QVC Misinforming about Blu-ray!

[Clark Kent]

QVC is a real blight on capitalism in general. It preys upon elderly women and shut-ins who have little knowledge of many of the products advertised. The markups are outrageous.

[Ashamed Pegasus]

Originally Posted by Purplegrasshopper

People actually buy stuff off of QVC?

Apparently so considering their net revenue for the last 2 years was nearly $13 Billion...

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

QVC is a real blight on capitalism in general. It preys upon elderly women and shut-ins who have little knowledge of many of the products advertised. The markups are outrageous.

You pretty much just described every retail store in the entire country...

[Sylin]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

QVC is a real blight on capitalism in general. It preys upon elderly women and shut-ins who have little knowledge of many of the products advertised. The markups are outrageous.

Meh. I disagree, respectfully. One could argue that QVC, HSN and their ilk are only in business because of elderly women, shut-ins, and people who sit up all night channel surfing. They aren't being preyed upon--they want that stuff!

Nobody forces these people to watch TV, or to pick up and call, or to pay more than market value because they failed to do their own research or exercise some self-restraint, or to simply change the freaking channel or turn the TV off and read a book. The markup might be good, but it's not as if this stuff is being sold so far over MSRP you could call it a gouge. (Now, door-to-door salesmen hocking a $4,000 vacuum cleaner... that's a gouge.)

Products like OxyClean, Snuggie, and just about anything from RonCo only persist because of the afore-mentioned homebodies and their desire to part with their money for products they perceive as useful, regardless of what you or I think of it. It isn't fair to vilify the maker or the vendor. If a product sells well, it's obviously because people enjoy it. That's the great thing about capitalism--if there's a market, it becomes timeless "as seen on TV" gold (ChiaPet). If not, it goes away (Magic Meatball).

[jw]

speaking of which, I meant to buy some of those State Quarter teddy bears for presents last night, they were 20.00 for 11......I thought it was a bargain. I hate to see what the other 40 cost

They hook you.....then sink you

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by Sylin

Meh. I disagree, respectfully. One could argue that QVC, HSN and their ilk are only in business because of elderly women, shut-ins, and people who sit up all night channel surfing. They aren't being preyed upon--they want that stuff!

All good points you make in your post. As a strong believer in free market capitalism, of course they are serving a niche in the marketplace that looks highly profitable. It says more about the demographic groups that make up the bulk of their customer base than anything else.

Their excess profit margins indicate that there is a lack of competition serving that market. I suspect the enormous capital required to run a national television channel is a barrier to entry in this market.