Random musings and general banter.

[stratobuddy]

My Argos catalogue - 1980...I was 17 and still pining for music centres and View attachment 26296the Green Shield Stamps showroom in Seven Sisters Road..View attachment 26295

.Distant days..

I had that watch on the 2nd cover

 

[Deleted member 21838]

I was more Barbie, Guess Who and Ala Carte Kitchen

Your wish is my command..

 

[Jazzydrury]

Your wish is my command..View attachment 26297years later they look rubbish

 

[PhaedrusR]

Do you remember the group The Christians from the 90s?

I'm assuming it still counted as an IW asset and will remain that way till the administrator sorts everything out, probably be sold off eventually to pay creditors due money.

Yes, but why still temporarily suspended and not updated, e.g. to ceased trading or broadcast ended or in administration or something more accurate?

Must be burning the image into studio screens unless they've now updated to lcd/led too!!!

 

[PhaedrusR]

There has been little incentive to improve the process of ordering with shopping channels in general. They react to their market. Their market, I imagine, is well over 50, formative years decades before the internet was a commercial entity. Used to catalogue deliveries taking weeks to arrive with no way of checking. Avoids banking apps where possible. More comfortable ordering on the phone. Okay, I’m generalising, but I don’t think I’m far from the truth. An audience ready to be told any old rubbish if you are so inclined to be that way. You saw how Ideal World sold at times to see how attractive and easy it is to provide factless selling techniques to try to get a sale. Watches named after defunct retailers you have fond nostalgic memories of to cheer up a dull modern day….and so on…Child like interface phones to get your hapless old mum to use one and sold in a deeply patronising way to their sixty something daughters..Modern Day Online Order Management? Why introduce such a costly thing with enhanced logistics and updates, plus website delivery control options, when most of your customers ring up to buy and check, are suspicious of technology, happy to wait to get their goods when you want to send them, and think a two hour timeframe is something you put your carriage clock in??

You're probably right about the demographic and their attitudes.
But we were watching too and not like them, so not all of their viewers were like that.

I would never have dreamed of phoning the premium rate IW 09 number, under any circumstances, no matter how short/long the call or the supposed rush to jump the queue.

Any idea how much a call to order would cost, I'm guessing at least £5+ for 5+ mins time to quote item number and supply the card details?

"Get on the phones now, you don't want to miss out..." from the like of PS, as if phoning was quicker than web ordering, always infuriated me and showed the target audience they perceived they were aiming at.

 

[Jazzydrury]

You're probably right about the demographic and their attitudes.
But we were watching too and not like them, so not all of their viewers were like that.

I would never have dreamed of phoning the premium rate IW 09 number, under any circumstances, no matter how short/long the call or the supposed rush to jump the queue.

Any idea how much a call to order would cost, I'm guessing at least £5+ for 5+ mins time to quote item number and supply the card details?

"Get on the phones now, you don't want to miss out..." from the like of PS, as if phoning was quicker than web ordering, always infuriated me and showed the target audience they perceived they were aiming at.

Thats is what Ive often wondered, I bet it was never ring wing, Ideal World here Can I take your order, no doubt loads if automated speel

 

[PhaedrusR]

Oops. Do you remember the group The Christians from the 90s?x

Their hit, "Ideal World" ?!?!

Some of the lyrics are quite pertinent:

"In an Ideal World, we'd be free to choose,
But in the real world, bet you're gonna lose".

Lyrics:

https://genius.com/The-christians-ideal-world-lyrics

 

[Deleted member 21838]

My favourite song of theirs. Poignant, beautifully produced and performed. Unlike the shopping channel. When the fingers point towards it nowadays, somewhat of a forgotten town. Too many vacuum cleaners in its final days, also. Very much a Hooverville situation.

 

[PhaedrusR]

The Christians – Ideal World Lyrics -​

(Emphasis added!)

