I first encountered Price Drop TV when we purchased our Freeview box early last year. Flicking through the channels, I noticed there were a couple of Shopping channels, namely QVC, Bid Up TV and price Drop TV. I didn't really take much notice of them - the idea of sitting there with the presenters trying to sell some obscure object really didn't appeal to me.
However, I received a phone call one day from my mum who excitedly told me she had managed to buy my brother a brand new mountain bike for just £1. At first I thought she was going a bit mad - after all, what company can afford to sell bikes at such a ridiculously low price? Price Drop TV - that's who!
=========== Who are Price Drop? ================= Price Drop TV are part of the 'Sit Up' TV Group, which consists of four Shopping channels and two movie channels - Matinee Movies, which specialise in family movies - usually the made-for-TV movies, and 'Bad Movies' apparently 'serving up the very worst in cinema', although why anyone would want to watch self confessed bad movies is a mystery to me! The movie channels are only available to Sky customers.The shopping channels are: Price Drop TV, Bid TV, Speed Auction TV and Screenshop. The most popular of these shopping channels are Price Drop and Bid TV, with Bid TV (then known as Bid Up TV) being the first channel Sit Up launched, in 2000. Price Drop followed three years later in 2003.
Following the overwhelming success of Bid TV and Price Drop, Speed Auction TV was launched in July 2005 and professes to be the 'Worlds fastest Auction channel'.
The Sit Up Group have won several Broadcast Awards including - 'Best Retail Channel' and 'Channel Innovation' Awards for Price Drop TV. In 2004, the Sit Up Group was ranked as the UK's fastest growing company, with an annual turnover of over £100 million pounds - that's how they can afford to sell bikes at £1! *****************************======= How to Price Drop =============
Price Drop TV can be found on Freeview channel 24, Sky Digital Channel 635, NTL Home on 856 and Telewest channel 741. However, don't worry if you don't have access to any of the above providers - I'm presuming if you are reading this, then you have access to a PC - you can watch live on their website, price-drop.tv. Price Drop TV is available 17 hours a day, Monday to Sunday between 8.00am and 1.00am
Everything featured on Price Drop TV has a starting price. However, the starting price is not the price you pay. As all of their auctions fall in price, every single buyer of that item pays the price at the end. For example, if you ring in to buy the item whilst it is at £50, and the auction ends at £20, you pay the end price of £20. It's that simple!
Each price drop features an enthusiastic presenter, trying to sell the item to you, to convince you that you need this item. On the screen, the following information is provided - Price of the item (which changes each time it falls, how many items there are, which also falls each time someone buys one, postage cost (I'll get to that later) and the item description, which runs across the bottom of the screen. Each price drop lasts around eight to ten minutes, but the auction really is controlled by the buyer, so depending on how quickly the items sells, they can last longer or less.
There are two ways you can buy an item - either by phoning in, using the number that is at the top of the screen whilst the auction is taking place, or via their website. All auctions have their own individual number, so it's no good storing it in your phone.
I always prefer to place my bids via the website. Not only is it quick and easy - it's also free. The first drawback about Price Drop TV (and where they definitely make their money) is that calls cost £1.50 - even if you don't win the auction. For example, it is possible to get 'locked out' of an auction. This usually happens if you wait until the last minute to call, to see what the end price will be. If you ring and are told that you are too late for the auction, you are still charged £1.50 for the cost of the call.
The website is 'real time' and refreshes on average about every second and I have noticed that the website is slightly ahead of the TV - an added bonus for Mega Drops - I will tell you about these further down. You will need to register if you wish to place your bid via the website. This is something you will not need to do if you call.
When you register on the website, you will be provided with a 10 digit Pin number. You will need to keep a note of this at all times to be able to place bids via the website. You will also need to provide your card details - if you win an auction via the website, the sale is automatically processed to your card. You will receive an email to confirm you have won the item, another one to confirm payment has been taken from your registered card (card details are required upon registration) and a final email is received when your item is despatched. If you are uncomfortable with having your card details stored by them, then calling Price Drop to place your bid is the best option.
To make your purchase by phone, ring the number at the top of the screen. You will be asked to press 1 to enter the price drop. The automated service will then tell you which auction it is your are bidding on and asks if you wish to place your bid - no amounts are entered - remember, the price you are paying is the price at the end if the auction. If you proceed, your bid will be placed and you are advised that an advisor will call you back within 30 minutes to take your name, address and payment details.
When I first started using Price Drop, I always placed my bids via telephone. The advisors were quite erratic in calling me back - sometimes it would be within 10 minutes, other times I have waited until the next day! After making that first phone call, you are asked to provide a password for future bids - when you ring again, the advisor will now have your details on file and will ask for the password and for you to confirm your name, address and payment details. *****************************=============== What features on Price Drop? ===================== There really are a wide selection of items on Price Drop. A lot of the items don't appeal to me, and strikes me as items that other shops don't want to sell, such as '20 of the best country CD's' or 'Lovejoy 8 DVD collection'. However, that's not to say that people don't want these things, or don't want to buy them - because they do.
