That letter!

Got it today! claims I have returned 53% of my purchases where as under their terms and conditions only 50% may be returned and if I don't mend my ways they will no longer deal with me.

Simply not true! may have returned 50% in terms of product, really have no idea, some bits of make up and bits of jewellery, but in October bought a laptop for £400 and have spent nowhere near that amount since then.

This is the first I have heard of only being allowed to return 50% of items, never hear that mentioned when they are BEGGING you to buy. Letters going to OFT and Broadcasting Standards. not that I care that much.

Ruthmay said:

Got it today! claims I have returned 53% of my purchases where as under their terms and conditions only 50% may be returned and if I don't mend my ways they will no longer deal with me.

Simply not true! may have returned 50% in terms of product, really have no idea, some bits of make up and bits of jewellery, but in October bought a laptop for £400 and have spent nowhere near that amount since then.

This is the first I have heard of only being allowed to return 50% of items, never hear that mentioned when they are BEGGING you to buy. Letters going to OFT and Broadcasting Standards. not that I care that much.

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OMG..are you serious that is outrageous...they should not be allowed to get away with that ...they never mention anything about it.
In fact some presenters JF,JH encourage you to buy items in a few diff colours see which you prefer and send the rest back if you want to..they should not be allowed to say this if QVC are then going to send what amounts to a threatening letter..:down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down:

Ruthmay said:

Got it today! claims I have returned 53% of my purchases where as under their terms and conditions only 50% may be returned and if I don't mend my ways they will no longer deal with me.

Simply not true! may have returned 50% in terms of product, really have no idea, some bits of make up and bits of jewellery, but in October bought a laptop for £400 and have spent nowhere near that amount since then.

This is the first I have heard of only being allowed to return 50% of items, never hear that mentioned when they are BEGGING you to buy. Letters going to OFT and Broadcasting Standards. not that I care that much.

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Make sure you point out any returns which were faulty, took too long to arrive, were already returns, wrong size/colour etc. 50% seems like such an arbitary amount when they rant on about their MBG yet can't breakdown returns to show those that were actually the customer changing their mind and those that were their own fault.

Keep us posted about OFT!

I wonder over what period of time they average the rate of your returns. Averaged over last few years my rate of return is probably 10%, if they averaged it over past 6 months it's probably 75%. Also, I wonder if they review quantities bought when looking at these averages.

I had "the Letter" a few years back.I was absolutely outraged by it - never heard it ever mentioned that you cannot send over a certain amount back.


I argued and argued with a very snotty young man about they never advertise this - I've spent thousands with them - Mr Marks and Spencer would never do this - he'd love the thousands I'd spent with QVC - but he didn't care.Wouldn't even believe me,when I maintained that no one had called me to "discuss" my account,as apparently they do before sending "The Letter".He basically told me to buck up or clear out!!!

Forward to a recent conversation I had with accounts - after I read the news that they were going to close PPC's account.I phoned up CS to ask them to advise me at what percentage rate my returns were at.They laughed at me,and told me to "worry about more important things in life".But I persisted and a man from accounts rang me back.

He told me he had worked out roughly (then) my returns rate was at about 32% and I had nothing to worry about.I told him that oh I but do worry - now I do know about this "clause" I do worry about it - and if they are making decisions on my account,then surely I'm justified in asking for the percentage?! So he told me I had a "good account with nothing to worry about"

He went onto to give me "tips":yawn: and his top one was that he only buys what he needs and uses - other than that he's not interested in the item:yawn: He went onto to discuss with me all the other things I was banging on about,while I was in the mood - and he even had the cheek to tell me that they can't advertise the percentage return rate "or no one will ever buy anything would they????!!!!" and "we can't cap P&P because we don't have the technology to do it!!!!!!!!!"

He went onto to admit that "we couldn't possibly read every returned item slip" and had no idea if things were faulty or not,and this would not be taken into consideration when working out a percentage rate.

His passing tip to me was to "buy less and only the things that I need".I told him I'm invited to try over and over again - but apparently I'm "not in a position to do that".


Ok,right.

Forward even further to today,I buy such little from QVC.I think I've bought 3 things from them this year - and all have been returned.I've had a bit of a splurge this past week :sweat::sweat:- 2 kipling bags,pair of birkenstocks and then some pillows using my easter promo code.1 bag has already gone back and the birkenstocks will go back on Tuesday.At £55 for a pair of pillows - they will certainly go backif they don't ease my neck pain - easypay or not!!

So I feel on quite "dangerous" ground myself.But then again,I'm not going to put with misrepresented or shoddy goods.

However I have to say since the letter - I now know longer "try" - despite me being told "that my account is good,and its like that conversation never happened".So IMO,QVC could be losing lots of sales - as who knows,I may have "tried" things and loved them? and how many other people are careful because of such dealings with QVC.

The other thing that really peed me off was I never used the 30 day MBG.I always sent things back immediately.Nothing was soiled or used - you can bet your bottom dollar that those goods were sent out again in pristine condition - so QVC were hardly losing out?

What's the time frame for this mystical 50%? Weeks? Months? Years? That certainly isn't made clear and as RD said if you aren't buying much then your returns count for more?

Do Ideal World have the same terms and conditions?

They are probably doing you a favour as QVC is getting tackier by the day IMO.

Sorry to apple, I meant to quote your post (#4) in mine (#6) but stupidity prevailed.

Is the long sticky thread from a few months ago still available; it might be useful for newer members for reference?

As far as I can remember no one had a definitive answer from QVC as to the qualifying period for the 50% measurement.