Before you point the finger, I hope the whole thing disappears
Remember empty words will fall, will fall upon the deafest ears.
You won't give in without a fight, a foul play without a doubt
No silver lining to be seen in this thundercloud and that's not allowed
In the ideal world we'd be free to choose
But in my real world you can bet we're gonna lose.
Your money fills their pockets fear fills their tiny minds
At last the world is talking now this ain't no way to treat mankind no
A sudden blackout stops the show but doesn't stop the way I am
Cos all my life I've been oppressed you're not the first to say I am
I'll do all I can for an ideal world where we're free to choose
But in my real world oh we can bet we're gonna lose
In the ideal world we can start again
But in my real world hangs on the colour of your skin
We could be free forever if they would only change
But fools never change no oh no oh
A speck of blue up in the sky a song of hope a noble thought
But how long must the people die before the guilty ones are caught
Oh will you spare a thought for an ideal world
Where we're free to choose for an ideal world
Where we're no longer born to lose in the ideal world we can start again
Now in my real world lets put an end to suffering end suffering
In the ideal world we're now free to choose
Oh in my real world we are set to air our views
In the ideal world we can start again now in my real world
It's not it's not about the colour of your skin ooh ooh oh oh oh ooh
Oh no longer bare the news Start again oh we can start again

 

[Professor Branestawm]

The Christians – Ideal World Lyrics -​

(Emphasis added!)

Before you point the finger, I hope the whole thing disappears
Remember empty words will fall, will fall upon the deafest ears.
You won't give in without a fight, a foul play without a doubt
No silver lining to be seen in this thundercloud and that's not allowed
In the ideal world we'd be free to choose
But in my real world you can bet we're gonna lose.
Your money fills their pockets fear fills their tiny minds
At last the world is talking now this ain't no way to treat mankind no
A sudden blackout stops the show but doesn't stop the way I am
Cos all my life I've been oppressed your not the first to say I am
I'll do all I can for an ideal world where we're free to choose
But in my real world oh we can bet we're gonna lose
In the ideal world we can start again
But in my real world hangs on the colour of your skin
We could be free forever if they would only change
But fools never change no oh no oh
A speck of blue up in the sky a song of hope a noble thought
But how long must the people die before the guilty ones are caught
Oh will you spare a thought for an ideal world
Where we're free to choose for an ideal world
Where we're no longer born to lose in the ideal world we can start again
Now in my real world lets put an end to suffering end suffering
In the ideal world we're now free to choose
Oh in my real world we are set to air our views
In the ideal world we can start again now in my real world
It's not it's not about the colour of your skin ooh ooh oh oh oh ooh
Oh no longer bare the news Start again oh we can start again

A classy song.
The Christian brothers are still quite famous on Merseyside and the Wirral.
Their non-singing brother, Victor, I believe, is a teacher, and the non-family member from the group, Henry Priestman, released a couple of good albums in the early 2000’s. The single ‘He ain’t good enough for you..’ sung by a dad about his daughter‘s boybriend is a classic.

 

[Deleted member 21838]

IW’s meat pies were also rather stingy looking. Certainly no harvest for the world.. Er.. That’s enough Christians gags..

 

[PhaedrusR]

A classy song.
The Christian brothers are still quite famous on Merseyside and the Wirral.
Their non-singing brother, Victor, I believe, is a teacher, and the non-family member from the group, Henry Priestman, released a couple of good albums in the early 2000’s. The single ‘He ain’t good enough for you..’ sung by a dad about his daughter‘s boybriend is a classic.

Is he sponsored by Ronseal ?!

"He ain't good enough for you... But you could do so much worse". Lol.

Reminds me of comedian Gary Delaney's joke... "They stared into each other's eyes and both had the same exact thought...":

"You'll do."



P.S. The Mantovani LP album product placement positioned at the rear, and the Ronseal tin gives the feel of a contrived Youtuber trying to get traction? Or dialling into his viewership's mutual interests ambience?

Now I've got to delve into the inherited Mantovani, EMI, MfP (Music for Pleasure) LPs in the house, 'forced' to listen, of my youth...

