Freebies

[Clothescloth]

Thought this warranted a thread of its own, as the subject often crops up . I see, on reading the latest blogs that Craig has bagged himself the upcoming TSV Le Creuset pan set( how much more Le Creuset can he fit into his tiny kitchen?) and the spin mop. Charlie has really come up trumps and got the new Dyson vacuum!

 

[Evie]

Craig also had the previous Le Creuset, Debbie Flint also has the upcoming TSV but then she doesn’t miss many freebies on offer. I wonder if her new flat comes with a garage to store everything. I heard from somewhere that Craigie is looking to move, he’ll need to just for extra “ sample “ storage. Still, they are all at it. They almost salivate at the sight of a possible freebie. Sticking their fingers in products etc so they can claim them. Awful and distasteful. What a sad collection of individuals. Let them fill their homes full of free clutter, ultimately it won’t make them happy. I buy what I want, the fact their homes are like a warehouse does not influence me and no, I am not jealous.

 

[shopperholic]

And we can’t forget the beauty products, you often hear some of the models say “I was given this to try” so times that by every model keeping the beauty products they use, and that adds up to a shed load of money...........freebies all round at QVC.

 

[Twilight]

Craigy's next blog will be full of praise for the bread maker he'll be 'trialling' before it come to our screens.

 

[Evie]

The very well paid presenters should collectively be ashamed with the ease and greed with which they weekly accumulate hundreds of pounds worth of sample freebies. So should their employer. Can you imagine if all those clothes, footwear, household goods, electrical goods, computers, televisions, beauty products, garden products, too many things to mention, were given to refuges, homeless centres etc. So many people with real need would benefit. Shame on the lot of them. They should not be greedily filling their homes to the rafters with freebies. Greedy and shameful. None of them should be offered any of these things and none should accept them. They then pretend to be all charitable. Come on QVC stop this practice, it’s totally despicable. Go on Craigie, Flinty, Roberts, Huntley et al, stop this greedy freebie grabbing. I’ve named the worst braggers but they are all it. None need these things at home in order to present them, there is no sensible justification for it. Why did Kathy need a package of Joules Clothes when she is away from work? Donate samples to those in need. They could start with their Le Creuset pans. QVC support those in need or shame on the lot of you.

 

[merryone]

The very well paid presenters should collectively be ashamed with the ease and greed with which they weekly accumulate hundreds of pounds worth of sample freebies. So should their employer. Can you imagine if all those clothes, footwear, household goods, electrical goods, computers, televisions, beauty products, garden products, too many things to mention, were given to refuges, homeless centres etc. So many people with real need would benefit. Shame on the lot of them. They should not be greedily filling their homes to the rafters with freebies. Greedy and shameful. None of them should be offered any of these things and none should accept them. They then pretend to be all charitable. Come on QVC stop this practice, it’s totally despicable. Go on Craigie, Flinty, Roberts, Huntley et al, stop this greedy freebie grabbing. I’ve named the worst braggers but they are all it. None need these things at home in order to present them, there is no sensible justification for it. Why did Kathy need a package of Joules Clothes when she is away from work? Donate samples to those in need. They could start with their Le Creuset pans. QVC support those in need or shame on the lot of you.

It does seem rather distasteful in these times and does need to stop. It all fits in nicely with the new Q customer they're trying to attract ie, those with no money worries and a penchant for buying expensive branded goods. They don't give a flying f*ck about the thousands of people who have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet. They're on a different planet - Lockdown to them is just another sales opportunity - "we're spending so much more time at home, so why not treat yourself to a top of the range music system, or a £200 frying pan, or a new laptop for those zoom meetings - or what about some luxury popcorn to munch on whilst your watching your new telly?" I get that they need to try and keep afloat but I think like you suggested, instead of bestowing gifts upon those who don't need, nor deserve to be given anything free - Donate the stuff to worthwhile causes. It's disgusting to see!

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

10 yeas ago lockdown would have been financially worrying to me but I’m now fortunate to have no mortgage and a reasonable income but I feel so much for those who have had redundancy etc forced on them so quickly. Yes some stupidly overstretch themselves with no thought of what might happen if they were sick etc but to most who are getting by on a basic wage it must be a nightmare with no opportunity to have fall back savings.

When I see trailers for that guy who does mega eating across US I get so angry when you think that one meal stuffed down his gob could feed a pensioner for a week. It’s totally immoral.

Q is much the same, they are obviously there to fleece Joe Public but a little thought in offering reasonable priced goods or capping post but instead they have played to the insecurity of people locked down and bored out of their minds all whilst making out that they “are there for you” and we’re all in it together.

 

[donna255]

I get freebies. Yes. Mine are free perfume, skin care samples, I even got a free full size candle given to me when I bought a bottle of perfume before Xmas and lockdown. Compare to QVC presenters mine sound rather pathetic, but I am always very grateful to get them. Never turn them down as if I don't like I just give away to friends or my hairdresser. The latter loves them chance to try new stuff.

