Create and Craft/Ideal World - happy now?

[frenchie]

I am a very experienced crafter, and I've enjoyed watching QVC and Ideal World for many years as useful resources to see new trends and access new products, and it used to be that, between the 2 channels, there was a wide variety of suppliers, and many guest demonstrators - some good, some not to good...but we had plenty of choice.
Maybe someone 'in the know' will say otherwise, but it seems to me that, over the last months, Ideal World have been on a mission to take over - hogging all of the most respected experts/presenters and all of the biggest known brands, many of which have now parted ways with QVC.
The result now is that Ideal World's prices are much less competitive, with certain brands being promoted excessively, especially those 'stolen' from QVC....and I can't believe the fuss over the 'return' of Stephanie and My Craft Studio - what really happened there!
Is it just me who feels this is not beneficial to the craft trade in general?

 

[Flying Pigs]

In her blog on the Debbie Shore website she says that C&C/Ideal World are the largest Craft Retailer in the world so I think that shows that in order to get your products into the marketplace you cannot afford to ignore them.

 

[London]

Unfortunately it will be the likes of you and me who will miss out. Competition is good for the market but C&C don't do it for me I'm afraid. I only really enjoy Sue Wilson and Barbara Grey's hours.

I hate the sell sell sell, also if you don't like the POTW you are stuck with it for dayyyyyyyys. Everytime I have turned over to watch it this week I've seen that lattice card being demoed over and over and over again, and I didn't like it in the first place- where do you write the message?

I would much rather have two hours a week of crafting I could settledown and watch regularly than the 27/7 overload from C&C. I agree with most that the demonstrations are good but it annoys me that 20-25 minutes is spent wandering along the counter looking at items in the show. I do actually prefer QVC's format, just wish an extra minute or so could be given over to demo the item properly.

 

[Flying Pigs]

The QVC blog says there will be a craft show every Wednesday from Feb 13 th at 2p.m.

 

[scbu]

I am a very experienced crafter, and I've enjoyed watching QVC and Ideal World for many years as useful resources to see new trends and access new products, and it used to be that, between the 2 channels, there was a wide variety of suppliers, and many guest demonstrators - some good, some not to good...but we had plenty of choice.
Maybe someone 'in the know' will say otherwise, but it seems to me that, over the last months, Ideal World have been on a mission to take over - hogging all of the most respected experts/presenters and all of the biggest known brands, many of which have now parted ways with QVC.
The result now is that Ideal World's prices are much less competitive, with certain brands being promoted excessively, especially those 'stolen' from QVC....and I can't believe the fuss over the 'return' of Stephanie and My Craft Studio - what really happened there!
Is it just me who feels this is not beneficial to the craft trade in general?

Im not sure u can say CC stole presenters and brands from QVC :S, QVC dont seem to bother with craft unless they have Martha stewart and her range on air. Many brands have left IW and moved to QVC its the way things work , brands will want to be where they can sell the most . QVC are meant to be the numnber 1 shopping channel so they have plenty of buying power hoever seems thats spent else where. You cant blame CC for wanting to have the best brands and presenters if there offered to them on a plate. Qvc seemed to give up on craft once Dawn bibby left.

 

[madge65]

i sold hundreds of pounds worth of craft stuff about 5 years ago to put towards a new camera, i was getting fed up of the cr rom crafting being the only thing they featured at the time

I also found it was expensive to make cards , i didn't sell many as people dont & wont pay more than a quid for a card up here when they can get a ready made card , sadly i lost momentum & basic interest in flogging my guts out for pennys

But I also felt that with these kits where all you do is push out a few bits & stick them on a bit of card not really challenging .. what started a a hobby became a very expensive game .

maybe I am old fashioned , but I got more pleasure out of cutting stuff out & doing it the hard way I guess .. I love Barbara grays shows... I find her work both refreshing & very inspiring

I remember when they had that lady christine i think she was called doing the pergamano , now to me thats real crafting , but it seems they drop the craft's that i class as real works of art in favour for this '' push it out & stick it down'' form of craft

 

[Flying Pigs]

There should be a place for all different levels and types of crafters in the shows. I am artistically challenged but enjoy crafting with the help of digikits and watching demos.

 

[sheepdog]

I must admit C&C is something different that I oddly like watching from time to time even though I'm not a crafter but I can take an idea and change it on the computer as inspiration. Mind you, another member of my family gets me to buy things off there so I'm kind of a secret crafter ;-)

But to be honest, there isn't any other dedicated channel so you can't blame them for making the market their exclusive area especially if the likes of QVC are effectively focussing on other areas.

