Problems Home Shopping Hosts Have

If you listen to any home shopping host long enough, you will discover that they live lives full of problems and obstacles that we mere mortals could never fully grasp.

1) Casual acquaintances frequently show up unannounced at their houses demanding thoughtful gifts from their well-stocked gift closets.

2) On their days off, hosts are forced against their will to shop in upscale designer retail stores and be utterly shocked--shocked, I tell you!--by the high prices, sub-par quality, and limited selection.

3) That random person who popped by unexpectedly is now demanding that the host whip up a gourmet meal in minutes!

4) Due to moaning, groaning, eye rolling, lip smacking, and spontaneous dancing with each and every bite, hosts are rarely able to finish a meal before it gets cold.

5) Every day, hosts hawk miracle products that literally changed their lives; but, years later, they are still hosts who hawk stuff.

6) Because their inconsiderate friends are always springing formal events on them at the last possible moment, hosts need amazing, amazing accessories to take their wardrobe staples from day to night in a snap.

7) Hosts overheat easily! They frequently "melt the phone lines down," and, by law, they are only allowed to use flameless candles unless supervised by a trained producer.

8) Perpetually upset that they have so little time to spend with their families, hosts spend all their free time relentlessly hunting for the best time-saving devices.

9) Close friends of hosts are cursed! They seem to be afflicted with an endless stream of embarrassing hair loss, stinky poop and saggy boobs. Although host are able to repeatedly broadcast their woes, they lack the ability actually help them.

10) It takes hosts forever to get through the grocery store checkout line since they are compelled to congratulate all the other customers on each of their purchases.

11) Unless hosts develop quick reflexes, they suffer traumatic head injuries from all those products that are literally "flying out the door!"

12) Ever fearful that they might "see themselves coming and going," hosts never hang mirrors near doors or in hallways.

13) Hosts are so addicted to gourmet coffee, that they are able to finance anything by just giving up lattes!

Let's be honest, being a home shopping host is a profession fraught with difficulties. I, for one, think that we all need to take the time to be more understanding of their arduous plight.

--qb ;-)

GemsTV Host Brook Roberts Headed to JTV

Brook's audition tape for The Amazing Race.

Michele Lau, who has already made her on-air debut, was the first GemsTV host to announce her move to Jewelry Television. Then Craig Rooke soon followed in her footsteps, with his wife, Katie Rooke, not far behind.  And now Brook Roberts is the latest GemsTV host to make the leap to Jewelry Television.

If I were a current JTV host, I think I'd be a little scared for my job right about now.

By the way, Karen Connelly has also alluded to the fact that something is about to happen ... JTV? ShopNBC? Hmmm ....

Host Katie Rooke Joins JTV

As suspected, Katie Rooke is the next GemsTV host to announce her move to Jewelry Television.

Since GemsTV closed up shop, Michele Lau, Craig Rooke, and now Craig's wife Katie Rooke have all make the leap to Jewelry television.

Check out the full Booty Dance here.

GemsTV Host Craig Rooke Coming to JTV

After the recent collapse of GemsTV, Craig Rooke is the latest host to make the move to Jewelry Television. Michele Lau has already announced that she'll be coming to JTV. Could Katie Rooke be far behind?

Home Shopping Verses the Volcano

 And neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, nor the winds of change, nor a nation challenged, will stay us from the swift completion of our appointed rounds. Ever.

Last week, the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull (which I think is what happens to the alphabet after being emulsified in the Montel Williams HealthMaster) wreaked havoc on European air traffic for days.

But volcanic ash or not, the show must go on because home shopping never sleeps!

According to KnoxNews.com, a group of five Jewelry Television gem hunters--Jerry Sisk, Jay Boyle, Maureen Pierce, Ryan Acree, and Dan Magnafici--have been suck in Tanzania since April 9th, unable to catch a flight out of the country. At one point they were even forced out of their hotel onto the streets. To make matters worse, two crew members are also running low on necessary prescription medication. With all the flights to Europe cancelled, the plan was to get visas to go to India and then fly home from there. However, there's been yet another set back. Watch the video here.

But our group of JTV Indian Jones adventurers aren't the only home shopping folks to get derailed by the volcanic ash.

Stacey Schieffelin of y.b.f. (formerly Models Prefer) just posted on her blog that she was a recently part of the "Volcano Victims displacement program."

