Are we all upset because??????

Are we all upset because Steve Bennett started his massive jewellery fan club by telling us his new company Rocks TV was different, it was the fore front of how a company should respect it's customers, be honest , be fair , have the best customer services............."on the planet!"

Didn't he used to say that Rocks was not like all those other jewellery shopping channels where the customers were just numbers and those big companies didn't care whether customers came and went? Didn't he used say he was pioneering a new company based on customer loyalty?

Rocks TV also sold some jewellery that wasn't 100% but it was addictive because the presenters were amiable , fair , returns were prompt but the customer services (with Kathy) were probably the best............. "on the planet". Now customer services at Gems TV are just like any other, the luck of the draw whether you get a helpful response or dismissive one.

Gems TV now is no different to the Gems TV of pre Coloured Rocks takeover and look where that went?.....Down the plug hole. Maybe keeping the management and some of the presenters as of the bankrupt Gems TV was not so clever as it obviously was not a winning formula?

I know why I have an axe to grind with Gems TV , it is because Mr. Bennet promised a refreshing, honest, outstanding customer services jewellery company.

And I feel let down because Gems TV is the trashy company it was a year ago.

This is all in MHO, of course

I think Steve did start out that way with Rocks, but I'm afraid Rocks is dead and buried and I agree that we do now seem to have a fairly trashy looking/sounding jewellery company.
I appreciate that sometimes you have to move with the times and I'm sure it must be a very difficult market out there and I feel the decision has been taken to appeal to a much broader audience, hence the plethera of silver and simply awful bags etc.
If the old model wasn't working, then Mr. B has every right to change things, it's just that it's been done in a fairly underhand way that leaves a bad taste in the mouth. That and the fact that I don't much like a lot of the stuff on sale now (though some is still fab), I don't like being shouted at and I certainly don't feel that there is a 'the customer is always right' attitude in this company. On the contrary, we are all sheep who don't know our own minds and there's nothing wrong at Gems at all. Please just be open and honest with us and you'll find we can be a forgiving lot.
To end on a positive note, they still offer a 30 day MBG.

Different opinion from me I'm afraid.

I loved the GemsTV of old. The Steve Ashton days. The quality, the bargains, the customer service, the variety of gemstones, Don Kogan coming on in his brash way - it just hit the mark.

IMVHO when Steve B left, it didn't really have an impact. The impact happened when Steve Ashton left. From there it seemed to go down hill quickly. Now, I realise that Steve A wasn't a Director but he was the "face" of GemsTV and seemed to keep everybody happy.

RocksTV to me was always a poor relation. I hated the trashy quality of the items, the dire gemstones, the lack of treatment availability, the chat that started off brilliantly and went down hill rapidly, the "this is designed by us" spiel when clearly they weren't and you could buy exactly the same elsewhere blah blah blah. The only good thing was Katherine when she was there, Alan's presenting skills and the customer service.

So was I excited when Steve B bought back GemsTV? Not 100%. I wasn't sure how it would work out. It was good to have it back in UK hands and that GemsTV was still going to be around and not consigned to the bankruptcy court in the sky and since Steve DID start the original GemsTV there was hope .................... I'm still waiting but think perhaps things have now moved on and too far from where it was.

Interestingly, I don't mind change and I champion it normally. However, change has to be committed to AND be for the best. I understand the market has changed considerably from when Steve B first had GemsTV and perhaps that's the reason for the over-selling. I dunno.

Do I care? I'd hate to see it disappear but I don't care enough to get het up about it because you can buy better elsewhere. How sad is that to say? It's a shame though and I do wish that I could be more positive.

Interesting perspective Meesh and I know you got to meet Steve A on a number of occasions. I never did really understand why he left so suddenly. I know his daughter had been very ill and he wanted to spend more time with her, but everyone has to work and it would have been preferable for us if he'd stayed and just scaled down his hours. Of course maybe that just wasn't an option. I'm surprised he hasn't popped up somewhere else, but perhaps he'd just had enough.
I did enjoy Rocks when it first started and picked up some real bargains for my DD's, but everything has changed now and I even find I'm questioning the ethics of the company.

I have been deeply saddened by recent events especially when I remember the halcyon days of Gems when we couldn't wait to share our latest purchases with others on the forum. The discount codes, courtesy of Steve A, were an added bonus and a wonderful incentive to buy even more. It was all so much fun.

I have no intention of apportioning blame or taking sides in the 'bribery and bullying' debate because I believe there are probably faults on both sides .... seems to me that Graham and Steve have never enjoyed a particularly easy relationship.

I'll hold my hands up and say there are some presenters I can't watch and whose selling techniques leave me cold. In those instances I watch the livestream on my netbook with the volume on mute. All I want is honest facts about the piece being auctioned ... the gemstone, origin, quality, carat weight, dimensions, gold weight etc delivered in a calm mannor and without any over-hyped waffle. Having said that some recent threads have made very uncomfortable reading and were, imo, rather too personal and, at times, downright nasty.

I have bought some lovely pieces from both Gems and Rocks and maybe I've just been lucky but I've had very few problems with quality and I've even had rings sized down from a P to an I. Pieces I've returned have generally been because I didn't like them not because there was anything wrong with them. I don't buy so much these days because I've probably got enough to open a small shop.

In my opinion CS at Gems is still much better than other shopping channels ... 3 recent examples:

A few weeks ago I emailed about a Zultanite ring I liked in the Online Boutique and hadn't seen in a live auction. Sabeel replied and said I could have it at the lowest auction price, an offer I was more than happy to accept. He put it in my basket and gave me a few days to think about it and find out whether I could have it resized. It is now in my collection.

Last week I emailed Steve because I really wanted an 18k Gemfields Zambian Emerald & Diamond ring but ones I'd seen auctioned were too big .. anything bigger than 7x5mm looks wrong on my hand. The following day I received a phone call from Barry (Steve's PA) who had a list of item numbers and we chatted while I looked at them on my netbook. He couldn't have been kinder or more helpful but sadly none of them were right for me.

A while ago I had some rings resized by Regency and had requested they be re-hallmarked where necessary. They came back with a note saying they no longer did re-hallmarking. I emailed Steve who replied and said to send them to him and he would sort it out and true to his word he did and at no extra cost to me.

So, yes, I will continue to buy from Gems and maybe one of these days I'll even get round to reviewing some of my pieces with my usual dreadful pics.

... tell me when I can come out again, please.

jacqualina said:

Interesting perspective Meesh and I know you got to meet Steve A on a number of occasions. I never did really understand why he left so suddenly. I know his daughter had been very ill and he wanted to spend more time with her, but everyone has to work and it would have been preferable for us if he'd stayed and just scaled down his hours. Of course maybe that just wasn't an option. I'm surprised he hasn't popped up somewhere else, but perhaps he'd just had enough.
I did enjoy Rocks when it first started and picked up some real bargains for my DD's, but everything has changed now and I even find I'm questioning the ethics of the company.

Click to expand...

Me too Jacqualina. I'm becoming increasingly concerned about workers and conditions. Churning out these vast quantities of inexpensive items carries an air of the sweatshop about it. Because I believed all the ethical spiel from Rocks, this side of the jewellery trade didn't seem to be a problem with Rocks (although some of the mining conditions and pay will always be questionable).

Now it seems to me that when Steve takes on one of his philanthropic episodes, we pay and he takes the glory. The Earthwatch cards are a fine example. If I wish to make regular donations of 50p to a charity, I'd rather it was one of my own choosing and completely voluntary. Not a question of "if you don't give it then you can't buy the card". Then there's the jolly jaunts on his boat and the latest fancy - The London Marathon, great advertising and "networking" which we are asked to sponsor.

What about all this "family owned business" crapola. So what? Any non plc can have good intentions towards its workers and customers when not under the constraints of paying dividends. We don't need this meaningless phrase constantly rammed down our throats.

