Q Psychology

[Weathergirl]

So today a spare hour available. Able to wander past the lovely stock on display in John Lewis, L'Occitane, Molton Brown, Radley, to name a few. I was not tempted to buy a single candle, handbag, cleanser, lipstick, slow cooker or blender. So what is different about Q that makes me watch a ninja presentation and think oooh I could do with that. Or buy 3 Yankee Candles and piles of make up and skincare when I always use/apply the same old favourites. I don't need Gingerbread maple or Bundle Up. I burn Christmas Eve every year and the same candle lasts me years. Going shopping alone without kids really makes me think how QVC gets me to buy stuff I would walk past without even noticing in stores.

 

[Marina]

I have also noticed (a while ago now) that I’m not tempted in the shops unless people on here mention something (e.g. recently Aldi and Superdrug skincare in the thread ‘reasons not to shop with QVC’). Even when I’m at the airport I would sale through Duty Free with an exception of stopping at Jo Malone counter and an occasional purchase from them. I wouldn’t look at Chanel and the likes, with the exception I looked at MAC but wasn’t much impressed. Saw Kipling at the Airport – not interested either.

 

[boffy]

qvc pretend to be your friend. shop assistants on the whole are quite surly. plus i think parting with cash or card is a lot harder than tapping the app on the qvc website

 

[AndiK]

I agree with boffy about the "friendship" thing. Also, you invite QVC into your home where you live and relax and spend time with family & friends of your own so you are automatically in a "receptive" state.

I am a keen supporter of local shops so if I'm after a particular item, I like to try locally first, but then I am more likely to be out with a purpose so I'm less likely to be attracted to something random. I might buy something on impulse while I'm out in the shops if I am just browsing, or hitting the sales, and I happen to spot something interesting, especially a bargain, but even in the sales that's rare for me. On the other hand, when I have QVC on the tv as I am ironing, for example, there are items put in front of me, being demonstrated and discussed in detail. And I take it in. Fortunately, I don't think I'm that gullible and I do look elsewhere on the internet before buying, but I buy things on QVC I am sure I wouldn't buy in the High Street and I think it's down to this "comfort factor".

 

[donna255]

I call it the Ideal Home Exhibition syndrome. Product just sitting on the shelf no interest.

But get some one to talk/demo it and your are lured in.

My mum brought home these kitchen things she had seen demo and just sat in the cupboard never used. But when buying they were just amazing and we really needed it.

 

[Bea Frugal]

When going to the high street we generally have a pretty good idea what we want, either an exact item or some sort of top or dress etc. Sitting at home relaxed in front of the tv we are sitting ducks for qvc. They depend on the impulse buyers who tell themselves they can always send it back but don't bother.

I like value for my money and only buy from q if it's a no brainer, i.e. hardly ever. I'm not afraid to spend big, especially on other people but will get them what they really want, not random expensive nonsense. I like some of what I see on qvc but just sit on my hands mostly and have never regretted not 'jumping' to the phone. In fact, as I get older I feel increasingly disgusted with excessive consumerism and the suggestion that somehow that way lies happiness.

 

[iloveshopping]

Interesting thought provoking thread. Got me thinking but no conclusions as yet

 

[boffy]

lulu guiness and kipling have always had shops but not always accessable. now they sell on qvc thier turnover must have vastly increased. instead of buying a kipling bag every three four years some people are buying one,two three a day lol

 

[historymystery]

My sister went to a local homes and interior design exhibition last weekend - she said she thinks she took leave of her senses while she was there, came home with all sorts of 'unmissible' gadgets which she now realises she will never, ever use and which are now decorating the inside of her cupboards! She reckons something happens to you when you walk around these places, and your brain goes into "I want, must have" mode. Melon carver, anyone? Her vow is that if any more of these events come around, she'll never darken their doors again. Yeah, right....

I call it the Ideal Home Exhibition syndrome. Product just sitting on the shelf no interest.

But get some one to talk/demo it and your are lured in.

My mum brought home these kitchen things she had seen demo and just sat in the cupboard never used. But when buying they were just amazing and we really needed it.

 

[Crinkly]

When I first encountered the Q I never bought from them.
I would see something I liked, and then get it from eBay at much reduced prices.

But I had a few bad experiences. 'New products' that arrived part used, and powder makeup that was at least a quarter used.

Also, I found some things arrived in out dated packaging, which had been sitting somewhere in someone's house until they decided to flog it on.
How effective were they? A lot less effective than fresh stock, I assume.

I think eBay has improved since those days, but I am still very wary.
Unless it is in sealed packaging, or I saw it in a kit very recently sold on the Q I don't touch things nowadays.

So I think I buy more from the Q than before, but get better value than when I spent less on eBay.

- but having said all that, my purchases have tailed off a lot.

