Is it a real sale?

[Miss Kitty]

I know there have been many complaints, mostly justified in the opinion of many, of non-clearance 'clearance' shows.

I notice there is an £18 Million Sale on both Gems channels. So I wondered if what the prices are like and if anyone had bagged anything lovely.

 

[Sazza]

I think it is a 1.8 million sale and not 18 million.

I switched on GTV yesterday for first time in ages to hear Steve saying "it is a genuine reverse auction", I then switched off as we all know that is not true!

 

[Anjo]

I was wondering this myself - having seen a couple of pieces go to prices that I had brought them for/seen them sold for previously. Watching Steve though he seems now to be making a point of saying that pieces match his cost price, that it's x amount lower than it has ever sold for, that the piece is only being sold because it is a poor performer etc.

He is also claiming that his prices are so low that he can't put the left over pieces on the website after auctions end as he does not want rivals being able to easily find out what prices are being charged. All items in the auction have to be purchased via the web or phone at the time of auction or afterwards. This is find odd if he really does want to clear lines but maybe I am being overly cynical or maybe it's just another way for Steve Bennett to alienate his web buyers AGAIN!

 

[argeybargey]

His rivals only have to switch on a telly, just like us - now there's a surprise. xxxxxxxx

 

[Beading Belle]

Flicked to see the clearance, pressure selling comes to mind! This type of selling puts me off big time and the to add if you don't check out immediately your item will be taken out for other buyers :down:

What happened to the "we are unique" and "different" from all shopping channels :mysmilie_506:

Much prefer TJC if this is the case, £1 auctions, no pressure buying and items can be bought through out the day(if available). Website works and is much user friendly!!

 

[Beading Belle]

I was wondering this myself - having seen a couple of pieces go to prices that I had brought them for/seen them sold for previously. Watching Steve though he seems now to be making a point of saying that pieces match his cost price, that it's x amount lower than it has ever sold for, that the piece is only being sold because it is a poor performer etc.

He is also claiming that his prices are so low that he can't put the left over pieces on the website after auctions end as he does not want rivals being able to easily find out what prices are being charged. All items in the auction have to be purchased via the web or phone at the time of auction or afterwards. This is find odd if he really does want to clear lines but maybe I am being overly cynical or maybe it's just another way for Steve Bennett to alienate his web buyers AGAIN!

Wonders if that is exactly what they do :thinking:

 

[PJ.]

It is always a moot point when they never seem to sell things for the same price as the time before to claim how much we are saving. They all but admired when they use the word clearance they just mean clearing the stock, not a sale on this very forum.

My pet hate is when they claim on one hand it is a random start price then shout about taking a thousand pounds off the price. The two don't match.

PJ.


Sent from my Nokia 3210 using Snake.

 

[argeybargey]

Why is it nearly 2 grams of gold and less than £100. Hmm, let me think - mind games. Trouble is I think it works. I flicked over for a few minutes this morning and the presenter (I can't remember her name it's been so long since I did more than a curiosity peep - the Welsh woman). Shouting and pushing like she was selling the stuff from a suitcase out on the street. The psychiatry behind shopping telly is really weird. So many of us falling for this, and treating presenters like some kind of icons and truly believing that they are friends.

Interesting that TJC have a £1.8 clearance and a couple of weeks later along come Gems with exactly the same figure - now that's pathetic. Like a child that parrots everything you say until you become a nervous wreck. I'm beginning to think that this is the game Gems are playing as they copy so much from TJC, and it's more than just a simple case of providing a similar service in order to keep up with the market - pity none of the good stuff though. TJC values it's on-line customers and doesn't treat them like some kind of emergency fill-in, and most of it's presenters are courteous and a pleasure to watch. xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Vienna]

We`ve all fallen victim to Gems sales ploys because otherwise we wouldn`t be as old and as wise about them as we are now. It`s kind of addictive for a while and that`s what they depend on. People watching, waiting and getting excited etc BUT nowadays I see the whole thing as nothing but a huge exaggeration. Exaggerated starting prices, quality, hype about rarity, colour, quantity, auctions, sales, certification, class, customer service, delivery and so on and so on. You really want to believe everything they say and for a while you live in hope, think that you must have got just the one dodgy item, poor qualty stone etc and then it smacks you between the eyes that in a nutshell you get what you pay for and there`s a whole world full of genuine vendors with genuine quality items all vying for your business. I now call Gems a " hit and run " outlet because they hit you with the patter, sell you something and aren`t really bothered after that because they can run away with your hard earned money. It`s a TV fairytale and we all know a good fairytale when we see one !

 

[argeybargey]

Surely Vienna you are not suggesting that the den of iniquity known as THE HIGH STREET has actually got some good guys in it? xxxxxxxxx

 

[Vienna]

LOL Argey seek and thou shalt find and the jewellery world is big and wide not limited to the end of a remote control don`t you agree ?