Last week on the morning of the volcano eruption we were the last flights to land in Europe! We arrived in Rome and then flew onto Bologna where we made it but our luggage did not. Loosing our luggage wasn’t the worst thing that can happen when traveling - we learned later! 

...

You all know we were prepared to have our premier show for Ideal World from the USA on April 26/27 - at our home network HSN (home shopping network) in sunny Florida - my home state!

...

With the help of so many of you - we rented 2 cars -bought train tickets in 2 countries - put up residence at 5 different hotels/motels - we’ve seen beautiful Europe from the motor way, railway, air and sea all to get to our lovely girlfriends and we would not have wanted to have it any other way!! It was worth traveling through Italy, Switzerland and France to find our way home to the UK and we could have never managed it without all of the help and prayers of you…our girlfriends! We so appreciate all of your time and effort in guilding us along our exciting way!

Poor Stacey probably didn't even have her curlers while she was schlepping across Europe on trains, planes, and automobiles! Read he rest of Stacey's volcanic adventures here.

~

GemsTV Host Michele Lau Coming to JTV

Gems TV just closed its doors, but host Michele Lau has already lined up another job at Jewelry Television.

According to Michele's Facebook Fan Page:

I am proud and excited to announce that I am joining the Jewelry Television family in Knoxville, Tennessee! There are many changes happening in the home shopping industry. I am impressed with the evolution that is happening at JTV and honored to be asked to be a part of it!

Congratulations!

Former Host Sues JTV

Former JTV host, Valerie Hughes, filed suit against Jewelry Television for some sort of alleged civil rights violation.* I'll pass along the details as they become available. Valerie Hughes was a show host at JTV from August 2006 through May 2008.

Last year, former Jewelry Television vice president Steve Gordon sued JTV for age discrimination (Queen Bea's post here and the court documents here). Like Valerie, Steve was also laid off during JTV's major workforce reduction of '08, but felt that he was actually being targeted due to his age and health issues.



*I'm having trouble getting the link to work now, but this is the cached copy.

Someone at JTV is Not Happy

Jewelry Television is advertising for a Production Associate position on Knoxville Craigslist. You can check it out here if you'd like, but it's a fairly standard employment ad.

But then some anonymous person who claims not to be a former employee posts this:

Now that Gems TV bidding for about a 30% stake in JTV, the place is probably moving even farther away from its "family run" roots.

Gems TV Files for Bankruptcy

Gems TV just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Apparently, Gems TV has always struggled to be profitable and the recession coupled with the skyocketing price of gold just sent them straight down the tubes.

Last month Gems TV announced that they will be shutting down their U.S. operations. But it's not as simple as turning off the cameras and just hanging an "Out of Business" sign on the door. Their Cayman Islands-based parent company, which is traded on the Singapore Stock Exchange, also put in a bid to buy a big stake in their U.S. rival Jewelry Television.Compose

And, according to the Wall Street Journal, even though Gems TV reported that they have about $51 million in assets and $120 million in liabilities and the bankruptcy will be leaving many of their creditors high and dry, the bankruptcy doesn't do anything to hinder their bid for JTV.

On top of all that, after Gems TV notified their satellite providers that they would no longer be broadcasting, DirecTV filed a $25 million lawsuit against Gems TV for an allegedly breaching their affiliation agreement. According to the National Jewelry Network, DirecTV "sought a preliminary injunction to prevent Gems TV from transferring or disposing of any of its assets outside the ordinary course of winding down the business. A hearing in that case was scheduled to take place April 19, but was stayed by the commencement of the Chapter 11 filing."

Honestly, I'm still trying to get a handle on exactly how this whole Gems TV shutting down U.S. operations and buying a big chunk of Jewelry Television thing will shake out. Will some of the Gems TV hosts be going to JTV? If so, will Karen Connelly and Skip Connelly be reunited? What will JTV do with this big infusion of cash? Will JTV go to the horrible "reverse auction" selling method?

Timeline:
March 2 - Gems TV announced that they were ceasing their U.S. operations
March 8 - Employees were notified that they would have their jobs until May 6
March 8 - Satellite television providers were notified that Gems TV would no longer broadcast after
April 5 - Gems TV files for bankruptcy
April 15 - Gems TV will stop broadcasting
May 6 - Last day of employment for Gems TV employees

QVC Loses its Sparkle

QVC loves to flash a little bling-bling. In fact, it's how they built their multi-billion dollar empire. But with the economy swirling the drain and gold prices continuing to skyrocket, home shopping customers are losing interest in shiny objects.

