Random musings and general banter.

[Hammy60]

Polti Moppy Steam Cleaner.

I might be stupid, but the only thing this steam cleaner actually steam cleans is the mop head, the second it's taken away from the base station steam is gone, and temperature will be dropping fast. Yeah the mop head is being steam cleaned but the floor sure as hell isn't, the moment the mop head hits the floor any beifts from the steam will be gone, just another wet mop till it's steamed again.

As for Peter V and his load the mop head with steam, huh, does he think the mop head stores steam? What a blithering idiot.

 

[cheeky chappie]

… Maybe there as so many gullible viewers, who know very little about watches, who are actually falling for all his rubbish. If you read some of the reviews on their site, plain to see that there are viewers falling for it, hook, line and sinker …

I think this is one of the things that frustrates me most. Whether watch shows or other shows, often a quick Google takes you to other retailers selling the product at a better price. Or basic investigation can tell you what the products e.g. watches are actually made of. However as you say, some people evidently fall for the rubbish spouted. They are evidently just not switched onto the process of 'I'll check other places first.' Ideal customers for the likes of IW! I suppose if they (those buyers) like the product and are happy paying higher prices (in some not all cases granted) then no real harm done. If you were arguing for/defending IW from a business perspective, you could say good on them for shifting stock at higher prices whilst simultaneously convincing gullible viewers they're getting a bargain!

A fool and their money ... as the old saying goes.

 

[Hammy60]

I think this is one of the things that frustrates me most. Whether watch shows or other shows, often a quick Google takes you to other retailers selling the product at a better price. Or basic investigation can tell you what the products e.g. watches are actually made of. However as you say, some people evidently fall for the rubbish spouted. They are evidently just not switched onto the process of 'I'll check other places first.' Ideal customers for the likes of IW! I suppose if they (those buyers) like the product and are happy paying higher prices (in some not all cases granted) then no real harm done. If you were arguing for/defending IW from a business perspective, you could say good on them for shifting stock at higher prices whilst simultaneously convincing gullible viewers they're getting a bargain!

A fool and their money ... as the old saying goes.

Sorry long post, tend to get carried away some times.

I agree with your post, although I would just add in respect to the defending Ideal World part, yeah if they can sell products for more than others and still get customers that’s fine, it happens on the high street, supermarkets etc every day, so if customers are not switched on to check elsewhere then that’s ok, but what I would not defend them on is the tactics they use to sell those products, being honest about a product and selling it dearer is one thing but selling with lies and deceit is something else altogether, and that is the tactics they use with most, not all (would exclude the watchmaking brands here), but most of the watch brands they sell on IW.

There is nothing wrong with the watches they are selling, same as there is nothing wrong with fashion watches on the high street; only gripe is you’re sometimes paying more than they are worth, and can sometimes be had cheaper elsewhere, but hey as we’ve said, if a customer is willing to pay then so be it. But with IW, they are deliberately misleading potential customers, with false information, into believing these watches are of a higher quality, have history and heritage etc etc that the watches don’t have nor deserve. They are giving the impression that these brands are brands that watch collectors would build a collection around/add to their collection and are highly collectable, will be worth money in the future or can be pass down from generation to generation. Now some collectors may buy some of these watches if they just like the look of them, but they certainly wouldn’t be buying them for the reasons IW allude to.

You can tell by the reviews that there are folks building up collections with these brands thinking they have something special. When you read folk getting excited at having Swan & Edgar, Constantin weisz, etc. One guy was so happy he added his first Russian watch (CCCP) to his collection, shame that there is absolutely nothing Russian about the watch he bought, yes IW associated all kind of Russian history and heritage on the watch and the brand, and even inferred they were great Russian engineering, but sadly most of it was not true, the watch he bought was made in Hong Kong, with a Japanese movement. I've already complained successfully to ASA about one of their watch shows, but because they said they wouldn't do it again ASA were happy to leave it there, kinda put me off wasting my time complaining more.

And to continue the misleading info, just as I’m typing we had Peter V, and the RCA tablet, and he says:- RCA, a company you’ll be familiar with, been around 90 years, they are in conjunction with Ventura another big company to produce this tablet. So you’ve got heritage in this device. This is more false nonsense.

 

[Hammy60]

RCA third best selling, tablet brand in the states, says Peter V & Haley.

Think Amazon would have something to say about that, in the last 12 months they've been third behind Apple and Samsung, Amazon are on 8.18% share of the market, RCA are on 0.52%.

