QVC vs The Cost of Living Crisis

[Dame Fondacox]

With inflation being the highest it's been for decades and data showing that consumers are already cutting spend across food, eating out and clothing (with further cuts expected to emerge across electronics, holidays etc.) and people having to choose between eating or heating their homes, how will Q respond to this? Their business model is already in the doldrums and increasingly non-competitive so how are they going to convince viewers to spend on the over-priced, non-essential tat that they peddle? Will we see the return of the heated slanket TSVs, and how might they adapt their usual sales patter i.e. "This moisturiser will replenish the effects the central heating has on your skin..."? I expect in the la la land that is QVC they'll be oblivious to any of this and the likes of L'Occitane hand cream will still be a "must have, desert island product" and a Diamonique pendant, with matching earrings will still be the "perfect treat for that upcoming special occasion", even if it means having to go without food and heating to purchase it.

Also, presumably they're going to have to pass on the increase in their running costs to customers so can we expect price hikes, not just on the products themselves but their already extortinate P&P?

 

[boffy]

Qvc is like any other retailer at the mercy of market forces.There is going to be a recession a very big one. There will be food shortages worldwide. Can QVC ride the pending storm? Depends on how long it lasts for.

 

[Loveinamist]

And DF mantra of order all colours to see which one you like and the two way p&p incurred on this nonsense will be dead in the water you’d hope.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I’m not really sure that anyone at Q or those still buying their overpriced goods on a regular basis (auto delivery/every TSV) will take it on board - they still have disposable income and if the tatty appy is anything to go by there isnt a lot of sense going around their typical customer.

 

[Breeze]

I suspect there’s going to be more “5 easy pays” like today’s TSV & a few other recent offers rather than any reduction in pricing or P&P.

 

[merryone]

I suspect there’s going to be more “5 easy pays” like today’s TSV & a few other recent offers rather than any reduction in pricing or P&P.

I think you've hit the nail on the head there, and that's exactly what they'll do and possibly this will make them encourage people to spend even more than they would've done in the first place. They might have a couple of "recession sales" but they'll just be their normal clearance under a different name. Can't see any real reductions in pricing / p&p happening!

 

[Toril]

I submitted a review yesterday for some Plants2garden plants and it’s been published already. At the bottom of the form there was a chance to make any other comments about QVC. It was optional but I gave a few of my feelings. I suggested they have a close look at their P&P as it’s usually more expensive than other retailers or even capped it when customers ordered more than one item. I also said that they should speed up their refund system as most other retailers pay a refund within two days, not two weeks.

It’ll fall on the usual deaf ears but I got it off my chest. However, it would be nice if they considered it because of all the cost of living hikes that we are all experiencing.

 

[Patsy]

Qvc is like any other retailer at the mercy of market forces.There is going to be a recession a very big one. There will be food shortages worldwide. Can QVC ride the pending storm? Depends on how long it lasts for.

I think a depression rather than a recession but I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Dame Fondacox]

I'm surprised they haven't closed their call centre and moved the operators to WFH to save money. A friend of mine is the director of a company in London and she's saved hundreds of thousands by giving up their leased premises in Baker Street and has moved everyone to working remotely. The staff generally much prefer it as a lot of them are saving on a 60 minute plus commute, and can now look to move further away from the capital where they get more bang for their buck. Companies are springing up to rent out office spaces and meeting rooms that can be booked by the day or week so that teams can come together when they need to. London employers are also offering remote working deals, with London rates of pay, to attract the best candidates for jobs. The pandemic has changed the world of work forever.

I submitted a review yesterday for some Plants2garden plants and it’s been published already. At the bottom of the form there was a chance to make any other comments about QVC. It was optional but I gave a few of my feelings. I suggested they have a close look at their P&P as it’s usually more expensive than other retailers or even capped it when customers ordered more than one item. I also said that they should speed up their refund system as most other retailers pay a refund within two days, not two weeks.

