Bid tv
Encyclopedia
Bid is a British television shopping channel based in the UK, that runs daily live reversed auctions. It was the first channel of its kind in the world. The channel first launched as Bid-Up.tv. The channel is owned by Bid Shopping.
The channel amassed a cult-following as it spread to various digital platforms. This growth in popularity can also be partly attributed to the use of David Dickinson
, ex-presenter of the BBC
television series Bargain Hunt
, in various television advertising campaigns.
In June 2003, Sit-Up Shopping launched sister channel Price-Drop TV
.
In April 2004, a new system for bidding known as Best Bidding was introduced. It now meant all bids acted as proxy bidding, so instead of the bid being entered at whatever is bid, the computer would now automatically bid-up to the value specified, and not over. At the end of the auction, everyone paid the same price as indicated in the on-screen "auction arrow", thus amounting to a uniform-price auction
.
On the channel, an item was advertised with a specific quantity, and a bid-up from price triangle. Customers phoned in and bid up from the particular amount. The quantity was used to determine which customers 'win' the auction. For example, if there was a quantity of 50 for the product, then the top 50 bidders would win the auction.
In August 2004, the channel had an "Auction Choice" month, during which they featured both rising and falling price auction hours. The falling price auctions continued after this month and are now the only common auction format on the channel.
Prior to December 2004, each item also had a "guide price", described as being the manufacturer's recommended retail price or an average of prices from other retailers. However, these were removed following the collapse of shopping channel Auction World.tv
, which was criticised for advertising misleading guide prices.
format, meaning that bidders were only rarely bidding "up". Bid TV no longer broadcast any rising-price auctions. A new graphic was added in October 2005 to show the start price of falling price auctions.
When the channel originally launched, one of the most popular features was the relaxed style in which the presenters and assistants would have a lot of freedom to interact with each other. For instance, the presenter whose shift was starting would come on air for the last few minutes of the previous presenter's shift and interact with them. However, although still relaxed, this presenter interaction seems to have been stopped with the launch of Bid TV. Despite the fact that they no longer uses an auction hall theme, the presenters exclusively refer to the products they sell as 'lots' and to their customers as 'bidders'. When referring to the next item to be sold the presenters and assistants will say "Closing next..."
Early 2006 saw the website completely overhauled in an attempt to increase its user-friendliness and overall aesthetic appeal. Its new design was inspired by that of eBay
, the world's most popular auction website, in an attempt to capitalise on its popularity.
On 10 May 2006, the on-screen graphics were changed so that products are now sold in pounds and pence, as opposed to just pounds, a change previously incorporated into Price-Drop TV
.
In August 2006, a new graphic was introduced, showing Bid TV's website address and a falling arrow. This was shown as soon as the assistant has shown what is coming up next, and introduces the presenter.
In August 2007, they began to sell products with choices. On certain products (often bedding or clothes) the customer was able to choose what size or colour they wanted the item in by pressing a certain button once on the phoneline. The graphics for these auctions are different showing the start price, the current price, the quantity of the 'main' choice and a list of other options. When the main choice item is sold out, the price is locked and is what everyone pays regardless of choice made. If another choice is selling faster, then 'limited' appears next to its name and the name vanishes when it has sold out.
As a celebration for Bid TV's 7th birthday, in September and October 2007, the channel held a six weekend megadrop promotion where at least one product each hour between 8pm on Friday and 1am on Sunday was sold for £1 plus postage. They have ran similar promotions in the past, but this was the first time that Bid TV used the Price-Drop TV
name Megadrop.
In order to promote the sister channels of Bid TV, Price-Drop TV and Speed-Auction TV, a small preview of what is currently being sold on these channels before each product was introduced in January 2008.
On 21 June 2008, the channel removed the former graphic displaying the channel name, and replaced this with the web address instead.
In September 2008, all three Sit-Up channels removed start-prices from their graphics. However, they still appear on the websites.
