Too many “simulants”!

[D-Flawless]

Is anyone else disgusted by the plethora of “simulated” stones lately?!? If I wanted a cheap, fake stone I’d go to Kohl’s! I can remember when this channel first started as JTV in April 2007 there was nothing but 14k gold jewelry sold! Then 10k was introduced and silver came in after it become The Liquidation Channel and now as ShopLC....it looks more and more like a Wal-Mart each day! Ughhhhhh! I understand the price of gold went insanely high but do we really need simulated stones? That’s a new low that really depresses me! I love the fact that a meal is donated to a hungry child with each purchase (I figure I’ve fed over 60,000 kids!) but the emphasis seems to be on quantity NOT quality now! A huge disappointment! Soon this will be nothing more than another online Wal-Mart!

The company was named TJC (The Jewelry Channel), not JTV. That's the competition.

Oooops Margui! I know that....just made a Freudian slip! I edited my original post!

[scoobydoo]

It's not the simulated stones that I mind ... I buy them IF they are in sterling silver and then I replace them with real gemstones from my huge gem collection (that I got years ago from JTV). It bothers me that they title the items "diamond (or other gem) simulant" when they used to be straightforward and call it a CZ or that they put real gems in base metal settings. What really bothers me, though, is the plethora of silvertone/goldtone pieces they've been flooding the site with. Especially when they price them higher than real metal with real gems. If I want that kind of "jewelry" I can get it at my local gas stations for less.

Costume jewelry can be fun, but it seems to me that the design and styles of what they're now offering in this category have taken a steep plunge downward. I've gotten so frustrated with the amount of junk (not just in jewelry but too many other product lines). One of these days, I'll totally kiss LC goodbye ... and that's a shame, because they USED to be a great company with great jewelry.

[Kittycat]

I agree, too many simulants! I will pay more for the real stones. I won't buy glass even for under$10 when they have real stones for this price.

[Blossom]

The only simulant I've ever bought are white diamond simulants. Not many of those either. I do like most of the Lustro Stella & Swarovski zirconia at SLC & the Bella Luce on JTV (only if they are set w/stones small enough to be believable as the real deal.)!!! Colored simulants...nah.

[Gemsnob]

Is anyone else disgusted by the plethora of “simulated” stones lately?!? If I wanted a cheap, fake stone I’d go to Kohl’s! I can remember when this channel first started as TJC in April 2007 there was nothing but 14k gold jewelry sold! Then 10k was introduced and silver came in after it become The Liquidation Channel and now as ShopLC....it looks more and more like a Wal-Mart each day! Ughhhhhh! I understand the price of gold went insanely high but do we really need simulated stones? That’s a new low that really depresses me! I love the fact that a meal is donated to a hungry child with each purchase (I figure I’ve fed over 60,000 kids!) but the emphasis seems to be on quantity NOT quality now! A huge disappointment! Soon this will be nothing more than another online Wal-Mart!

Heres what I think....Shoplc has an internal competition going on or one with their sister station in the UK about who can donate the most meals. Thus all the push for more low end silvertone and glassthat they can sell for way under $10. I find that they are more interested in being a charity than a business that cares about all aspects of doing business with the public. Think about it, everything has gone downhill. CS, quality and quality control, shipping time, attitude of some hosts. To me, it does not influence me that they donate money to feed children. Thats their business as I have my own charities I support. When a host gets on TV and says customers tell her that they buy jewelry they dont want or need just so Shoplc will donate $1, Im blown away. With a tiny bit of research, customers could donate the full amount they spent to the charity and feed several children. People need to stop and think for a second. If you arent happy, stop complaining and dont shop. Its not your loss. Its theirs. Money talks and when it walks, maybe they will notice.

[Margui]

True, Gemsnob.