It’ll fall on the usual deaf ears but I got it off my chest. However, it would be nice if they considered it because of all the cost of living hikes that we are all experiencing.

I think they use a really antiquated payment system. I notice that whenever I buy anything from them or have an item on EP, it takes much longer to show up on my bank statement, even as a commitment, than other retailers. If I return something to a store on "the dreaded high street", they say it will take up to five days to come through but it's nearly always back in my account the following day.

 

[Vienna]

We live in a World of consumerism and wars, depressions, recessions nor anything else will call a halt to some people`s spending habits. I read a clothing brand facebook page and it`s like a feeding frenzy, people posting photos of their deliveries and their latest buys and overloaded wardrobes plus ordering not one but many items at a time.
Of course credit cards, Klarna, paypal pay in 3 or paypal credit plus other options to buy now pay later such as Q`s easy pay options just encourage rather than discourage people to spend.
Even if some people have more outgoings such as mortgages, rent, utility bills, child care, loans etc than incomings it still doesn`t stop the "live for today sod tomorrow" attitude I often see. Years ago bankruptcy was seen as the biggest shame of all but nowadays people don`t think twice about declaring themselves bankrupt or living on several credit cards and minimum monthly payments whilst still having their expensive haircuts, manicures, posh cars and overloaded wardrobes.
The amount some folks spend on takeaways and fast food would make my Mum`s hair curl if she were still alive and Mr V who works as a part time taxi driver often runs people to Costa or other places for coffee at nearly £4 a chuck or a McDonalds takeaway breakfast and then there`s his fare on top too. Ridiculous !
I was in a newsagents last week and a woman in front of me paid £13 for a packet of cigarettes as well as nearly £4 for a magazine, that`s not far off 20 quid and for what ?
There are genuine people who are genuinely struggling and are doing everything they can to keep their heads above water but there are also many fools who don`t look past the end of their nose and then bleat about being unable to pay their bills.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Those adverts for home delivery of individual items which have run out (not the weekly supermarket shop if you dont have a car) amaze me but I assume people use them without a thought. The latest one is for a single pint of milk which costs around £1 to £2 plus the delivery charge . Milk is hardly life and death which if you have run out you could either go without or wait, especially when they say delivery is 20 minutes but probably longer plus the time to order the bliddy thing in the first place.

I have no idea how much these delivery services costs but they can’t be cheap yet there seem to new ones launching all the time.

A crowd of people sharing a delivery charge for a takeaway probably works out at little per person but these grocery items must cost a fortune. Ofcourse it is all on credit cards but I wonder if they actually took pound notes out of their purse would it seem more real.

 

[Breeze]

Just some of the reasons cash is being faded out more & more while we are being encouraged ( in some cases forced) to pay with cards, phones etc.
My village had four different small bank. Ranches when se moved here over thirty years ago, the last one closed two years ago. Now if you want cash it’s a twenty five mile drive to the nearest market town where there is just one bank & we have no bus service, never have had. Being a bit of a dinosaur I don’t do online banking but have to use debit card more & more in the shops.

 

[maymorganlondon]

Given the huge number of products sourced from China, and the zero Covid policy there, and their largest port currently under lockdown… and shipping containers cost inflation, I think Q are likely in a bind when it comes to prices. Even if they maintain current prices their margins will be squeezed.

 

[Old Man Steptoe]

A different point of view Andi Peters food fest,some of the food was way overpriced and £5.95 to send a few pies.
Most of the items including postage are some peoples food budget for a week.
Do Q live in the real world,the answer is no not in 2022.
They could be well stuffed if China continues is lockdown

 

[maymorganlondon]

A different point of view Andi Peters food fest,some of the food was way overpriced and £5.95 to send a few pies.
Most of the items including postage are some peoples food budget for a week.
Do Q live in the real world,the answer is no not in 2022.
They could be well stuffed if China continues is lockdown

Pretty much everything will be stuffed for most suppliers, as China appears in masses of supply chains.
Electronic devices rely on rare earths, and guess who supplies most of those?
All those screws, nuts and bolts on many consumer white goods? Even if built in a third country.
It is shocking, really, that supply chains all seem to have so much dependency on one country. Surely that's got to change?

