Not sure if I am misremembering, but I am sure in the old days they would often suggest getting an independent valuation on the item you bought, they were so confident they were selling a quality item at a discounted price, don't think I have heard that for a while ?
They do still say it occasionally - but they do that knowing full well that EVERY valuation will be far higher than people paid for it.
The valuations that they tell people to get are insurance valuations - in other words, the valuation is high because it takes into consideration the cost to make and source the components to make an identical ring in the event of theft or loss.
For example, anyone that bought an Argyle Diamond ring and took it to be valued will get a high valuations - because the Argyle diamond mine has now closed. If someone was to lose their ring in 5 years time and want to replace it, the cost of sourcing a replacement stone(s) will far higher because the material will be unobtainable from the mine and will have to be bought from a private retailer / individual that has a like for like stone. Finding someone that has it will come at a cost - and then buying the stone will come at a cost. Then there's the price of the Goldsmith's materials and labour to re-create an identical setting.
The Jewellery Valuers Association suggest
five types of jewellery valuations - but Gemporia NEVER state this on-air.
If someone had jewellery valued on it's actual worth, regardless of whether its been bought from Gemporia or elsewhere, they'll be given the trade price at best (not the retail price after the seller has added their mark up).
At the end of the day, if you were running a business, and you knew something was "valued" at £2500, would you really be selling it for £300?
In addition, if Gemporia believed that their jewellery was worth the amount that valuations suggest, rather than the amount that they sell them for, obviously customers would be getting a bargain - so we wouldn't need Dave Troth and Jade Thompson giving us a lecture for 30 minutes trying to persuade us to part with our cash. Presenters wouldn't need to use their hard sell tactics on us either. Bargains fly out - so if someone thought they were getting a £2500 ring for £300, they would sell out in seconds of being on-air.
Steve doesn't seemed to have made any head way in improving the situation.
Nothing seems to have changed really. Refunds have got quicker - but that's about all.
When Steve did his announcement on-air 8 days ago, a viewer messaged in to say that the split pay graphic had changed recently and it took too long to show the split pay amounts. Angeline agreed with the viewer and also stressed to Steve that the graphic was rubbish since it had changed. Steve had a Dictaphone in his hand - and he spoke into it saying "We need to change the split pay graphic because the current one is S H 1 T" - Steve's exact words.
8 days on, that graphic remains in place.
Some things will take time - like the Jade going, the plated jewellery being phased out, etc. They'll need to sell their current stock before they bring in new stuff. That's acceptable.
But things like on-screen graphics, ditching the lectures from Laurel & Hardy, etc should be almost instant fixes.
these days, sadly.
