- Joined
- Aug 8, 2023
- Messages
- 1,462
As much as I am a critic of Ideal World, I want it to continue, I want people to use it as an industry training ground and keep people employed. I take issue with a lot of the tactics they use. The BS that flies around. That being said, as much as I don't like the continued amount of tat (I'm a tat purchaser too) I know that the wider TJC business is successful unlike HOCHANDA and Gemporia. Though I do think the Sewing Street/Hobbymaker side is a big plus, I just don't know how profitable it isShop Extra made no money, quite literally - they had many shows that sold zero. The only reason it was created was because Paul Wright wanted a vehicle through which to bid for the late night airtime on ITV (which he did pitch for along with TJC and of course, Shop on TV). When he didn't get that airtime, he quickly wound up Shop Extra and tried to say it was because Ideal World had been acquired and he was happy for suppliers and staff to go there. Not long after this, he and Val "retired" as they were fed up of continue looses from HOCHANDA / Create & Craft. Those who are still at C&C feel the future is bleak.
As many will remember, Simon was one of the first guests on Shop Extra's launch night and although he had one of their better performing shows, it wasn't enough for him to go back and do another live show with them. It's anyones guess why he has tried to replicate one of the quickest failures in the history of shopping TV, even going so far as to employing people who were directly responsible for creating Shop Extra. His only point of difference is that he is live for more hours and broadcasting on Freeview - 2 of the biggest costs you will ever incur as a shopping channel.
Simon, Shona and Mark can make as many cheap digs as they like about IW but no one at IW / TJC / VGL is the least bit bothered about Seen on TV and I can guarantee they will be around long after Seen on TV either bites the dust or, it becomes a channel full of pre-recorded programming.
On Ideal World's launch night back in 2000, they received over 200 orders in 3 hours.
On Seen on TV's launch day, they received less than 40 orders in 12 hours.
Times are changing and I think Simon will come to regret ploughing all his TikTok Shop profits into a declining market.