Q Talk

[txskies]

The programming on QVC is really, bizarre, now. I have been waiting for Fall clothing shows, and it's nothing but jewelry or Christmas trees! Very bizarre. I went out and shopped at the mall - can't take this crazy programming. Whose idea was this??? I doubt that it what Q customers want. What is the problem? Losing vendors?

[Sylanne]

JMO, I think QVC, for whatever reason, has a serious problem w/long time vendors presenting new & interesting items or attracting new vendors.

What is the reason for this----I don't know, nor do I care.

I was once an avid viewer & shopper w/QVC---not anymore. The fact is I seldom do a "drive thru" Q check during commercial program breaks of shows I'm watching b/c everytime I do; all I see is something same old, same old.

QVC "cheerleaders" save yourself time, don't respond the boring mantra "QVC is not there to entertain people, it is there to sell. JMO, when the show hosts state that QVC is available in 90+ million homes, the show hosts state that 10,000, 50,000, even 100,000, were ordered. I say so what. That amount ordered is really a fraction amount given when considering how many millions of people can be watching or ordering.

[Pook]

Everyone has their own take on this and I think when they say how many are ordered - it is a lot and often there are many sell outs. I'm not sure what is meant by a fraction amount (of what?? Just because many watch or can watch, it's bizarre to think they all will be watching and buying! It's not realistic to think all watch 24/7 and it's not unreasonable to know they don't buy every item!!

Some don't seem to want opposing opinions and start out by throwing out an insult in an effort to stop anyone with a differing view from responding and it's sad that many probably won't respond because of this!!!

[KYToby]

It think people forget that QVC is a store. Its only difference from Macy's, for instance, is that it has a shopping channel rather than brick and mortar locations.

When one shops at Macy's, does one enter stores only seeing what they want to see? No, they obviously hunt out the items they find interesting. Do they complain because Macy's sells things they are not interested in?

I find complains like this silly, at best. It is impossible for QVC to have programming to interest everyone all the time. I find it beyond arrogant to think that QVC need only sell items that one finds interesting. It is true -- QVC is in the business of selling. Does anyone honestly think they repetitively sell items that no one wants?

If one is so bored with QVC programming, it is a sign that the viewer needs to change rather than QVC. It is neither healthy nor productive to live one's life revolving around a shopping channel,

[banjo]

I always check the program guide and if there is nothing on that interests me, i just don't watch. I only watch those shows I'm interested in and that's it. This week I haven't watched since Monday AM style. I keep quite busy doing other things.

[mysweetlife]

On 9/25/2014 KYToby said:

It think people forget that QVC is a store. Its only difference from Macy's, for instance, is that it has a shopping channel rather than brick and mortar locations.

When one shops at Macy's, does one enter stores only seeing what they want to see? No, they obviously hunt out the items they find interesting. Do they complain because Macy's sells things they are not interested in?

I find complains like this silly, at best. It is impossible for QVC to have programming to interest everyone all the time. I find it beyond arrogant to think that QVC need only sell items that one finds interesting. It is true -- QVC is in the business of selling. Does anyone honestly think they repetitively sell items that no one wants?

If one is so bored with QVC programming, it is a sign that the viewer needs to change rather than QVC. It is neither healthy nor productive to live one's life revolving around a shopping channel,

But to continue your analogy about Macy's....

Does Macy's close down all their other departments except one at any given time? Can you only buy housewares between 1 and 3 pm on Mondays? Can you only buy beauty items between 7 and 9 pm on Tuesdays? Of course not. A full product line is available to shoppers at all times to view, ask questions about, examine up close, etc. Sure you can go online with other types of products that aren't currently on the television schedule on Q, but that would be akin to looking at Macy's catalog. It gives you an idea of the items, but there are no details and usually limited views or perspectives.

Q reminds me of Amazon in some ways. Last summer (2013) I bought a small cutting path, corded electric lawnmower. I had recently moved into a smaller place with a small yard and didn't need the behemoth lawn mower I'd had at my place that was on 1/2 acre. I sold the old one and purchased a new one from Amazon. The new mower is perfect for my needs, lightweight and easy to use. I'm set.

But ever since I bought that mower, Amazon has sent me emails and pop ups ads for ever lawn mower in existence, evidently feeling that since I bought one, I must want hundreds of them. I sometimes think Q is that way, too. If I buy one vacuum cleaner, I must want 100 hours of programming on vacuum cleaners of every type and variety.

I don't mind a proportional amount of vacuum cleaner, or computer or mattress shows. People needs these items from time to time. But we don't need to be hammered over the head with them, either.

I'd bet my life savings that no customers write to the Q and say "Can we please have more programming on vacuum cleaners/vitamixes/mattresses, etc. We just don't see these on air enough."

Variety, please. It's true anywhere. No one would shop at any store that was nothing but one item over and over and over without variation. And the same is true at the Q.

[stevieb]

Of course, it makes complete sense only to watch those things one finds of interest. The problem comes when any television based retail entity so rarely opts to televise a broad range of items, capturing the interests of a broad cross section of potential shoppers, that there is virtually no programming of interest to view.

