QVC ... wtf?

[icbrkr]

http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp?nest=%2Fasp%2FisItemNumberRedirect.as p&search=SQ&frames=y&referrer=QVC&txtDesc=genesis%0A

First question.. where? (where did they get em)

Next question... why? (and why so much?!)

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

"Made in China"...could they be pirated?

[Kejoriv]

$122!!!!!!!!!!!. Holy F-ing sh*t. The person that buys that really needs to check Ebay. haha

[MarioAllStar2600]

Not exactly on topic but they had some good deals the other day. NFL street for 20 bucks! I am so mad i missed it.

[Richter]

"An old classic gets a cool 21st century update"
yea, other than the price, and a RFU unit (WTF?) what's "updated" about it?

someone do the Live Help/Chat and get some info out of them, stupid thing doesnt want to load

[Ed Oscuro]

Heh, assuming that the unit isn't pirated (I'd highly doubt it, but you never know...) that could end up being a somewhat rare package variation someday ;)

Seems every time they rerelease the Genesis the graphics get worse. What's up with that?

[tholly]

thats a lot for an old system and a game that wasnt really that good

[Richter]

Thank you for contacting QVC. A representative will assist you in a moment.
You are not currently in a QVC chat session.
You are not currently in a QVC chat session.
Welcome to QVCs live chat service. This is Deana W, how may I assist you?
Bill Donahue: have a question about one of your items
Deana W: Certainly Mr. Donahue.
Deana W: I will be happy to assist you.
Bill Donahue: Itm Number E14331. Why is the price so damn high? These things go for less than $10
Deana W: I am sorry for the inconvenience.
Deana W: E14331 Sega Genesis Video Game System with Columns Game
Deana W: Special Price 121.95 Shipping & Handling 7.97
Bill Donahue: well i noticed that it mentions a "21 century update." Can i get some info on what the updates are to it?
Deana W: Unfortunately, I do not have that information handy Sir. I will be happy to partner with our Product information specialists and we will get back to you in 7 to 10 days. I am sorry for the inconvenience. May I have your membership number please?
Bill Donahue: i dont have one, i saw the item on the site (just browsing)
Deana W: If you would like I would be happy to send you a link to establish a membership
Bill Donahue: sure
Deana W: I am sending you a link to our membership set up page. Once you have done this please click on LiveHelp again. . click here.
Deana W: I am sorry for the inconvenience.
Deana W: Do you have anything else I can help you with?
Bill Donahue: nothing at the moment, thanx
Deana W: You're welcome!
Deana W: Thank you for contacting QVC.com. Have a wonderful evening!

Bah, i never bothered to registed and get a membership number, anyone want to try from there? 8-)

oh, and my name is *not* Bill Donahue; whenever i sign up on things i use that name

[tholly]

hmmm....never bothered to read the QVC site info until your post....i wonder what their great "21st Century Update" is??

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Heh, assuming that the unit isn't pirated (I'd highly doubt it, but you never know...)
Well, I only brought that possibility up because I've seen QVC hawking the Joy Fun Famiclone all-in-one controller things before...or Fun Joy...or...whatever they are. Happy Fun Ball.

[Tricky X]

That is odd. I wonder what kind of packaging it comes in?? I want to know what the "Update" is. O_O

Tricky X

[Captain Wrong]

Considering we bought both our Master System and Genny 1 from QVC back in the day, I wonder if these aren't NOS that someone found in the warehouse and deemed them a "collectable."

[Tricky X]

I'd love to have a sealed NOS Genesis. But not at that price. That is freaking expensive for QVC. @_@

Tricky X

[maxlords]

QVC Price $121.95
Shipping and Handling $7.97
Save! Buy two or more and save on shipping and handling.

OW OW OW...wait...if I buy two I save money..... OW!

Considering I refuse to pay more than $5 for any Genesis system....screw that. What the hell are they on??

[Ed Oscuro]

(I have replaced my real name and that of the rep here.)