Almost a very clever businessman. Very personable and (initially) believable. To succeed to the sort of level he clearly has in mind he'll have to stop shooting himself in the foot with the constant tantrums when things aren't going his way. Does anyone remember that he actually had a bit of a flounce with us - the customers - over that business of the verruca chat and the lost magazine deal. Again, more evidence of the lack of concern for maintaining current customers in the unseemly haste to acquire new.

I still like enough of what Gems has to offer to keep me watching. I just wish that it was run more formally as a large company should. No one personality should be dominating the whole thing (he can't stay away from the camera can he?), it's inevitable that one such person will provoke mixed feelings from an audience/customers.

On a positive note, I'm so pleased that over the last couple of days I haven't had to put up with boobies in my face night and day. Noted with thanks. xxxxxxxxxxxx

Fluffster, we must both have been steaming at the fingertips, albeit differently, at the same time. xxxxxxxxx

Smiley studio......

argeybargey said:

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On a positive note, I'm so pleased that over the last couple of days I haven't had to put up with boobies in my face night and day. Noted with thanks. xxxxxxxxxxxx

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I'm sorry Argey.........but I couldn't resist! :blush:

All i know is in the old days I loved gems tv to the point I would cancel Saturday nights out because Don was coming over to do a show with "some special items"
Sometimes I would be busting with excitement for upcoming shows i will have worked out to the penny how much i could spend.
Now how do I feel? Simple i don't even watch the channel!

Fluff - no need to hide! I am really heartened to hear some positive words - in recent months we have seen so few. I still live in hope that gems can turn themselves back abit - take note of our comments which in the beginning probably started as constructive criticism .....the complete disregard of the views/comments mean the pokes have now turned into battering rams. I am disappointed. I loved to spend my money buying myself pretty things, I am rarely tempted so much so that Mr DPD has now become a stranger - he was almost a friend not so long ago.

In the words of Cher...If I could turn back time............but without the rather risque outfit of course!!!!

My short time with GemsTV

Well my good ole days for GemsTV don't go back that far, maybe 8-9 months before GemsTV had their big fire sale and RocksTV was launched. Rocks never did catch my attention much or for very long even when a couple of GemsTV presenters showed up there. I didn't know GemsTV in the golden years that has been written about here. But for me, my brief time watching Gems was my "good old days". There were "theme" shows like blue gemstones, ruby, pearl, Victorian range. That got my attention and I could plan to be by the TV at certain times. My regret is that I did not buy more :headbang: when prices were crashing during those last few days.

I never knew "this Steve B character". I'm sure he is a nice person and probably an ok business person. But from the get-go of the new GemsTV, I felt he was a bit of a snake oil salesman :sweat: ... (sorry to those of you who know him and like him), perhaps unfair but he kept popping onscreen when there was already a presenter doing his/her job. That bothered me, I kept asking "what's his problem?" Does he need the attention or what? :sweat:

Maybe he was just trying to reassure the viewers that his jewellery was going to be something you could believe in, that you as a consumer could have confidence to buy from GemsTV now ... (as if I didn't already have that because I spent too well.) He even made some side comments about only selling jewellery. Afterall it is a jewellery show and shouldn't be selling anything but "natural" stones, e.g., no crystals, no man-made gems or diamond simulants, no handbags , no celebrity fashion ranges, etc. But selling those items along with jewellery boxes, small ceramics, bits of meteor (?) didn't bother me as I think almost anything sold in a jewellery shop or boutique on the High Street is fair inventory for a shopping channel. Simply tell the facts about the products so that the viewer and customer can make a rational and informed decision. I felt a bit insulted as a viewer and customer with such comments during the first couple of weeks as I bought a crystal pendant and earrings set, some Stackers jewellery boxes and some opaque 'ethnic' style jewellery and thought some of the diamond simulants looked interesting.

