Advanced orders...will it backfire?

We've all noticed that recent sell-out TSVs and other popular items are being offered on "advanced order". I just wonder whether QVC may be shooting themselves in the foot as it take the edge off that frenzied urgency to buy whipped up by the presenters?

In the past I've waited to order a TSV on waitlist (how sad am I): It gives me longer to decide whether to go ahead with the order (or cancel before it's despatched), often based on feedback on this forum. Also a part of me devolves responsibilty to fate to decide whether I actually get something!

Mostly I cancel the watlist and I suspect the same thing may happen with advanced orders. My DD ordered the GHDs on advanced order but she has the babylis straighteners which some forum members favour over the GHDs anyway; I'm thinking she should test a friend's GHDs and maybe cancel (£100 is a lot of money from a 13year old's account).

Another thought occured...I always understood that the distance selling regs for shopping channels precluded them from selling items they don't actually have stock control of. Ideal World used to act like a drop-shipper a few years ago leading to serious supply problems (well documented on the previous ST.com). Have the rules changed then? To my mind they're using AO to test the market for potential sales, reducing their risk. They don't have to confirm their final wholesale order until the orders are in the bag (less a few cancellations) and aren't left with odments of sizes which end up in Last Clicks.

Still...I'm sure they'll pass those :cash:avings on to us! Yeah right!

Jude xx

I'm meant to be clearing out my kitchen for its refit! Procrastination is a wonderful thing...long posts from me are a sure sign I should be doing something else!

The advanced order thing really winds me up. In my opinion, it's a cop-out. They seem to be struggling in the recession, and I agree with you-it's a way of testing interest in a product without over-committing in the first place. We end up watching endless re-runs of the TSV, when we could have OTO's. I am sure that many people are glad to get a second chance, but if the buyers took more notice of forums like this, they might get their quantities right in the first place, allowing people to get the TSV on the day!!!
Rant over!

I doubt very much QVC are struggling, but I supect they are buying less of TSV's, but using advanced orders so they don't have a warehouse full of stuff not sold.
Also as they are telling us up front it is on advanced order then I don't see a problem.As they dont take the money till they ship.

I was always under the impression that it was the supplier who could not meet QVC's order demand and therefore advance orders were to give them time to produce more to meet that demand. Not the other way round, that QVC were actually ordering less.

I read the QVC US community board and they have been doing the advanced orders for quite sometime now. TSVs of jewellery and tech items too. Cosmetics like Halo which was on pre release by months when it was first shown. If I remember it was shown in July but the orders would not be despatched until October.

Quite a few of the people on the forum there are not happy about all the ADs, they want the stuff now not in months time.

I can see QVC here going more and more for this too. Lets them know how many to actually order, even if people cancel they will have stock on the website and to sell on live tv again.

I wonder how they even decide how many TSVs to have in the first place.

Some catalogues send out the new season catalogues for advance orders and base their main order on the number of each item ordered in advance.

Some shops have flagship stores and then the other branches get their allocation based on what sells well in the flagship branch

How do QVC do it?

Cos clearly they're getting it a bit wrong at the moment!

Perhaps they thought the recession would bite their customers harder than it seems to have so far and cut back their orders too much?

Some TSVs do seem as if they have been designed to sell out very quickly though...which is naughty. And disingenuous.

I suspect QVC are ordering less products for TSVs for 3 reasons, i) unsold products stuck in a warehouse is costly ii) people are being more choosy in how they spend their hard earned cash and more likely to think before they splurge iii) it stirs up a competitive feeling amongst its customers, ie if there's more chance of a sell out, consumers may dither less and order first, then think later, thus securing actual sales sooner rather than later. How many times have we heard the presenter say, congratulations to those who bought an item, as if they'd won a prize!!

Just my thoughts.

Perfectly put Vikki. :handshake:

I don't, for a minute, think QVC do this for our benefit. OK we might be glad if they offer AO on an item we've just missed, but I've never heard a presenter say at the launch of a TSV, " don't worry if it sells out we'll be offering advanced orders!" It's always announced after the sellout as though execs have been frantically phoning to secure more stock...yeah right!:grin:

Jude x

I ordered an item back in May as an advance order, due for delivery on 6 June. I'm still waiting for it and when I last checked, the status has changed to awaiting stock so I guess I could be waiting another 90 days. I'm a bit cheesed off with the supplier/QVC for making promises about delivery that they couldn't keep.

That's no better than waitlist PB, they always promote advanced orders as guaranteed to be honoured...what a load of bolony! I hope you get your delivery soon.

Jude xx

Pollybelle said:

I ordered an item back in May as an advance order, due for delivery on 6 June. I'm still waiting for it and when I last checked, the status has changed to awaiting stock so I guess I could be waiting another 90 days. I'm a bit cheesed off with the supplier/QVC for making promises about delivery that they couldn't keep.

Click to expand...

What was it?

It was the bareminerals suncream that you could apply like a face powder. I think it's because I've ordered the fair colour that I'm stuck - they've got some of the other shades available now but not the one I want. It's frustrating because I'm sure they said at the time that if you placed an advance order it was guaranteed etc.

Oh i remeber it selling quickly.

GHDs arrived

DD's GHD TSV, ordered on AO, arrived this morning. She's a v happy bunny. :emo: There really seems little difference between waitlist and advanced order.


They were despatched on July 1st; earlier than expected. I think they were due to be sent out on July13th, which makes me think these were cancelled orders. Mind you, if I were relying on payment to go out of my account later in the month I might be a bit peeved.

Jude xx