As of October 6, 2010 Bid TV broadcasts live from 7:45am to 1:30am everyday.
to a new larger one. The studios of all three channels will receive new looks from 6 October 2010.
On 3 October 2010 at 12:40am, host Peter Simon stated that the studio was to be demolished in a few hours time, and that live broadcast would be filmed from the Speed Auction TV
studio (complete with yellow/black striped construction tape and brown dust-sheets as a backdrop this was to fit in with the theme of Bid TV's studio being under construction) until the newstudio
was ready to broadcast in, on October 6 at 6pm.
The ASA have upheld complaints against Bid on two separate occasions.http://www.asa.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/ECE03B9D-119D-4150-8F22-48ADADD9AC09/0/ASA_Broadcast_Rulings_2Feb05.pdf In the most serious case they ruled that Bid TV had overestimated the guide price of £1700 for "Black Agate Globes"; "Bid-Up could only provide proof of one supplier that may have sold the globe for £1700." In fact, one supplier whom Bid TV claimed sold the item for £1700 actually offered to sell the item for £265 with most companies offering the globe for considerably less than £1700: "between £250 and £500." Bid was therefore found in breach of ASA broadcasting codes for providing inaccurate pricing.
In 2009, Bid TV attracted attention in the press and on internet forums following an incident where the same host, Paul Evers, appeared on both Bid TV and Price-Drop TV at the same time, fronting two different auctions, both apparently 'live'. Sit-Up's chief executive Ian Percival explained the situation by saying "We are experimenting by using recorded video of a sale but playing it out with a live auction. The price and the quantity are live - as shown on the graphics - but the video is pre-recorded. We've only done it a couple of times before." A subsequent press report stated that these recorded auctions would be scrapped following complaints and a possible ASA investigation. Sit-Up's head of presentation Andy Hodgson said "We have done it a couple of times and have no firm plans to do it again." However, Sit-Up's channels have in fact routinely featured these so-called "graphic led" pre-recorded auctions since launch. A mix-up in one of these auctions in 2002 led to a complaint being upheld by the ITC.
Freelancers
Bid-Up.TV (2000-2005)
The channel was launched by its parent company, Sit-Up Shopping, in October 2000. It started by broadcasting 12 hours a day, much of which were pre-recorded, with auction graphics overlaid so people could bid despite the video itself being pre-recorded. Bid now airs live broadcasts almost 18 hours a day from 7:45am to 2am, with recorded TV Shopping Network presentations during its downtime.The channel amassed a cult-following as it spread to various digital platforms. This growth in popularity can also be partly attributed to the use of David Dickinson
David Dickinson
David Dickinson is an English antiques expert, television presenter and entrepreneur.-Biography:...
, ex-presenter of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television series Bargain Hunt
Bargain Hunt
Bargain Hunt is a British television programme in which two pairs of contestants are challenged to buy antiques at a fair and then sell them in an auction for a profit. It has aired on BBC One since 13 March 2000 in a daytime version and from 22 August 2002 to 13 November 2004 in a primetime version...
, in various television advertising campaigns.
In June 2003, Sit-Up Shopping launched sister channel Price-Drop TV
Price-drop tv
Price Drop is a British television shopping channel based in the UK, that runs daily live reversed auctions. It was the first reverse auction channel of its kind in the world. The channel first launched as Price-Drop.TV. The channel is owned by Bid Shopping....
.
In April 2004, a new system for bidding known as Best Bidding was introduced. It now meant all bids acted as proxy bidding, so instead of the bid being entered at whatever is bid, the computer would now automatically bid-up to the value specified, and not over. At the end of the auction, everyone paid the same price as indicated in the on-screen "auction arrow", thus amounting to a uniform-price auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
.
On the channel, an item was advertised with a specific quantity, and a bid-up from price triangle. Customers phoned in and bid up from the particular amount. The quantity was used to determine which customers 'win' the auction. For example, if there was a quantity of 50 for the product, then the top 50 bidders would win the auction.
