Bare Escentuals

[scruff]

Was in the department store in the city and visited the BE counter. Started chatting about QVC and the girl told me something that nearly knocked me off my feet. QVC TSVs for BE are usually trial colours that don't sell in the US and are shipped over to offload them here. In store they get people coming in asking for particular colours that they have got on QVC and have to tell them that these were unsold trial colours in the US. I could hardly believe it. BE biggest selling foundation colour is the one that QVC won't acknowledge - fair. The assistant told me that BE don't need to sell this on QVC as its a big seller on the outside so no need to sell as duff on QVC. Eye opening to say the least.
Now it won't put me off buying BE on QVC because I think its good value and the fairly light suits me just fine but it was interesting to know.

 

[JCR1982]

Yeh I got told something similar - They said it was all the old stock items etc. I went in asking for something and they didn't sell it.

Won't put me off but something that I have realised is that the eye colours in the TSVs are very similar and since they last so long I have a few almost identical colours which is a bit annoying!!

 

[Shopping is fun]

:mysmilie_48: That is very interesting!! So we get the cast off colours that the US do not want!! No surprise there!!

 

[White Russian]

Was in the department store in the city and visited the BE counter. Started chatting about QVC and the girl told me something that nearly knocked me off my feet. QVC TSVs for BE are usually trial colours that don't sell in the US and are shipped over to offload them here. In store they get people coming in asking for particular colours that they have got on QVC and have to tell them that these were unsold trial colours in the US. I could hardly believe it. BE biggest selling foundation colour is the one that QVC won't acknowledge - fair. The assistant told me that BE don't need to sell this on QVC as its a big seller on the outside so no need to sell as duff on QVC. Eye opening to say the least.
Now it won't put me off buying BE on QVC because I think its good value and the fairly light suits me just fine but it was interesting to know.

I don’t think what the sale assistant told you is correct. TSV items are usually LIMITED EDITION colours, but they are not colours they couldn't flog in the US, so they recalled them from all the US stores and packed them into UK TSVs. The US TSVs contain limited edition colours too, the idea is they are especially made for QVC.

As for the 'fair' foundation, it may be the UK's best selling shade, but not in the states. Leslie, the US CEO, always says that Medium Beige is the best selling shade in the States. There are acutally about a hundred shades BE do now (slight exag!) but QVC UK only sell a limited number as they only sell a limited number of eye colours, lip colours, cheek colours etc. We don't get the full range. QVC don't sell the palest shade in the Sue Devitt foundations either. Plus, you have to remember that BE (including the 'fair' shade) was not sold in the UK until recently. If they didn't sell 'fair' on QVC because they did a fine job of flogging it on the High Street that wouldn't explain why they have never sold that shade on QVC.

 

[katyd]

Is she on commission? Just wondering because the 2 gram foundations are about £17 on the high street

 

[boffy]

most of the beauty departments are really snotty when you say you shop at qvc as they know that you sometimes get better deals than in the department store; so i wouldn't take everything they say as gospel.

they see qvc as competition which makes me wonder as it all goes to the company in the long run.
i recognise a lot of the shades in the stores but buy on the bay or qvc as it is much cheaper than the shops.

they have started doing kits now but they are some of the old ones that qvc hade done many moons ago as tsv's. makes you wonder.......

 

[Jabbathehut]

QVC are renowned as an outlet for shifting the stock of ranges that are being discontinued Prescriptives and Origins being 2 examples

 

[star234]

QVC are renowned as an outlet for shifting the stock of ranges that are being discontinued Prescriptives and Origins being 2 examples

???????????

Did QVC not sell Prescriptives long before L'Oreal (or Estel Lauder?) made the decision to pull the plug?

 

[Pollybelle]

This is interesting to know as I was debating ordering another mineral foundation but the colour I had ordered previously (Light) was too dark for me and I was thinking about ordering the Fairly Light. Reading one of the reviews, someone mentioned that a colour called Fair was available but not via QVC. I guess I will wait till I get to a department store so I can see it for myself.