There are enough hours in the day and week to carry a wide variety of ranges as "my" GemsTV did in those last few months of existence. It all comes down to good presenters telling the facts about all the items/products, hiding nothing and pricing the goods to reflect the quality. Let the buyer decide if they want faux diamonds, Alesha Dixon fashion baubles, Moissanite, tumbled stones, etc. If the ranges don't sell, then drop them. Any High Street shop would do the same. But you have to have good/excellent customer service and from reading this site again, it seems as though new management not only ruined the GemsTV's website but has also done CS no good. I have no personal experience of this as after the first couple of weeks of the new GemsTV debut (has it been a year? :clock: ), I left, never came back and took GemsTV off my TV's favourites channel list so I don't stop by for even a second or two anymore.

I miss my GemsTV which I know is not the same GemsTV that many of you knew "back in the day". But I liked watching it and too often found something I wanted to buy. Who knows I might find something there today that I would like, but too scared to try as it seems as though Gems is not even what I thought it once was.

:heartbroke::rain::angry:

Thanks for listening ...
:mysmilie_512:


:sleepy::sleepy::sleepy:

AmethystRox said:

I never knew "this Steve B character". I'm sure he is a nice person and probably an ok business person. But from the get-go of the new GemsTV, I felt he was a bit of a snake oil salesman :sweat: ... (sorry to those of you who know him and like him), perhaps unfair but he kept popping onscreen when there was already a presenter doing his/her job. That bothered me, I kept asking "what's his problem?" Does he need the attention or what? :sweat:

Click to expand...

That's always bothered me too - I thought it was because he didn't trust his mates to present properly, but I now think it's because he's a control freak AND he loves the attention!

All the things you said resonate with me AmethystRox; I didn't start watching until about 18 months ago and I really liked the themed hours, the diversity and the easy pay options. I don't have a choice of watching other designated jewellery channels as I'm on Virgin cable, but I'd rather sit through an hour of Pro Bull-Riding than a minute of Gems now...

Still - I did get some good stuff once....!

Jinny

AmethystRocks - your point of view is very interesting because although we've been watching for different lengths of time, the commonality is that we ALL feel it's changed to something that's unacceptable. That goes to show that it's not just us "oldies" that are feeling the pain and that GemsTV are turning off their customer base both new and old.

I've got to say that, if nothing else, your post should make GemsTV sit up and listen. Clearly they're not doinng what customers expect.

jinnyjamjar said:

Still - I did get some good stuff once....!

Jinny

Click to expand...

And that says it all. That's what makes it so sad.

After leaving Gems once the changeover took place, perhaps I didn't give it enough time, I just stayed away. I thought "now's a good time to call it quits" and depart. Stop spending money and time watching something that didn't appeal to me, etc. I don't even know how long I've been away. Partly by choice, just not going to GemsTV. Taking it off the TV's favourite list made not stopping by really quite easy. Then for several months I didn't have access to shopping telly. So even if I wanted to getting access was 'too much of an effort'.

I knew there had been a lot of changes in presenters by reading the thoughts shared here. But I just didn't return to check the changes out. Or let's say that I didn't view the show long enough to get sucked back in. When I came back to check things out, RocksTV had departed, but it never really did much for me. GemsTV2 (I think it was still on at that point) had disappeared too but it had become simply GemsTV1 Redux for sometime. I guess in a holding pattern until other changes were made.

JewelleryMaker was there before my unfortunate TV "blackout" but I didn't look at it long enough to get sucked into that. And quite frankly I didn't think it was very well done. I certainly didn't get excited about their product. Perhaps a bit unfair. The presenters seemed ill at ease or uncomfortable. So my money and time were safe. Then I noticed GemsExtra appeared. As I didn't want to get started up again with Gems I quickly scooted past.

I had been reading a bit on here and see that rather than doing one thing well, like GemsTV1, the new owners are stretching perhaps their abilities too thinly. Aren't there enough hours in the week to cover the content of all 3 channels on one channel? Do that one thing very well and the customers will come.

