There's also the fact that the other channels, despite charging an amount per item, don't play games with the customers. You are immediately informed of the price, so it's a lot easier to make an informed descision as to whether or not you want to buy the product. With sit up, they try and tantalise you, buy giving silly start prices they've plucked out of nowhere, then dropping it one, two, sometimes three times or more, making it easier to lose sight of the extra charges if you think you're getting pounds literally hacked off the price. They don't really need the auction bit any more now that the bid-up formula has gone and the geniune price dropping has stopped. They know what they going to charge for the product, and I think it's time they stopped playing silly games!
This weeks ASA ruling against Sit Up - 13 February 2013
- Thread starter Wirral70
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Indeed Merry and here's proof of your point.
Sally was selling some control underwear this afternoon and the on screen graphics 'stuck' at £34.99 due to a computer problem. So she could continue with the sale she said the price they wanted was £14.99 and that is the price everyone will pay.
Sit Up are a completely different kettle of fish to any of the other TV retailers and that's why I believe they should definitely be treated differently and as Mrs Slocombe said I am unanimous in that
Mommabear
Registered Shopper
There's far too much pi$$ing about pricewise. Sometimes the clanging starts but instead of the price dropping, like it does a lot of the time, the clock starts instead.
Well, I think even before Xmas the P+P and cost of the product was, in my opinion, clearly shown on screen - it would be hard to justify saying that you purchased a product from then without understanding the cost of all three elements - the call, the shipping and the product.
Now however, not only is the information clearly displayed in large font, it also scrolls along the screen and it is frequently and clearly verbally stated - it's overkill in my opinion. If people don't 'get it' now then there really is no hope for them.
Now however, not only is the information clearly displayed in large font, it also scrolls along the screen and it is frequently and clearly verbally stated - it's overkill in my opinion. If people don't 'get it' now then there really is no hope for them.
HELLO!!!!!! What about customers who are tuning in for the first time? What about elderly and vulnerable people? What about not trying to obtain sales on false pretences?
Imvho, there shouldn't be anything to have to "get" when it comes to making a purchase online, via tv, or in a shop!
PJ.
In an Ideal World ...
Nice to think that those of us who complained are collectively helping them to either change or close.
Bid TV cannot be held responsible for elderly and vulnerable people buying the products, that's ludicrous, the other channels are just as likely to garner a sale - in fact I'd say that persons like that would be discouraged from buyer BECAUSE of the channels format, it very fasted paced and high pressure. They are much more likely to be taken in by the slow, friendly pace of channels like QVC. It'd be much easier to create a faux friend complex with channels like QVC and craft.
The term 'obtaining sales by false pretences' is intended, and in mind when they wrote the law, for actual criminal fraud. It cannot be applied to a TV shopping channel that is just particularly good with their selling techniques.
:smirk:
Price Plunge
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If we're to take that argument to its logical conclusion, that's like saying Mr. Nasty Door-to-door Salesman is completely innocent despite sitting in someone's home for 3 hours desperately bullying them into signing up for new double glazing. Buyer beware and all that...
Difference being, QVC is blatantly honest when it comes to things such as delivery times. Saw a bit of QVC last Monday and they said that they couldn't guarantee the delivery of any product in time for Valentine's Day but it could still be a gift for after the event, "for the thought". Compare and contrast with Bid TV promising delivery in time for Christmas about 1 working day before Christmas Eve. Yes they might have delivered on time but what if you lived in the Outer Hebrides? And would you trust them to deliver your precious gift on time after they've taken your precious money? Honest answers please.
And what makes you think that they're not committing "actual criminal fraud"? Is it because the ASA is very slow in doing anything about them? Investigations take time to process but inevitably the full force of the law catches up with them eventually if pressure is maintained, and I'm not referring to relatively minor transgressions like the P&P font size either. Nicola George supposedly forgetting rather conveniently to mention P&P until the last minute of a sale allegedly on two occasions (details to be confirmed) is sounding less and less like an 'accident' to me; if mentioning the P&P really didn't matter in relation to making an informed buying decision "because it's displayed in largish letters on-screen anyway", why does she play loose with the regulations? It's best to be on the safe side, wouldn't you think, if it really didn't matter? Therefore, are they taking the p*** out of the ASA?
That doesn't make sense either.
Things like the high cost of the call or high P&P don't annoy me but I think its unfair on some viewers, for instance people may suffer from bad eyesight or be blind all together... alot of items on Bid can obviously still be handy to both yet not often does the actual price of the phone call get mentioned nor did the actual P&P until recently.
