Random Musings and Critiques Etc.

[Hammy60]

I see David Anthony was on again last night flogging the luxury Samuel Joseph watches, namely the "Samuel Joseph Multifunction" watch for £59.99.



Hard to tell who is the worst pretendy watch expert, Actor David Anthony or Actor Mike Beckingham, when he was selling the EXACT same watch. On that occasion it was the Samuel Joseph's sister brand Anthony James watches and the watch was named "Roadster", only difference is that it was £39.99 when they were being flogged on IW2 & Shop Extra.
Have to use pic from Anthony James web site as neither IW2 or Shop Extra exist anymore.



I suppose new channel, new gullible viewers, may as well charge them an extra £20 for the EXACT same crap.

 

[Duke of Cheese]

So disappointing. Would love to read Rob Locke commenting on this issue. He clearly reads here. What we want are people to respond to valid criticisms and not just appear when we are saying how marvellous they are. Tell us why Chinese made watches with defunct brand names are being sold on the basis of actual links with those former, long dead names? I do recall one of the things that they were selling this channel to us on was its propriety, and how it would do things differently from some of the other players out there. With this particular issue – watches – nothing has changed.

Let’s address facts: fact is is Swan & Edgar was a jack of all trades Piccadilly located department store that closed in 1982. It has absolutely nothing to do whatsoever with a brand of Chinese made watches, with an acquired ‘dead’ brand name. But of course, if you listen to the ‘expert’ last night and before, his language suggests that this is an active brand with a 200 years plus heritage. By implication alone, that gives the gullible potential buyer an impression of company longevity that the facts don’t back up. The presenters, of course, do nothing to challenge this absolute groundless waffle without any substance. They sit back and give it credibility further by embracing what is being said to them. Whereas, you want a presenter to actually say to the expert that there is no current connection between this watch brand and that department store. Don’t hold your breath for that to happen. If they did do that, that doesn’t make these watches a bad buy. Nothing wrong with a tribute brand. But no…they just can’t bring themselves to front them out in terms of what they really are. Hence, nothing is being offered that I can see in terms of transparency being an aim on this channel being fulfilled in this particular area of selling at least. You absolutely despair of it. Hopes had been high.

 

[PhaedrusR]

1. Any ideas when the Freeview Ch89 ShoponTV is launching? It says "Coming Soon". @RobLocke ?

2. Has anyone bought from Discount Dragon, as was featured on ShoponTV recently. Seems reasonable prices. Any recommendations/bargains? I've done similar on eBay buying bulk consumables items, at better value than in the supermarkets per unit. So DD looks similarly reasonable, but cautious about items with near-expired use by dates.

 

[Slipalong Trevaskis]

1. Any ideas when the Freeview Ch89 ShoponTV is launching? It says "Coming Soon". @RobLocke ?

2. Has anyone bought from Discount Dragon, as was featured on ShoponTV recently. Seems reasonable prices. Any recommendations/bargains? I've done similar on eBay buying bulk consumables items, at better value than in the supermarkets per unit. So DD looks similarly reasonable, but cautious about items with near-expired use by dates.

Not bought anything from Discount Dragon, but noticed they are selling the 70- wash ecoeggs for £3.49, which is cheap. You need to spend a minimum of £30 per order though.

 

[Duke of Cheese]

I was tempted to buy from Discount Dragon after being made aware of the company via a presentation last week with Gert and Daisy on Shop On TV.

Feedback is generally very positive, and one or two things they were selling were real bargains. Also, when I looked the other day, there was an offer of a ‘free’ bottle of pretty decent red wine worth £9.99 with every order over £30. I decided against ordering, essentially because of the hassle of it. Goods being left with neighbours potentially. Having to top up the order with stuff you really couldn’t justify buying just to get the wine. And very little fresh type products, or at all. If I want five bottles of big brand barbecue sauce and some type of snack, or 24 cans of Diet Coke, then maybe. But for the sake of £9.99 for the wine and the few pounds saving with the paid for goods, it really wasn’t worth the potential aggravation of it post order.

 

[RobLocke]

So disappointing. Would love to read Rob Locke commenting on this issue. He clearly reads here. What we want are people to respond to valid criticisms and not just appear when we are saying how marvellous they are. Tell us why Chinese made watches with defunct brand names are being sold on the basis of actual links with those former, long dead names? I do recall one of the things that they were selling this channel to us on was its propriety, and how it would do things differently from some of the other players out there. With this particular issue – watches – nothing has changed.

