Which would you prefer 4 easy pays or free P&P

[NoMoreSpendsEva]

So many sites are offering free P & P or realistic postage charges, so I tend to go for those rather than QVC so I'm free P & P all the way.

 

[ArtDeco]

I buy from QVC via Quidco which gives 5% return on the purchase price (excluding p&p); easi-pays result in the discount only tracking on the first installment and not the subsequent ones, so I'm actually literally paying more than if I pay the whole price upfront. :taphead:

On top of this there's always a hoo-haa if the payment card expires between installments; even if you update the card details on your account QVC can't use the new card and end up writing a rather terse letter about refused payments. :down: :headbang:

Finally, if I can't afford the item this month, easy-pay deludes me into thinking I've got more ££ to spend. The quidco issue means I now opt out of easypay at checkout so I always know where I am with my over-spending (well that's the theory) :thinking: QVC aren't doing us any favours (although they say they are "helping" spread the cost) they encourage more buying than would otherwise happen but they still end up with the same money in their coffers (not counting returns).

With free or cheap P&P I'm more tempted to try a new range or a product I've never tried before, happy in the knowledge that if it's carp I won't have wasted as much postage to try it and if it's a wonderful product I've still saved a few ££...plus the quidco discount is exactly the same as it's not applied to postage anyway. I'm quids in and QVC are actaully getting less of my money. Result!

Jude xx

Great post Jude. I too get cashback on my online purchases (through topcashback.co.uk - no fee unlike Quidco!) and my understanding was that Easy Pay means that you only get cashback on the first instalment. However, I mentioned this on a thread some while ago and lots of people said this wasn't the case and that their cashback payments uplifted as the months went by. Have to say I've never tried to combine cashback and Easy Pay, so don't know from experience, it was my best friend (who's a web manager) who told me to avoid Easy Pay if I wanted full cashback. Can anyone else shed light on this?

I am with those who remind that Easy Pay isn't a reduction! It worries me that people who struggle to manage their finances might get sucked in by the attractive smaller numbers. I only ever took one Easy Pay option and by month three it really started to irk me, it played havoc with my financial planning and I'd virtually got to the end of the kit (Philosophy) by the time I paid the dratted thing off (didn't like it much either). However, I totally appreciate how Easy Pay may be a help for those times when we're on tighter budgets, or if there's a number of products we might want concurrently, esp if they are on temporary promotions that we want to secure before they vanish i.e. Beauty Day prices (about seven across the whole day today I think - woo hoo don't do us too many favours QVC :dull

I too would be encouraged to try a new product if it had free/reduced P&P, but I often wonder if QVC are loathe to do more of this not just because they obviously miss out on an opportunity to make a profit (the P&P charged cannot be indicative of actual costs incurred) but also to discourage returns. The thing I find irritating is when the presenter says how QVC have 'managed' to put this product on Easy Pay - I'm not in the world of high finance so perhaps I'm out of the loop here but surely a business the size of QVC could absorb any temporary cash flow issue caused by Easy Pay without teetering precariously on the edge of bankruptcy? In any case, I don't like the implication that putting an item on Easy Pay is a generous and wholly altruistic move on QVC's part when the truth is it's a way to get us to spend, and for that, it's us doing them the favour! Hmph! :muscle:

 

[Sazza]

I buy from QVC via Quidco which gives 5% return on the purchase price (excluding p&p); easi-pays result in the discount only tracking on the first installment and not the subsequent ones, so I'm actually literally paying more than if I pay the whole price upfront. :taphead:

On top of this there's always a hoo-haa if the payment card expires between installments; even if you update the card details on your account QVC can't use the new card and end up writing a rather terse letter about refused payments. :down: :headbang:

Finally, if I can't afford the item this month, easy-pay deludes me into thinking I've got more ££ to spend. The quidco issue means I now opt out of easypay at checkout so I always know where I am with my over-spending (well that's the theory) :thinking: QVC aren't doing us any favours (although they say they are "helping" spread the cost) they encourage more buying than would otherwise happen but they still end up with the same money in their coffers (not counting returns).

With free or cheap P&P I'm more tempted to try a new range or a product I've never tried before, happy in the knowledge that if it's carp I won't have wasted as much postage to try it and if it's a wonderful product I've still saved a few ££...plus the quidco discount is exactly the same as it's not applied to postage anyway. I'm quids in and QVC are actaully getting less of my money. Result!

Jude xx

That is odd, that never happens to me I always get cashback from Quidco for the full amount.

 

[Boycie]

Free P & P definitely! Would've bought loads yesterday if there was free or even reduced postage. But as it was, I bought zilch! I lose track of where I'm up to with my finances with easypay.

 

[nailprincess]

From a purely selfish point of view Free P&P everytime!

I got the SBC TSV yesterday, and would have liked to order more from the SBC range but with £4/5 pounds a go for every item it wasn't going to happen.

One lot of postage for a range would be great, be it on the Elemis, Gatineau, Decleor, etc etc.

I'm going to have a nosy on the Salon Skin care website at the SBC offers :happy: