Q Talk

[GenXmuse]

Gotta start somewhere. I don’t mind complaints. I sure have my share. 

[Caaareful Shopper]

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@alarmclock wrote:

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@mom2four0418 wrote:

The host's receive constant updates and instructions from the producer in their earpieces. So he/she would be the "idiot" that you are referencing.

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Hosts have had producers in their ears since Day One.

The rude interruptions have recently become commonplace.

That means they have unskilled hosts that cannot truly do the job they are being paid to do.

QVC needs to clean house or re-train immediately.

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@alarmclock  Yes, the producers have been in their ear from day one, but why are you so sure all the fault is on the hosts? I do not agree with that.

 All of the hosts, all of them, are touting each increment of sales in every presentation.  It is annoying to me as well.  But since all of the hosts to do it, I firmly believe it's the producers being pushed from upper management to tell all the hosts to do this constantly.  

Yes, the producers have been around forever, but that doesn't mean they are the same producers since 1986.  Have you seen some of them?  They look barely out of their 20's.  It's not often, but sometimes the producers are right there on the floor in the studio.  I saw just last week when David got the camerperson to show the producer.  He looked all of 22 years old.  

New or old producer isn't even the point.  Rules change and apparently the internal rules for the producers have changed so that the host are told to constantly interrupt presentations ad nauseam for the latest countdown.

I've seen everyone from Mary Beth to Katie McGee do this now.  

Today in the Hairdo Show, the host, who I like very much, interrupted the vendor so much with sales counts that it was nearly impossible to follow what the vendor even wanted to say about the wigs.  It was awful. 

[Foxxee]

I think quantity updates is an annoying sales tactic.  I'm sure buyers want to know if something is selling out, but it's used even when the product isn't selling out.

They're trying to get buyers to their phones and computers to place an order fearing the product will sell out.  

More importantly, I want to know how many are in stock compared to how many have sold.  1,000 sold may seem to be large number, but not when there's 10,000 in stock.  If inventory was 800 and there's only 200 remaining, maybe, I'd like to know that and some of the hosts do tell us. 

But, Rick, for example, for the white birch tree TSV, repeatedly said it was selling the fastest...over a third sold in the first hour presented.  "You better get it now...it's going to sell out first."  That tree was still available late into the evening.  

All I can say this tactic must work or QVC wouldn't use it so much.  

At other times, particularly with new items, QVC doesn't order enough.  There was no mention how many of Valerie's deer with the wreath and red lights were in stock or remaining when I saw it.  She had two of them positioned face to face.  Very cute.  I ordered only one conservatively thinking I might have to return it based on previous experience.  Surprised it is so well made and beautiful, lights and timer work, immediately after I received it, I went to the website to order another one.  They were sold out.  Quite a few reviewers say they purchased two.  I think it was because Valerie presented them facing each other, so that meant fewer deer for other buyers.  Valerie should have anticipated that if she knew she was going to present the deer in pairs and suggested QVC order more.  

And, yes, the hosts interrupt the vendors too much, but I think producers are partly responsible constantly telling them what to say.  Imagine talking and someone is constantly telling you what to say and how many have sold so far.  

[stevieb]

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@Caaareful Shopper wrote:

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@alarmclock wrote:

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@mom2four0418 wrote:

The host's receive constant updates and instructions from the producer in their earpieces. So he/she would be the "idiot" that you are referencing.

---

Hosts have had producers in their ears since Day One.

The rude interruptions have recently become commonplace.

That means they have unskilled hosts that cannot truly do the job they are being paid to do.

QVC needs to clean house or re-train immediately.

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@alarmclock  Yes, the producers have been in their ear from day one, but why are you so sure all the fault is on the hosts? I do not agree with that.

 All of the hosts, all of them, are touting each increment of sales in every presentation.  It is annoying to me as well.  But since all of the hosts to do it, I firmly believe it's the producers being pushed from upper management to tell all the hosts to do this constantly.  

Yes, the producers have been around forever, but that doesn't mean they are the same producers since 1986.  Have you seen some of them?  They look barely out of their 20's.  It's not often, but sometimes the producers are right there on the floor in the studio.  I saw just last week when David got the camerperson to show the producer.  He looked all of 22 years old.  

New or old producer isn't even the point.  Rules change and apparently the internal rules for the producers have changed so that the host are told to constantly interrupt presentations ad nauseam for the latest countdown.