Ahhh memories...
Grattan/Argos catalogues. Anyone remember Meccano, Dinky toys, etc , etc.
(As seen in Antiques Roadshow repeat the other night...). I am turning into an antique myself, I now realise.

 

[Deleted member 21838]

You may not be surprised to learn I also have a large collection of Airfix, Matchbox, Dinky, Corgi and Timpo toys. A typical only child whose toys and games became their friends on cold early 1970s' winter afternoons stuck in a council flat in Crouch End. I remember on one, particularly unfortunate day of getting on my mother's nerves with my armies of brown box soldiers on the kitchen table, she suddenly decided to swipe the whole of my Eighth Army and many other regiments off the table with one sweepingly violent, armly gesture. Many a brave, plastic comrade went down that day. Down behind the boiler, never to be seen again. I've never forgiven her for doing that...

 

[Deleted member 21838]

You're probably right about the demographic and their attitudes.
But we were watching too and not like them, so not all of their viewers were like that.

I would never have dreamed of phoning the premium rate IW 09 number, under any circumstances, no matter how short/long the call or the supposed rush to jump the queue.

Any idea how much a call to order would cost, I'm guessing at least £5+ for 5+ mins time to quote item number and supply the card details?

"Get on the phones now, you don't want to miss out..." from the like of PS, as if phoning was quicker than web ordering, always infuriated me and showed the target audience they perceived they were aiming at.

That’s the thing. Exploiting an older vulnerable market, literally. So few people these days who are younger seem to want to use the phone business wise to speak. They want to do everything by emoticon, touching an icon, social media, speaking a message by text. People wanting to phone Ideal World to order were I’m sure in the main older types of individual. Making the phone line a high rate number was outrageous. Yet I suppose they knew that they could get away with it because the target market was more comfortable using the phone to do things and stand the cost - as probably with some of them it was their only option of contact. The more you reflect back on the later years of that channel, the more you are actually glad it’s ceased trading because of the way it was doing business towards the end in particular. You feel sorry for the grassroots staff still, but very few other people involved with it. And certainly not the presenters.

 

[Jazzydrury]

And no doubt some would go and chat on the phones and just not order, as It was them chatting to somebody

Create and Craft have a local rate number, so I guess Shop Extra will to, how much is a local rate call

 

[PhaedrusR]

And no doubt some would go and chat on the phones and just not order, as It was them chatting to somebody

Create and Craft have a local rate number, so I guess Shop Extra will to, how much is a local rate call

C&C 01733 60 2000 - that's the Peterborough area code that covers Nene House, Oundle.

So many people will have 01/02/03 numbers free as part of anytime/free calls add-ons, or free calls on a mobile deal.

If not, 10-12p per min. Or mobile PAYG call rate for 01733 landline calls.

Typically, calls to the 01733 area code are very affordable and are some of the cheapest apart from freephone numbers. During peak times when calling from a landline, expect to pay between 10p to 12p per minute.

 

[PhaedrusR]

Fyi, tag line on TJC, Gamages watch clearance slot, 7pm Friday.

P.S. am I the only one to have an issue streaming TJC live (intermittent, slow, adaptive bitrate issues) on my ISP, but if I use VPN over *same* connection, or use another different ISP, then it's fine! Weird.

 

[Deleted member 21838]

Some 1980 Argos watches to make Ideal World jealous.

 

[User 23988]

Some 1980 Argos watches to make Ideal World jealous.

View attachment 26298View attachment 26299View attachment 26300

Don’t worry shop extra has it covered

 

[cheeky chappie]

Some 1980 Argos watches to make Ideal World jealous.

View attachment 26298View attachment 26299View attachment 26300

I remember in my teens (during the late 80s) getting my first job and earning some cash. Bought myself a 'gold' watch and ring from Argos, thought they were awesome! I still have the ring but alas I must have thrown the watch out at some point

This might not make sense but I don't think you ever truly re-capture the way you look at products when you're younger compared to in later life. I remember buying what was no doubt quite a basic Casio LCD watch when I was a lad but I thought it was brilliant! Even things like the stop-watch and side light made me think 'wow!'

Happy days ...