I just read comments about porosity in gold (I think by Meeshoo) and that has really scared me a bit. I knew that the gold was perhaps a bit thin but it never occurred to me that something could be badly "poured", best not to tell hubby. I didn't have to have anything re-sized as my ring size for my ring finger is N. Had it not been I would have saved myself a lot of money (maybe I'd have that new kitchen I've been thinking about) :taphead: I don't think I would have bothered if I had to have something re-sized. Or it would have to be mighty special.

I really liked GemsTV's website. For me it was so easy to navigate, the basket under my control (more or less) ... but apparently that changed with the replacement ...I only went there once and got so fed up that I left and never went back. But apparently it's better now :wonder: ???

Stopped by to take a look at Gems1 ... attractive blonde lady selling, when the heartbeat started up, I had to mute. That sound effect would run me off. If it had been on old GemsTV it wasn't as upfront. This version makes me think I might be watching a vampire movie.

I don't know ... don't think I'll come back again unless people on here write that wonderful changes have been made and there is real hope that a good jewellery show with good and great products has returned.

:mysmilie_504: :mysmilie_508:

:mysmilie_11: No more long-winded entries!!!


:mysmilie_496::mysmilie_496::mysmilie_496:

Oh dear ... just popped over to G-Extra ... pretty Rose de France Amethyst on Rose gold is on offer .... Must resist. :heart::heart::heart::sweat::sweat::sweat: The guy (don't know anyone's names anymore) said that there is 2g of gold ... Is the gold weight given on a regular basis? That's at least something. Don't be afraid to give the metal weight ... Oh well it's gone back to the vault so he says.

AmethystRox, your posts are never too long, they are fair non biast opinions and I for one enjoy reading them so please keep 'em coming



PJ

argeybargey said:

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Me too Jacqualina. I'm becoming increasingly concerned about workers and conditions. Churning out these vast quantities of inexpensive items carries an air of the sweatshop about it. Because I believed all the ethical spiel from Rocks, this side of the jewellery trade didn't seem to be a problem with Rocks (although some of the mining conditions and pay will always be questionable).

Click to expand...

I agree Argey that mining conditions and pay are probably quite a minefield (?!), but I was thinking more about the ethics of selling methods than the manufacturing side. I have been very disappointed with the company's reactions to our (admittedly at times quite brutal) criticisms and also to read that Steve is using methods that he doesn't like himself just for a sale.
When Steve started Rocks he made it quite clear that they weren't after huge profits, just very small margins to give his customers the best possible deals and to run a successful company for years to come. With the recent changes, this is clearly no longer the case, but it has been presented as if it's been done purely for our benefit.
They are still running the video telling us all the recent format changes are 'improvements' and give the customer more choice. Improvements to whom? All they've done is gain total control of the final selling price and give us an extra hour to buy the pieces at that price if there are any left. It's also worded like this on the websitte. No honesty whatsoever and this, together with lots of dubious claims from the presenters, is why I question the ethics of the company.
Having said all this, I do still believe that Steve's direct employees will be well treated and work in good conditions with fair to good pay. I'm sure they work hard, but doubt whether any of them work under sweatshop conditions.
I just wish our comments hadn't been taken so personally and at some point the company had put their hands up and admitted not everything was perfect and made some changes rather than excuses. If we'd seen some positive responses to our criticisms way back, matters would never have descended into the state they are now. All very sad.

I am on the other side of the world , my Visa was blocked for security reasons , put another card on my account, no idea if all is well , spent a fortune trying to get through to Customer services but I cannot afford to listen to endless messages on an international mobile. Cannot sign in to my Gems account , so stuff has fallen out of my basket. Emailed CS twice now , no response!. Not sure if I am expecting a parcel on my return???

Not going to bust a gut about it all as I haven't been thrilled with the quality lately and the prices are not much of a bargain any more, just the going rate.

I read all these threads on here and I am grateful there is such a forum , so I realise it is just not me who thinks things are not as good as they could be/were.

Still there are other channels , so time to say goodbye to Gems TV and "shimmy on by"