Gemporia 'Downfall'

[Marietta]

And they used to have 'first timer' jewellery: Usually £10 as an intro. And whenever SB was on, he usually went OTT on his price drops, on purpose or otherwise, it worked. Which, as an aside, today they had the second in command doing a tanzanite show with Hattie. He 'thought' one item was white gold and 'sold' it for £499, I think. It was platinum: and he 'didn't know'? Those sorts of thing are daft. They set the show, they see the goods and profess ignorance? I know I am off track a bit, but I don't think back in the day they'd have been so lax or unprofessional.

As the song says -
'Ah yes, I remember it well'

 

[AndyW]

This product, "auctioned" by Angeleen this morning, somehow encapsulates everything said over the last 24 hours.

Gold tone, base metal, cheap pearls. And they still want £7.99 + £3.95 P&P

 

[Battiola73]

Saw a trailer with Steve Bennett this morning. Has he been to the same cosmetic surgeon as Perve Patio Pete on IW. Looks odd

 

[historymystery]

I think their future is selling anything that is offered cheaply by the Chinese that Gemporia can then buy in bulk and sell at considerable profit.

I'm not even convinced that they're making all of their own jewellery any more. For example, Angeline has just sold a "Naturally Coloured Freshwater Cultured Pearl & White Zircon Gold Tone Sterling Silver Necklace and Earrings Set" for £399. The pearls originate from China. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole thing was made in China. Gemporia probably buy them in bulk for about £40 (if that) and then re-sell them at OTT prices.

The next stone we'll never see the end of will likely be whatever the Chinese sell them by the shipping container load for cheap. If the Chinese were to offer them dyed Rubies, you'd probably see them for months / years on end on screen - just like the Jade and Pearls.

Gone are the days where we'd get variety. In the past, a typical day on Gems TV could see a whole mixture from Golden Beryl, to Andalusite, to Iolite, to Kyanite, to Sapphire, to Imperial Topaz, etc.

Now, it just seems to be endless Pearl and Jade shows, with the gaps filled in the schedule with Kimbie, Visage, Primal, etc.

Is the Kimbie stuff profitable enough to sustain a business long term? People can pick up all of that kind of stuff from the likes of Amazon for less, with next day delivery. If people are prepared to wait, they can order similar from Temu or AliExpress for a lot cheaper.

They had a whole 'Lifestyle' channel dedicated to Kimbie-type products - and that channel was closed down because it was, reportedly, a loss making channel.

You have to sell a lot of pens and candles at £10 each or electronic lighters at £7 each to cover the overheads of paying for airtime, presenter and staff wages, business taxes, import costs, etc.

You can easily stick an extra £30+ on a gold ring without anyone being put off - especially if its a bespoke piece that someone loves and they can't buy it from elsewhere.

You can't do that with a candle or a pen. They're not bespoke or unique. Everyone is flogging them. Put the price up by even £1 or £2 more, and people will simply buy them from elsewhere instead.

Jeff is currently on a two week holiday - yet last night, instead of paying to bring in a freelancer, they just played re-runs of old shows, just as they do during the week. This, to me, rings alarm bells. Bearing in mind it is Christmas next month, and people are looking to buy presents, you would think that Gemporia would bring in a freelancer at a time of the year when you'd expect sales figures to be picking up.

If they can't/won't bring in a freelancer to cover a 4 hour shift, that gives me the impression that they don't want to spend the money. Does that mean they still have financial difficulties?

My gut instinct is that the days of Gemporia being a multi-million pound profit company are long gone. I suspect they're merely surviving or 'treading water' with small profits each year.

The channel output is worse than ever. The quality of the jewellery is, arguably, worse than ever. The prices appear to be higher than ever. People are sick of Dave Troth - yet Gemporia keep putting their fingers in their ears and turning a blind eye to people's complaints about him. There's just so much wrong with the brand/channels - yet they don't seem to be doing anything at all to change it. They seem content to just 'carry on regardless' with an arrogance that we're all wrong - and they're correct.

