Why shop with Q?

[Kit10]

Are the Molton Brown products specially made for Qvc? Or other beauty products?

I do understand that and it makes sense, but the QVC presenters, and Flinty in particular seem to gave such an air of entitlement about them. It’s really not pleasant to watch.

Chanel suits are something else….. so elegant

I agree, but my friend used to say that after a while it was just a uniform

 

[boffy]

Are the Molton Brown products specially made for Qvc? Or other beauty products?

The Molton Brown stuff is the same. I buy from QVC, Molton Browns shops and the website.

 

[Kit10]

The Molton Brown stuff is the same. I buy from QVC, Molton Browns shops and the website.

I agree, they are just the same, but a lot cheaper than I pay at my local Fenwicks or order online from MB.

 

[Grizelda]

‘Freebies’ are nothing new or unusual in retail. It pays a company to ensure their staff can speak with confidence on the products they are selling. A small outlay should increase sales. A friend of mine used to work for Chanel in a department store, before she went into the training side of things. She was provided with practically every product as well as her Chanel suit.

Now those are good perks. I'm sureshe enjoyed them.

 

[Grizelda]

Are the Molton Brown products specially made for Qvc? Or other beauty products?

Sometimes a Molton Brown set is made especially for QVC, and they are up front about. I don't know about other beauty products, but maybe on occasion Elemis and Liz Earle?

 

[Boris Bear]

‘Freebies’ are nothing new or unusual in retail. It pays a company to ensure their staff can speak with confidence on the products they are selling. A small outlay should increase sales. A friend of mine used to work for Chanel in a department store, before she went into the training side of things. She was provided with practically every product as well as her Chanel suit.

It’s perfectly reasonable for presenters to get items to use so they are familiar with them before presenting them on air. The other week I caught a show with Alison Young and she said the shoes she was wearing were a particular item from QVC and she had bought them, but then backtracked and said that she had asked for them! Now to me there’s a big difference bet paying for them and being given them. I suppose on the scale of things brands giving a few freebies here and there isn’t that important, but it just irritated me a bit. Not that I’m paying for them, as I think I only made one purchase from QVC last year and none so far this year.

 

[Boris Bear]

I agree with all that, however as well as the ridiculous shipping costs, it's their insanely high prices across the board that put me off almost as much. If you really need interest free credit, then you're better off checking out what some of the mail order catalogues have to offer. I've just done a like for like comparison on a Ninja foodi grill/air fryer. QVC are selling it for £239 + £4.95 p&p Very.com are selling exactly the same model for £189.00 a £10 saving on their regular price of £199. P&p is £3.99 (which is per order not item) or free should you get it sent to a collect plus agent. Here's the difference and it's huge (not just the price). Lets say you can't afford to pay outright and need a little time very will allow you to put it onto a 9 month BNPL. All they specify is that the amount is settled before the 9 month period is up otherwise you will start to pay interest on the balance. It doesn't matter how much or how little you pay them during this period or how frequently the payments are made. What's more, you don't have to pay anything upfront to receive it, you make the first payment when it suits you. It's not only the catalogues, many retailers offer the equivalent of ez pays with the likes of Klarna, so really I think Q's Ez pays aren't really much of a USP.

The BNPL scheme sounds like a disaster waiting to happen for people whose spending is out of control.

 

[merryone]

The BNPL scheme sounds like a disaster waiting to happen for people whose spending is out of control.

Oh yes, absolutely! but if you're just a regular person who can't afford to make bigger purchases outright then it's perfect. I mean yes, do it at your peril, let the interest free period slip by and you'll be in big trouble. For me though it's been an absolute lifesaver. Even if you don't use these BNPL options, most catalogues are cheaper and have better policies than QVC!

 

[Breeze]

Really enjoyed reading this thread.
I too was like a kid in a sweet shop when, years ago, first got access to Q. Back them bought some lovely things, mainly jewellery, from lines that are long gone & was a bit addicted to TSVs from the likes of Bare Minerals & IT. Buy far, far less these days, just the occasional beauty TSV.
But reading this thread, have to wonder why if we hate QVC & it’s selling practices so much, rarely or never buy from them, why do we frequent this site so much?