Thank you for contacting QVC. A representative will assist you in a moment.
Welcome to QVCs live chat service. This is Reppy, how may I assist you?
Ed_O!: Hello! I would like to know about the Genesis system currently on sale.
Ed_O!: It says "Made in China," so would this be a newly manufactured system?
Reppy: I'm sorry, may I have the item number of the product you are referring to please?
Ed_O!: alright, one sec
Ed_O!: E14331
Reppy: Thank you. Is this for the Sega Genesis Video Game System with Columns Game
Reppy:
Reppy: ?
Ed_O!: Yes
Reppy: this item is a new item
Ed_O!: I would imagine so; but does that mean "brand new from 1990s" or just made? I wasn't aware they made Genesis systems in China
Reppy: I'm sorry, we do not have that information available
Ed_O!: Who can I contact to find this out, then?
Reppy: I'm sorry, no one here would have that information avaialble
Reppy: available
Ed_O!: Yet the information on the site is correct - it's made in China?
Reppy: Yes, that is correct that is the only information we have regarding this item
Reppy: I'm terribly sorry
Ed_O!: No, thanks for your time. I have a hunch it would have been made in Japan; but that's just me ;)
Ed_O!: Have a great evening!
Reppy: You're welcome!
Reppy: What else may I help you with?
Ed_O!: Nothing else at this time, thanks!
Reppy: You're welcome!
I gave the highest marks possible in the feedback portion regarding the representative, however I added that I was "Dissatisfied" with the resolution of the issue and "Somewhat Likely" (lowest above being totally unlikely) that I'd purchase something from them. Of course I wrote I was very satisfied with how the service rep answered the question...I sincerely hope it doesn't come back on them as a "you didn't try what you should have to answer the question!" and I think it unlikely as it seems QVC is in the dark as well. I added the following text for the window in which one describes their problem:


Item E14331 is marked as "made in China." Original Genesis 2 (a redesign of the original) systems were made in Japan; Sega, as a Japanese company, wasn't about to build 'em in China. The listing raises no other concerns with me as to whether this item is legitimate, but - as far as I know - none were made in China. Perhaps the listing is incorrect?

Furthermore, it wasn't clear whether or not this item was recently manufactured or whether it is from the original run (I assume it to be from the original run in the early 1990s).

I stress that this appears to be a problem with the listing, and the representative did work from that information in an expedient, honest manner.
Perhaps Sega makes some stuff in China now. However, I know at least one Forumer has a Genesis 2 made in *Japan* and it makes no sense for Sega to have made Genesis 2s in China during the Genny's boom times.

The simplest answer is that this is a Genesis 2, and is simply mismarked.

Even if this turns out to be a rerelease (which is about as likely as me being Ronald Reagan's son), you'll see them on eBay eventually. Yet if this was a rerelease, there'd be no reason for the original form and loose cartridge; they'd be more fond of an all-in-one direct-to-TV system such as Sega has already produced.

So there you have it - my chemical-deprived (and yet quite depraved) collector's brain + twenty minutes of free time + one unfortunate service rep + cheese and IRC (thanks to Tricky32X!) = just about as definite an answer as we're likely to get on this issue.

Check back to see if the description ever chances. It may yet, since I think it would be a selling point for them to say the item is, you know, original and brand-new. If anybody's looking at it in the first place, they'll probably be hooked. If I worked at QVC I'd lower the price considerably, though, since it makes QVC look like an opportunist price inflater.

[Jasoco]

Update.. well, there WAS a thread on Majesco a while ago about early Majesco rereleases of the systems using the Genesis 2 case style. Maybe that's one of them? I wouldn't be surprised if someone found a liquidated store full of them.

[Ed Oscuro]

Oh, screw that then! If I get a reply I'll mention Majesco, but damn, it seems like Majesco has their hands in everything that's bad or unintuitive. :(

That said, I have seen official Sega style RF adapters...I have one somewhere around this place...

[Flack]

Someone should tell Epicenter so he can shut down QVC for selling obvious pirated consoles ...

[Ed Oscuro]

Well, I only brought that possibility up because I've seen QVC hawking the Joy Fun Famiclone all-in-one controller things before...or Fun Joy...or...whatever they are.
Yeah, the Power Joy XX systems. Those are pretty...umm...borderline, but I wouldn't expect to see them hawking Sega-branded systems with a real Genesis cartridge! All the same, it's always a possibility (?)

[Britboy]

Hahahahaha QVC is so lame

I used to live near their "headquarters" in West Chester, PA.

It's a modest building where they do their middleman selling. I even went there for a job interview once, took a tour, and left thanking God I would never work there. They offered me the job. I turned it down, even though I was a pizza driver at the time.

They sell junk. I watched them selling the junk. Then they were laughing about selling the junk even as they asked me to help sell it.

It's a scam, folks.

[spooie]

It's probably just leftover inventory unearthed from some years ago. QVC used to do various videogame special offers back in the mid/late 90s. I remember one hour they spend around pimping copies of Batman Forever and the kids they had playing kept getting their asses handed to them.