The Q is now focusing more on "practical" items like electronics, kitchen gadgets, and food (although I for one don't think that a $50 cheesecake is practical). Just think back to this past Memorial Day weekend. Save for the Black Hills Gold show last night, there was nary a sparkle to be found. I think every time I flipped onto QVC they were presenting that flat garden hose or a food item of some sort.

The problem--other than Queen Bea being bored out of her gourd--is that jewelry has a much higher profit margin than these other categories. Sales focused on non-jewelry categories and lower price points resulted in QVC's first quarter earnings dropping 18% from last year.

The trend against jewelry isn't just affecting QVC. The demand for gold is at a 20-year low and all jewelry retailers are suffering. When you just lost your job or you aren't sure that you'll still have a job in a month, buying a new bauble simply isn't the priority.




Even Jewelry Television (JTV)--a channel focused solely on jewelry and gems--is getting in on the act. JTV recently rolled out a new gemstone-infused skincare line called DermaGem. I can only assume that they are looking to find new non-jewelry products to help carry them through the slump.

On the flip side, that ginormous 25-carat apple quartz ring pictured at the top of the page is the Today's Special at HSN ... maybe there is hope. The sheer audacity of that ring makes me smile. Home shopping without bling is like eating cereal with no milk. Yuck.

JTV Sued for Discrimination

According to KnoxNews.com, Former Jewelry Television vice president Steve Gordon is suing JTV for age discrimination. He also alleges that JTV was involved in a plot to weed out all the employees who accrued high health care costs--known in legalese fancy talk as “a pretextual guise for discriminatory conduct.”

Steve was laid off as part of the company-wide workforce reduction back in May of last year. However, a month before he was terminated, Gordon said he met with two Jewelry Television executives who discussed the company’s increasing health-care costs, including those associated with his cancer treatment.

Steve was hired in 2004 after being recruited by then-CEO Robert Hall and then diagnosed with a type of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma cancer in 2005. He claims that he was replaced with younger people (i.e. healthier), that they re-hired certain people, and that they tended to hire friends and family.

The lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, maintains that Jewelry Television sought to eliminate employees who threatened the company’s objective of an independent public offering by increasing health insurance or workers’ compensation premiums. Steve is seeking $10 million in damages.

After the whole Andesine Labradorite debacle and jewelry sales being down across the board, JTV needs another lawsuit like it needs a hole in the head. I hope this isn't true. I hope that they aren't so heartless as to pull the rug out from someone diagnosed with cancer. But I know the realities of corporate America and nothing surprises me anymore.

ShopNBC Cuts Host Jobs

Approximately 70 ShopNBC employees were laid off yesterday in an effort to "cut costs."

Even the hosts weren't spared at the chopping block this time. According to an anonymous sources, hosts Bill Fahey and Kerry McNally were both let go. And Jim Fisher's contract was not renewed, but he will now be a guest for the coin jewelry shows. Daniel Green is also gone, but he resigned a few weeks ago to do a local television kitchen show.

Per CNN, ShopNBC's "salaried work force was reduced by approximately 11%, which is effective immediately. This represents a total reduction in the salaried workforce of 27% from fiscal 2007. Impacted team members were offered competitive severance and outplacement services. Additionally, the Company will suspend its 401(k) match for fiscal 2009, and there will be a salary freeze with no merit pay increases in the coming fiscal year."

Jewelry Television also announced yesterday that they were starting yet another round of layoffs. They already have reduced their workforce from about 2000 people to 1300 in 2008. They aren't saying how many employees will get pink slips this time. However per the comments I'm reading here, it sounds like they were short staffed and encouraging call center employees to work overtime in December. Strange.

I wish everyone effected by these layoffs the best.

For Real, the Winner of the Fake Face Off Is ...

In a landslide victory with 72% of the vote (Wow!!!), Diamonique was chosen by you as the best fake diamond!

Diamonique beat out HSN's Absolute (3%), ShopNBC's Brilliante (1%), Jewelry Television's Bella Luce (0% -- no love for JTV!)

The second biggest vote getter was "doesn't matter, they're all the same anyway" with 12% of the vote and there are still some of you (actually 10% to be precise) out there who "would rather go naked than wear fake diamonds." I can't say that I relate to that particular segment of the population! Put some clothes on people!

