Random musings and general banter.

[Herring]

For those that are waiting for this venture to fail, I can assure you, things are rosy for the business : )

Well yes: selling very low-cost, low-quality items shipped in from China, marking them at engorged prices (whilst pretending they're at amazing discounts through all the not-a-direct-comparison malarkey) will do what IW's owner want: turn a profit.

It's why TJC is so profitable.

But the pile-it-high approach won't foster a brand that is synonymous with quality. QVC isn't dominant because it's better at the fundamentals of profit, but because it's smarter about what it chooses to sell/be associated with.

Also, rather more on-point for us ASA-hounds, in how it allows those products to be sold.

Putting low-quality products aside, the undoing of IW will be the wilful malfeasance promoted (or dare I say mandated) by those in charge, and espoused by presenters whose moral standards are found 6 feet beneath the proverbial barrel, never mind scraping the bottom of it.

They can shove all their tat in to shiny new studio, but the £15 walking canes, £20 dash cams, sweat-shop fashion, and BPA-riddled plastic toys that Poundland would blush at stocking, will still be seen for what they are: crap.

And while IW may sell lots of Gammon, Gamages, and other gunk (which is, as you say, why we see them so often) they're selling it to an ever-declining audience whose gullible goodwill they'll burn through soon enough (clearly management don't look at the IW social account comments very often)

As one of their presenters (perhaps knowingly) likes to say: people will only buy poor quality once.

 

[Hammy60]

Batteries now in the winter sale, same ****** price as before the sale and still dearer than Amazon.

 

[Terry Hopping]

Well yes: selling very low-cost, low-quality items shipped in from China, marking them at engorged prices (whilst pretending they're at amazing discounts through all the not-a-direct-comparison malarkey) will do what IW's owner want: turn a profit.

It's why TJC is so profitable.

But the pile-it-high approach won't foster a brand that is synonymous with quality. QVC isn't dominant because it's better at the fundamentals of profit, but because it's smarter about what it chooses to sell/be associated with.

Also, rather more on-point for us ASA-hounds, in how it allows those products to be sold.

Putting low-quality products aside, the undoing of IW will be the wilful malfeasance promoted (or dare I say mandated) by those in charge, and espoused by presenters whose moral standards are found 6 feet beneath the proverbial barrel, never mind scraping the bottom of it.

They can shove all their tat in to shiny new studio, but the £15 walking canes, £20 dash cams, sweat-shop fashion, and BPA-riddled plastic toys that Poundland would blush at stocking, will still be seen for what they are: crap.

And while IW may sell lots of Gammon, Gamages, and other gunk (which is, as you say, why we see them so often) they're selling it to an ever-declining audience whose gullible goodwill they'll burn through soon enough (clearly management don't look at the IW social account comments very often)

As one of their presenters (perhaps knowingly) likes to say: people will only buy poor quality once.

One simply question "ASA Hound". Why do you spend your precious time watching something that you so clearly despise?

This is a genuine question and something that intrigues me. There are many negative posters on this forum who have nothing good to say about certain shopping TV channels, however they clearly spend the majority of their time engaging with it.

It is very strange.

 

[Dr Quincy MkII]

One simply question "ASA Hound". Why do you spend your precious time watching something that you so clearly despise?

This is a genuine question and something that intrigues me. There are many negative posters on this forum who have nothing good to say about certain shopping TV channels, however they clearly spend the majority of their time engaging with it.

It is very strange.

But it's good that the shopping channels and defenders of shopping channels have thick skin and can take criticism. The other thing I would say, is pointing out blatant breaches and pure misleading of the facts doesn't make someone an ASA hound. It means that most people are complacent to someone going on TV and making up price comparisons and over selling the qualities of a product. But hey it's only someone else's money.

 

[Keep Going]

One simply question "ASA Hound". Why do you spend your precious time watching something that you so clearly despise?

This is a genuine question and something that intrigues me. There are many negative posters on this forum who have nothing good to say about certain shopping TV channels, however they clearly spend the majority of their time engaging with it.

It is very strange.

"Negative posters" you say, I say Realism.

"ASA Hound" you know its undeniable some presenters like to play with words, and I dont despise shopping tv at all, I find it all very interesting.