When people complain about seeing too much Dave Troth, Gemporia STILL reply with the usual 'our viewers have told us they like to be educated' line.

They also seem to have an arrogance that they can charge whatever they like for pieces - and people will pay it. I find it astonishing that they have the audacity to charge £399 for a GOLD TONE necklace with mass produced pearls from China.

That arrogance or delusion will be the nail in the coffin for them in my opinion.

The main reasons I stopped buying were because of the discrepancy between what I'd seen on screen and what was actually delivered to my door and because of the hitchhike in prices for wafter-thin metal and what I considered to be poor quality stones. But you're right about the variety of stones that used to appear on the channel back in the day - this was one of the things that kept me watching, together with the innovative designs of rings and pendants, designs that you didn't see in your local High St jewellers. How much has changed! Now it's just an endless procession of the same old, same old, still set in thin metals that bend as you look at them.

And if Gemporia are justifying having Troth on the channel almost 24/7 by saying that the viewers like to be 'educated' then this is a contradiction in terms - just how does he 'educate' people? Most of what he says is making so-called "comparisons" with high-end items and urging us to multi-buy.

 

[Jojo1]

People will switch off. You guys will start shopping at QVC. Honestly, better quality gems and gold weights.

 

[Battiola73]

And just when we thought it was safe…tomorrow at 1pm (drum roll please) Omphacite Jade Carving. No mention if Professor Jade Trough is lecturing. Wonder if it’s real Jade?

 

[TheManWithNoName]

And just when we thought it was safe…tomorrow at 1pm (drum roll please) Omphacite Jade Carving. No mention if Professor Jade Trough is lecturing. Wonder if it’s real Jade?

No, it's not a 'real' Jade. It's yet another of those stones that is marketed as a 'Jade' because it has some similarities.

It forms alongside Jade, and helps to give Jade its colour - but it isn't a type of Jade itself.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

This product, "auctioned" by Angeleen this morning, somehow encapsulates everything said over the last 24 hours.

Gold tone, base metal, cheap pearls. And they still want £7.99 + £3.95 P&P

View attachment 30339

To be fair, that would be a great gift - to give to someone that you don't like.

 

[Battiola73]

No, it's not a 'real' Jade. It's yet another of those stones that is marketed as a 'Jade' because it has some similarities.

It forms alongside Jade, and helps to give Jade its colour - but it isn't a type of Jade itself.

Thought that might be the case. A friend of mine inherited a real Jade Chinese puzzle ball from her Grandfather. It’s a lovely celadon green colour and exquisitely carved. Must be at least 100 years old. Her Grandfather lived in China for a couple of years so it’s not cheap tat like Jade Trough sells.

 

[rubia]

No, it's not a 'real' Jade. It's yet another of those stones that is marketed as a 'Jade' because it has some similarities.

It forms alongside Jade, and helps to give Jade its colour - but it isn't a type of Jade itself.

So how do they get away with it? It's mind boggling that the powers that be choose to turn a blind eye.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

So how do they get away with it? It's mind boggling that the powers that be choose to turn a blind eye.

Because the ASA are about as useful as a chocolate teapot and not fit for purpose. Trading Standards are equally as useless these days too.

 

[Jojo1]

I wonder how Gemporia business “Partner” presenters voice their opinions and concerns? Say, if a few of them were also becoming nauseous when seeing jade on the forward schedule and knew it wasn’t selling due to the constant repeat shows. Could they take a vote? What is the governance like? True partnership or not?

 

[MrMarple]

I wonder how Gemporia business “Partner” presenters voice their opinions and concerns? Say, if a few of them were also becoming nauseous when seeing jade on the forward schedule and knew it wasn’t selling due to the constant repeat shows. Could they take a vote? What is the governance like? True partnership or not?

It honestly wouldn't surprise me if it was Mr Troth paying for Gemporia hours that were helping keeping them afloat at the moment and if that is true, they definitely won't be wanting to give up the extra revenue that it brings them.
Obviously I could be wrong though.