Most other shopping channels don't make a fortune from their P&P + Buyer phonecall cost so you can't judge them on the same level as Bid.
Personally I think the cost of the call & P&P should be mentioned on every item, its approx 2 seconds and would no doubt save a lot of complaints & bad feeling.
Greg
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I don't think Ilovebid or anyone at Bid TV have grasped the concept of "customer care". It's "make money and screw the customer as much as you can". This company is clearly making abuses in the eyes of the ASA. I wonder how many more complaints will be upheld before other agencies and watchdogs are alerted to Bid TV's dodgy selling practices.
Price Plunge
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What has occurred to me is that Sit-up/Bid Shopping may be using their 14 day returns policy as a shield, hoping that people buy on impulse based on a dodgy description and either not notice (easy with jewellery since it may take an expert to properly evaluate pieces), or alternatively can't be bothered to return the item under the guarantee. In short, they think they can say what they like in order to sell something because it can easily be returned, even if it ends up being blatant mis-selling. I assume that they also refund the p&p cost as well, otherwise that's a scam in itself. It's the impulse nature of shopping telly that makes blatant and calculated mis-selling so downright dangerous.
Another potential scam is for a presenter to mis-sell an item of jewellery then loudly proclaim that you can get it valued at your local jeweller and if you're not 100% happy you can return it to us, knowing full well that what they're selling isn't what they actually say it is and that only a tiny number of customers would actually follow up on the independent valuation, though to be fair they may have stopped doing such a thing - if they were actually doing this in the first place - a while back.
And thanks for the troll warning; I did consider that when posting but (from what I recalled) Ilovebid's recent post history seemed reasonably decent and there were some valid points to be made here. However you may not catch me replying again to Ilovebid's posts if he or she posts anything similar in the future.
Another potential scam is for a presenter to mis-sell an item of jewellery then loudly proclaim that you can get it valued at your local jeweller and if you're not 100% happy you can return it to us, knowing full well that what they're selling isn't what they actually say it is and that only a tiny number of customers would actually follow up on the independent valuation, though to be fair they may have stopped doing such a thing - if they were actually doing this in the first place - a while back.
And thanks for the troll warning; I did consider that when posting but (from what I recalled) Ilovebid's recent post history seemed reasonably decent and there were some valid points to be made here. However you may not catch me replying again to Ilovebid's posts if he or she posts anything similar in the future.
Mommabear
Registered Shopper
Mikey is always saying go and get it valued and if you're not happy you can have the item cost returned. I notice that he says 'take it to a reputable jeweller' and this would cost you a fair few quid I would imagine.
They don't return your postage and phone charges as far as I know, I think they are actually supposed to, and if you know your rights, then you'll probably be able to get it back, but I should imagine by the time you've called India at least half a dozen times to sort it out, it probably isn't worth the hassle. I'm also pretty sure you have to pay to send the bugga back as well!
PP - I only posted that because I've locked horns with ILB after some of their forceful comments defending the company
I don't think the indefensible can be defended but alarm bells rang for me a couple of times which made me wonder about their connections to the company
I have noticed that they will agree with tongue in cheek stuff then, with me, became rude and insulting (they did acknowledge it though)
So whilst I'm not assassinating ILB I'm very cautious and wary of them.
Merryone - you're right; I've returned stuff and had to pay the return postage and I didn't get P&P refunded,just the cost of the item
I don't think the indefensible can be defended but alarm bells rang for me a couple of times which made me wonder about their connections to the company
I have noticed that they will agree with tongue in cheek stuff then, with me, became rude and insulting (they did acknowledge it though)
So whilst I'm not assassinating ILB I'm very cautious and wary of them.
Merryone - you're right; I've returned stuff and had to pay the return postage and I didn't get P&P refunded,just the cost of the item
On the matter of "trolling", it seems that anybody's who's ever had a good word to say about these channels has been obviously a troll, or has turned out to be one, so that must say something!
Has anyone noticed the other breed of Troll we get on these forums from time to time. They don't post imflamatory comments, just bizarre and sometimes unintelligable comments. Pointless waste of time, I post around them as if they're not there!
Has anyone noticed the other breed of Troll we get on these forums from time to time. They don't post imflamatory comments, just bizarre and sometimes unintelligable comments. Pointless waste of time, I post around them as if they're not there!
They take a while to go to the 'ASA Council', as I got a letter a few weeks ago saying it's being upheld, but it has to be seen by the ASA council and the press first
I was a complainant I must add
Well done!
