QVC in decline?

[amelia]

Does anyone else think QVC is going downhill?

The TSVs are becoming very repeatative with just a handful of brands. Not worth staying up for any more. That wretched ottoman box thingy is on yet again, yawn. The quality of brands such as Kim & Co has changed. My latest orders are all going back as the fabric quality is low (market stall level tat) and price high. No doubt I shall be put on the naughty step! I guess QVC squeeze brands on their prices so much, something's got to give. Such a shame as I have a lot of Kim's clothes which are lovely quality garments that I know I will be wearing for a long time to come.

QVC are no longer 2nd to John Lewis, having apparently slipped to third now.
I don't even feel like watching any more and I will confess, was a real QVC addict.

My husband, postman and bank manager will be very happy!

 

[shopperholic]

Yes most definitely, we can shop anywhere in the world now with free p&p, faster deliveries, faster returns, cheaper prices than QVC, so yes QVC and shopping telly in general, are on borrowed time now.

 

[maymorganlondon]

I think we've all been noticing symptoms that are indicative of a new level of desperation:

Diminishing quality of products (eg: Yankee Candles with less fragrance)
Repetition of TSV brands in close succession
Reduction in choice of products from brands - only their best-sellers
Disappearance of numerous brand ambassadors who have been replaced by multi-brand ambassadors (like the increasingly over-used Carla (good thing she's so nice))
Arrival of some of these brand ambassadors ex-Bid TV
Tweaks to call to action (apparently these days Limited Stock doesn't mean 10% remaining, it's now "a lot less than")
More shouty presentation
More interruptions of guests
Less product information given on air (never seems to be at the outset, only as stocks are dwindling does it get given out)
Insertion of TSV even more times during brand shows, and insertion in other more surprising shows (eg: Ultrasun on RJ's Garden show at the weekend)
Less good value (eg: Liz Earle C&P Beauty Pick of the month this month)
Disappearing reviews (normally done by giving a new product number)
I could go on... but the list is already long enough for now!

 

[donna255]

I think the rot set in when the financial crash hit. QVC started to tighten the belt and it just continued. They are on a never ending round about, which means they will only sell products they know will shift for them.

The companies who sell regularly on QVC know this and give QVC what they want to not necessary what the customer really wants. So endless L'Occitane Cherryblossom, Almond etc in TSVs. Elemis and the PCM, Gatineau and their suddenly latest invention cream. The cheap(and of course they will be cheaper if made exclusively for QVC), bags, jewellery etc. The advanced orders, where QVC only orders a few to see how it will sell before getting more in. The endless Z list celebs and their own ranges of jewellery or beauty.

My example is Molton Brown, customers begged and begged non stop for the brand to come back. They eventually did but now customers are complaining about the prices and what they are getting on QVC. MB have the power and will only give QVC what they want and not what QVC would love to stock and sell. I know I got a survey about the TSV and why did I not buy etc? QVC were in a state of shock over it not selling out.

 

[shopperholic]

It's not rocket science why the MB TSV didn't sell out, it's simply because QVC continue to miss their target audience, £50 for a few shower gels is expensive by anyone's standards no matter how luxurious they are, you have the people that wouldn't pay it like myself, and the people who can't pay it. Yong Kim tops over £100, Vacuum cleaners (Dyson) over £300, hand bags £400, it's like I've said before, QVC is the Harrods of shopping telly only, not many people can afford to shop at Harrods.

 

[Glittergirl]

I think the rot set in when the financial crash hit. QVC started to tighten the belt and it just continued. They are on a never ending round about, which means they will only sell products they know will shift for them.

The companies who sell regularly on QVC know this and give QVC what they want to not necessary what the customer really wants. So endless L'Occitane Cherryblossom, Almond etc in TSVs. Elemis and the PCM, Gatineau and their suddenly latest invention cream. The cheap(and of course they will be cheaper if made exclusively for QVC), bags, jewellery etc. The advanced orders, where QVC only orders a few to see how it will sell before getting more in. The endless Z list celebs and their own ranges of jewellery or beauty.

My example is Molton Brown, customers begged and begged non stop for the brand to come back. They eventually did but now customers are complaining about the prices and what they are getting on QVC. MB have the power and will only give QVC what they want and not what QVC would love to stock and sell. I know I got a survey about the TSV and why did I not buy etc? QVC were in a state of shock over it not selling out.