 

[historymystery]

You know, I just wonder how many people get themselves into worrying financial problems with buying from shopping channels...it's all too easy to be lulled into special offers, something with discount, two for one, etc. they make it sound so easy because they are talking to you in the same room and you're at home, warm and comfortable, so you are lulled into a false sense of security. If you have to make an actual trip to the shops, you're normally more alert and weigh up special offers, compare and contrast with other similar items. Watching on TV, you are having one product or one brand only thrust at you for that hour, you have nothing on screen to compare it with apart from that brand. And having to drive, walk or get a bus to the shops first, keeping an eye on your bags, what the time is, not overstaying your parking charge/bus times, etc. brings you more into reality. Difficult to explain, but this is often why I prefer to go to the (gasp, shock, horror) jolly old High Street.

lulu guiness and kipling have always had shops but not always accessable. now they sell on qvc thier turnover must have vastly increased. instead of buying a kipling bag every three four years some people are buying one,two three a day lol

 

[Akimbo]

Whatever one's viewpoint and despite the perenniel grumbles on here and facebook, QVC know they've hit on a winning formula, and whilst they're still attracting new buyers to replace the disillusioned ones they won't deviate from that formula

 

[Vienna]

I`m an avid voucher code or discount code shopper. I love the thrill of the chase, finding 10%, 20% off or even higher, BOGOFS , 3 for 2 or items in sales. hence I buy throughout the year and stash things away for birthdays or Christmas, everything from leather cosmetic organisers to sterling silver earrings, toiletry sets and so on. QVC holds no interest to me, no real bargains to be had these days, especially with their high p and p and their psychology is wasted on me. Hence I rarely ever watch and the only purchases I make are ABC tsv`s or ABC OTO special offers because they still offer the best priced sets but if/when that changes, then my purchases will be zero. They`d go broke if they relied on me for custom !

 

[thatu]

True, akimbo. As someone said as well, the presenters are really good at becoming your "friend". Yeah, right. But it's a lot easier to watch and let it all wash over you and then think, well, it's only money after all, pick up the phone or tap the app and bingo! £x + £x p&p flies out of your bank account. And a lot less stressful than a busy high street. I hardly buy anything from QVC any more and now I don't even watch very much, either. I've currently got a thing about Land's End where I've just bought 2 gorgeous winter coats (one wool and cashmere) as Christmas presents for family and with reduction and free p&p, totalling £110 the lot on a one-day special offer. QVC can't match that at all. You can easily pay that for 2 tops, or one if it's one of the "designer" brands like Yong Kim. The presents I had already got for them will now become birthday presents.

 

[shopperholic]

When you buy from QVC, it's just a couple of clicks and the item is yours, you don't touch the money and you don't feel it in your hand so you don't really feel like it's costing you anything, plus some people feel it's prestigious now to show on QVC even if they find it cheaper elsewhere, it's just the fact they've bought with them. It was an addiction for me, as I found out when I stopped buying from QVC, I found that after I bought something there was something of interest that I want right behind it, so much choice I wanted everything and the items were coming thick and fast, always a better/different brand a better/different product, the easy pays made it easier to stock up too, but like someone has stated I'd walk past the same items in a department store and not wanted to open my purse and actually take my debut card out so I knew I had to call it a day, most of my QVC beauty products are in the bin now, it could just be me but I decided to stop shopping with the most expensive place to shop, and I've never looked back.

 

[Marina]

Whatever one's viewpoint and despite the perenniel grumbles on here and facebook, QVC know they've hit on a winning formula, and whilst they're still attracting new buyers to replace the disillusioned ones they won't deviate from that formula

There are 64 million people in Britain (circa 2013) so there will be an end when QVC will not be able to get more customers than this number. I believe that this number should be divided in four (an average family of four). Okay, some people buy from Spain, France, Italy and Germany but they now have their own QVC channels.

 

[Akimbo]

With births and deaths it's a rolling 64m. When I started buying from Q my kids were babies but now their adults and potential new QVCers.

 

[boffy]

my daughters in thier 30's and twenties laugh at me for even watching qvc. they will never become customers

 

[boffy]

i do find the beauty dept worrying re buying a lot of cosmetics. they have so many kits, specials, tsv, oto etc etc that people must be spending thousands upon thousands every year. we only have one face i dread to think how much waste there is

 

[Silver Fox]

True, akimbo. As someone said as well, the presenters are really good at becoming your "friend". Yeah, right. But it's a lot easier to watch and let it all wash over you and then think, well, it's only money after all, pick up the phone or tap the app and bingo! £x + £x p&p flies out of your bank account. And a lot less stressful than a busy high street. I hardly buy anything from QVC any more and now I don't even watch very much, either. I've currently got a thing about Land's End where I've just bought 2 gorgeous winter coats (one wool and cashmere) as Christmas presents for family and with reduction and free p&p, totalling £110 the lot on a one-day special offer. QVC can't match that at all. You can easily pay that for 2 tops, or one if it's one of the "designer" brands like Yong Kim. The presents I had already got for them will now become birthday presents.

I have just bought a Down coat from Landsend & decided to try a smaller size, rang them last Thurs. & they sent it out I put it on my credit card.Coat 2 arrived yesterday ( Monday) & I decided which one to keep--I add the smaller!! & returned the other £2:70 with Hermes.That will be refunded & bet it won't be long before my credit comes onto my card for Coat 1. Now what would Q do if you wanted to try another size? That would be another order with P&P and P&P to return one.That could be around £12+