QVC vs Amazon.... is it really so straightforward?

[silversequin]

Amazon for me, have just done a load of Christmas shopping with them, all free p and p and winging its way to me between Monday and Wednesday. I have only ever had one item go astray in 6 years of shopping with them and was refunded promptly without any problem. What drew me in with Q was the beauty TSVs but I find them very samey now and the p and p is extortionate, I reckon that it will soon be £6.95, after all there were three of them warbling away on a recent Decleor hour, Craig, Fiona and a new one and someone's got to pay them a wage. It is good to see products live and close up but all the hyperventilating and superlatives that some of the presenters and guests indulge in can be very off-putting

 

[candycane]

I can usually get free P&P on Amazon and buy things second hand if I choose. However, the mbg on QVC means I can buy a £90 pot of wonder cream, try it for 3 weeks and send it back for a refund. You can even send back food after you've eaten it - just return the wrappers. That's pretty good going and CS confirmed you can do that. I do find QVC pretty expensive for most things now. They don't have half the good deals that they used to and they need to do something about Gill Gauntlet and her endless supply of tat.

CC

 

[Evie]

I have had excellent customer service from Amazon and only ever use their call back facility which is instant. I have never bothered with emailing them. Having said that QVC also offers excellent customer service.

 

[Snarly]

OffTopic - WeatherGirl, what's the name/details of gorgeous <=^.^=> Tell AuntySnarly

 

[Marina]

Who is Gill Gauntlet?

 

[Catherine]

QVC, Amazon, others, I like to vary where I shop and how.

With Amazon though, yes the p and p is better value but if like me you 'accidently' got signed onto prime, it is next day delivery on every prime eligible item with nothing extra paid at checkout. Soon pays off at Christmas if you are a last minute person. Even without prime it is still quicker and depending on items cheaper.

Also Amazon have a good returns set up, you can select a reason for return and many mean free postage on that item's return, no matter how heavy. I have not paid on Amazon return for over a year, they picked up the postage and all my returns have been no questions asked. Fair enough I haven't returned half used shampoo or anything, but they haven't seemed too fussy and most items you have plenty of time to take a look if not 'use'. I have never returned half used shampoo to QVC either because when you think about the litre bottles or SBC products, who can afford the return postage on that kind of weight.

Q do have some exclusives like Laura Geller or Mally, and some special offers. If they re assessed p and p system, and had more varied/interesting ranges..

 

[Weathergirl]

OffTopic - WeatherGirl, what's the name/details of gorgeous <=^.^=> Tell AuntySnarly

Thought you would spot him Snarly! The handsome little man is Alfie, 9 years ago as a kitten. He's a grumpy old man now, but still a fine figure of a cat. We call him " His Majesty".

 

[daydreamer]

Amazon win hands down for me....most things delivered the next day (prime member) any problems sorted out with immediate ring back call :call: ..last December an item went missing, snow in Scotland at their delivery depot, so they added a month onto my prime account...have returned things not wanted, just print out free return form, and to date (touch wood) have never been charged return postage :rock:

daydreamer

 

[amn]

Amazon for me too, I'm buying from them more and more. If I see something on Q I fancy I just try and get it somewhere else, as invariably the postage is prohibitive. As for the MBG I never actually used it for trying things out anyway, if I ever sent things back to QVC it was. Ecause I didn't like it when I opened it, which you can do with Amazon anyway.

 

[boffy]

i bought some lovely lotus sandals from amazon for £7.99 inc free delivery. i saw them on qvc loved them but they cost £45.

 

[LE lover]

They both have their place but apart from the 30 day MBG. QVC. no longer offers anything special,
neither quality ,value or convenience. Amazon however offer all three.

 

[Kathy]

I am doing more and more shopping at Amazon just because of the p&p, why would you pay £5or£6 extra on something costing £20/£25 when you can get it post free. I have always liked QVC and only ever sent two or three things back in all the years I have shopped there. I am now rather disenchanted with their hard sell the p&p and the way they have treated Graham.I am not saying I will never buy from qvc again but I now think of options before I order anything...

 

[Flamenco]

Amazon all the way for me too. I've had a single problem with Amazon. I returned a pair if faulty Emu moccasins recently, asked for a replacement which was received 3 days later. Refund processed immediately upon Amazon receiving the shoes back as well as my return postage. 2nd pair faulty as well so returned and refunded quickly too. Husband buys lots of second hand books on Amazon from third party sellers, usually for as little as a penny plus £2.70 postage. Both of use the Amazon app on our iPhones which makes buying very easy and seamless. I bought a Yankee Halloween candle recently on Amazon (a rare Witches Brew in the skull jar) with only 99p postage, from a third party seller. Any purchases from Amazon itself are always with free Super Saver delivery so I rarely pay any postage and they still arrive within 3-4 days, often beating QVC delivery times which we pay extortionate amount if p&p for. If QVC are doing any navel-gazing about why their profits are down, they should really look at the way Amazon does business and seriously overhaul their business model. I know that QVC have the additional overheads of running a tv station and all those associated costs, but inflated p&p costs should not be covering those costs anyway. QVC do not seem to understand that hiking prices, sometimes 3-4 times a year on the same item, and p&p coupled with poor delivery times makes Internet-savvy shoppers leave in their droves and straight into the arms of Amazon.