And if you just take the first three months of this year so far, Amazon have overtaken Samsung, and 3rd place Samsung are on 11.9% share of the market, RCA are on 0.48%, and that RCA share is also lower than Asus, Lenovo, Verizon.

 

[Price Plunge]

RCA third best selling, tablet brand in the states, says Peter V & Haley.

They've probably using some esoteric statistic such as sales of tablets in Wal-Mart stores in Texas, so if anyone dares to report them to the ASA they can claim a "junior producer" entered the wrong statistic from a sales report into the script(s) and it "won't happen again".

Until it inevitably does.

 

[cheeky chappie]

Sorry long post, tend to get carried away some times.

I agree with your post, although I would just add in respect to the defending Ideal World part, yeah if they can sell products for more than others and still get customers that’s fine, it happens on the high street, supermarkets etc every day, so if customers are not switched on to check elsewhere then that’s ok, but what I would not defend them on is the tactics they use to sell those products, being honest about a product and selling it dearer is one thing but selling with lies and deceit is something else altogether, and that is the tactics they use with most, not all (would exclude the watchmaking brands here), but most of the watch brands they sell on IW.

There is nothing wrong with the watches they are selling, same as there is nothing wrong with fashion watches on the high street; only gripe is you’re sometimes paying more than they are worth, and can sometimes be had cheaper elsewhere, but hey as we’ve said, if a customer is willing to pay then so be it. But with IW, they are deliberately misleading potential customers, with false information, into believing these watches are of a higher quality, have history and heritage etc etc that the watches don’t have nor deserve. They are giving the impression that these brands are brands that watch collectors would build a collection around/add to their collection and are highly collectable, will be worth money in the future or can be pass down from generation to generation. Now some collectors may buy some of these watches if they just like the look of them, but they certainly wouldn’t be buying them for the reasons IW allude to.

You can tell by the reviews that there are folks building up collections with these brands thinking they have something special. When you read folk getting excited at having Swan & Edgar, Constantin weisz, etc. One guy was so happy he added his first Russian watch (CCCP) to his collection, shame that there is absolutely nothing Russian about the watch he bought, yes IW associated all kind of Russian history and heritage on the watch and the brand, and even inferred they were great Russian engineering, but sadly most of it was not true, the watch he bought was made in Hong Kong, with a Japanese movement. I've already complained successfully to ASA about one of their watch shows, but because they said they wouldn't do it again ASA were happy to leave it there, kinda put me off wasting my time complaining more.

And to continue the misleading info, just as I’m typing we had Peter V, and the RCA tablet, and he says:- RCA, a company you’ll be familiar with, been around 90 years, they are in conjunction with Ventura another big company to produce this tablet. So you’ve got heritage in this device. This is more false nonsense.

Believe me I don't disagree with your analysis, I was referring purely to the 'money making element' of the business, not the tactics used to achieve it. However (suppose I'm kind of repeating myself) what frustrates me with higher price items is 'viewer, before you buy, do some research!' But yeah you and others are right e.g. when selling Beldray the other night the presenter said 'you're getting 150 years of knowledge built-in' failing to mention (which they obviously wouldn't) that it closed its doors a few years back and the brand name has since been bought by another company not connected to the original one in any way.

They consistently fly close to the wind however seem to get away with it.

Good old Peter was even doing his 'yours for only £39.99!!!' completely forgetting to add the part 'first of 4 flexi's.' I used to find him amusing, now he just irritates me.

 

[ronzy75]

I used to find him amusing, now he just irritates me.
Irritating is not the word, last night a watch strap was 26mm wide, according to the "expert" which became 1 1/2" and his constant mangling of English, ie a MELONese strap
He's at it again tonight with CCCP watches, all of which we must have, and he never shuts up or lets the other presenter talk. Rant nearly over, still shouting at the telly

 

[Hammy60]

What utter tripe Peter Simon is saying, this brand started during Bolshevik revolution 1912. Started by Alexander Shorokhoff born at the time of revolution, Scientist, philosopher & mathematician.

Ok where to start,

1.The history of the factory that he is giving is for the Slava Watch factory, which had nothing to do with the CCCP brand’s history. Would be akin, to every brand that uses Seiko movements in their watches, using Seiko’s history and heritage, as their own.

2.The CCCP brand started in the 80s in Germany, to make USSR themed watches, some with Slava movements, then sold to a Chinese company, CCCP are now located in Hong Kong.