I do see quite a change, having watched QVC for around 15 years!! Still a huge fan of some of their products but recently there has been a lot of naff stuff. Some of those ornaments, candles and cleaning products are rather poor and I can get much better deals locally!! :mysmilie_510:

 

[catseye]

The biggest problem for me is the price. Lulu fold away shopping bag is £36-£40 depending on the design. The two face one is on sale on Lulu Guinness website for £17 with free P&P. That is a massive difference.

 

[mossie269]

I am not sure they cater as much for men as they used to DIY, techie ,cant say garden because the gnome is always on, i used to look forward to diy with believe it or not Harry Green and julian then they guy who came after harry now its Simon (hairy chest )biaggi but i guess they concentrate on ladies stuff thats where the money is.

 

[shopperholic]

Times have changed now and QVC haven't evolved with them, for some reason they don't want to either, this will be their down fall.

 

[Brissles]

Its clear by the desperate measures now being used by Q, like the pathetic lunchtime show, the lack of an extra hour at 12 and the airing of TSV's long before midnight. that they are haemorrhaging viewers like never before. They can only rely on their regular Yankee, Dyson, and Kimmy for so long, and only so much expensive beauty products they can flog to the same audience. Clearly if new customers were on the 'up' then us regulars wouldn't be noticing Q's downhill slide so much.

Incidentally, re Marble clothing. Have just taken delivery of a £22 plus p & p one size fits all shrug. DON'T BUY IT ! I have several of these cover ups from other places, and the Marble brand is exactly the same but TWELVE POUNDS MORE EXPENSIVE !!!! the most I have paid has been £16 from an Indian shop, and various colours can be bought on-line for around £12.

 

[maymorganlondon]

QVC should take note of this thread. Whoever is telling them the changes are subtle is either a sycophant or delusional.

Unfortunately, until or unless we all stop buying in significant numbers, they won't notice the subtle but inexorable decline in repeat purchases (the cheapest ones to get for most retailers).

I think shopperholic had it right that they think they are the Harrods of shopping telly. Problem is, after the financial crisis, we are all much more flexible in where we shop. Although the size of the market that shops at the likes of Harvey Nichols and Harrods as their main shopping outlet is tiny, and probably dominated by tourists from overseas.

Many of us will range our shopping from the likes of John Lewis and House of Fraser through to Primark for clothes, and Waitrose through to Aldi/Lidl for food in terms of named chains, as well as finding bargains in local shops and markets. Plus we are all getting more savvy with our internet research, and we're no longer fooled by the P&P.

Message there: give us a wider range of products, with a wider range of prices, but with a good level of quality and value. Stop boring us to the off button with repeats of the same products and product types.

 

[boffy]

qvc's target audience is the older woman who has more disposable income than most at the moment. they also target people who cant get out and about but can afford cleaning products for for example at £20 a pop. they still sell a lot of goods more than most high street chains. but they keep moving and changing formula to maximise profits for thier share holders/investors.

qvc are not ashamed to say they are not the cheapest but they want to be the best.

 

[Mazza]

I used to describe Q as the Harrods of STV when talking about the various channels. It certainly bears little relation to Harrods these days with all that yelling and interrupting! Harrods is supposed to be about excellent customer service, not just expensive goods. Mind you Harrods may not be much like Harrods any more, IYKWIM!!!!!!!
I certainly think Q has lost its lightheartedness and comes over as very po-faced and corporate these days. Yes Del Boy displays some bonhomie but it is FAKE BONHOMIE. They care nothing for the client, just the sale. Previously they hid this better I guess.

 

[mossie269]

What annoys me is this sticking something extra in with some of the products as though they are doing you a favour most people just want the product at a reasonable price without extras plus the added advantage it stops that awful man Simon Biaggi saying and you get, and you get, and you get.