 

[Flamenco]

Should read that I've NOT had a single problem with Amazon!

 

[donna255]

The thing with Amazon UK and beauty, they really need to expand their range. I know on Amazon US they have a massive brand range at great prices.

Only last week my House season 8 boxset arrived. I did the early booking, price which was £25.99, but when it was shipped with free postage the price had gone down to £22+ and that was what I was charged. You can see QVC doing that one. Hold on I nearly choked laughing..

I got my Emu's way back on Amazon for £40!!!!! Yes, I was lucky as they had only one pair left and happened to be my size. I have bought other shoes and boots from them, yes you have to play the waiting game. If only a few pairs left the price drops each week until none left. I have bought £80+ boots for around £20 or even lower.

Oh, let me add the Black Thursday-Friday deals(on the 24th and 25th November they have a massive sale), its actually to do with Thanksgiving in the US. But last year they brought it here, deals only last an hour or if they sell out earlier, then the next deals go live. The Kipling City range usually £90+ was £29!!!!! The Tasso coffee maker was £40 or £50 off.

Oh and you can get auto delivery on some items pick how often you want up to six months apart at a lower price for each delivery than rrp. I buy my Trind Nail Balsam that way, I get to pick how often I want it sent out and it continues until I stop it.

 

[charlie]

I am an Amazon junkie. I have had plenty of things go wrong but they have always resolved them quickly and politely, I usually get a £3 - £5 voucher as a sorry too. Mainly it was problems with Yodel deliveries, but I have had plenty of returns too (as I am a finicky mare). Totally agree with Donna though - the beauty section is lacking in comparison to Amazon US. My love affair with Amazon has been long and enduring, for years I bought all the books I couldn't get elsewhere and it expanded from there. I do buy from QVC, mainly to take advantage of their 30 day MBG.

Last year I did most of my Xmas shopping on Amazon lightning deals, it was great.

 

[Tinkerbelle]

For me it's QVC vs The Dreaded High Street. I do shop on Amazon but it's very rare. Most of QVC purchases are "reactive" rather than pro-active. I mainly buy jewellery and skincare with the odd handbag or dress/top thrown in.

I could be wrong but I think there are a new batch of QVC shoppers out there like me. I have the inclination and money to shop but I don't have the bloody time! I work 8 til 6 minimum and I've got all the usual trappings of family, pets, house, garden etc. My time to shop is limited. QVC is there when I've got time to shop.

I'm not a technospud by any means but trawling a website for a new bracelet isn't my thing. Watching it coo'ed over on QVC is much more me.

But in support of Graham I didn't buy anything on Diamonique Day (I would normally have bought at least one thing). Instead I took myself and my cash to the dreaded high street and bought the most beautiful silver bead bracelet. I had birthday money left in case you were wondering. It's supporting my local high street, supporting Graham and still making me happy. And what I've bought is pure unadulterated precious metal. It has a couple of rose and yellow gold beads too.

I don't know who runs Amazon's "warehouse" these days but it used to be Entertainment UK but as they were owned by Woolworths I presume they went into receivership. I also presume Amazon still outsource their warehousing.

 

[Leighton Orient]

I've had good customer service from Amazon too, but I have to say in the problems I've encountered with Q, they've always been sorted quickly and mostly to my advantage. I don't buy much other than beauty from QVC so it wins for me, not all of it of course but mostly and there isn't stuff 'specially made' for Amazon, nor WorldWide launches'!! And there isn't an Amazon resident expert on hand! Joking aside, I do sadly love my daily dose of QVC. I only look on Amazon if I've already decided I want something.

 

[blarf]

Is it just me who has Amazon's phone number so I can phone them whenever I want?

I will say, recently ordered a bin of Amazon, came with a dent - they wanted me to take it to the PO or to a collect+ to return it - erm no! it's damaged, you can come get it! I phoned them, they sorted it out no fuss but I'm NOT impressed with this change in policy.

That said, they still sent out the replacement before I had returned the damaged one without questioning it, and refunded me the price difference because it had lowered in price in the meantime. You just can't knock service like that.

Also - I've have my Actifry replaced 3 times with them - after a year or more! They have a tendency to blow their electrics or the clip breaks off so they don't close anymore - each time Amazon just send a new one, I return the broken one and it's so simple.

QVC basically make you feel like a crook these days when something doesn't get delivered and you phone to report it. And yes, the 30 day MBG is useful but you sure as hell pay for it by the time you've paid P&P both ways.