 

[rubia]

I wonder how Gemporia business “Partner” presenters voice their opinions and concerns? Say, if a few of them were also becoming nauseous when seeing jade on the forward schedule and knew it wasn’t selling due to the constant repeat shows. Could they take a vote? What is the governance like? True partnership or not?

Do they really have a voice? They must be more than aware of the constant complaints. Still nothing changes!!

 

[historymystery]

And just when we thought it was safe…tomorrow at 1pm (drum roll please) Omphacite Jade Carving. No mention if Professor Jade Trough is lecturing. Wonder if it’s real Jade?

It can only be fronted by the King of Jade himself, surely. When will they ever come to the end of the blo%%y jade? They must have container shiploads lining up full of the stuff. It really is a joke.

 

[AndyW]

Here's another inexplicable price hike that reveals a lot more about what Gemporia is now from what it was even two years ago.

Brooch bought for £26 in auction (Love it. Zircon really are outstanding on it.) Still in stock at £80, with a discount code embargo.

Just odd.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

I wonder how Gemporia business “Partner” presenters voice their opinions and concerns? Say, if a few of them were also becoming nauseous when seeing jade on the forward schedule and knew it wasn’t selling due to the constant repeat shows. Could they take a vote? What is the governance like? True partnership or not?

I used to work for a company that had a similar arrangement - and the employees had no powers whatsoever.

They simply got a share of the profits (it was a tiny share where I worked) - and they could sell their shares on (again, worth very little).

That was about it. It's just a way of making employees feel like they're a part of the company, and an incentive to work harder because the employees think they'll get a massive share of profits if the business has a really good year.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

I wonder how Gemporia business “Partner” presenters voice their opinions and concerns?

Not sure about Gems TV - but I know of at least TWO members of staff on Jewellery Maker that are as sick of Troth and, particularly the Jade, as we are.

For obvious reasons, I'm not going to say who they are or what their roles are - but they are names that viewers will know from appearing on screen as either presenters, guest designers, production crew or camera crew.

 

[TheManWithNoName]

Here's another inexplicable price hike that reveals a lot more about what Gemporia is now from what it was even two years ago.

Brooch bought for £26 in auction (Love it. Zircon really are outstanding on it.) Still in stock at £80, with a discount code embargo.

Just odd.

Although we give Gemporia stick, I think we need to be fair when making price comparisons otherwise we're being as dubious as them.

I think it would be a bit unfair to compare TV auction prices to full web prices because on-air prices are, for the majority of time, cheaper than their full web price (the on-air prices should always be cheaper, but they've been known to try it on......... haven't they Ellis Ward.................).

Do you know what the web price would have been back then? I'm going to guess somewhere around the £55 to £60 mark. Even that is bad enough because that would be an increase of £20-£25 on an item that they already had in stock and would have bought or made at old-stock prices.

 

[AndyW]

Although we give Gemporia stick, I think we need to be fair when making price comparisons otherwise we're being as dubious as them.

I think it would be a bit unfair to compare TV auction prices to full web prices because on-air prices are, for the majority of time, cheaper than their full web price (the on-air prices should always be cheaper, but they've been known to try it on......... haven't they Ellis Ward.................).

Do you know what the web price would have been back then? I'm going to guess somewhere around the £55 to £60 mark. Even that is bad enough because that would be an increase of £20-£25 on an item that they already had in stock and would have bought or made at old-stock prices.

It's a fair point, which did come to mind when I wrote this. I honestly can't remember. The purchase wasn't a Jeff shift special, it was in the 9am hour. To be fair, the web price could well have been £80, although as you suggest, that would be a hefty 'live' auction discount. Perhaps it was in a true "sale" too, I just can't remember.

I think what might be skewing my perception is the discount code embargo on it currently. All depends what these really are - a true, final price for an online shopper (another way of creating web exclusive items) or it's a "buy if you want at this price but otherwise we're holding this item" price.