 

[stratobuddy]

Pretty much everything will be stuffed for most suppliers, as China appears in masses of supply chains.
Electronic devices rely on rare earths, and guess who supplies most of those?
All those screws, nuts and bolts on many consumer white goods? Even if built in a third country.
It is shocking, really, that supply chains all seem to have so much dependency on one country. Surely that's got to change?

Does china still come from China?

 

[SisterBliss]

We live in a World of consumerism and wars, depressions, recessions nor anything else will call a halt to some people`s spending habits. I read a clothing brand facebook page and it`s like a feeding frenzy, people posting photos of their deliveries and their latest buys and overloaded wardrobes plus ordering not one but many items at a time.
Of course credit cards, Klarna, paypal pay in 3 or paypal credit plus other options to buy now pay later such as Q`s easy pay options just encourage rather than discourage people to spend.
Even if some people have more outgoings such as mortgages, rent, utility bills, child care, loans etc than incomings it still doesn`t stop the "live for today sod tomorrow" attitude I often see. Years ago bankruptcy was seen as the biggest shame of all but nowadays people don`t think twice about declaring themselves bankrupt or living on several credit cards and minimum monthly payments whilst still having their expensive haircuts, manicures, posh cars and overloaded wardrobes.
The amount some folks spend on takeaways and fast food would make my Mum`s hair curl if she were still alive and Mr V who works as a part time taxi driver often runs people to Costa or other places for coffee at nearly £4 a chuck or a McDonalds takeaway breakfast and then there`s his fare on top too. Ridiculous !
I was in a newsagents last week and a woman in front of me paid £13 for a packet of cigarettes as well as nearly £4 for a magazine, that`s not far off 20 quid and for what ?
There are genuine people who are genuinely struggling and are doing everything they can to keep their heads above water but there are also many fools who don`t look past the end of their nose and then bleat about being unable to pay their bills.

What I don't understand is how people can be bankrupt, & then buy a house,have a new business when it all blows over? I thought a bankrupcy messed up credit for life, but now it seems not so? It baffles me. And worse - when person has new business making money, thjey never have t o pay off the old debtors!???

 

[SisterBliss]

Those adverts for home delivery of individual items which have run out (not the weekly supermarket shop if you dont have a car) amaze me but I assume people use them without a thought. The latest one is for a single pint of milk which costs around £1 to £2 plus the delivery charge . Milk is hardly life and death which if you have run out you could either go without or wait, especially when they say delivery is 20 minutes but probably longer plus the time to order the bliddy thing in the first place.

I have no idea how much these delivery services costs but they can’t be cheap yet there seem to new ones launching all the time.

A crowd of people sharing a delivery charge for a takeaway probably works out at little per person but these grocery items must cost a fortune. Ofcourse it is all on credit cards but I wonder if they actually took pound notes out of their purse would it seem more real.

I've seen th emilk thing too. I can understand not wanting to schlep to a supermarket, especially in London, but there are corner shops - or were when I was in London. Why don't these people just go to cornrt shop?

 

[maymorganlondon]

What I don't understand is how people can be bankrupt, & then buy a house,have a new business when it all blows over? I thought a bankrupcy messed up credit for life, but now it seems not so? It baffles me. And worse - when person has new business making money, thjey never have t o pay off the old debtors!???

If you are declared bankrupt it stays on your credit record for a period of time. When I googled it, it said 6 years or when you've discharged the debt.
The reputational damage lasts longer.

 

[Patsy]

I've seen th emilk thing too. I can understand not wanting to schlep to a supermarket, especially in London, but there are corner shops - or were when I was in London. Why don't these people just go to cornrt shop?

The only shops we have within a couple of miles are and M&S open until 8pm and a Boots open until 5pm at our hospital. M&S are the only one you could buy milk but as it's only small they don't have a very big supply.