wouldn't have an ASA. Or Trading Standards for that matter.

Though I'm glad that you finally agree that Bid's way of doing business isn't honest.

 

[Ilovebid]

On the contrary-the entire sales methodology depends on closing the sale there and then,before the prospect cools off.
I must say,without wishing to be rude or offensive,that I find your posts very odd and I suspect that you have a motivation that you are not disclosing.

Your right it does, most selling does and these guys are very good at selling.
I don't have any other motivation, I'm just defending the channels, which taken in the grand scheme of retail are not that bad. Yes there are areas were they could improve and I do think they've lost some of the sparkle from the good old days when Andy Hodgsen was on pretty much all the time with rising price auction but they are still a good channel pushing the rules as far as they can in very tough economic conditions. These channels are a great British success story.

*humms national anthem*

 

[Ilovebid]

The ASA doesn't agree with you. If withholding pertinent information in order to maximise sales was OK then we wouldn't have an ASA. Or Trading Standards for that matter.

Though I'm glad that you finally agree that Bid's way of doing business isn't honest.

Ha, you'd struggle to find an honest salesman/women these days!

The ASS would investigate anything - lots of complaints keeps their budget up and lots of civil servants in the job.

 

[Enigma]

Ha, you'd struggle to find an honest salesman/women these days!

The ASS would investigate anything - lots of complaints keeps their budget up and lots of civil servants in the job.

There goes any argument you can ever make regarding Bid then :wink:

 

[Ilovebid]

There goes any argument you can ever make regarding Bid then :wink:

You'd struggle but that's because bid have hired them all!

 

[Enigma]

You'd struggle but that's because bid have hired them all!

You're wasted on here.

With that kind of humour you could be the new Bob Hope.

Or do I mean Bob Holness? :wonder:

 

[Ilovebid]

You're wasted on here.

With that kind of humour you could be the new Bob Hope.

Or do I mean Bob Holness? :wonder:

I'll take either of those! :hi:

 

[Nikki]

Your right it does, most selling does and these guys are very good at selling.
I don't have any other motivation, I'm just defending the channels, which taken in the grand scheme of retail are not that bad. Yes there are areas were they could improve and I do think they've lost some of the sparkle from the good old days when Andy Hodgsen was on pretty much all the time with rising price auction but they are still a good channel pushing the rules as far as they can in very tough economic conditions. These channels are a great British success story.

*humms national anthem*[/QUOTE

Ahem, not wishing to dampen your spirits or fondness of the company ILB but not according to the drop in their net worth according to their official accounts. Sure they're still in profit but only by about 20 odd percent I believe compared to what they were worth in their hay day. (Read about it somewhere so please correct me if you know differently).
& pushing the rules as far as they can?? As far as they can get away with more like or not as the case may be.

 

[Ilovebid]

Your right it does, most selling does and these guys are very good at selling.
I don't have any other motivation, I'm just defending the channels, which taken in the grand scheme of retail are not that bad. Yes there are areas were they could improve and I do think they've lost some of the sparkle from the good old days when Andy Hodgsen was on pretty much all the time with rising price auction but they are still a good channel pushing the rules as far as they can in very tough economic conditions. These channels are a great British success story.

*humms national anthem*[/QUOTE

Ahem, not wishing to dampen your spirits or fondness of the company ILB but not according to the drop in their net worth according to their official accounts. Sure they're still in profit but only by about 20 odd percent I believe compared to what they were worth in their hay day. (Read about it somewhere so please correct me if you know differently).
& pushing the rules as far as they can?? As far as they can get away with more like or not as the case may be.

You are indeed very correct, times are tough. I think, and im speculating here, it's a combination of several large investments and refinancing coupled with our economy that is truly f**ked at present and also a drop off in margins as they try and temp more buyers in with lower prices. I would imagine that their actually selling more items than they ever have, their just not making much and have overheads going up and up (I bet Uncle Peters on a fair old whack now).

You can have a peak at an overview of their finances by using a website such as www.companycheck.co.uk or if you've got some free time you can go to www.companieshouse.gov.uk and for just one meagre English pound (per year) get their full accounts and dig right down to see where all the pennies have gone. Having said that, I've seen company accounts that look terrible when in reality the business is very healthy, they just had a very creative accountant who was dodging Mr Osbourne (well, Brown at the time).

 

[tristar]

Iv been watching last few days and Im frankly, appauled at what they can get away with. It shows that the ASA or whoever are toothless and they really need to be monitoring all the shopping channels, going over their claims and speels with a very fine tooth comb

 

[Wirral70]

Iv been watching last few days and Im frankly, appauled at what they can get away with. It shows that the ASA or whoever are toothless and they really need to be monitoring all the shopping channels, going over their claims and speels with a very fine tooth comb

Patience is a virtue my friend, sometimes you have to do a lot of legwork to get a conclusive result.

 

[tristar]

Yes but the fines and 'tickings off' are not doing the job, They need to be shook by the very core

 

[Nikki]

Iv been watching last few days and Im frankly, appauled at what they can get away with. It shows that the ASA or whoever are toothless and they really need to be monitoring all the shopping channels, going over their claims and speels with a very fine tooth comb

Tristar if we spot anything that's obviously totally wrong or misleading, (a real tengible clanger screaming out as loud as Sally Jacks at us), we do report it to the ASA. The only way to get them to clean up their act, (& it has started to get a lot better of late), is to actually report the presentation. It's very quick & easy to do via the ASA web page. What's that saying about evil prevailing as long as good people do nothing?:wink::nod:

& We all said the ASA tellings off were somewhat lame, however we don't know what is being discussed in addition do we? Seems uncle Peter is referring to the ASA these days saying they're watching & I must get this right. OK he still gets base metals wrong when he does correct himself but Rome wasn't built in a day, (although Wirral said Venice was shown as footage for their spannish cruse so it would seem that, according to Bid land, Venice was built in Spain lol).:rock::nod:

 

[tristar]

I just wonder what powers the ASA really have? If they were a toothy body they ought to threaten a shut down, imagine that, with all the naff presenters needing a job with vodaphone or DFS/SCS?

 

[Ilovebid]

I think that sometimes, it's such a fast paced channel, and live, they do often trip over themselves and make mistakes...and yes before anyone says it, sometimes little white lies do come out...and that's the problem, the ASS probably would be more forgiving of 'fast paced, live' errors if it were not for the little white lies, but because they've pushed their luck it all gets treated the same.

 

[tristar]

I know that would be the ultimate sanction/punishment a shutdown. But the ASA need to flex their muscles, I somehow think the presenters are not too terrified of the ASA, the way they carry on they think they only have to pay a bit of lip service to the ASA