Honestly, I would choose Diamonique also. Not because I think it is necessarily better, but because of the lifetime warranty that they offer (but no longer promote). That guarantee is worth spending the extra money. Not too many jewelry items come with that kind of backing.

Technibond on HSN--the gold-plated silver line--also used to be worth the extra money too. But then they got rid of the warranty and now it's just like any other plated jewelry product. Check out the story behind Technibond in my post here.

Here's the thing though. Most of the CZ used in these lines is made by Signity. (Yes, there was a line on ShopNBC by that name that has gone by the wayside and will supposedly return after the beginning of the year under a different name. Apparently there was some confusion between the manufacturer of Signity and the line by same name. I thought that it was very good by the way! Especially the steel and the diamond-coated CZ.)

So, in reality, most of this stuff really is the same. Don't get me wrong though, there are definitely some stinkers out there that look like a piece of cloudy, shadowy, cheap glass.

Since most of the stones are in actuality the same, my main concerns are the quality of the setting and the carat weight. Those flimsy gold setting have got to go. I know that the price of gold has gone up, but trying to stretch one gram of gold over a big ring just ain't gonna work.

Also, those huge stones need to be used sparingly. I have one big honker ring that I bought for fun, but I normally look for low carat weights spread out over lots of stones. I don't know who keeps buying those big rocks, but puh-leeze--for the love of all that's holy--stop!

And to those of you that wouldn't touch a fake diamond with a ten-foot pole, I think that life is short and jewelry should be fun. Spending tons of money and worrying about losing an earring isn't fun to me. Besides, by the time they treat many of those natural stones there's not much left that's natural about it (think Playboy model fake--they've had their nose done, their boobs done, their hair is dyed, they've had lipo, they've been waxed from head to toe, and they have a fake bake--but technically they are real, right?) But to each her own. Whatever you have, enjoy it! :-)

Ghost Mine in the Sky with Diamonds

The andesine-labradorite mine owner, a miner, and Chiang Min (from JTV's Bangkok subsidiary) visiting the mine in Tibet.


JTV has expanded their “Learning Library” and they sure are busy promoting it! I took a look at it, and from what I can tell--aside from the standard textbook info on jewelry and gemstones--what they are really trying to do is give their side of the whole andesine-labradorite scandal in an “educational” format.

So what do they have to say?

First, the accusations, class-action lawsuit, and huge settlement in the millions of dollars are described simply as "a flurry of activity on red and green andesine-labradorite. " Cute. Iraq has had a flurry of activity these last few years too!

They also state that the so-called Tibetan "Ghost Mine in the Sky" is real and produces natural red andesine-labradorite. They "can confidently state that there is a mining camp and many deep holes in the ground ... There are numerous mine shafts at this mining site, which makes it less likely the site is a diversion or a hoax." The mine is lacking equipment, but they claim this is because they have to mine the stones by hand. However, they are still waiting on lab reports from the samples they collected at the Tibetan "Ghost Mine in the Sky."

JTV also claims that they have "not sold Mexican labradorite as andesine-labradorite." I guess they were accused of shipping the Mexican yellow labradorite to China so that they could claim it was was the more valuable andesine-labradorite. However, they say that they shipped the gems to China for faceting only and never tried to pass them off as anything but Mexican labradorite.

JTV’s "Jewel Hunter Jack" found mines on the China/Mongolia that yielded yellow stones, and when laboratory tested, these stones proved to be andesine-labradorite. The stones are copper-diffused to create red and green colors. "JTV has every reason to believe these mines are real and functioning. It was on this trip that Jewel Hunter Jack learned andesine-labradorite is mined as yellow and treated to transform the stones to red or green. At the time, the miners told Jack the stones were only heated. However, we have now learned they are actually color enhanced/diffused."

Since this has been a long, heated, and complicated issue, I would be very interested to hear a rebuttal from the other side. Anyone?

VOTE! Fabulous Fakes or Embarrassing Imitations

I love my fake diamonds.

Go ahead and judge me, I don't care. I'll be too blinded by my bling to notice your disapproving stares.

I am taking a poll though. Check it out on the top of the left-hand column. I want to know what you think about them--the good, the bad, and the ugly. What's your favorite fake?

Are JTV and GemsTV Deceiving Customers?

Robert James FGA, GG, President, International School of Gemology, thinks that both JTV and GemsTV are violating FTC guidelines against deceptive pricing.

