Asa duped?

[bingowings]

I have been reading through the previous posts and threads on here and wondered how many of the '30' ASA complaints that have been made against BID come from members on here? and how many come from outside this forum.
i tried counting them and went on a bit of a mission but then lost my way and gave up. i think pretty much al of them are from on here!! well. 16 of them came from just one person!.

The reason i ask is the comments the ASA made to Benny regarding his complaints. they BANNED him from complaining as they said they are there to protect ACTUAL customers? i have been on the website and made complaints myself. from what i understand you can complain 'as a consumer' or 'on behalf of a company' but not on behalf of a consumer as a non consumer.

As many people on this forum wouldn't touch BID TV products with a barge pole have the ASA been duped by people 'pretending' to be customers but actually are nothing of the sort? if all the complaints come from on here does that mean that BID TV's ACTUAL customers are happy? and satisfied? and DONT feel mislead? is this forum and its members essentially complaining on behalf of people who dont have a problem?

BID are being asked to act by the letter of the law as far as the ASA are concerned. but have the members of this forum abused the system in order to create that situation?

i know a response will be to point towards the elderly. something i have read a lot of on here. to be honest i find this generalisation pretty patronising. i am in the category myself and find it insulting that people think because you are old you are happy to hand over your bank details to any tom dick and harry and are a sucker for a scam. i think you will find more young un's you get suckered in than us old gits.

anyway. i like playing devils advocate so i look forward to your thoughts

bingo

 

[Wirral70]

There is absolutely no way of knowing what percentage of complaints came from forum members, simple as that.

However, if a complaint has been Upheld, by the ASA, then how can the ASA have been 'duped'? Were they hypnotised into making a decision that suited a certain group of people?

I have read some nonsense in my time but that post is as nonsensical as any before it.

 

[PJ.]

I think that the ASA are not stupid and they must get complaints every day of every week where the person has an axe to grind and is not a valid complaint (sacked members of staff, rival shops and people who just like to complain). I can only speak for myself but I am one who has made complaints and I am a customer but IMHO it doesn't matter if you have or haven't purchased something, if you see something which is a blatant lie you have every right to complain.

My personal opinion is that the ASA treated Benny very badly and I think there was no valid reason to bring it up as I imagine it was hurtful to Benny.

Look at the ASA complaints and then come back an honestly tell me you think these are acceptable selling methods.

PJ.

 

[Paul_s]

You should look through the Bid.tv Facebook page, lots of err now deleted complaints with regards customer service/shoddy products :grin:

A few questions you should ask.... why Bid don't allow product 'reviews'... just how many complaints do Bid.tv get direct (telephone, email or by letter??)

Folk make complaints about magazine/television commercials all the time... you don't need to be a 'customer' to make a complaint. If folk see something that is morally wrong then they should report it - be that an individual, a group (like this forum for example, although folk from here do it on their own accord)

Personally I haven't made any complaints against Bid... Ofcom seem as useless as the ASA at the moment, it's been over one month now since Ofcom made their stance and they have gone very quiet... no doubt having lots of meetings with cups of tea/biscuits.... the ASA/public have done all the hard work for them.

 

[Wirral70]

You should look through the Bid.tv Facebook page, lots of err now deleted complaints with regards customer service/shoddy products :grin:

A few questions you should ask.... why Bid don't allow product 'reviews'... just how many complaints do Bid.tv get direct (telephone, email or by letter??)

Folk make complaints about magazine/television commercials all the time... you don't need to be a 'customer' to make a complaint. If folk see something that is morally wrong then they should report it - be that an individual, a group (like this forum for example, although folk from here do it on their own accord)

Personally I haven't made any complaints against Bid... although what they were/still are doing is morally wrong! Ofcom seem as useless as the ASA at the moment, it's been over one month now since Ofcom made their stance and they have gone very quiet... no doubt having lots of meetings with cups of tea/biscuits.... the ASA/public have done all the hard work for them.

Spot on Paul.

And furthermore, where has Bid Shopping's 90%+ recommendation/approval boasts gone to? They used to bang on and on about it.

They haven't done so for a LOOOOOOONG time now.

 

[bingowings]

There is absolutely no way of knowing what percentage of complaints came from forum members, simple as that.

However, if a complaint has been Upheld, by the ASA, then how can the ASA have been 'duped'? Were they hypnotised into making a decision that suited a certain group of people?

I have read some nonsense in my time but that post is as nonsensical as any before it.