Items sold fall in to one of ten categories, with items such as:
Accessories - Luggage sets, handbags, purses and make up bags Clothing - Anything from T-shirts, coats, pyjamas and boxer shorts Collectors - Limited Edition prints, ornaments and dolls Electrical - Foot spas, vacuum cleaners, hair straighteners Home - Cutlery, dinner sets, candles and curtains Jewellery - bracelets, necklaces, earrings Sports & Health - Bikes, Golf clubs, Weights and even binoculars Toys & Games - Rocking horses, dolls, remote controlled cars, and soft toys Watches - Designer men's and ladies watches, with names such as Elle, Slazenger, Hamnett and Pod
A lot of popular 'names' are featured, such as Burberry and Nike, and when items such as this are also available to buy in the shops, a price comparison is displayed on the screen, to show the savings you are making.
Prices obviously differ depending on what item is selling. However, tune in on the 'Mega Drop Month' and any item can go for just £1.
There is no sure fire way of knowing when an item is going to go for a pound (although I have seen a pattern emerging, which has worked so far!) so if you like an item, you are best to put your bid in straight away - it's no good waiting on Mega Drop Auctions, as when the siren sounds, the item sells like hot cakes!
We have now purchased a few items for a pound, including a 24 Piece BBQ set in a stainless steel carry case, a set of 20 Country CD's and a set of seven collectors ornaments. We didn't particularly want the items, so the BBQ set was given to a family member (A BBQ enthusiast who was over the moon) and the other items were sold on ebay for a small profit.
***************************** Delivery ====== This is a major let down for Price Drop. The general postage price is £7.99 for postage to the UK. Larger items such as bikes can cost around £15.99 postage. So, if you think you're getting a bargain, the postage can sometimes make the item cost more than it's worth.
For example, the items I won for £1 really cost £8.99 including delivery…..
Delivery is via courier. From payment to delivery, it usually takes around a week - I recently purchased an item and waited nearly two weeks. Bidders via the web can expect to receive their item around two days after receiving the despatch email from price Drop.
I have encountered a few problems with the courier. On occasions, he has left the item by my door, without obtaining a signature. On other occasions, he has left the item with a neighbour and not posted a card through to say where the item has been left. In all instances, I rang Customer Services who vowed to make a note and inform the Couriers.
If you don't like the item you have ordered, you can send it back - but be aware that although they will refund the cost of the item, they won't refund postage. *****************************======== Customer Services ============== My experiences with the Price Drop Customer Services have, on all occasions, left me dissatisfied. As mentioned above, I informed them about the problems with the Courier. Although they said they would speak to the Courier about the problems, they seemed rather nonplussed about my concerns.
On another occasion, an item I had paid for had still not arrived after three weeks. After numerous conversations with the Customer Services department, I finally received my money back four weeks later. Although I had not received the item, they tried to deduct the carriage fee from my refund. I contested against this, especially as they had no record of the delivery being made. The fact that I had to wait so long for the refund angered me even more, and on one occasion, I was told to 'be patient', which further angered me. I literally had to fight to get the refund, and I have heard that this is a common problem with Price Drop. *****************************===== Anything else? =========== Yes - if you still don't fancy shopping online or spending £1.50 on the phone call, then if you live in North London, you can pop into the Price Drop store.
Items in the store have a falling price, just like the TV and website. However, unlike the channel, each item in the store will have a price tag showing that day's price for the item. The price drops every day so if you go back the following day, the item will be cheaper than the previous day. The 'drops' last for seven days, and items sell out quickly. The store is located at the Galleria Outlet Centre in Hatfield and is open from 10am - 8pm weekdays, 10am - 6pm on Saturdays and 11am - 5pm on Sundays.
Beware - this channel can become addictive! It was a lot of fun at first, as Jay and I sat up watching the auctions, ready to pounce for that £1 Mega Drop item. However, we are a lot more relaxed about it these days. I very rarely watch the channel and prefer to browse the website every so often. I have recently bought a great winter Pyjama set that wasn't available anywhere else, for a bargain price and I am over the moon with it.
It's just such a shame that my experiences with Price Drop have been hindered by failed deliveries and poor Customer Service. I will use them in future, if there is anything I genuinely want that they are selling. I don't look out for the Mega Drops anymore - it always seems to be stuff we don't want nor need, and we bought it for the sake of it being a pound.
The £1.50 call charge I feel is extortionate and I would urge people to bid online, which doesn't cost a thing.
I will recommend this channel, but they're going to get marked down for poor Customer Services and high call charges.
www.price-drop.tv
Customer Services, sit-up Ltd, PO Box 45981, London, W3
Tel: 0870 166 6667
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