 

[frenchie]

Madge65 - I agree with your sentiments - the emphasis on C&C is definitely along the 'make it quick and easy' for papercrafting.. either through die-cut kits, or cd-roms.
I have been selling my own handmade cards for 7 years now and have stayed true to myself... my cards are always hand-cut decoupaged, and thoughtfully created with backing papers and embellishments....and I still sell as many as I ever did as my customers, whether in the UK or here in France, do appreciate all of the work involved. In fact people often comment how lovely it is to see real handmade cards, not those just stuck together!
This is my point, having grown into the equivalent of Tesco Express in TV media - C&C have the luxury of being able to move onto quick-sell, easy demonstrate, pile 'em high papercrafting kits now, and even Joanna Sheene seems to have lost her way to Peterborough...so it seems a shame to me that although sales of crafting materials have rocketed, we are losing the real skill of enjoying traditional crafting.

 

[Flying Pigs]

Both Frenchie and Madge 65 make valid points and I envy them their expertise and skill but when push comes to shove what C&C need is sales to make the business profitable so what they are selling/ demonstrating now must be making them money. Perhaps the way forward for skilled crafters is the step Delia Smith has taken with her cooking- she is no longer going to make TV programmes but has set up her own online demo site which will be available in a couple of weeks. Another idea would be to agitate for one programne on a regular basis that was especially for the skilled crafter.

 

[madge65]

There should be a place for all different levels and types of crafters in the shows. I am artistically challenged but enjoy crafting with the help of digikits and watching demos.

I totally agree, the shows should be made up using differing levels & methods of what ever there shows are about , I dont think you need to be artistic to create some stunning unique work either

i just got cheesed off with kit after kit of card making materials , I can see theres a need for the kits , people who struggle with cutting because of dexterity problems they may have as an example , I just find the markets flooded with the kits & little else, thats why i find barbara greys hours good there different from the other shows .

I dont pick things up very easily & I need to watch demos over & over again , so the few shows they do have on now where your rolling up your sleeves & doing a little cutting & folding are great

 

[madge65]

Madge65 - I agree with your sentiments - the emphasis on C&C is definitely along the 'make it quick and easy' for papercrafting.. either through die-cut kits, or cd-roms.
I have been selling my own handmade cards for 7 years now and have stayed true to myself... my cards are always hand-cut decoupaged, and thoughtfully created with backing papers and embellishments....and I still sell as many as I ever did as my customers, whether in the UK or here in France, do appreciate all of the work involved. In fact people often comment how lovely it is to see real handmade cards, not those just stuck together!
This is my point, having grown into the equivalent of Tesco Express in TV media - C&C have the luxury of being able to move onto quick-sell, easy demonstrate, pile 'em high papercrafting kits now, and even Joanna Sheene seems to have lost her way to Peterborough...so it seems a shame to me that although sales of crafting materials have rocketed, we are losing the real skill of enjoying traditional crafting.

Thats exactly how I feel , c&c is very geared to card making & always has been , knitting seems to be featured a little more now & some of the sewing shows I enjoy , but you need a machine to do most of the stuff

 

[alan1302]

Create & Craft is setup to deal with main stream crafting - not the more involved or complicated stuff. It sells what is popular with the masses - it's a bit like Tesco vs a specialist food shop - they are for different markets and I don't think Create & Craft would be able to sell enough of something that does not appeal to the masses.

 

[Oliver]

I am a very experienced crafter, and I've enjoyed watching QVC and Ideal World for many years as useful resources to see new trends and access new products, and it used to be that, between the 2 channels, there was a wide variety of suppliers, and many guest demonstrators - some good, some not to good...but we had plenty of choice.
Maybe someone 'in the know' will say otherwise, but it seems to me that, over the last months, Ideal World have been on a mission to take over - hogging all of the most respected experts/presenters and all of the biggest known brands, many of which have now parted ways with QVC.
The result now is that Ideal World's prices are much less competitive, with certain brands being promoted excessively, especially those 'stolen' from QVC....and I can't believe the fuss over the 'return' of Stephanie and My Craft Studio - what really happened there!
Is it just me who feels this is not beneficial to the craft trade in general?

How is it any differnt to the brands QVC have "stolen" from IW ? eg Easiyo , Prai , Hotters , Lenovo , Cruisnart to name a few?

 

[jesusismysaviour]

i willnever buy fromc&c for personalresonsbut if you are looking for good crat products goto craftcreations web siteprices really good

 

[Flying Pigs]

So why dislike a post that says when there is a crafting hour JIMS? Can 't see that would offend people?

 

[alan1302]

So why dislike a post that says when there is a crafting hour JIMS? Can 't see that would offend people?

If I was cynical I would say because they work for/own/are related to Craft Creations But I'm not so I wont!

 

[Sandyf]

I'm fed up with C & C/IW. ther'e only so much you can take of Kanban, Hunkydory,Debbi Moore, The Glitter Girls, crafters companion, Card Creations. MCS, Spellbinder dies etc . There is nothing new on the craft scene these days. I do like the sewing shows but they don't get many hours unless it's a POTD or POTW

 

[davidlisa]

Great to see such an experienced crafter like you, I hope we will have great stuff to learn from you. It would be great if you share some of the tips and tricks to become a good crafter.

 

[Flying Pigs]

Welcome to the forum davidlisa. What kind of crafting do you enjoy?