I was just having a look at Review Centre to get some background on a shoe retailer before I place an order but thought I'd have a quick look at the latest Ideal World reviews and came across this gem. Please note that I had no involvement in this review, you have my word on it, although I couldn't agree more with every single word! : -
'Ideal World has never set the TV shopping channel world alight. It was always in second place to QVC UK, and more staid compared to more outrageous channels like Bid.tv. Presenters weren't exactly edgy, but it's very difficult to appear exciting when you have to talk about a single vacuum cleaner, piece of kitchen or exercise equipment, or a garden hose for an hour.
But that's all changed now. Some decent presenters have shifted to IW's sister channel, and a number of ex-Bid.tv presenters have been employed to take up the slack. Previous ranges that were aggressively sold as "the best things EVER", but looked like they'd be at home in the much-missed Innovations catalogue have disappeared, only to be replaced by clones that look cheaper but either cost the same or are pricier.
Ladies' fashion must be a big seller for IW, because it has progressed from just having its two-hour flagship Friday show plus one or two hourly shows throughout the week to being on practically every day. And despite being for apparently different ranges, the clothes all look the same: saggy and baggy tops and dresses, and trousers that would put MC Hammer to shame. Mostly made of polyester, though the presenters hardly ever tell the viewers that.
Cheap smartphones are pushed as the "new, must-have technology", even when it is abundantly clear from demonstrations that a) these phones would have issues doing more than a simply Google search and taking calls, and b) IW's "technology expert" is either being very generous with her descriptions, or she knows as much about smartphones as I do about brain surgery.
IW sells jewellery made using a man-made gem that was fashioned after a crystal found in a meteorite. Despite their gems being man-made terrestrial copies, IW presenters still call them "space diamonds" often while downplaying the man-made bit, designed to confuse viewers. These items are sold at prices at which viewers could buy actual diamond jewellery, and although they are described by IW as being set in yellow or white gold, there is never any mention of the gold gram weight of the pieces; just the equivalent diamond carat weight.
The channel employs 4 people to demonstrate cooking equipment, three men and a woman. the woman is very clear that she is an enthusiastic amateur, while the men are lauded as cordon bleu chefs. Only one has worked professionally as a cook, while another is (like IW's "technology expert) a low-rent actor/presenter wannabe who has a profile with a casting agency. This is not made clear to the viewers.
The channel has a weekly holiday cruise show, and often sells cruises to destinations in countries with terrible human rights records, and are famously misogynistic and homophobic. Also, no mention is made of cultural taboos (like the consumption of alcohol etc) in ports cruise ships may dock at. It is simply left up to the buyers to either think to research the destinations before travelling, or learn at their destinations.
I mentioned the ex-Bid.tv that IW has employed. These people screech at the screen, are either handsy with female models or make off-colour and inappropriate "jokes" and comments during shows at times when children are watching, or are very scathing to female guests they are working with. They are also rather careless with their statements, often referring to flexi-pay instalments as if they were the full price.
The more established presenters are following suit. One talks continuously about his bowel problems, one uses sob stories about aged and/or deceased relatives to help him sell goods to old and vulnerable viewers, and another refers to her ill daughter whenever she can. They also screech and hector the viewers to buy all the time.
There are other aspects of the channel that are underhand: the premium rate customer service centre (located in India, who are on record for stringing calls out to maximise call profits) who never resolve issues or are rude, or simply unintelligible. The continuous reduction of items in allegedly never-to-be-repeated sales, then a week later the item is reduced again. Declarations to viewers that certain products are on their last day of sale at IW, then they are on shows a week or so later. The old Bid.tv trick where the presenter suddenly declares that the price shown onscreen is wrong, so viewers should buy ASAP so they can benefit from the error. Customers leaving negative reviews on the IW website, and finding out later that they have been deleted while more positice reviews remain.
IW must be in deep financial trouble, but setting out to rip off viewers is not the way to fix things'
Rarely have I come across such an accurate critique :mysmilie_19:
haha.
