Q Talk

[stevieb]

But @Spurt, apparently their self-promotion knows no end... Must've taken a page from La Marm's book... Anyway, I understand (though could be wrong...) there is or was some sort of thirty buck deal (a gift card maybe) with purchase of the TSV handbag... But alas, I believe I read on the boards where it was only available to Q Card holders. I'm chagrined not to be among those holding the Q Card. On the other hand, I wasn't planning to buy the TSV anyway... You know, back in the day I might have really wanted a Q Card, but these days, no. I don't think so. 

An interesting point is the very first time I shopped with HSN I immediately got an offer for their card. Meanwhile, with the Q, I think I got my first offer to apply for a Q card last year. Times must be tough. I suppose before that they felt themselves too important to actually need to solicit customers. Too little too late.

[Spurt]

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@stevieb wrote:

But @Spurt, apparently their self-promotion knows no end... Must've taken a page from La Marm's book... Anyway, I understand (though could be wrong...) there is or was some sort of thirty buck deal (a gift card maybe) with purchase of the TSV handbag... But alas, I believe I read on the boards where it was only available to Q Card holders. I'm chagrined not to be among those holding the Q Card. On the other hand, I wasn't planning to buy the TSV anyway... You know, back in the day I might have really wanted a Q Card, but these days, no. I don't think so. 

An interesting point is the very first time I shopped with HSN I immediately got an offer for their card. Meanwhile, with the Q, I think I got my first offer to apply for a Q card last year. Times must be tough. I suppose before that they felt themselves too important to actually need to solicit customers. Too little too late.

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@stevieb---interesting isn't it....and one wonders how much of their increase in revenue is from their "try me fee", exhorbitant interest rate on their Q card, and sales based on their EP promotions and OTO that seem to be rampant these days ....versus looking at selling the same products and maintaining the status quo.....We will never know but the continued hawking of these promotions by the hosts as directed by TPTB (even before their Better Than Black Friday began long before the holiday shopping....) just speak volumes.....

And yes interesting same experience here....after my first HSN purchase, (although have not been impressed with their products or programmming either), it was indeed amazing all the discounts and shipping deals I received along with their credit card offer.......in the past never even knew much about the Q card except with complaints about it on the Forum--

[stevieb]

I agree @Spurt, I've seen very little impressive about any of the home shopping entities recently. They command increasingly little of my attention and also induce me to shop with them less and less. There was a time when this form of retail was a really fun alternative, but that's no longer the case. I do think HSN probably has tended to offer more actual deals than has QVC, but there's little from either of them that's really all that desirable anymore. And watching, well, it's just increasingly not an option. As I've long said, shopping is supposed to be fun and I don't find it to be so with them anymore. I'd also add that after years of hoping for more and hoping to see some improvements and seeing none, I'm having no problem at all moving further and further away from them, particulalry from QVC. I never was much of a shopper with the others, but at one time, as you know, I was a real Q fan, but this is not the QVC I once enjoyed. Not by a mile.

[handygal2]

Hi, Spurt. Thanks for another hilarious weekend program guide. The only Q programs l'm watching this weekend are the Dooney handbag shows, b/c l have a bag addiction. (See @stevieb's thread in "Handbags," lol). But I'm not buying any! In fact, l'm not buying much of anything from the Q these days.

[Spurt]

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@handygal2 wrote:

Hi, Spurt. Thanks for another hilarious weekend program guide. The only Q programs l'm watching this weekend are the Dooney handbag shows, b/c l have a bag addiction. (See @stevieb's thread in "Handbags," lol). But I'm not buying any! In fact, l'm not buying much of anything from the Q these days.

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@handygal2  Hi HANDYGAL---well pull up a chair and join the club of "malcontents" that don't watch or buy much anymore.....

So you're a baganista like stevie ..... I did purchase a few Tig bags from QVC in the past, but when I went back to re-order in a different color got the message, "this item is no longer available", or when I saw a bag I liked while back, and it was on EP too, but when I thought about it and added in their exhorbitant $12 shipping charge.....forget it....I am not the handbag connoseiur that you and Stevie are, so I will shop for cheaper bags at Stein Mart, Marshalls, Home Goods, or JCP....I have found some name brands at good prices....good enough for me...

My only recent Q purchases were Jim Shore's auto delivery of his seasonal stacked figurines the harvest one is what sold me......I didn't know if I would keep the Christmas one---but it is so cute and has a small footprint, and fits in to the Christmas decor where I needed a little something....the Easter one is adorable too (that will be coming in the spring).....Oh, I did buy the luminara candle set that was on sale.......not much else...even the UPS guy remarked that I don't get as many packages like I used too.....Now I still order from other retailers online, but they come by USPS.....

Enjoy what's left of the weekend!!!