Jude xx

Thanks for all your comments. really instructive! I buy very little from Q now, just getting into South Western Silver,but buying off their website is cheaper even with the postage from US. gone off Laura Geller, mostly buy Bobbi Brown direct from their website, mostly use the MBG for make up now, blushers, lipsticks, so I know I can return it if I don't like it. SBC have special offer throughout May, 2 for 1 in whatever size you buy, can't beat that! last time they did that I bought the 1 litre size Collagen shower gel and got another 1 litre free!

So the letter does not really cause me much inconvenience. However, I don't see why they should get away with this sort of threatening behaviour and will let you know the response I get from OFT and broadcasting standards. It is so exactly opposite to what the presenters are urging you to do, either they should publish the fact of the 50% return rate or live with it!

Well I am disgusted that my fellow forumites have been written and spoken to as if they are naughty children who are spurning their vegetable in favour of sweeties. "only buy what you need" oh for pity's sake!!! QVC don't sell anything a person actually needs, (well apart from vacumn cleaners and pans ) nearly all of their wares are hawked using the techniques of aspiration, treats, fantasy and luxury. How dare they burble on and on and on about the 30 day mbg without the merest whisper of the conditions they attach to this much vaunted selling pitch.

vampyre said:

What's the time frame for this mystical 50%? Weeks? Months? Years? That certainly isn't made clear and as RD said if you aren't buying much then your returns count for more?

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I would also like to know the time period too because I dont buy much now so if I buy 2 items in a month and return one then my return rate would be 50% but if it was over 6 months or more it wouldnt be a problem
One of the reasons I like buying from QVC is that you can try things out and still be able to return them

Watchdog or Which might be interested in this new development. Particularly if people haven't been warned in the terms and conditions about the percentage returns policy.

I wonder if QVC are suffering because of the recession and people are buying less . Perhaps they are feeling the pinch and aren't meeting their sales targets .
Possibly that is why they are now making it more difficult for people to return stuff. I certainly object to it being in secret . I wonder if this 50% policy is fairly recent or has it been going a long time ?
I suppose , like many financial situations , ' terms and conditions apply ' , but at least we should be made aware of that !

The last letter i got specifically said they would study my account over a three month period. If my returns rate remained too high my account would be closed. They specified which 3 months as well. I didn't hear from them after the 3 months and assumed everything was OK. I was surprised when 6 months after the specified 3 month scrutiny they closed my account, for too many returns.

Its such a shame as QVC's biggest pull is the 30 no quibble MBG.

I actually like shopping with QVC - or certainly I wouldn't want that option taken away from me - but I do feel "very careful" all the time.

A suggestion?

For several years I have kept a record detailing purchases - dates and items - and the reasons for my returning any given item. A simple at-a-glance table enables me to identify those items returned which:-
1- were not fit for purpose
2- were defective
3- did not meet expectations based on details given on the web or by the sales presenters
4- were too large/ too small
5- caused a reaction to my skin
6- were sent in error
7- arrived too late
8- I just did not like

For any given time period ( 1 month,3 months, six months etc), I am able to work out the percentages of returns to purchases. By tabulation – categories along the top, and dates and purchases down the side – I am able to work out the percentages of ‘enforced’ returns – those falling within categories 1 to 7.

If ever QVC sent the letter, or called me, to query my returns, I would be in a position to counter QVC. In addition, should I wish to take the matter further with the appropriate bodies, I would be able to provide the detailed statistics supporting my case.

Rainbowdottie reported that a chap from QVC accounts had told her that QVC “couldn't possibly read every returned item slip", and that, in consequence, the reasons for returns were not taken into account when QVC compiled return rates. I find the statement by the QVC accounts chap hard to believe, given the automated nature of processes in QVC’s line of business, and given that QVC does ask customers to provide the information on the returns counterfoil. However, if it is true that QVC doesn't use the information on why customers are returning goods, then surely that would be a damning indictment of QVC's attitudes and practices.

I woinder if the OP has taken up this issue with Watchdog - they love something like this! I'm expecting The Letter soon, having bought about 5 things over the last 3 months and returned them all. I bought some diamonique earrings which looked beautiful on screen but when they arrived they were very thin and flimsy - on top of which they hurt my ears! And when you're buying clothes from QVC and they don't fit, are you supposed to just keep them anyway?

Hubby uses my QVC account too and he's had to send one or two things back for one reason or another.

I never buy anything "just to try it out" as I have to pay postage both ways if I do that and it makes it an expensive "try". Now I'm not sure whether to continue watching QVC as I don't want to feel pressured into keeping something which isn't suitable.

this is an interesting statement copied from the website too;

Please return goods in their original condition

hmm presenters invite us to do otherwise!!

We had The Letter a couple of years ago. We wrote to QVC's then CEO and also raised a complaint with the ASA. Frankly, neither wanted to know. QVC couldn't care less about their standing customers. They're only really interested in ripping off newbies who haven't learned the hard way. The ASA didn't agree that QVC not telling us the facts was tantamount to fibbing. The only thing that changed during our complaint's progress was that they stopped using the term "no quibble" on air. Whether or not that was related at the time is unknown.

We barely watch now because there is nothing to buy, shows are boring and lacklustre and I'm fed up to the back teeth hearing about presenters' lives and the ego stroking. The one item I did order never showed up. Even though they know that, they make me wait for ages to sort it out and I'm sure it'll just be marked as a return on my account.

I've said it so many times now, but when their little text messages appear on screen that say "everything is covered by our 30 day MBG", they should be made to add "T&Cs apply, see website for details." Then everyone has a fair chance to find out what the facts are. Every other financial products has to advertise that conditions are attached, selling crap to the public should be no different!