 

[grovesy]

well my local debenhams the assistants ignore and continue to have a conversation between themselves.

 

[donna255]

???????????

Did QVC not sell Prescriptives long before L'Oreal (or Estel Lauder?) made the decision to pull the plug?

Estee Lauder.

Yes but the brand disappeared and only came back on QVC with a TSV after we all discovered the brand was being discontinued by Estee Lauder. So they did have a load of stock and they wanted it sold. No mention was made on TSV shows that the brand was being discontinued and even suggested getting more stock of items that sold out. The last of any Prescriptive stocks not much was in outlet shows in the QVC end of year sale.

 

[scruff]

Thanks for all your replies - very interesting. I do like QVC and yes I do also find department stores sometimes very snooty. I haven't had a bad colour from the BE TSVs even if they are old US stock - hey what suits one doesn't suit another. Can't wait for the TSV coming up next Sunday from BE. Bring it on !!

 

[Georgiebandit]

I think the beauty counter assistants are snooty about QVC and perhaps a little jealous that QVC get better prices. I was told by at a Decleor counter that QVC do rubbish deals on Decleor and are really expensive compared to counter prices. This is totally untrue. She was selling Hydra Floral cream on its own for the same price as a kit or TSV on QVC.

 

[ERICS MUM]

Blt of a tangent here, but related. I'm sitting in Gatwick waiting for my flight to Florida and I noticed a few weeks ago that BE have opened a store in one of the outlet shopping complexes, so I'm looking forward to getting some bargains!

Linda :tongue:

 

[star234]

amazing isn't it? QVC most certainly raised awareness about BE, und undoubtably added to their success as well. Now they are in stores it seems that the snobbery is setting in. Maybe they should remmeber that they are launching in stores during a credit crunch as well as with stiff compettion in a very competative market. Look what happened to Prescriptives (gone), Aveda (now out of Debenhams or HoF) and there have been a few others.
QVC caters for a majority, so colours/shades have to have mass appeal, there is a place for that and a lot of people are happy with that. I bet they still shift more goods then a store does on a TSV or major evening slot dedicated hour.

 

[donna255]

Shisiedo(sp), now own BE so I think it will be interesting. Will they do what Estee Lauder did with Aveda and pull it from QVC(it was a company decision), and just go for counters in department stores. BE was available from salons for years and then hit QVC, but recently say last six months suddenly started to appear in department stores now.

Don't forget a Japanese company bought Molton Brown and suddenly QVC was no longer good enough to sell the brand.

 

[scruff]

I'm kinda new to this board but my goodness i love it for all in insider goss like Aveda, Shisedo(?) etc. How interesting - glad i found you all !

 

[White Russian]

Shisiedo(sp), now own BE so I think it will be interesting. Will they do what Estee Lauder did with Aveda and pull it from QVC(it was a company decision), and just go for counters in department stores. BE was available from salons for years and then hit QVC, but recently say last six months suddenly started to appear in department stores now.

Don't forget a Japanese company bought Molton Brown and suddenly QVC was no longer good enough to sell the brand.

I shouldn't think so. QVC US have a very good relationship with BE. BE would be foolish to lose all the sales QVC generates globally. Watch this space I guess!

 

[Clare]

TSV is going to be on EP according to SJ

 

[donna255]

I shouldn't think so. QVC US have a very good relationship with BE. BE would be foolish to lose all the sales QVC generates globally. Watch this space I guess!

Yes but QVC US and QVC UK can be different. A number of brands which no longer appear here still do really well over there.

Smashbox have a great relationship with QVC US and have had from day one. So QVC US get great kits and audio delivery, we get very few of the stuff they have and no audio delivery.

They have a giant audience base compared to QVC UK and great selling power. QVC US now sell YSL and Clinique and have for quite awhile. I doubt QVC UK will sell these brands.

The fact BE is now pushing into department stores here in the UK and Ireland makes me think something is going on.