I've seen everyone from Mary Beth to Katie McGee do this now.  

Today in the Hairdo Show, the host, who I like very much, interrupted the vendor so much with sales counts that it was nearly impossible to follow what the vendor even wanted to say about the wigs.  It was awful. 

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I agree. This is dictated by management, which is where that housecleaning needs to begin...

Yes, some of the hosts are dreadful too, they can be next...

[SunValley]

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@GenXmuse wrote:

Gotta start somewhere. I don’t mind complaints. I sure have my share. 

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Participation is needed to keep the forums active. Complaints are stock-in-trade here.

[NEvans2]

Retail sales have changed dramatically over the years. When I started working in retail in 1976, stores were closed on Sundays and holidays. Imagine that! I retired in Oct. 2017. Twenty of those years I worked in clothing. The last ten years I worked there was a huge change in how things were done. If the company you worked for had a membership program or a credit card, you were required to push customers to sign up for them. Then it became your numbers were tracked. If you didn't get X amount of memberships per shift, you got the verbal spanking. The hosts on QVC are sales associates who just happen to be on TV. I'm sure they have very specific instructions on what they have to say and do. A lot of times the sales staff doesn't agree with what management wants them to do, but if you want to keep your job, you do it. So when they do stuff that gets on my nerves, I know from experience, they're doing what they have to do. There was a big article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette this morning on QVC. Apparently their sales have been down the last three quarters and they're trying to appeal to a younger clientele. Also trying new programming to bring in new customers, like the new Kim Gravel show. So I guess we can expect some changes in the next quarter.

[mspatmac]

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@NEvans2 wrote:

Retail sales have changed dramatically over the years. When I started working in retail in 1976, stores were closed on Sundays and holidays. Imagine that! I retired in Oct. 2017. Twenty of those years I worked in clothing. The last ten years I worked there was a huge change in how things were done. If the company you worked for had a membership program or a credit card, you were required to push customers to sign up for them. Then it became your numbers were tracked. If you didn't get X amount of memberships per shift, you got the verbal spanking. The hosts on QVC are sales associates who just happen to be on TV. I'm sure they have very specific instructions on what they have to say and do. A lot of times the sales staff doesn't agree with what management wants them to do, but if you want to keep your job, you do it. So when they do stuff that gets on my nerves, I know from experience, they're doing what they have to do. There was a big article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette this morning on QVC. Apparently their sales have been down the last three quarters and they're trying to appeal to a younger clientele. Also trying new programming to bring in new customers, like the new Kim Gravel show. So I guess we can expect some changes in the next quarter.

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You brought up some not so good memories Nancy.  Many many many years ago my first job was a cs rep for the phone company and there were sales goals even then.  Remember the "princess" phone?  We were required to offer it on every incoming call and then add "extensions" for other rooms.  Oh how I hated it but wanted to keep my job.  Guess some things never change 

[manny2]

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@rms1954 wrote:

Love it when someone joins the forums to complain about one thing, although they've been watching FOREVER.

What do you think the forum is for? 

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[KKJ]

I couldn't agree more.  I only tune in occasionally to shows am interested in and it's always like that. For example, was watching the Beekman boys yesterday & those guys could hardly get a word in.  When one of them would try to talk about items in the TSV Rachel would constantly interrupt to give the running count update. So annoying.  

[Shanus]

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@7Lady7Luck7 wrote:
I’ve been watching QVV forever and I’ve noticed the hosts are constantly interrupting the guests lately. It is so rude and so annoying I end up changing the channel. This must be a push from the top to CONSTANTLY update on the remaining quantities. Give me a break! How about updating when it’s close to sell out or sold out? I don’t need to know every two minutes how many thousands are left in each size and color. They can easily go back to the red/yellow/green dot notification on the bottom. I mean whatever idiot at the top pushing this needs to be put in his/her place. I’m sure the hosts would be appreciative and I KNOW the viewing audience would be relieved to know this latest sales ploy has passed. If you’re reading this and agree, please chime in, hopefully numbers will get the point across! Thanks for making it to the end of my rant!

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@7Lady7Luck7   Any way we’re informed that items/sizes are close to selling out, last order of the year (jackets in July/August?), it’s all a sale’s tactic meant to push the items or certain colors that lag behind. I just turn the volume to mute. They sell nothing I can’t live without.