 

[donna255]

Sometimes a Molton Brown set is made especially for QVC, and they are up front about. I don't know about other beauty products, but maybe on occasion Elemis and Liz Earle?

What I notice about Molton Brown, a set at a great price, pops up on QVC. But at least one of the bath/shower gels will be old stock which has been discontinued quite a while before. SCW, did say oh they made more stock. Er, no. It is discontinued, and they have stock over, so push it onto QVC to get rid of. The Rose Absolute is the latest one discontinued back in 2019/20 now suddenly being pushed on QVC.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

It’s perfectly reasonable for presenters to get items to use so they are familiar with them before presenting them on air. The other week I caught a show with Alison Young and she said the shoes she was wearing were a particular item from QVC and she had bought them, but then backtracked and said that she had asked for them! Now to me there’s a big difference bet paying for them and being given them. I suppose on the scale of things brands giving a few freebies here and there isn’t that important, but it just irritated me a bit. Not that I’m paying for them, as I think I only made one purchase from QVC last year and none so far this year.

Not sure why a gloop “expert” needs to get free shoes to enable her to sell products, face cream maybe.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Today is Discover Q day - has anyone discovered anything they didn’t already know?

 

[boffy]

What I notice about Molton Brown, a set at a great price, pops up on QVC. But at least one of the bath/shower gels will be old stock which has been discontinued quite a while before. SCW, did say oh they made more stock. Er, no. It is discontinued, and they have stock over, so push it onto QVC to get rid of. The Rose Absolute is the latest one discontinued back in 2019/20 now suddenly being pushed on QVC.

I have to say I love Rosa Absolute and the latest deal from MB is very good imo. The three other shower gels are also popular scents. Maybe they made up a large batch as QVC sell a lot of MB.

 

[boffy]

What I notice about Molton Brown, a set at a great price, pops up on QVC. But at least one of the bath/shower gels will be old stock which has been discontinued quite a while before. SCW, did say oh they made more stock. Er, no. It is discontinued, and they have stock over, so push it onto QVC to get rid of. The Rose Absolute is the latest one discontinued back in 2019/20 now suddenly being pushed on QVC.

You can check when your item was made by the batch code. On my Rosa Absolute it was made February 2022 and is good for 3 years. I was shocked you could actually do this. hope this link works molton-brown check out your batch codes

 

[Patsy]

‘Freebies’ are nothing new or unusual in retail. It pays a company to ensure their staff can speak with confidence on the products they are selling. A small outlay should increase sales. A friend of mine used to work for Chanel in a department store, before she went into the training side of things. She was provided with practically every product as well as her Chanel suit.

I had an acquaintance who worked for a beauty company. I can't remember which and yes they got the products but they had to pay for them. I think they were deducted from their salaries. This was many many years ago.

 

[boffy]

I worked for a beauty company and after you did say 3 months probation you were allocated free parcels every month. This was a long long time ago.

 

[Boris Bear]

Oh yes, absolutely! but if you're just a regular person who can't afford to make bigger purchases outright then it's perfect. I mean yes, do it at your peril, let the interest free period slip by and you'll be in big trouble. For me though it's been an absolute lifesaver. Even if you don't use these BNPL options, most catalogues are cheaper and have better policies than QVC!

I agree that used sensibly there’s not a issue at all, but not everyone is sensible. I know people object to things like Clearpay, but then I’ve heard others say they would use it because they were ordering two or three items of clothing but knew they would only keep one. I suppose everyone has to take responsibility for their own actions and it’s not fair that people who can handle this suffer because others behave irresponsibly.

 

[Anna]

Today is Discover Q day - has anyone discovered anything they didn’t already know?

I've discovered that I'm even more bored than I was.

 

[ClaireKelly]

I agree, but my friend used to say that after a while it was just a uniform

Some uniform!

 

[Kit10]

Sometimes a Molton Brown set is made especially for QVC, and they are up front about. I don't know about other beauty products, but maybe on occasion Elemis and Liz Earle?

I think there is a difference in MB or LE putting a ‘collection’ together as opposed to making a cheaper formulation, which would reflect on the company. I don’t think this would happen. I know some people have commented on a reduction in quality in clothing/accessories but I can’t imagine an established company would tinker with a beauty product, just to sell more units.