3. Alexander Shorokhoff was born in 1960, he wasn’t a Scientist, philosopher & mathematician, he studied Civil Engineering, nor was he born during any revolution, he is responsible for starting the CCCP brand in Germany in the 80s, before selling the brand and stock of old Slava movements off to the Chinese a few years ago.

4. The Scientist, philosopher & mathematician that Peter Simon is speaking about is Aleksandr Danilovich Aleksandrov, he had no direct connection with either Slava or CCCP brands. CCCP named one of their watches after him, as part of the USSR theme of their watches.

5.As to being Russian built, Russian industrial designed watches etc, apart from using refurbished Slava movements in some of their watches, CCCP are not a Russian Brand, and apart from some of the movements being Slava, none of their watches are made in Russia.

The guy just said about a CCCP watch with 100mtr WR, CCCP’s version of a Rolex Submariner or Omega Speedmaster (think he meant Seamaster).

 

[ronzy75]

Constant references to Rolex etc are laughable

 

[aqua]

What utter tripe Peter Simon is saying, this brand started during Bolshevik revolution 1912. Started by Alexander Shorokhoff born at the time of revolution, Scientist, philosopher & mathematician.

Ok where to start,

1.The history of the factory that he is giving is for the Slava Watch factory, which had nothing to do with the CCCP brand’s history. Would be akin, to every brand that uses Seiko movements in their watches, using Seiko’s history and heritage, as their own.

2.The CCCP brand started in the 80s in Germany, to make USSR themed watches, some with Slava movements, then sold to a Chinese company, CCCP are now located in Hong Kong.

3. Alexander Shorokhoff was born in 1960, he wasn’t a Scientist, philosopher & mathematician, he studied Civil Engineering, nor was he born during any revolution, he is responsible for starting the CCCP brand in Germany in the 80s, before selling the brand and stock of old Slava movements off to the Chinese a few years ago.

4. The Scientist, philosopher & mathematician that Peter Simon is speaking about is Aleksandr Danilovich Aleksandrov, he had no direct connection with either Slava or CCCP brands. CCCP named one of their watches after him, as part of the USSR theme of their watches.

5.As to being Russian built, Russian industrial designed watches etc, apart from using refurbished Slava movements in some of their watches, CCCP are not a Russian Brand, and apart from some of the movements being Slava, none of their watches are made in Russia.

The guy just said about a CCCP watch with 100mtr WR, CCCP’s version of a Rolex Submariner or Omega Speedmaster (think he meant Seamaster).

He also said 'Gagarin went up in '67 !'

 

[Hammy60]

He also said 'Gagarin went up in '67 !'

I missed that, have it recorded so might watch again for a laugh.

I laugh at how Peter Simon is saying in every watch show these past two weeks, that they have only gone ahead because of some massive, super herculean effort by heaps of folks, to get these watches, some even hijacked on their way to Baselworld, to IW for the shows.
Doesn't seem to effect other products on IW, just the watches, which is kinda strange, cause a lot of the products they don't mention having problems getting at this time (especially electrical ie, RCA, Beldray, Tower, Kleeneze, etc) , all originate in China just like the watches they have had on lately, ie Swan & Edgar, CCCP, AVI-8, Empress, Heritor, Constantin Weisz and tomorrow it's Reign, the coronavirus is surely not a watch lover.

 

[mossie269]

Sorry to move the subject from watches but just wondered why buying small plants from ideal as delivery times are now extended to 10 or enen longer days how on earth are young plants going to survive in mail seems daft to me.

 

[Hammy60]

Sorry to move the subject from watches but just wondered why buying small plants from ideal as delivery times are now extended to 10 or enen longer days how on earth are young plants going to survive in mail seems daft to me.

Hi, sorry about the constant watch talk, probably my fault, I'm really into watches, and can overdo it at times.
Just guessing, but I don't think the plants will be spending 10 days with the courier/mail. Most of the time will be taken up with processing your order, I imagine less staff in their warehouse, or in this case at the garden nursery they come from, probably end up just being a couple of days in transit. The odd item, non garden, I used to buy from them, usually took 5 days to dispatch and then delivered the day after dispatch, from my limited experience it's the processing of the orders that is slow, the delivery side was quicker.

 

[mossie269]

You are probably right but i am not chancing it money to tight anyway

 

[Hammy60]

You are probably right but i am not chancing it money to tight anyway

If money tight, then best leave it for now, no point in leaving yourself short, we don't know how long the present crisis will last and how the economy will be after, better being safe than sorry. I'm pretty sure once this crisis has past there will be a lot places, garden centres etc, offering good bargains to entice customers back.