Anyway... don't shrug off QVC as far as finding games... they had original Dynasty Warrior 2 cars for $20 and I can't find those damned things anywhere. Long after Castlevania Chronicles was gone, they had a bunch in stock. And I got Metal Slug X from them for $30, two years after release when NO ONE could find a new copy.

:-P

[Captain Wrong]

OK, who is going to bite the bullet and just order this to solve this mystery?








NOT IT!:P

[ddockery]

Umm, QVC does not sell only junk. I'm sure they sell some junk, but shopw me a company/store that doesn't. They don't always have great deals, but if you take the time to do a little research you can get some good deals there, and they have great customer service when you need to exchange or return things.

[Cav]

"I gave the highest marks possible in the feedback portion regarding the representative,"


Just a hunch, but I think you may have been speaking with a bot. The replies seem awfully generic.

[Tricky X]

"Just a hunch, but I think you may have been speaking with a bot. The replies seem awfully generic."

Hehe are you serious?? A bot!! LOL


What the hell kinda bot fixes it's own typos?? O_O

Reppy: I'm sorry, we do not have that information available
Ed_O!: Who can I contact to find this out, then?
Reppy: I'm sorry, no one here would have that information avaialble
Reppy: available

Tricky X

[Cmosfm]

Someone should tell Epicenter so he can shut down QVC for selling obvious pirated consoles ...

HAHAHA.....Serv'd He'd probably get on the chat and make brasen judgements and blind accusations about the system and start blaming the reps.

[Keir]

What the hell kinda bot fixes it's own typos?? O_O

Reppy: I'm sorry, we do not have that information available
Ed_O!: Who can I contact to find this out, then?
Reppy: I'm sorry, no one here would have that information avaialble
Reppy: available
Honestly I thought they sounded like bots too. I totally missed the typo correction though! That must be the most boring job ever.

PS
Not it!

[Jasoco]

Well, one could easilly program a Bot to mess up.

I mean, it's not like TV where the Star Trek writers had to make up the bullshit that Data couldn't use Contractions when it's a simple "Find and Replace" really.

Make the Bot randomly occasionally mess up a word and then correct itself to seem real.

CONSPIRACY!!!!

[Cav]

Well, one could easilly program a Bot to mess up.

I mean, it's not like TV where the Star Trek writers had to make up the bullshit that Data couldn't use Contractions when it's a simple "Find and Replace" really.

Make the Bot randomly occasionally mess up a word and then correct itself to seem real.

CONSPIRACY!!!!


How do we know you're not a bot? hmmmm? O_O

/wayyyyyy off topic now.........

[Daria]

Thery're not bots. They're just super polite and may use hot keys for some of the more genaric replies. Every service chat I've ever been in sounds exactly the same, but once they actually start answering your questions (if they can) they loosen up a little and sound more- human.

And yeah probably a boring job. Although if I could do that from home it would rock. Heh.

[Richter]

somebody should try and hit on a female rep

find out if they are bots or not :P

[Jasoco]

How do we know you're not a bot? hmmmm? O_O

/wayyyyyy off topic now.........That is so interesting. You must tell me more about the you're not a bot.

[Cmosfm]

somebody should try and hit on a female rep

find out if they are bots or not :P

I tried, they just don't respond.

[DigitalSpace]

What I'm wondering is, where's the sealed sports games? LOL

[Ed Oscuro]

What the hell kinda bot fixes it's own typos?? O_O
Honestly I thought they sounded like bots too. I totally missed the typo correction though! That must be the most boring job ever.
You guys haven't heard of some of these newer bots then, have ya? It's fairly simple for a bot to program a bot to commit certain typographical errors with probability according to the usual amount of errors...letter transposition, etc. You could do all sorts of things, when you get right down to it.

The thing that lets me know they aren't bots is that they can actually decipher answers to questions they pose. A current, economical bot would be hard pressed to do little more than just offer up completely canned information (I have the impression that, human or not, I was stuck with canned dog shit anyways, but this way I was able to make more certain of that, or at least that my rep didn't give a rat's ass about answering my question). Bots in the future should be able to do somewhat better, but right now bots don't have an ability to understand detailed questions or syntax variations - my simple "is this a new system" question, far from confusing the bot, would have to be actually recognized as a question about such a thing. In any case, getting bots to "learn" all the facts they need to know about a certain item on QVC and typing in keywords to look for would be a ton of trouble all by itself. If you had that, though, you would then meet that issue of syntax and comprehension. There's stuff in there that implies a knowledge of tense, for example...

Maybe I should try again sometime. Somebody will take notice, perhaps, or I could get somebody in trouble for blowing me off and not making a call to find out the answer. Heh.