Hardly. we regard the ASA as the authority. the final word. by their own admission they are there to protect the 'customer' yet 50% of the complaints made came from a single person who the ASA have BANNED as they felt he WASNT an actual customer.if you have to be an ACTUAL customer to complain, then how many of the complaints are INVALID because they came from people who have no interest in buying from BID?

the ASA are not being duped by hypnotism as you sarcastically suggest. but are they being duped by people who make complaints by claiming to be customers?

 

[bingowings]

I think that the ASA are not stupid and they must get complaints every day of every week where the person has an axe to grind and is not a valid complaint (sacked members of staff, rival shops and people who just like to complain). I can only speak for myself but I am one who has made complaints and I am a customer but IMHO it doesn't matter if you have or haven't purchased something, if you see something which is a blatant lie you have every right to complain.

My personal opinion is that the ASA treated Benny very badly and I think there was no valid reason to bring it up as I imagine it was hurtful to Benny.

Look at the ASA complaints and then come back an honestly tell me you think these are acceptable selling methods.

PJ.

In your opinion 'yes' in my opinion 'yes' but in the opinion of the governing body in this matter, the asa we only have a right to complain if we ARE customers and NOT on behalf of those who are? it seems irrelevant how much the channel has lied. the complaints can only come from an actual customer. NOT a forum full of do gooders! no doubt BID will point to this in there defence to ofcom!

 

[Wirral70]

Hardly. we regard the ASA as the authority. the final word. by their own admission they are there to protect the 'customer' yet 50% of the complaints made came from a single person who the ASA have BANNED as they felt he WASNT an actual customer.if you have to be an ACTUAL customer to complain, then how many of the complaints are INVALID because they came from people who have no interest in buying from BID?

the ASA are not being duped by hypnotism as you sarcastically suggest. but are they being duped by people who make complaints by claiming to be customers?

Righto, thanks for your insight.

 

[PJ.]

In your opinion 'yes' in my opinion 'yes' but in the opinion of the governing body in this matter, the asa we only have a right to complain if we ARE customers and NOT on behalf of those who are? it seems irrelevant how much the channel has lied. the complaints can only come from an actual customer. NOT a forum full of do gooders! no doubt BID will point to this in there defence to ofcom!

If I saw a crime I would still report it even if it wasn't happening to me. Same theory with bid. You seem to be getting bothered by the wrong thing. Who cares who reports it. You should be more concerned that bid are ripping people off most days they broadcast. Many of those people can't afford to write off the £10 they spent on p&p and the phone call. We are not the ones making the call that the complaints are being upheld or not. That is the ASA. If you have a problem that they are upholding complaints why not complain about that. If bid are so innocent why have the ASA filed a report to OFFCOM?

PJ.

 

[MrMobo]

Taken from Mike Masons fanpage & posted by his partner:

Just a quick message to those who have messaged with complaints about Bid. I am really sorry you have experienced problems (as I have in the past), however, the presenters are there to sell the items and have no contact with the after sales team. I know this is frustrating as Mike hasn't even been able to help me out in the past with problems I have had. I would urge you to email or phone customer services & pester them until you have a satisfactory outcome. I am SO sorry that I cannot help you out, but my hands are tied. MJ

Goes to show that its not just people on here who are trying to complain or who are unhappy with their purchases.

 

[deedee]

There is absolutely no way of knowing what percentage of complaints came from forum members, simple as that.

However, if a complaint has been Upheld, by the ASA, then how can the ASA have been 'duped'? Were they hypnotised into making a decision that suited a certain group of people?

I have read some nonsense in my time but that post is as nonsensical as any before it.

that was my thinking Wirral
surely it's irrelevant where the complaints came from?
if the ASA look at it and find there's a case to answer then that's what matters? hardly a case of 'duping'
ok, some people like to complain but, on the whole, the complaints are justified and have been made to 'protect the customer'
I don't really understand bw's point (or I could just be thick!!) it's almost as if the thread was posted to attack benny and that's not what we're about, we don't attack other forum members

and btw bw, I totally understand that not every more mature person is 'suckered in', I think you may be a bit oversensitive if you've taken it as a personal insult
however, we've had first hand reports of people who may be more vulnerable falling for the sales patter, the 'buy now' stuff or the 'I'm doing this for you' best friend routine
you've completely misread the intent behind these comments (I speak for myself here) as they were made with care and concern in mind along with a healthy dose of anger at people potentially being misled.

 

[PJ.]

Taken from Mike Masons fanpage & posted by his partner:

Just a quick message to those who have messaged with complaints about Bid. I am really sorry you have experienced problems (as I have in the past), however, the presenters are there to sell the items and have no contact with the after sales team. I know this is frustrating as Mike hasn't even been able to help me out in the past with problems I have had. I would urge you to email or phone customer services & pester them until you have a satisfactory outcome. I am SO sorry that I cannot help you out, but my hands are tied. MJ

Goes to show that its not just people on here who are trying to complain or who are unhappy with their purchases.