 

[boffy]

I used to describe Q as the Harrods of STV when talking about the various channels. It certainly bears little relation to Harrods these days with all that yelling and interrupting! Harrods is supposed to be about excellent customer service, not just expensive goods. Mind you Harrods may not be much like Harrods any more, IYKWIM!!!!!!!
I certainly think Q has lost its lightheartedness and comes over as very po-faced and corporate these days. Yes Del Boy displays some bonhomie but it is FAKE BONHOMIE. They care nothing for the client, just the sale. Previously they hid this better I guess.

qvc have definately upped thier game. they have to look corporate partly to keep thier image but be friendly enough so as to make customers feel part of a family the qvc family. i do feel though that all companies want a sale theres nothing wrong with that its called business

 

[Bid Up Side Down]

Sometimes I get a sense that certain Q sales assistants actually believe that they are bigger and more important than the product they are airing.

That to me is a fundamental flaw, as focus of any sales pitch of features and benefits must out weigh personal ego's and self publicity of personalised tweets/face book comments/up coming book sales of said sales person.

 

[shopperholic]

qvc's target audience is the older woman who has more disposable income than most at the moment. they also target people who cant get out and about but can afford cleaning products for for example at £20 a pop. they still sell a lot of goods more than most high street chains. but they keep moving and changing formula to maximise profits for thier share holders/investors.

qvc are not ashamed to say they are not the cheapest but they want to be the best.

Even people that can't get out don't throw their money away on £20 cleaners, they probably buy it cheap from Amazon or even cheaper from Asda when having their weekly shop delivered, I would imagine.

 

[shopperholic]

I used to describe Q as the Harrods of STV when talking about the various channels. It certainly bears little relation to Harrods these days with all that yelling and interrupting! Harrods is supposed to be about excellent customer service, not just expensive goods. Mind you Harrods may not be much like Harrods any more, IYKWIM!!!!!!!
I certainly think Q has lost its lightheartedness and comes over as very po-faced and corporate these days. Yes Del Boy displays some bonhomie but it is FAKE BONHOMIE. They care nothing for the client, just the sale. Previously they hid this better I guess.

Shows a lot of us are thinking the same, I used this term"Harrods" to my husband years ago, they've become even more opulent since then.

 

[ohnonotshoppingagain]

It has most definitely gone downhill, and if I may venture, in a big way. I remember back in the day, when they had extremely good and interesting guests on showing (just as an example) lovely jewellery, and I don't know if there is a connection, I certainly hope not, but some of the guests haven't been seen over here post 9/11, I know at least one was New York based, I'll have a look on the net to see if they are still on the go, before jumping to the wrong conclusion, and finding simply that they got fed up showing their wares (excellent quality) on QVCUK.

It has become very tiresome, the quality of some of the presenters, mainly female, does little to change my opinion, the quality of some of the clothes from designers I've never heard of, even doing an internet search, is so poor. I can only agree with the others with my comments. I remember when they sold DMQ in 9 and 18ct gold, they were beautiful items, now let's not forget, the huge hype in price and all of it in silver, which I have never been a fan of, therefore, I haven't purchased any DMQ in a long time, and to be honest for me at the end of the day, if I were going on holiday a lot, to functions, or on cruises - none of which I do, there may be a case for making some purchases of whatever else it is, it is purely costume jewellery at exorbitant prices in my opinion. I can't believe the amount of money people will spend on items of jewellery, that are imitations, man made and otherwise - it's just not me.

As for those cheap and tardy faux leather (plastic) boxes the American man has been flouting, I wouldn't give them house room, plus they are easily purchased on the internet should anyone wish to have them at home.

 

[Vienna]

To be honest they don`t remind me of Harrods at all, in fact quite the opposite. It`s like a retail version of an old TV prog with that Laurence Llwellen Bowan (sp) in it, where they had 60 minutes to transform rooms in a house into a set and you knew it was all top show and no substance. It looked the part but underneath you knew the workmanship was tawdry, the quality of goods were cheap and it wouldn`t stand up to normal daily wear and tear and the presenters and designers talked a million with a ten bob budget.
To me Q is all top show and no substance, the presenters talk the talk but very rarely do the goods, prices, quality and p and p, walk the walk.
There will always be the die hard Q fanatics who, even if you slapped them in the face with the identical product found 50% cheaper and delivered within 24 hours free of charge, will swear that Q is the only place for them and that DF is their best friend or even though they`ve used the product for the past 10 years and know they like it, will say the 30 day mbg makes it worth paying over the odds for it. None so blind as those who will not see and I reckon quite a few of Q`s followers are as blind as bats !