To liken home shopping to Macy's is to miss the obvious. Home shopping, as noted, is focused on the television aspect of the operation. QVC has a very limited brick/mortar presence and while there is a website, the thing that sets home shopping apart is programming. When programming becomes stuck in a rut, there's a problem. Of course, no programming is going to please all the people all the time, but when the same handful of items and brands are programmed incessantly, the result is saturation and boredom and while, of course, we're free not to watch, I'm not sure that's the intended goal.

When Macy's advertises, their flyers highlight the broad range of merchandise they offer, they don't simply feature, for example, blenders and computers... If they did, it seems likely that Macy's would see somewhat of a decline in overall sales. When one walks in the door at Macy's one has the option to seek out the departments of interest, but when shopping QVC based on programming, one's only option is to watch or not to watch... AND, of course, to use THIS very forum, as it was intended, to highlight what we, as shoppers, think the Q is doing wrong...

So take heart, OP, there are some on these boards who feel the Q can do no wrong, but there is also a contingent that feels the Q can do better, and it is perfectly acceptable both to think so and to say so...

Let's face it, those convinced the Q is shopping nirvana and that those of us who disagree are to blame for our lackluster opinions... are the same ilk who further seem to believe the Q's choices are always right. This same group seems completely oblivious to reports that the Q's financials haven't been precisely stellar for some time... Moreover, there was recent a significant change at the top of the US operation and those who think they're 'in the know' also seem to want to obfuscate the fact that major corporations don't make major changes when things are going along swimmingly...

I agree with you, OP, the Q's programming leaves a great deal to be desired... AND, I don't view that as a sign that I need to change, rather I view it as a sign that QVC needs to offer more diverse programming IF they want to retain some of us as viewers and customers...

[stevieb]

On 9/25/2014 mysweetlife said:

On 9/25/2014 KYToby said:

It think people forget that QVC is a store. Its only difference from Macy's, for instance, is that it has a shopping channel rather than brick and mortar locations.

When one shops at Macy's, does one enter stores only seeing what they want to see? No, they obviously hunt out the items they find interesting. Do they complain because Macy's sells things they are not interested in?

I find complains like this silly, at best. It is impossible for QVC to have programming to interest everyone all the time. I find it beyond arrogant to think that QVC need only sell items that one finds interesting. It is true -- QVC is in the business of selling. Does anyone honestly think they repetitively sell items that no one wants?

If one is so bored with QVC programming, it is a sign that the viewer needs to change rather than QVC. It is neither healthy nor productive to live one's life revolving around a shopping channel,

But to continue your analogy about Macy's....

Does Macy's close down all their other departments except one at any given time? Can you only buy housewares between 1 and 3 pm on Mondays? Can you only buy beauty items between 7 and 9 pm on Tuesdays? Of course not. A full product line is available to shoppers at all times to view, ask questions about, examine up close, etc. Sure you can go online with other types of products that aren't currently on the television schedule on Q, but that would be akin to looking at Macy's catalog. It gives you an idea of the items, but there are no details and usually limited views or perspectives.

Q reminds me of Amazon in some ways. Last summer (2013) I bought a small cutting path, corded electric lawnmower. I had recently moved into a smaller place with a small yard and didn't need the behemoth lawn mower I'd had at my place that was on 1/2 acre. I sold the old one and purchased a new one from Amazon. The new mower is perfect for my needs, lightweight and easy to use. I'm set.

But ever since I bought that mower, Amazon has sent me emails and pop ups ads for ever lawn mower in existence, evidently feeling that since I bought one, I must want hundreds of them. I sometimes think Q is that way, too. If I buy one vacuum cleaner, I must want 100 hours of programming on vacuum cleaners of every type and variety.

I don't mind a proportional amount of vacuum cleaner, or computer or mattress shows. People needs these items from time to time. But we don't need to be hammered over the head with them, either.

I'd bet my life savings that no customers write to the Q and say "Can we please have more programming on vacuum cleaners/vitamixes/mattresses, etc. We just don't see these on air enough."

Variety, please. It's true anywhere. No one would shop at any store that was nothing but one item over and over and over without variation. And the same is true at the Q.

I completely agree.

[travel diva]

I have been a faithful QVC watcher and purchaser since last April. But I've seen and heard all I can handle from the vendors. They give the same spiel each time they are on the air. I love IT cosmetics but I'm tired of hearing Jamie Kern's fast talking through her presentations. I live in Central Florida and am not interested in sweaters, knee-high boots etc. So now, when I want to purchase something, I go online and look at 'recently aired items'. That way I can pick and choose what I want to see.

[Qlady100]

StevieB, well said and I concur. I just posted my own grief on the subject. Thankfully, I've given up on the hopes of any changes even though the lady has left QVC.

I am finding shopping everywhere else on line and locally at my B&M stores is once again satisfying me nicely !

QVC didn't need my dollars, they didn't attempt to make any changes, for any of us.

Too many complaints fell too long on deaf ears.

I'm actually relieved not turning on QVC and dealing with their boring, repetitious shows. No more headaches ! No more worn out Christmas before Halloween !

Relief !!!!