Let’s address facts: fact is is Swan & Edgar was a jack of all trades Piccadilly located department store that closed in 1982. It has absolutely nothing to do whatsoever with a brand of Chinese made watches, with an acquired ‘dead’ brand name. But of course, if you listen to the ‘expert’ last night and before, his language suggests that this is an active brand with a 200 years plus heritage. By implication alone, that gives the gullible potential buyer an impression of company longevity that the facts don’t back up. The presenters, of course, do nothing to challenge this absolute groundless waffle without any substance. They sit back and give it credibility further by embracing what is being said to them. Whereas, you want a presenter to actually say to the expert that there is no current connection between this watch brand and that department store. Don’t hold your breath for that to happen. If they did do that, that doesn’t make these watches a bad buy. Nothing wrong with a tribute brand. But no…they just can’t bring themselves to front them out in terms of what they really are. Hence, nothing is being offered that I can see in terms of transparency being an aim on this channel being fulfilled in this particular area of selling at least. You absolutely despair of it. Hopes had been high.

I totally agree with you. Let me look into this!

1. Any ideas when the Freeview Ch89 ShoponTV is launching? It says "Coming Soon". @RobLocke ?

We're just waiting on the company who connects the content to the channel. We're hoping by the end of this month!

Seriously, @RobLocke isn't it time you did a "Random Musings, Unlocked" *podcast* as they seem to be all the rage these days?

I saw some of the YouTube channel highlights of Unlocked video and this might convert to be an audio podcast I'd actually listen to! (I'm not a big podcast talk fan, they intro and ramble and take ages to get to the point).

Not your thing or too busy with ShoponTV in front & behind the cameras and other work?

Honestly, I'd love to do something like that. I still haven't ruled out bringing back UNLOCKED. It's simply a matter of not having enough hours in the day. I'm barely sleeping as it is.

 

[JeepSwensonfan]

26 hours on Deep Space Nine.

 

[PhaedrusR]

26 hours on Deep Space Nine.

Huh? What's this in reply to @JeepSwensonfan ?

Big SF fan here... Like ST: DS9, TNG, Babylon 5, Andromeda, Farscape, Star Wars, Silent Running, Outlander, Foundation, Lost, Alien, etc.
Can discuss further in the off-topic board section?!

 

[PhaedrusR]

Honestly, I'd love to do something like that. I still haven't ruled out bringing back UNLOCKED. It's simply a matter of not having enough hours in the day. I'm barely sleeping as it is.

Thanks. Just curious, was Unlocked a labour of love/good publicity, or do you make money via YouTube views/monetisation/other? Ta.

We're just waiting on the company who connects the content to the channel. We're hoping by the end of this month!

Interesting, so is this going to be a longer schedule, daytime/evening and overnight repeats.

So an increased schedule and lot more slots and presenters? Sounds like a lot of work to setup and organise.

And then you have to obtain stock to sell too, beyond the current inventory.

Can you give us an idea of the size of the ShoponTV team? How many people working to make it all happen? Thanks.

 

[JeepSwensonfan]

Huh? What's this in reply to @JeepSwensonfan ?

Big SF fan here... Like ST: DS9, TNG, Babylon 5, Andromeda, Farscape, Star Wars, Silent Running, Outlander, Foundation, Lost, Alien, etc.
Can discuss further in the off-topic board section?!

Rob said not enough hours in the day. So Deep Space Nine has 2 extra hours on us.

 

[Herring]

Totally unrelated, but I can totally imagine Rob in one of those classic 90s sci-fi series like DS9 or Farscape. He'd be a good guy, naturally. Some mid-ranking admiral of a fleet. He's like a British Jonathan Frakes.

 

[PhaedrusR]

Rob said not enough hours in the day. So Deep Space Nine has 2 extra hours on us.

Ahhh, gotcha now. Ha ha. I did not know their day on DS9 was longer!

So can we solve the UK productivity crisis by putting more hours in the day and getting everyone to work longer...

(But I do think we should stay on BST permanently).

 

[PhaedrusR]

Totally unrelated, but I can totally imagine Rob in one of those classic 90s sci-fi series like DS9 or Farscape. He'd be a good guy, naturally. Some mid-ranking admiral of a fleet. He's like a British Jonathan Frakes.

Yes. Actually, he'd make a good TV detective. If you've seen Brokenwood (on Drama/UKTVPlay) it's an Aussie police procedural ("crimes in the Outback", if you will) and the actor on there is quite similar to Rob. He'd be good on a UK version.
There is something of the "David Brent" about him in his look/chat/career aspirations! In a good way.
Need a new thread: "suggested jobs for Rob"! Lol.

 

[Slipalong Trevaskis]

Yes. Actually, he'd make a good TV detective. If you've seen Brokenwood (on Drama/UKTVPlay) it's an Aussie police procedural ("crimes in the Outback", if you will) and the actor on there is quite similar to Rob. He'd be good on a UK version.
There is something of the "David Brent" about him in his look/chat/career aspirations! In a good way.
Need a new thread: "suggested jobs for Rob"! Lol.

I could see Rob Locke playing a role in a TV series, similar to the Dr character Robbie Coltrane played in Cracker.

 

[Herring]

We need to manifest this. Rob on all channels*, in all shows, simultaneously.

*Except Freeview 51.