How? You know the game ... they tell you that the gem they are practically giving away for $39.99 used to sell for $3690! Wow! What a bargain!

But does the gem really sell for $3690 anywhere? Did they ever even sell one even close to that price? Is it really worth that?

Check out these screen shots that he captured:





He is also withdrawing his support of the huge JTV class action settlement over the andesine issue. He wants a full jury trial so all the documents can be made public.

I think that the bottom-line issue is that the jewelry business is built on trust--we believe that the ring is a natural ruby set in 18k gold and is therefore worth a certain amount of money ultimately because they say it is. When this basic trust is eroded you might as well buy from any old Tom, Dick, or Harry on eBay.

His article is quite informative. Check it out here.

Shopping Around ... Info Dump

So I've been slacking on the blog over the Thanksgiving holiday and my inbox overfloweth. This is going to be the biggest info-dump post ever. I just have to clear out some clutter! I can't take it anymore!




Kathy McGuire, inventor of My Little Weatherbuddy, got to meet Joan Rivers backstage at the Q after their 22nd Birthday Holiday Party. Kathy said Joan was "so nice and gorgeous" and that she had a great first experience on QVC, "I couldn't of had a better time in Disney world." I'm so jealous! I love Joan!


Finally! Someone is listening to me! I have nagging ad nauseum about high shipping costs and finally the-powers-that-be cleaned the wax outta their ears and listened. According to this Wall Street Journal article, it’s been all about the free shipping this holiday season.


Say bye-bye to bling-bling, electronics is now the Q’s most popular business (I wonder if this could this have anything to do with King George coming from Dell?) There's just one little problem with this: unlike jewelry, electronics has a very low profit margin.


Here's a warning that some of the coins sold on the home shopping channels might not be uncirculated as they claim. Basically this boils down to just buying what you love for fun and not buying because of some perceived future value. The best advice on the topic can be found on Steve Bryant's website (former QVC host). And while your there, take a quick listen to his song parodies (FYI--some are NSFW).


When the markets tanked last Monday (not to be confused with all the other days that it tanked), HSN dropped 24 percent to $2.84. That's in one day, folks. Wow.


Carol Alt is bringing her RAW beauty products to HSN and they are raw for real, y'all—as in not cooked. I knew about the raw eating trend, but I didn’t know that it extended into other non-edible products too. I could never do that whole raw eating thing since I (usually) love to cook! That would just suck too much joy out of my life. Oh well, to each her own.


Apparently iPhone is greedy enough to lower themselves to Walmart, but still too good for the Q. I guess you gotta draw the line somewhere, right?


This is a great article about not confusing home shopping hosts with real friends--even if they are nice people. Hosts are just doing their job by selling you stuff in an entertaining and friendly manner. And I really wish that the Q would stop all their talk about the big, happy QVC family--especially since they're canning hundreds of their beloved family members.


Here's a good write up for JTV’s watch website, which is much better than the regular Jewelry Television site--great pictures and easy navigation. I thought I'd post this since there hasn't been much good news coming out of JTV recently. Gotta take what you can get.


Mindy Grossman, CEO of HSN, was named number 28 on the 2008 Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Cable list. Why? Because HSN “has posted revenue growth during a time when most retailers have been challenged. Her reputation in the retail industry combined with her vision of HSN as a new retail frontier have made HSN a top choice for brands and strategic partners who had previously been averse to TV retailing, including Condé Nast, Sephora, Nate Berkus and Coty Inc. Her strategy of combining lifestyle entertainment and commerce has had an impact on the retail industry as well as on other media.” Forget King George over at the Q—all hail Queen Mindy!


This article details how Internet sales are becoming a bigger chunk of total home shopping sales. Personally, I never call to order anything. I am exclusively an online kind of a girl since I like to comparison shop and read reviews before making a purchase. I also do NOT like the pressure of the on-air sale (only two per state left!) I do, however, enjoy listening to the designer or inventor of the product describe and explain what they are selling. You just don’t get that kind of expertise from the eighteen-year-old at the mall. I think that the on-air and online compliment each other quite nicely and, really, the Internet is home shopping’s only hope for remaining a relevant shopping format in the future.


Here are some articles about some smart ladies with smart products who worked hard and got lucky by getting to go on QVC: Affirmagy, Butler Bag, and Lapper Trays. Congrats to all!


Interesting article about the science behind the Living Proof NoFrizz product, which won the Allure Beauty Breakthrough of the Year and is now sold on QVC. I checked out the reviews and they are definitely a mixed bag. We can fly a man to the moon, but we can't cure baldness or tame frizzy hair--go figure.