[Spurt]

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@stevieb wrote:

I agree @Spurt, I've seen very little impressive about any of the home shopping entities recently. They command increasingly little of my attention and also induce me to shop with them less and less. There was a time when this form of retail was a really fun alternative, but that's no longer the case. I do think HSN probably has tended to offer more actual deals than has QVC, but there's little from either of them that's really all that desirable anymore. And watching, well, it's just increasingly not an option. As I've long said, shopping is supposed to be fun and I don't find it to be so with them anymore. I'd also add that after years of hoping for more and hoping to see some improvements and seeing none, I'm having no problem at all moving further and further away from them, particulalry from QVC. I never was much of a shopper with the others, but at one time, as you know, I was a real Q fan, but this is not the QVC I once enjoyed. Not by a mile.

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@stevieb  I just don't get it.....all the Shopping Channels seem to be fixated on the new technology---FB, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc etc etc...yet they have forgotten the technology that sets them apart---TV---which hasn't exactly become passe---why all the Smart Phone Zombies I know even stream TV shows using HULU and Roku has QVC and the other shopping channels or so I heard from said Smart Phone Zombies....(why someone would want to view a TV show on such a SMALL screen beats me, but I guess when you're at work and instead of working......)  But the Shopping Channels just aren't utilizing their one ADVANTAGE.....They don't show anything to entice us that's for sure....oh well, we are just customers and what do we know...  And I know I'm preaching to the choir.......

Even though you are going with a minimilist approach to Christmas I'm sure the touches you put out and about will be lovely and inspire the season...(WOW decorating a window at a mall--VERY IMPRESSIVE, I bow to your expertise)....I know everyone has their favorite seasons---for some it's fall/autumn (my aunt's favorite season and and her fav holiday was Thanksgiving), some enjoy the spring (especially here with the bluebonnets and other flowers that are in bloom everywhere)....Some like summer, even the hot weather, being poolside, at the beach etc etc.....and some dread Christmas--the commercialization of Christmas --- the trouble, the hastle, gift buying and s you get that you don't want or even like, and they hate cold weather to boot.......to each their own

Didn't end up doing much yesterday---went out to lunch with DS and another friend, shopped a bit at Target.....and stopped by my DS's, her poor kitty isn't doing very well.....she's taken her cat back and forth to the vet a lot recently...and with all her ailments, not much more they can do---so it's "near time"....the whole day had a feeling of sadness....so so sad...

[stevieb]

First, I'm so sorry to hear about you DS's kitty. It's a dreadful time when we face losing our pets, as I think we all know. Just an awful situation. 

I too went to Target yesterday, where I actually, against my better judgment, picked up a couple of cute holiday ornaments and a new stocking to hang... and to Lowe's to look at appliances and their Christmas area, as my condo association is in the market for new Christmas trees for the building lobbies... Cool and blustery here, but with no hint of real cooler weather in sight. except in the evenings. Apparently, this week will see us mostly in the 60's during the day and we've already had a lot of days like that, and a few quite a bit warmer. Not very festive, or seasonal and really, we've already had spring this year.

Not quite the baganista of days gone by... Am trying to lay low on the bags at present, but yes, when I do buy them, I don't buy them here, preferring the more reasonable prices and great selection of the TJX stores and other resources, and yes, no pricey shipping...

I know. Right. Like WHY am I going to watch TV or a movie on a cell phone, tablet or even my computer? Makes no sense at all when I have a nice larger screen upon which to watch, assuming, of course, there's anything worth watching, which there rarely is anymore...  No idea why the home shopping gurus appear to have forsaken the very medium that put them on the map... Sorry Q (et. al.) but if I want to shop on-line, there are lots and lots of options, not so much for TV shopping, but they've made it such an uninteresting, unimaginitive experience. It costs them a bundle to operate these networks and yes, it kind of makes you wonder why they don't opt for more bang for their buck...

As for Christmas, well, I suppose I'll get started on whatever I do soon. It isn't that I don't like it, I suppose it's simply become a shadow of what it used to be and so sort of a melancholy time in many ways... It's also a lot of work, or has been, historically. I don't bemoan 'the commercialization' and so on. It is what it is. The simple reality for me is that for Christmas-past, I spent any number of years pulling out all the stops and that just doesn't seem particularly justified or appealing, given the reality of Christmas-present... More to the point, honestly Spurt, I'm still trying to figure out where September and October got to!! I'm just not psychologically ready for it to be the holiday season already!! The months have flown, as they always seem to do, but one thing for sure, ready or not, here it comes...

Enjoy the day and take care...

[NC Bandwagon]

Hello, SPURT.

In all seriousness, that Vitamix blender isn't cheap. I know it sells, but who could be buying so many? It's an expensive blender and I don't think everyone can afford it. And it really is on for a very long time.

[GinaV24]

@Spurt yes, I feel that way as well.  There is very little programming that I want to watch on QVC these days.  AM Style was one of them but the product selection has turned me off so I turn QVC off.

Got a nice catalog from JJill and Talbots.  Next weekend, I plan to head over and take a look at the items in person.

As for the rest of the weekend's programming, I simply didn't watch. 

[GinaV24]

@Spurt so sorry to hear about your friend's kitty.  That is so very sad.  I know that any of us who have had pets we've loved so much and lost can feel that pain.