Interesting. See if Mike loved his customers as much as he claims he could at least bring customers complaints to his bosses.

PJ

 

[PJ.]

Just to sum up bingowings, and I don't want to put words in your mouth so feel free to correct me but are you saying if someone who watches bid and makes a complaint to the ASA that's just silly and not a valid complaint but if a someone purchases something from that very same presentation complains to the ASA then that complaint is ok?


PJ

 

[aqua]

I think the answer to this debate is that people come to this forum because they have concerns about the sales techniques employed by BidTv rather than them being happy shoppers who come here as fans and are then coerced into becoming complainants.
This forum can certainly take credit for helping restrain the worst excesses of Bid-they would not dare repeat some of the excesses and falsehoods I witnessed when I first surfed into the channel a few years ago.
They still have a way to go-they have improved, but it has been under duress!

 

[Bennyxp]

Hardly. we regard the ASA as the authority. the final word. by their own admission they are there to protect the 'customer' yet 50% of the complaints made came from a single person who the ASA have BANNED as they felt he WASNT an actual customer.if you have to be an ACTUAL customer to complain, then how many of the complaints are INVALID because they came from people who have no interest in buying from BID?

the asa we only have a right to complain if we ARE customers and NOT on behalf of those who are? it seems irrelevant how much the channel has lied. the complaints can only come from an actual customer. NOT a forum full of do gooders! no doubt BID will point to this in there defence to ofcom!

Not sure where you are getting this information from, as I click "Are you complaining as a member of the public?" which doesn't say "You must have been effected by the sale".

 

[bingowings]

Just to sum up bingowings, and I don't want to put words in your mouth so feel free to correct me but are you saying if someone who watches bid and makes a complaint to the ASA that's just silly and not a valid complaint but if a someone purchases something from that very same presentation complains to the ASA then that complaint is ok?


PJ

Its not what i think its what the ASA think. i find it interesting that they chose to ban someone who was making persistant complaints and i find their reasoning interesting too. it throws up lots of questions. to me anyway.
common sense would say if an advertiser has lied then anyone who brings this information to the authorities has a right too. but is that the case?
if they are banning people from complaining because they suspect they are not actual valid customers then it suggests to me that they are there to protect customers from being mislead.

its all well and good assuming that people are being mislead and complaining on their behalf. but it seems most of the complaints have come from on here. people who havent bought. the ASA then uphold these complaints assuming that the person who has complained is an actual customer who was mislead by the presentation. but that isn't the case. the complainer has mislead the ASA by giving them the impression that they are an actual customer. but they arnt. in fact the ACTUAL costumers dont seem to be making complaints at all, to the ASA anyway.

im sure BID receive complaints as someone pointed out on their facebook. but what company doesn't? their ACTUAL CUSTOMERS. the people who shop with BID and have done for how ever many years.the people who have kept them going all these years they dont seem to be making complaints to the ASA. is that because they are not as stupid and gullible and susceptible as people think? that they actually able of making an intelligent decision about buying things? that they arnt foolish enough to think you can buy solid 18 carat gold for £20? that the actual bid customers HAVENT BEEN MISLEAD BY BID TV?

 

[bingowings]

Not sure where you are getting this information from, as I click "Are you complaining as a member of the public?" which doesn't say "You must have been effected by the sale".

Is it true that the reason you went from loving bid to being determined to ruin them. that the reason you made all those complaints about them is because you applied to work their and they turned you down?

 

[deedee]

*hides behind sofa*!! :whew:

 

[Bennyxp]

Is it true that the reason you went from loving bid to being determined to ruin them. that the reason you made all those complaints about them is because you applied to work their and they turned you down?

I have NEVER applied to work for bid tv. Firstly if I did want to, I am too young to be a presenter, and for backstage I would go to Ideal World as it's closer to home, and better prospects than working at bid. Not to mention that I done work experience there and they have welcomed me back when I want (even though I don't want to work in TV anymore).

Any other things you would like to make up while you're at it?

 

[Bennyxp]

the ASA then uphold these complaints assuming that the person who has complained is an actual customer who was mislead by the presentation. but that isn't the case. the complainer has mislead the ASA by giving them the impression that they are an actual customer. but they arnt.

Not ONCE have I said to the ASA that I had bought the product which was being sold whilst misleading. I write what I see and that's it. In addition, when the ASA got back to me, they said that I could raise further concerns if I could show that I suffered from the misleading sales, which shoes that they knew I wasn't a customer from the products. + Why would they think I bought an item if I complained about them exaggerating claims etc?