 

[Milly]

For the first time in ages I went to have a look at Gems the truth is I was channel hopping and after a couple of items in the mega sale Adina (with the sound on mute )was showing a petalite silver ring exactly like I bought several months ago for £12.99 and the fantastic sale price in the under £30.00 hour was wait for it ..........£19.99 with 33left to sale she moved on to the next wonderful bargain..and they call it a sale my as*

 

[PJ.]

For the first time in ages I went to have a look at Gems the truth is I was channel hopping and after a couple of items in the mega sale Adina (with the sound on mute )was showing a petalite silver ring exactly like I bought several months ago for £12.99 and the fantastic sale price in the under £30.00 hour was wait for it ..........£19.99 with 33left to sale she moved on to the next wonderful bargain..and they call it a sale my as*

Would love to hear their excuse for this. Considering they close items at various prices I think they shouldn't be allowed to call it a sale unless it is cheaper than the cheapest time it has sold.

PJ.


Sent from my Nokia 3210 using Snake.

 

[Anjo]

and just so Gems can't say it was the only piece - solitaire tourmaline ring was sold this evening by Steve - in the sale for £20 more than I brought it several months ago. Additionally I've decided to have a look at their "Garnet across the World Collection" which I have seen sold in the sale......................for more than I brought it for.

Other people have given examples of similar incidences on their facebook pages but no doubt this issue will be diligently ignored like the other issues that have been raised by facebook users

 

[Anjo]

and just so Gems can't say it was the only piece - solitaire tourmaline ring was sold this evening by Steve - in the sale for £20 more than I brought it several months ago. Additionally I've decided to have a look at their "Garnet across the World Collection" which I have seen sold in the sale......................for more than I brought it for.

Other people have given examples of similar incidences on their facebook pages but no doubt this issue will be diligently ignored like the other issues that have been raised by facebook users

and the answer on their Facebook page is

"the clearance does mean that we are clearing for space however some items will be at a sale price but some may be just for clearance of stock."

 

[argeybargey]

Definitely designed to mislead. Of course the word "clearance" does literally speaking does mean exactly that, but it is however associated with "sale" by the customer, as they well know. To say that "the clearance does mean that we are clearing for space" is ridiculous since if you're simply selling for space why mention it at all and give it so much hype. I find myself going from dislike to sheer loathing of these channels and everything the Bennetts actually stand for. I'm so angry with myself for having helped them on their way during those early years, with ideas that were acted upon, countless recommendations, and my own custom. Whatever happened to the people I once thought I was dealing with? I'm just glad I wised up some time ago as it's getting really dodgy now and I would be too embarrassed to buy from them, even if it were something I really, really wanted. Even trying to watch, to see if anything's changed, is a joyless experience full of earache, misguidance and downright untruths, and presenters quite frankly dressed like middle-aged trollops. Much more of this and they'll be making the Bid channels look like Harrods. xxxxxxxxxx

 

[argeybargey]

Would love to hear their excuse for this. Considering they close items at various prices I think they shouldn't be allowed to call it a sale unless it is cheaper than the cheapest time it has sold.

PJ.


Sent from my Nokia 3210 using Snake.

Thing is PJ, this has been going on for years now. You'll note that they actually very carefully avoid using the word "sale", whilst doing everything they can to make the customer think that a "clearance" is a "sale" thus keeping within the law. xxxxxxxx

 

[Ballerina]

Hi Argey,

I agree about the clearance being misleading and suggests a sale to the customers. I believe I actually heard Steve Bennett use the word sale yesterday afternoon, which was naughty - not impressed at all.

Inge

 

[argeybargey]

Ah yes Ballerina, but we have to remember that Steve Bennett's "slip ups" are above the rules because of all the good works he does for the workers he is exploiting - sorry employing - (along with most other large gemstone dealers, who don't keep blowing their own trumpets). Giving the workers a school, water, and the like keeps them there and spending their wages within that system. I seem to recall from history lessons that this happened during the Gold Rush and to the Chinese workers when building America's railroad. Sorry not quite topic, but it's all part and parcel of the same thing - big greedy business, pretending to be a charitable "family" business. xxxxxxxxxx

 

[sweetpea]

How can GemsTV say that it is not a sale when.........and I am looking at the screen right now..........on the bottom left corner of the info boxes we have the word 'SALE' with the GTV logo?:thinking:

I think I am fair in my judgements(being a libran I always see both sides!lol) and I have posted on here recently about being delighted with a purchase,but this is obsfucation in a major way,extremely misleading and the company's owners should be ashamed imo.

Customers appreciate honest practices above all else and when you start to get a reputation that suggests you are not being so then customers will eventually leave and not return.

I feel very let down tbh:sad: