poor excuse after poor excuse

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vegasplayer

Registered Shopper
Joined
Jul 12, 2008
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darn sarf
hey everyone,

i know i might seem a bit down on this channel, but from what i have gathered the following is true

steve bennett was the man that sold jungle.com in the .com bubble, started gems tv however many years ago, has been on the internet with rocks.tv for 18 months before coming to sky (stop me if any of this is wrong)

so why

a) has the website changeover been so slow and chaotic
b) does his book need more reprints for major spelling mistakes
c) do his on screen graphics look very amateur
d) is his jewellery bits that only generate small margins as they would have on gems - there are no money pieces
e) can us web buyers not get involved when only one available - another 'web bug' supposedly
f) do steve's nails still look unpresentable
g) is steve undermining his presenters by never letting them present, but produce, sweep the floor, make the coffee and everything but present the programmes
h) has he no more than a small handful of promos made


I could go on, but do you see what I mean. It isn't like he didn't know he was going on TV - it must've been the plan for a long time and it was him that set Gems TV up in the first place.

strange!!
 
Yes, a lot of valid points here, but give him a break! Still genuine gemstones, still good prices! Gloss and efficiency will follow....or customers will drop out...
 
I'm more interested in the substance than the gloss. Gloss is extremely expensive and gives the customer nothing other than something pretty to look at. There is the Lorique Colection for those that want high end pieces, meanwhile t'other stuff brings in some customers and a bit of bread and butter. xxxx
 
A brave set of questions to ask and much of which only Steve can answer.

From what I sense I gather the TV license for "Rocks TV" was granted much sooner than expected and the Coloured Rocks web site went back while "still under reconstruction" to meet the demands of his customers.

That said I share many of your frustrations, especially the obligation to telephone for "single" pieces. I struggle to believe that expectation is reasonable for jewellery at the lower price of the scale and was frustration by the requirement after phoning in for a lorique piece that was being auctioned to find the phone ringing and ringing and the piece going to another buyer.

I shall be interested to see how this forum develops.
 
Hi Vegasplayer

The reason you have to ring in if only 1 item is available is a week or so ago a rogue bidder was bidding on quite a few of the auctions where only 1 item was available, including lorique pieces. Rocks then decided that if only 1 was available then it would be telephone bids only until they write some software which will enable web bidders to buy and for high value items you will have to pay immediately. If you want to blame anyone then blame the rogue bidder and not Rocks.
 
hey everyone,

i know i might seem a bit down on this channel, but from what i have gathered the following is true

steve bennett was the man that sold jungle.com in the .com bubble, started gems tv however many years ago, has been on the internet with rocks.tv for 18 months before coming to sky (stop me if any of this is wrong)

so why

a) has the website changeover been so slow and chaotic
b) does his book need more reprints for major spelling mistakes
c) do his on screen graphics look very amateur
d) is his jewellery bits that only generate small margins as they would have on gems - there are no money pieces
e) can us web buyers not get involved when only one available - another 'web bug' supposedly
f) do steve's nails still look unpresentable
g) is steve undermining his presenters by never letting them present, but produce, sweep the floor, make the coffee and everything but present the programmes
h) has he no more than a small handful of promos made


I could go on, but do you see what I mean. It isn't like he didn't know he was going on TV - it must've been the plan for a long time and it was him that set Gems TV up in the first place.

strange!!

:mysmilie_348: Thought I would pop on my thoughts....

a) ALL changeovers of IT systems are slow and chaotic, no matter how long and hard you have planned for them and no matter how rigorously you have tested your software. We did a full system change at my office llast April that had been in production for 2 years following a roll out in Europe the year before that, and we are STILL finding quirky little problems with it occasionally. At first it was a blooming nightmare, but it calmed down after a couple of months, so nature of the beast I would suggest.

b) He self finances (as far as I know) the printing of his books, so it doesn't go via editors or publishers. Steve is dyslexic so spelling mistakes are going to happen, and unless you are a professional proof reader, other people reading it through are going to miss things. Besides, I have numerous fiction best sellers that have at least one spelling error in them!!

c) I don't think they look any worse than The Dark Side.

d) They have a huge amount of ranges, and more designs in the £100 - £300 price range are coming through, Steve was saying yesterday. Also, the Lorique range is pretty high end. Steve has said over and over since they went to Sky that he is purposely showing a lot of lower end pieces at fantastic prices just now because he wants people to try them out. I guess people are more likely to 'take a risk' on a new company where less money is involved. If they are impressed with the service and quality, then they are more likely to make larger purchases. He has been absolutely open and honest about that, so fair play!

e) The reason single item auctions are phone only is because in the first day or two of Sky, someone made up a load of different user names (they identified them as all the same person from the IP addy) and clicked 'buy' on all the single item, high end pieces, including a Lorique, a substantial diamond bracelet, and a few other things. It came to pass that the individual had no intention of purchasing the items, so Rocks made the decision to make single item purchases phone only. The ability to buy single items on the web will come back, but they are, quite rightly if you ask me, trying to come up with a way that will cover their back. I have heard something about on a single item high end auction, web buyers will be asked to check the piece out right away, and only once this has been done will the purchase be confirmed. Don't quote me on that bit though!!!

f) Steve trapped his nail in a locker - he keeps apologising for the state of one of his nails in particular!!

g) It's Steve's business and at the end of the day he can do what he likes! If he wants to present, then why not!! I like him presenting - his prices are fab!!! I don't see it as undermining his presenters, more that he is so passionate etc about his business, he would love to do it all, the whole time! He was exactly the same when Rocks first started on the Web! He comes accross as VERY MUCH a guy who may own and run the company, but will roll up his sleeves and get in there with everyone else at the rock face (pardon the pun!!) to make things work. He seems absolutely committed to making sure every aspect of the business is 100% the best it can be, and to make sure this is the case, gets personally involved in every little bit of it. I think there are a number of CEO's who could learn a hell of a lot from that kind of approach.

h) I haven't seen more than a few on the other channels, and those that he has are actually really good...the one with the woman and the lamp post is so totally something I would do!!! Love the presenter ones as well. I am guessing that these will grow and we will see more as the hours expand, and the customer base gets larger, possibly with more geared towards special hours that may be coming up etc. I think he has ample for the time being.

Of course, the above is all just my opinion, but I think that all the points you raise are perfectly explainable. I think Rocks have done a fantastic job with the change over, and I have gotten myself some fab bargains too!! Long may it continue I say!!!
 
oooooo carp, that's a big one isn't it!!! come out of exile and there's no shutting me up!!! Lol!! Apologies for making you all cross eyed!!! lol!!!
 
<a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253Fpartner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNxpt484YYGB%2526i%253D3%252F3%255F8%255F12v%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/3/3_8_12v.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252Fnocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egif%253Fi%253D3%252F3_8_12v%2526uiv%253D3.0/image.gif"></a> xxx

That's longer than one of mine!
 
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Lol Princess!!!
Would just like to say what a brilliant post PR and to add that Steve is expecting to be away for a lot of February and is putting in as much time since the launch as he can to ensure this new venture gets off to a great start..he seems to be very supportive of his entire team and keen to iron out any little niggles which inevitably crop up whenever you start something new.
I think he seems to be a very 'hands on' boss and I applaud that, wasn't too long ago he was busily painting and drilling the new set in the background as his presenters did the shows!! What a gem he is!
 
Got to say I enjoy the channel, but do agree with a few of Vegasplayer's points.

Website - as I have said in another topic, to me it looks very basic and can't imagine it took more than a day to knock together.

The book - how many thousands have been printed, surely it would have been worth having it proof read?

Nails - they are yuck! I'm a man so am not too sure myself, but how much does a manicure cost? He is fronting the channel every day near on, yes he has admitted they are vile himself, so why doesn't he do something about it? His wife should tie him down for 15 minutes and sort them out!

Presenting - yes he is the boss, but you do get the feeling especially with Carol that they don't want to be producers, they want to be presenters. Maybe he should firm up a schedule and not waste money having presenters in the building when he wants’ to be on air? Several nights I've seen two presenters 'producing' - surely a waste of his money?

A good point someone made in this thread about Steve being on air is they love his prices, a point I raised in another topic - he undermines the other presenters prices by taking items lower. So why bother buying from the channel unless he is on air as he will undoubtedly bring the price down further.

Please don't all jump on my back like has been done with Vegas, I know Steve has a lot of fans, as I've said in that past I have nothing against him, he is one of my favourites to watch and he is a big enough man to take criticism so no need so many people to defend him from every corner!
 
I think Steve is on so much because the channel has just launched and he is trying to get as many new customers as possible. He's had several people phoning in to say they were channel hopping, recognised him and have now bought from Rockstv. He's also said that he takes the prices so low to attract new customer as it's much cheaper than advertising.
 
Got to say I enjoy the channel, but do agree with a few of Vegasplayer's points.

Website - as I have said in another topic, to me it looks very basic and can't imagine it took more than a day to knock together.

The book - how many thousands have been printed, surely it would have been worth having it proof read?

Nails - they are yuck! I'm a man so am not too sure myself, but how much does a manicure cost? He is fronting the channel every day near on, yes he has admitted they are vile himself, so why doesn't he do something about it? His wife should tie him down for 15 minutes and sort them out!

Presenting - yes he is the boss, but you do get the feeling especially with Carol that they don't want to be producers, they want to be presenters. Maybe he should firm up a schedule and not waste money having presenters in the building when he wants’ to be on air? Several nights I've seen two presenters 'producing' - surely a waste of his money?

A good point someone made in this thread about Steve being on air is they love his prices, a point I raised in another topic - he undermines the other presenters prices by taking items lower. So why bother buying from the channel unless he is on air as he will undoubtedly bring the price down further.

Please don't all jump on my back like has been done with Vegas, I know Steve has a lot of fans, as I've said in that past I have nothing against him, he is one of my favourites to watch and he is a big enough man to take criticism so no need so many people to defend him from every corner!


:mysmilie_348: ...a few more of my thoughts...

Website - Quite similar in style as the old CR, but all the background software has changed, and the physical way it works has changed. Believe you me that will have taken MONTHS to develop, and is only up in its current form due to popular demand, so if it isn't working quite as thoroughly as it should, or it doesn't look quite as it should then we only have ourselves to blame really, don't we!!

The book - as I said previously, I own a large number of best sellers that have typos in them....and why focus on this?? It's a ruddy book for goodness sake, does it reflect on the jewellry, prices and service offered by Rocks if there is a typo?? Are we the spelling police all of a sudden?? :mysmilie_61:

Nails - After reading about how horrible people thought they were I was paying very close attention last night...apart from the locker related injury, I don't see a problem. They look fine to me! Not as lovely as Baz's but then there can be only 1 king of the manicure!!

Presenters - Having them produce saves money on producers, so while you may consider it wasteful, they don't have to employ a further two people. I remember back in the very beginning of Rocks there was a core of about 7 or 8 people who used to do everything...Chloe for example would be on camera one minute, then be producing, then doing something else altogether, so multi faceting is something they look for in their people. (I know....that multe faceting gag was terrible...apologies!!) Why waste money hiring someone who can only produce when you can hire a single person that can present AND produce??

Steve's prices are always going to be better because he can over rule the price the producer sets because he owns the company. If he really wanted to he could have every price set to a pound!! It isn't undermining anyone at all, its him using his discretion as CEO to do what the hell he likes!! It's exactly why when I make a major purchase I do so from small independent retailers and deal only with the store owner....he is the person that can give me the best deal because the buck stops with him!

In so far as your comment about 'so many people defending him' why shouldn't we feel as free to post our opinions?? This is a forum and different people have different opinions. That yours differ from mine don't make either of them any the less valid. That you choose to view my opinions as being expressed purely to defend Steve is your own affair, but in the same way as I would never ask you not to express your views just because I disagree with them, I feel that the same courtesy ought to be extended all round.
 
personaly I like everything about rocks tv
its a family owned company and so many people do take turns at different jobs
his man hands do not offend me, I am to busy looking at the bling to care
I think the presenters can be themselves, so much better than all that fake gasping and cooing and cheesy crud I have witnessed on other channels
whats wrong with the graphics? they do the job they are ment to do!
the book? its free what more do you want????
Steve is like a kid in a sweet shop, so what if he wants to present, if you own a shop and you love what you sell, wouldnt you wanna work in it????
as for the I T problems, they did all that in house and while I can see it is frustraiting that there are clitches, all good things come to those who wait, with prices like the ones at rocks its worth the wait.
Please please please steve do not change the way you and your team work, its real,honest and very watchable....I would suggest anyone who finds it other wise, watches the antics on the other channels.....I know what I prefer!!!!
nuff said. :)
 