 

[Deleted member 21102]

What they don't mention ever, is selfishly how much better giving to a charity makes you feel. I bought myself an expensive food mixer, one I'd always wanted, cost a lot more than I would normally shell out but as a once-off it was worth it, and I do love it. But I also had an older, fully functioning mixer that I couldn't keep so we decided to donate it to a local charity who run a food kitchen for the homeless. They were absolutely delighted because theirs had just broken so all they had to do was get ours PAT-tested and it's still doing the job there, helping feed the hungry. The point of all this is not to show how wonderful I am for donating it (I was being consumerist, greedy and keeping the best one for myself after all) but to say that the buzz we got after donating my old mixer was huge and lasting, much more than any money we'd have got for selling it, so what impact would all those freebies have on other charities and how much benefit would they themselves get?

 

[Evie]

All their freebies should be directed to charities such as refuges etc and thus going directly to the people in need. QVC not doing this shows them all up for the awful individuals they are. If I were a presenter reading this I would feel ashamed.
Donna, the freebies you receive are what is expected and nothing on the level of hundreds of pounds worth being distributed to greedy presenters. The very thought of them offends me. HMRC please investigate. Shop assistants don’t take home and keep what they sell except for the occasional samples costing a few pounds not hundreds of pounds per week. QVC should be at least investigated. Disgraceful people.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I get freebies. Yes. Mine are free perfume, skin care samples, I even got a free full size candle given to me when I bought a bottle of perfume before Xmas and lockdown. Compare to QVC presenters mine sound rather pathetic, but I am always very grateful to get them. Never turn them down as if I don't like I just give away to friends or my hairdresser. The latter loves them chance to try new stuff.

Big difference is that you are a customer who has/will buy regularly and they are keen to get you to try new stuff, but I’ll bet no one in Argos gave you a Dyson or steam iron.

 

[Evie]

And no one working for Argos has the contents of their catalogue or website in their home.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

How many times do you need to use face and body gloop to be able to rave about it? Some of the brands have been on Q since pussy was a kitten so not a brand new product which needs to be tried out.

Vegan/vegetarian presenters can quite happily do the hard sell on non v items so do they actually need samples? The tat peddlers can flog anything. so don’t need a single freebie never mind all getting every dammed product to keep.

The really interesting bit is how many of the things end up with family or even worse flogged?

 

[shopperholic]

People who work in supermarkets don’t get their shopping for free, and they do actually work for a living. I doubt Gemporia or TJC take home everything they sell either, no, just QVC. I agree with QVC giving their freebies to charity, or one better, QVC having a raffle each moth for the freebies with the money going to charity, but this is QVC we’re taking about, who are as greedy and as selfish as their shop assistants, so forget that last bit.........was ever was I thinking.

That said, the raffle would have to be independently run, because we all know QVCs track record for, and their staffs, for deceiving charity and being totally shameless about it, but it’s never going to happen so it’s all immaterial really.

 

[Brissles]

Little wonder there is a very low turnover of presenters. QVC is currently the only employer where a job for life means just that, I mean, who'd ever want to leave when there's a lucky dip of freebies to be had.

I remember working at the estate agents back in the 70's when we'd get excited when grateful clients and solicitors would bring a bottle in, which we'd share out amongst the staff at lunchtime on Christmas Eve. How times have changed.

 

[Evie]

I wonder how many make their way to EBay but the crucial thing is that they should never make their way to the Presenters in the first place. I don’t think we should let this issue go. They think we will tire of posting and that this issue will go away but we mustn’t let this happen. I will be on the lookout to find a way to give this as much publicity as possible but in the meantime I wonder if there could be a permanent thread where we post about every item that they make us aware that has found its way to presenters’ homes.

 

[Brissles]

Good idea Eve. Every time there is one posted on their blogs, just add it to the list. It would make interesting reading over the course of a year. It could then be printed off and sent to QVC HQ, because I bet there is no-one keeping a tally in admin on who gets what and when.

Even better, news editors on daily papers are always looking for articles, and I'm sure if would make a good investigative piece for them.

 

[merryone]

Trouble is - they’ve got every right to bestow their presenters with expensive freebies, the fact in these times especially it’s immoral, unnecessary, and pisses off many of their customers means nothing to them. I doubt if publicly shaming them will do any good as they’d probably see it as good publicity and would portray them as a good and generous employer. They aren’t legally obliged to donate to charity-those companies that do have a moral conscience- Qvc do not- There are still too many people who literally love the presenters and won’t hear a bad word said against them...they’re deluded enough to consider them friends! It’s them that need to be educated- but I think that would be very difficult..what’s first to give? q s conscience or stupid sicophant’s attitudes?!

 

[Clothescloth]

Good idea Eve. Every time there is one posted on their blogs, just add it to the list. It would make interesting reading over the course of a year. It could then be printed off and sent to QVC HQ, because I bet there is no-one keeping a tally in admin on who gets what and when.

Even better, news editors on daily papers are always looking for articles, and I'm sure if would make a good investigative piece for them.

That’s why I started this thread, so that we could keep a check on who gets what on a weekly basis. Kathryn G has had the Elemis to try, and Catherine H has been given the security camera so far on this weeks blogs

 

[Evie]

We have to think carefully how to head a thread because they will no doubt start paying a couple of pounds for their freebie and target us on this forum for saying they are receiving freebies when they have paid for them, omitting to declare the amount they paid. Any ideas?