 

[Jazzydrury]

Weve proved on here a lot of there products are cheaper elsewhere

There answer would be we allow customers to pay by flexi

It’s not just the products, it’s creepy presenters

 

[Dr Quincy MkII]

The other thing to remember is that the presenters on Ideal world keep telling us the items have sold out. So it is frustrating when the product pops up again. This concept of opening your mouth and not being truthful or as transparent as you can be causes people to comment and complain about it. According to some we should keep quiet and be grateful.

 

[Duke of Cheese]

I would love an Ideal World insider to explain the logic behind the ‘not a direct comparison’ strategy.

 

[Terry Hopping]

I am no

I would love an Ideal World insider to explain the logic behind the ‘not a direct comparison’ strategy.

Well I am not an insider, however it is pretty obvious. A very similar product, however states "not a direct comparison" to stop the "ASA Hound", hounding.

 

[Duke of Cheese]

Yes. But a hound with no teeth isn’t very effective at getting shopping channels to behave themselves. The strategy is flawed by design. Anybody with any sense of the streetwise can see that. Unfortunately, old ladies and gentlemen not too Net savvie probably have made decisions to buy based upon it.

 

[Duke of Cheese]

Why not do something radical and somewhat more transparent, and compare an identical product on sale elsewhere to show an accurate price difference? Is that not done because rarely is Ideal World selling at the best prices. So much so, a Swiss diet product being sold in the ‘Winter Sale’ earlier, and being hawked as fantastic value, was actually on sale the same evening significantly cheaper on their sister channel - TJC.

 

[Hammy60]

Yes. But a hound with no teeth isn’t very effective at getting shopping channels to behave themselves. The strategy is flawed by design. Anybody with any sense of the streetwise can see that. Unfortunately, old ladies and gentlemen not too Net savvie probably have made decisions to buy based upon it.

Diplomatically put as always, but let's not mince words here, some of the shopping telly channels have been infested by a bunch of shysters, both on screen and behind the scene (management) who prey on the uninformed, the less fortunate and vulnerable in our society, by spouting a staggering amount of lies, misinformation/disinformation and general bullshit about the brands and products they are selling and anyone thinking such behaviour is okay and that everyone should just turn a blind eye to it, needs to take a good look in the mirror.

Okay, a 100% successful "ASA Hound", just checked the time on his brand new made in China luxury Heritor 'future heirloom, must insure' watch and it's time for a late night coastal walk with his sherpa hoodie, hot water bottle and his trusty torch/alarm walking cane.

 

[Dr Quincy MkII]

I just watched some HobbyMakerTV and they've started doing the saying of names of those who are buying thing. Andy Love and Dave Bradford (who were presenting together) actually explained the process and the camera cut to a screen with scrolling names of customers and where they're from. They said if people don't want to share their name they have the option and just appear on-screen as 'crafter'. Ideal World should turn the camera on the screen to see if Hammy or whoever they claim are actually buying. They also had a list of how many items in stock and how many were left on-screen, so it CAN be done

 

[Herring]

Why do you spend your precious time watching something that you so clearly despise?

This is a genuine question and something that intrigues me. There are many negative posters on this forum who have nothing good to say about certain shopping TV channels, however they clearly spend the majority of their time engaging with it.

It is very strange.

It's not that strange, tbh.

I buy things from shopping TV channels, and that generally requires watching them.

I've bought a lot from QVC, and a fair bit from IW, but nothing (yet) from the new TJC incarnation. If good quality, branded items appear on screen at great prices, like they often did before, I'm sure I'd consider. But you pointed out that the old IW's "small margin" approach didn't work, so presumably… that means no big brands or no market beating prices on them if they do appear on the new IW.

You're entitled to say we're "negative" on this forum, but "negative" is a matter of perspective.

Is it "negative" to see a con artist conning people and point it out?

The con artist —not a direct comparison, don't worry — would see it as a negative.

But the people being conned? I reckon they'd see it as a positive…

 

[Muttley]

One simply question "ASA Hound". Why do you spend your precious time watching something that you so clearly despise?

This is a genuine question and something that intrigues me. There are many negative posters on this forum who have nothing good to say about certain shopping TV channels, however they clearly spend the majority of their time engaging with it.

It is very strange.

We just don't like presenters who openly lie and employ dubious sales techniques. We try to stop less Internet savvy people being conned which is why we report them. And some of the viewing is comedy gold which creates a fun forum with lots of laughs.

If you like the channel and watch it a lot that's brilliant, I'm honestly not being sarcastic.