 

[Hammy60]

£875 RRP for a watch with a £25 Chinese movement in it. That Resultco the owners of Reign really are taking the mick with these RRPs.

Ok limerick fun for Ideal world presenters, anybody got one.

There was a presenter named Shaun

Save big, hurry before they’re gone,

Big in Carolina, insured there's no finer

Shh don’t tell, Reign are made in China.

 

[Paul B]

Masterpieces of horology!

 

[cheeky chappie]

What utter tripe Peter Simon is saying, this brand started during Bolshevik revolution 1912. Started by Alexander Shorokhoff born at the time of revolution, Scientist, philosopher & mathematician.

Ok where to start,

1.The history of the factory that he is giving is for the Slava Watch factory, which had nothing to do with the CCCP brand’s history. Would be akin, to every brand that uses Seiko movements in their watches, using Seiko’s history and heritage, as their own.

2.The CCCP brand started in the 80s in Germany, to make USSR themed watches, some with Slava movements, then sold to a Chinese company, CCCP are now located in Hong Kong.

3. Alexander Shorokhoff was born in 1960, he wasn’t a Scientist, philosopher & mathematician, he studied Civil Engineering, nor was he born during any revolution, he is responsible for starting the CCCP brand in Germany in the 80s, before selling the brand and stock of old Slava movements off to the Chinese a few years ago.

4. The Scientist, philosopher & mathematician that Peter Simon is speaking about is Aleksandr Danilovich Aleksandrov, he had no direct connection with either Slava or CCCP brands. CCCP named one of their watches after him, as part of the USSR theme of their watches.

5.As to being Russian built, Russian industrial designed watches etc, apart from using refurbished Slava movements in some of their watches, CCCP are not a Russian Brand, and apart from some of the movements being Slava, none of their watches are made in Russia.

The guy just said about a CCCP watch with 100mtr WR, CCCP’s version of a Rolex Submariner or Omega Speedmaster (think he meant Seamaster).

They try to do all this as provenance (and sadly some will fall for it) however the high majority of what they spout has little or absolutely no bearing to the product on sale. So what if a watch has the picture of a Russian tank on the back, what the heck has that got to do with the £2000 watch (being sold for £299) they're trying to entice you with?!? It's a rhetorical question I know what they're 'trying' to do, linking the quality, robustness etc etc. Pathetic.

And yeah, whether watches or wellies, watching and listening to Peter is painful. Not finishing sentences, talking utter tripe, putting on the 'sincere' voice when he wants us to take him seriously. I could go on.

And they were at it again on the late show the other night, selling the Beldray floor cleaner and totally slating mops (cue bringing out the old disgusting mop and showing us how rubbish it is by half heartedly trying to clean the floor with it) when ... they ... sell ... mops!!! Albeit more up to date versions but 'mops' nevertheless!!!

Anyway I'll leave you with some classic Peter ...

'Not only is this can opener a master of design, a triumph over a history of pain and suffering, it's also a magnificent multitude of pleasure to ... a true achievement of ... not losing but winning ... whether tinned peas or pudding, this can opener will tackle them all, like a top tier wrestler, like a master of ... linking the traditions of the blacksmith with the ... truly ... honestly ... JUST BUY IT!!!'

 

[Hammy60]

One thing i wish they wouldn't do with watches with the GTLS tubes, is using UV lights or torch to show up the tubes, it gives a false impression of how they will look in the dark. The tubes are not meant to be/and won't be, as bright as they look with UV light shining on them, in reality it's a more subdued glow, less than normal lume, which is what it was designed to do, to give a continuous low glow in the dark, just enough to read the time, without needing charged by light. If you are in the military with a Traser or Luminox on your wrist, the last thing you're wanting is your wristwatch to illuminate the night, like it is with the UV light, and give your position away to the enemy.

 

[candycane]

Sorry to move the subject from watches but just wondered why buying small plants from ideal as delivery times are now extended to 10 or enen longer days how on earth are young plants going to survive in mail seems daft to me.

Not had any problems with plants bought recently but I had one order that looked like they'd put in one good, one bad and one ugly (not the lovely specimens we see on the show). When I raised this with the plant supplier they have dispatched another set with no quibble. IW's plants are very good value compared with other shopping channels.