Absolutely!
I suspect the same. I'd be very surprised if they're still with us this time next year. The damage is too deep.
It's not just one problem that they need to rectify - there are loads - and I think they're a bit trapped.
They need a complete overhaul of the presenter line-up.
They need to stop flogging Jadeite to start winning customers back that have left because they're sick of seeing it.
They need to stop flogging endless amounts of 'gold tone' and plated jewellery and go back to producing quality.
They need to lower their prices back to reasonable levels.
They need to start producing nice designs again instead of some of the random shapes and 'cheap' looking tacky designs they do now.
They need to get rid of Dave Troth's boring lectures.
They need to get rid of Jake Thompsons tributes to Del Boy Trotter.
They need to stop with their confused business model. We don't want Jewellery Maker strands on Gem Collector, we don't want Gem Collector stones taken from the Gem Collector inventory so that they can be sold on Jewellery Maker. Jewellery Maker viewers don't want pre-made Gemporia jewellery on that channel - the clue is in the name, they make jewellery themselves - not buy it ready made! We don't want Hobby Maker cardboard and craft stuff on Gems TV.
They need to go back to selling jewellery on Gems TV. People don't want to see Dave's mushroom coffee or Steve's bamboo undercrackers on a jewellery channel. This may seem a crazy idea to Gemporia, but people tune in to a jewellery channel to see.............. jewellery! Who'd have thought it?
They need to bring call centre waiting times back down to reasonable times. 20 minute waits at times? Poor!
They need to stop with the endless 'sales' - it comes across as a blatant tactic to prevent price promise credit. Many of the items in the supposed 'sales' hours sell for the prices they always sold for - and sometimes even higher than 'normal' shows!
They need to stop with the ridiculous and misleading claims. It may be just about legal - but it certainly isn't moral!
They need to stop claiming viewers are 'part of the family'. Stop preying on the vulnerable / gullible.
They need to stop comparing to high-end jewellers. Bonhams? Tiffany's? Erm.... no. These days, Ratners and Elizabeth Duke would be more apt.
They NEED to actually listen to what customers are telling them. People were telling them on Facebook on a daily basis that they're sick of Jade, sick of Dave Troth's ramblings, and sick of waiting a month for refunds. Did Gemporia listen? No. They blamed their problems on higher material costs, higher import costs, Brexit red-tape, etc. Either in denial or arrogant enough to think they know better than the very customers that are pointing out their problems. They even turned comments off on the Gemporia Facebook page so that customers couldn't complain or point out why they'll no longer buy from them again. Instead of taking criticism / advice on board, they try to block it and then carry on regardless - then they wonder why they're struggling.
It's been almost two months since their problems became public. Have they taken on board what hundreds of people are saying across Facebook, this forum and their very own Facebook page (before they blocked comments)? It doesn't appear so! Other than quicker refunds and the return of the late shows at weekends, absolutely nothing has visibly changed.
They're digging their own grave in my opinion - just like Bid TV / Price Drop TV did.