HSN's Terry Lewis gets a glowing review here for her line of "investment coats." Sounds impressive.


Fashion designer Arnold Scaasi has designed for Jacqueline Kennedy and now he’s launching a jewelry line on HSN featuring hematite, pearls, enamel and gemstones. I swear, home shopping channels are like Las Vegas—at some point everyone ends up performing there.

Jewelry Television Slashes More Jobs

Jewelry Television is laying off thirty IT employees. The employees were told on Wednesday that their positions were being eliminated.

Between QVC and JTV, 11/12/08 has become the Black Wednesday for the home shopping channels.

These layoffs come after JTV eliminated approximately 150 jobs this past May and more are possible into the first quarter of 2009 as they "adjust to a national downturn in jewelry sales."

Here are a few of the posted comments posted on the Knoxville area website (where JTV is located). Do you think that people are angry?

hey, guys to let you know, the show hosts make more than $200K a year while their customer service reps make $10 a year with no raises or bonus.

This company has friviously spent money like it's going out of style, for example, the new call center(which i hear they didn't even need since there was nothing wrong with the old one) cost them over $100K, the new cubilces were over $100K (they weren't needed) Then the company laid off over 200 claiming that it was necessary with the economy the way it is, then they spent over $1mil on relocating the set. The show hosts lie through their teeth 24/7 in order to light up the phones, then the call center agents are the ones having to apologize for theri lies, they laid off some really good show hosts and kept trash. for example, they let Valerie, Leah, Jeanine and a few others go and brought back Heidi(the poster girl for useless people) can anyone say "train wreck?" Then there's Wendy, Mrs. Monotone, and Mandy the one that screams on the air, then there's Misty, the one that's nasal all the time and don't forget about Scott and couldn't tell the truth even if he tried. The company will be out of business very soon. and these poor people that have been lied to, and cheated out of their raises and bonuses checks will be S.O.L.

JTV had alot of lay offs in the summer then turned around and hired new call center people. Sounds to me like they were trying to weed anyone out that was making more money or that had insurance. I understand that come the first of the year anyone with insurance will have to pay 100% of their insurance so what are they losing. This company has wronged its employees from the get go. Maybe they need to start at the top cut there and get a dose of humility and remember its the people out here that keep them going and their faithful employees.

So heres my question...why does JTV still own a over $14,000,000 Hawker 800 Private Jet?

JTV neglects to tell you that they have started outsourcing customer service jobs to a Florida based company. Also, subcontracting customer service jobs to home based people. So JTV is not telling the media or its employees the truth. They lie once again. Thank you JTV for a Merry Christmas. Thank you for adding more stress to our economic situation. JTV does not want Knoxville and the world to know that the management are snakes in the grass and using thier associates thru Christmas, to let them go after thier busy season. Thier management just smiles and says everything is ok. I am sure they make $100,000 a year.

The Reviews Are In!

I recently asked all you lovely ladies (and gentlemen, of course) for your honest opinion about that time-honored home shopping tradition of on-air testimonials. Boy do y’all have some strong opinions!

What was the overwhelming response? How shall I put this … well, here are just a few quotes. I think you’ll get the picture pretty quickly.


“Dumb, dumb, dumb. Does anyone ever call and say this sucks?”

“I hate them like a Yankee Fan hates the Red Sox.”

“I tune them out or press the mute button. They bore me to death.”

“Hate them. Especially … the death call.”

“These calls are usually painful to listen to. Sometimes these testimonials force me to change the channel or mute the TV...I can't tolerate them.”

“I usually turn the channel when the callers start talking...”

“I dislike callers gushing over the hosts, providing sensitive personal information, saying "Hi" to someone in the next room, or just plain blabbing too much.”


Don’t beat around the bush now, tell me how you really feel!

There were several comments about how the exchanges make the hosts and vendors uncomfortable, to the point that you can’t watch (or at least mute it until the train wreck is over). I have to admit that when a caller starts talking about an illness or death (the oh-so-dreaded “death call”), I will physically dive for the remote control. I just can’t change the channel fast enough!

One reader pointed out the she preferred watching ShopNBC and Jewelry Television because they had few to no on-air testimonials. I wonder if they are doing this on purpose, or they just can’t get anyone to talk to them!

