Lesson learnt...

[Jabbathehut]

I agree QVC feed on the vulnerable, you only have to listen to the cringeworthy T-callers for validation.

Housebound, ill health, mental health issues ad nauseum ,and, I would wager that that constitutes the majority of their customers.

 

[Vienna]

All shopping channels rely on a certain number of vulnerable people but I also believe you don`t have to be lonely, housebound, mentally ill etc to overspend or become addicted. Some people simply have the mindset of I earn it so I`ll spend it or Mrs Brown next door has one so I want one or the I simply can`t live without this item or after a stressful day at work they actually find tv shopping a form of relaxation or even the basic emotion of greed, I want, I want, I want more and more and more. Their customers come from across the whole spectrum I should imagine. They say consumerism is the 21st Century plague, it`s easier, faster, more tempting and more available to buy things than ever before and we don`t have to leave the house to do it.

 

[apple]

I too now order less, and tend to only buy the things I repeat purchase like my skincare. I have not completely gone cold turkey though, because there are one or 2 things I gave had my eye on for ages.

I bought more when I was on maternity leave, and, I hate to say it, bored and isolated when my babies are sleeping. I felt very trapped in the house, and I absolutely loathe parents " groups" where everyone is so competitive with their children and each other... But that's a different issue. QVC became like having a radio on in the corner of the room as daytime TV is so bad. When the children are asleep and the housework is done it was so easy to order things to try. I always returned things rather than keep them, and yes, the postage piles up but this is better than keeping the stuff that just turns into clutter. I also ebayed all the years of clutter that had built up over the years, and used the money to get new worksurfaces and tiles in the kitchen, so I was pleased that I had organised that.

Now I have returned to my job, part time but increasing my hours in January to 4 days a week. The difference in my state of mind is amazing. I love the days I look after my children (but I am so tired!!!!) and for the rest of the time I am putting the world to rights ( or my little piece of it at least) getting paid to use my brain and I am spending much much less on QVC. I will always buy as long as I still like the brands I use but this is because I have a pathalogical loathing of real shopping.

This forum, I can see is a godsend for many. I somethimes think, if I were unable to work due to ill health I would very quickly slide down the slippery slope and watch QVC far too much, because I have learned that it is something I do when I am unhappy or mentally bored. No offence to my beautiful children but their mummy needs more than Mr Tumble and QVC. Mummy is happier when mummy's brain is active.

I would really love to know how, those of you who are anti " groups" be it mummy groups, " we all have the same illness" " over 50's, whatever the group may be, if you are at home for whatever reason, is QVC your friend or foe? Is this forum enough to stop you spending too much?

Maybe I should have asked hubby to block the channel!

Find your comments about groups very interesting as I'm very much going through an anti-group phase myself, or more accurately realised i'm not suited to groups. Could talk about that for ages! I too used QVC a lot at a time when my life was diificult, it was novel and offered company and the parcels were looked forward to. Like others I wasted a load of money on it I wish I hadn't but then I think about it and re-assess, however mad it was at the time it was one of the things that diverted my mind and helped get me through so I won't beat myself up too much (just wish I'd known about DSR back then, it feels like QVC cheated me out of some money by never revealing this entitlement). I'm a much more casual buyer now.

 

[Brissles]

I recently re married ( 1st hubby died 8 years ago ) and for the first time in over 30 years I`d to pack my whole world and move house. I was horrified at the " stuff " I had. So many bags, shoes, clothes, jewellery etc and quite a few of them still unused and many of them bought via shopping channels. Those years I spent alone after hubby died were often filled with evenings watching shopping channels and buying things, probably just for the sake of it and waiting for a delivery was something to look forward to. Often I didn`t like what I`d ordered and must have spent a small fortune in p and p returning them. My wake up call was when I was packing up my personal paperwork and decided out of curiosity to add up how much I`d spent in a year and just on p and p for delivery and returns, I reckon I must have spent enough to pay for a week`s holiday somewhere. All those fivers for delivery or returns or a tenner to do both, sure as hell added up. I haven`t ordered a thing since.

I could have wrote the above !

My husband died 10 years ago, and because he always watched the sports channels I never got to see any of the shopping channels. After he died, a whole new world suddenly opened up, with Bid tv, Ideal World, qvc - I never knew they existed ! In the beginning through my grief, I did buy a lot of jewellery from Q - always justifying it to myself because I never drank, smoked, gambled or went on exotic holidays, so this was my enjoyment. Then reality set in and thought WHY am I buying all this stuff. But like Vienna, the anticipation of getting parcels was like a child at Christmas, something to look forward to. A lot of water under the bridge now, - I go on cruise holidays etc etc (you dont want to hear all this stuff).

It goes to show there are an awful lot of us in the same boat, where its just easy to dial a number and within a week have Santa Claus arriving on the door step, but would probably need resuscitation if we knew exactly how much we had spent over the years.

I wish you much happiness Vienna. Love in later life can be magical. (as I discovered 3 years ago, but sadly again I lost my darling new man to cancer - have given up now, or I will become known as the black widow !!!!!)