Hear Hear PrincessRacer and Cherrypicker, <a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253Fpartner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNxpt484YYGB%2526i%253D36%252F36%255F2%255F68%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_2_68.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252Fnocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egif%253Fi%253D36%252F36_2_68%2526uiv%253D3.0/image.gif"></a>was trying to type what was whizzing in my head but read your posts and they covered them exactly,
 
it's clear to see that there is a lot of love on the forum for Steve.

don't get me wrong, I wish him luck - but it feels to me that he is walking nose first into the same situation as he had with his wine channel because he doesn't know when to step back

it what Lee Jones says, he is correct that if Steve bills his deals as the only ones that can go so low, what chance do his presenters have when he decides to be away all of February. Customers will just wait for him to get back and not buy in the meantime.

from what I remember of the wine channel, it was lots of steve doing deals to start and a lot of live programmes. it clearly didn't work when his presenters were on screen and ended up with just steve and then no channel. no-one can deny steve has the right intentions, but someone i think needs to reign him in before his ego destroys what he has created.

what do i know though, my hubby will laugh I know when my wooden ring arrives and he thinks i spend too much time on these foroms
 
i agree about Steve 'barging in' on the presenting cos it annoys me too and i thought Jamie looked a tad peeved t'other day....that said, i enjoy the format and interaction of Rocks and have never felt inclined to watch any other jewellery channels previously or now. I'm not a fine jewellery lover and it is the costume pieces that Rocks offer which draw me in.
 
I am absolutely not the type of person to leap to the Bennetts' defence & start squeaking about how lovely they are & what 'meanies' some folk are to have the audacity to make negative comments about their business, however, in answer to the points the OP made:

a) has the website changeover been so slow and chaotic - who knows, I know nowt about techie stuff but I do know it can throw up all sorts of unexpected problems just when you don't want it to!
I do want my wishlist & the ring size options back pretty darn quick though! lol

b) does his book need more reprints for major spelling mistakes - spelling mistakes are annoying but the contents of the book are what counts here & I love it, got two copies in fact & gave one to my daughter (a graphics student!) as she was so impressed by the graphics in it!

c) do his on screen graphics look very amateur - simple is good, all I need to know is size, weight, gemstone, that's it, anything else is just distracting!

d) is his jewellery bits that only generate small margins as they would have on gems - there are no money pieces - works for all the big supermarkets, they make zillions on penny profits!

e) can us web buyers not get involved when only one available - another 'web bug' supposedly - maybe they want to make definite contact with buyers of one-off pieces or last remaining pieces, saves disappointment for others if the buyer decides they don't want it after all, having simply clicked 'Buy'?

f) do steve's nails still look unpresentable - Steve is a 'hands on' kinda guy, people who sail across the Atlantic & build their own sets tend not to think of manicures as a priority, even if they could afford to have one daily! His hands are clean, just a bit battered but 'real man's hands' are fine by me & kinda sexy actually IMHO! lol

g) is steve undermining his presenters by never letting them present, but produce, sweep the floor, make the coffee and everything but present the programmes - he's just excited & wants to get it up & running, who wouldn't be? I'm sure Sarah will hoik him off if & when she decides he's had enough of 'hogging the limelight'! lol

h) has he no more than a small handful of promos made - how many do you need?

Yes, I've had a few problems myself with the channel/company:
1. Couldn't log on for ages (like many others!) but thanks to John B for emailing back & forth & trying to sort it out, how many company directors would do that?
2. They lost a return once & it took ages to get a refund whilst system was switching over to the new one!
3. Another ruddy item, (that I especially wanted! grr!) fell out of my basket because I miscounted the days it had been in there, having forgotten to write it down as we no longer get the 'reminder' emails!

So, as somebody with no patience, a fusewire of (at best & on a good day!) of only a few millimetres, why do I let the niggles go & keep shopping with this company? Simple:
The people, the prices, the pieces, they're all brilliant!
I will stick with RocksTV, no matter the odd hiccup because it is a proper family business, sourcing & designing their own items & selling them at a genuine 'cut out the middleman' prices!

Sometimes I swear about things, stamp by feet, sulk or have a dolly-out-the-pram-moment but as far as companies go, I do honestly believe the people behind it are genuinely great & worth sticking with, warts & all! lol
 
I've not watched nearly enough to make any comments about the presenting or the technical problems really, but I'm confused about the nails? I watched last night and they didn't strike me as bad, they were clean which is good enough for me, I don't like to see a mans hands to manicured, it's sort of girly. :mysmilie_82:
 

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