There were complaints all around that they were simply pointless and boring because you already knew ahead of time that the caller was going to rave about the product. As one reader said, “I am always waiting for someone to call up and say how much they DON'T like something or a caller who says that the workmanship on the QVC clothes has gone down hill over the years. Someone who will say how so NOT on trend their clothing is. That would be interesting.”

I have seen a handful of negative calls—although they are few and far between—and the “uncomfortable” factor just shoots through the roof as the host and vendor’s worst fears are realized on live television.

I had a few people tell me that they enjoyed listening to callers when certain vendors, like Joan Rivers and Jeanne Bice, were there because they try to make everything fun and entertaining. I think there is really something to this. It takes a certain type of person to be able to artfully handle off-the-cuff conversations with complete strangers while trying to sell products. This isn’t a skill that most people have. Joan not only is blessed with natural wit, she can also draw from her years of experience dealing with hecklers while doing her stand-up comedy. How many hosts and vendors have that reservoir of experience?

In fairness, there was one positive remark: if the caller asked a relevant question about the product, and the host or vendor gave and informative response, the call is good. This, of course, ties into the new-fangled online questions that QVC is doing, which most of you seemed tentatively optimistic about. I think it has great potential since most of the questions are better and there isn’t a “cringe factor” going on. Maybe they need to spiff it up with some on-air graphics or something. I do think that they’re going in the right direction though.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this one email that made my snarky attitude come crashing down around me. I forget that there are many, many home shopping viewers that are elderly, shut-ins, and lonely people. I forget that they feel like they have a real bond with the hosts and vendors.

“I am vaguely embarrassed by the on-air testimonials on home shopping channels...but I see they fill a need for some women who are lonely and just want to talk to someone and have some attention paid to them. My mother *adores* getting to speak to her favorite hosts and their guests on QVC. She is always talking about them to me like they are her personal friends and how sweet they are...in my cynicism I see how caught up she is while these people could care less. It is only part of their jobs.”

I’m left wondering if these calls are harmless entertainment that provides some level of company or comfort to those that don’t otherwise have it—or—if these people are being horribly manipulated and mistreated into spending their money. I don’t have an answer, but I will leave you with some words of wisdom that this wonderful reader sent me.

“The bigger lesson here is: cultivate your own interests, because you can't count on your children or a home shopping host to be your constant companions. Growing old gracefully means that you have hobbies you enjoy, good friends, and the ability to reach outside yourself to the world around you. I don't want to live my later years with the QVC host as the only person I've talked to all day.”

Goin' Rogue

Yes, chickadees, I saw John McCain on SNL this weekend in all his QVC glory. And I love Tina Fey ... love! love! love!

If you missed it and you consider yourself a home shopping diva, you must check it out!

This isn't a political blog, but I just want to encourage you to please vote tomorrow--no matter the lines, the weather, or the wait. Vote. It's your right and the only real voice you have in this country and, yes, it matters.

And just in case you would like to remember your brave act of patriotism with a beautiful piece of quality jewelry, for only $19.95, Jewelry Television is offering Commemorative Presidential Birthstone Sets exclusively on Tuesday, November 4th (Election Day). Seriously, I kid you not! This isn't a Saturday Night Live skit--this is for reals, y'all!

Joyce Richman, Senior Vice President of Programming at JTV said that they are "planning to keep tabs on which birthstone set is selling best on Tuesday to create a sense of fun and excitement on this historic Election Day."

Here's what you'll get:

Barack Obama/Joe Biden Birthstone Set
Native Hawaiians treasure peridot and refer to the stone as the tears of Pele, a Hawaiian goddess of fire. Peridot is also the birthstone for Democratic Presidential Nominee, Barack Obama, who was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 4, 1961. Citrine is the birthstone of Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee, Joe Biden, who was born on November 20, 1942. One of very few naturally occurring yellow gemstones, citrine was traditionally believed to increase clarity and foster a healthy heart.

John McCain/Sarah Palin Birthstone Set
Born August 29, 1936, John McCain's birthstone is the beautiful green peridot. Peridot is mined almost exclusively in the United States including Arizona, where the Republican Presidential Nominee served as a U.S. senator for nearly 20 years. Republican Vice Presidential Nominee, Sarah Palin, was born on February 11, 1964 and enjoys amethyst as her birthstone. Several ancient cultures believe amethyst brings good fortune and protection.

Only in America ... or, as Tim Russert would always say, "What a country!"