 

[Duke of Cheese]

The poster who seems to know what is going on with the channel seems to take a very positive view of it. Everything in the garden appears to be lovely, and there are no issues whatsoever. They say the reason that you see the same items presented over and over again is because they are selling well over and over again. This may well be true, but it seems very odd why you would want to fill a whole hour with a product like a cane, and at the end of that hour say it is unlikely to be seen again. Then, a day or two later, it reappears again. Those tactics seem questionable at the very least, so forgive people for being cynical, and believing that these products are not actually selling out like the poster suggests they are.

If you want to be continually positive about the channel, say that there is nothing wrong, and everything is going brilliantly, then that’s fine. Also, if you think it gives viewers an informed choice, by comparing, say, a £30 quid handbag with one costing thousands, because it looks vaguely similar from a distance, and use that as a price comparison, then in your world that must be fine, too. But to use the ‘not a direct comparison’ rider to keep the ASA away, apparently, doesn’t seem a particularly constructive or open stance on selling. You wonder whether that policy has even been tested because I doubt anybody watching as a potential buyer would want to contact the ASA about it. Presumably, the channel has checked with them and got the green light to use that way of selling?

People aren’t always negative on the forum about Ideal World. You can see from posts that there ARE newer presenters that they do use who get much positive praise here. Equally, people have got a right to post their concerns about some of the selling tactics used, and also about the pricing of goods which can be easily checked as cheaper elsewhere by online price comparisons – the ones that the channel itself rarely if ever uses. If you think in 2023, having a television throwback making seedy double entendres and ludicrous claims about the products they are selling means everything is great, then I think we are never going to find any middle ground on the issue.

 

[SiRich]

despise is a strong word, despair might be a better description. I despair at IW.

When you have someone claiming they are prouder bringing an aftershave/perfume brand unknown in the high street to air (I think that was the product and its been seem on IW week after week) than they would be bringing a brand such as Rolex (again I think that was actually named), it makes for great entertainment (in small doses) seeing them talk such utter tosh.

It is actually quite incredible the lengths IW will go to try get a sale and I often find myself flicking over just for that. My bad. Insane levels of bullshit only bettered in the House of Commons.

 

[Latearrival]

Vegan approved leather???
isn’t that a contradiction in terms

 

[Muttley]

The poster who seems to know what is going on with the channel seems to take a very positive view of it. Everything in the garden appears to be lovely, and there are no issues whatsoever. They say the reason that you see the same items presented over and over again is because they are selling well over and over again. This may well be true, but it seems very odd why you would want to fill a whole hour with a product like a cane, and at the end of that hour say it is unlikely to be seen again. Then, a day or two later, it reappears again. Those tactics seem questionable at the very least, so forgive people for being cynical, and believing that these products are not actually selling out like the poster suggests they are.

If you want to be continually positive about the channel, say that there is nothing wrong, and everything is going brilliantly, then that’s fine. Also, if you think it gives viewers an informed choice, by comparing, say, a £30 quid handbag with one costing thousands, because it looks vaguely similar from a distance, and use that as a price comparison, then in your world that must be fine, too. But to use the ‘not a direct comparison’ rider to keep the ASA away, apparently, doesn’t seem a particularly constructive or open stance on selling. You wonder whether that policy has even been tested because I doubt anybody watching as a potential buyer would want to contact the ASA about it. Presumably, the channel has checked with them and got the green light to use that way of selling?

People aren’t always negative on the forum about Ideal World. You can see from posts that there ARE newer presenters that they do use who get much positive praise here. Equally, people have got a right to post their concerns about some of the selling tactics used, and also about the pricing of goods which can be easily checked as cheaper elsewhere by online price comparisons – the ones that the channel itself rarely if ever uses. If you think in 2023, having a television throwback making seedy double entendres and ludicrous claims about the products they are selling means everything is great, then I think we are never going to find any middle ground on the issue.

It is possible that the poster is a member of staff. They've just joined and we've just been mocking the channel for using our screen names of people who love the channel and buy everything.

As we know they read this forum it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility to join the forum and be a cheerleader for the channel.

 

[Jazzydrury]

I’m guessing the Schedule on the Sky EPG today is wrong, as it has Gen down for a 8 hour shift.

Like the handbags, Perfume are probably really good products, but don’t say ooh it’s designer