bid-uptv.co.uk

Advantages: Can get bargains, good selection of goods
Disadvantages: Pricey p&p, you can end up buying tat!

I 'invested' in Sky Digital some 3 and a half years ago, once I had, I was amazed b the wide variet of channels! Upon flicking through the 647th channel- Bid UP TV (as it was then) I came across what appeared to be an online eBay, auctioning off saucepans, watches, golf lcubs and kiddies toys, absolutely enchanted by the bright orange set, I decided to sit down and have a watch. I wasn't overly impressed and found myself flicking though the rest ...
...A few weeks later, I was making some horrible student concoction when my saucepan broke, really annoyed with myself, I binned it, along with my food, ordered a chinese and settled in front of Sky. Channel hopping again, I came back to channel 647 where there was live auction for a set of 5 stainless steel saucepans & steamer..I ran like Grease lightning to the phone and dialled the number on screen and there my life as a bid tv shopper was started....... ... Read review

Advantages: You may find a bargain
Disadvantages: High delivery prices, unstable website

While flicking through the hundreds of channels on Sky a couple of years back, my husband happened upon Bid Up, a shopping channel with a difference. Instead of simply buying an item, you could bid on it, a little bit like Ebay only you would phone in your bid. After watching for a while we discovered there was a website that would let us join in the fun, and so we registered and took the plunge, placing several bids, some successful, but most that ...
...in format, so this review is going to give slightly different information than many of the others in this section. ~~~The Website~~~ The bid-up website can be found at www.bid-up.tv or www.bid.tv (not www.bid-uptv.co.uk like it says in the product description), and on entering the site the homepage is well set out in mainly orange and blue tones. Now if you're using any browser other than Internet Explorer (or MSN explorer), I'm afraid this is ... Read review

Advantages: Bid-up shopping is very easy
Disadvantages: Auctions may prove costly

I used to be an avid shopper at bid-up.tv because its so easy to buy and the bargains to be had seemed terrific. The principle is to auction off approximately eight lots per hour, sometimes more if it is a speed auction. An auctioneer describes the product, usually in glowing terms and great detail and a minimum bid is shown on the tv screen alongside a telephone number to ring to bid on the particular auction showing at the time. When you decide ...
...an automated service which magically remembers your telephone number, enabling you to be called back if your bid is successful. You can also bid on their website, which is preferable because you avoid the 60p per minute telephone charges. On the website you can see the whole day's auctions in advance and decide what or if you want to bid on a particular auction. You need to have made at least one successful bid prior to doing this as you will need ... Read review

Advantages: Can find bargains if you are very lucky
Disadvantages: Delivery is expensive and takes quite a while

Summary Bid-up.tv is an interactive auction channel featuring on Sky Digital (647), Freeview (24), Ntlworld and Telewest. It is the sister channel of pricedrop.tv (see my review dated 1/1/2004) however, it has been established for a longer period of time and was one of the first live auction channels to be created on television. There are approximately 6 to 10 auctions each hour, with the channel operating between 8 am and 1 am, 7 days a week, ...
...a £1 or a higher amount set by the channel. How does it work? Bid-up.tv is very similar to a traditional style auction where the highest bidders are successful. In the vast majority of auctions there are more than one item available to be bought meaning that multiple bidders will be successful. Basically bidders are free to bid whatever amount they wish as long as this is the same or higher than the value of the ‘bidup from arrow’ (described ... Read review

Advantages: Many items are excellent value for money
Disadvantages: the additional costs take the edge off your bargain

I am not too happy with some of the happenings of these channels. The fact you can only buy one item at a time (or pay P&P and call cost) on another phone. They boast a money back guarantee but they fail to say it doesn't include your P&P. I recently had to return a very cheap item because they sent the wrong size, even their invoice confirmed the size it should have been, but the label on the garment was a size smaller. I called and said I expected ...
...to date I only have the cost of the item, so they have their wrong sized goods back to sell to someone else and I'm out of pocket by £15:00 as I had to pay to return the goods as well - not such a bargain after all. The speed auction is also questionable because they seldom have a clock to show how much time is left - I have seen the auction go on for several seconds after the presenter has said time was up - this leaves it open to higher bidders ... Read review