In August 2004, the channel had an "Auction Choice" month, during which they featured both rising and falling price auction hours. The falling price auctions continued after this month and are now the only common auction format on the channel.
Prior to December 2004, each item also had a "guide price", described as being the manufacturer's recommended retail price or an average of prices from other retailers. However, these were removed following the collapse of shopping channel Auction World.tv
Auction World.tv
Auction World.tv was a British television channel which auctioned a variety of products by telephone bidding.The channel claimed to sell high-quality products at very low prices and promised reliable delivery, however doubt was cast over these claims after investigations reported by papers and...
, which was criticised for advertising misleading guide prices.
Bid TV (2005-2011)
On 21 January 2005, the channel was rebranded Bid TV to reflect the fact that more of its auctions followed the Price-Drop TVPrice-drop tv
Price Drop is a British television shopping channel based in the UK, that runs daily live reversed auctions. It was the first reverse auction channel of its kind in the world. The channel first launched as Price-Drop.TV. The channel is owned by Bid Shopping....
format, meaning that bidders were only rarely bidding "up". Bid TV no longer broadcast any rising-price auctions. A new graphic was added in October 2005 to show the start price of falling price auctions.
When the channel originally launched, one of the most popular features was the relaxed style in which the presenters and assistants would have a lot of freedom to interact with each other. For instance, the presenter whose shift was starting would come on air for the last few minutes of the previous presenter's shift and interact with them. However, although still relaxed, this presenter interaction seems to have been stopped with the launch of Bid TV. Despite the fact that they no longer uses an auction hall theme, the presenters exclusively refer to the products they sell as 'lots' and to their customers as 'bidders'. When referring to the next item to be sold the presenters and assistants will say "Closing next..."
Early 2006 saw the website completely overhauled in an attempt to increase its user-friendliness and overall aesthetic appeal. Its new design was inspired by that of eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
, the world's most popular auction website, in an attempt to capitalise on its popularity.
On 10 May 2006, the on-screen graphics were changed so that products are now sold in pounds and pence, as opposed to just pounds, a change previously incorporated into Price-Drop TV
Price-drop tv
Price Drop is a British television shopping channel based in the UK, that runs daily live reversed auctions. It was the first reverse auction channel of its kind in the world. The channel first launched as Price-Drop.TV. The channel is owned by Bid Shopping....
.
In August 2006, a new graphic was introduced, showing Bid TV's website address and a falling arrow. This was shown as soon as the assistant has shown what is coming up next, and introduces the presenter.
In August 2007, they began to sell products with choices. On certain products (often bedding or clothes) the customer was able to choose what size or colour they wanted the item in by pressing a certain button once on the phoneline. The graphics for these auctions are different showing the start price, the current price, the quantity of the 'main' choice and a list of other options. When the main choice item is sold out, the price is locked and is what everyone pays regardless of choice made. If another choice is selling faster, then 'limited' appears next to its name and the name vanishes when it has sold out.
As a celebration for Bid TV's 7th birthday, in September and October 2007, the channel held a six weekend megadrop promotion where at least one product each hour between 8pm on Friday and 1am on Sunday was sold for £1 plus postage. They have ran similar promotions in the past, but this was the first time that Bid TV used the Price-Drop TV
Price-drop tv
Price Drop is a British television shopping channel based in the UK, that runs daily live reversed auctions. It was the first reverse auction channel of its kind in the world. The channel first launched as Price-Drop.TV. The channel is owned by Bid Shopping....
name Megadrop.
In order to promote the sister channels of Bid TV, Price-Drop TV and Speed-Auction TV, a small preview of what is currently being sold on these channels before each product was introduced in January 2008.
On 21 June 2008, the channel removed the former graphic displaying the channel name, and replaced this with the web address instead.
In September 2008, all three Sit-Up channels removed start-prices from their graphics. However, they still appear on the websites.
As of October 6, 2010 Bid TV broadcasts live from 7:45am to 1:30am everyday.
Preparations for the 10th Birthday (5 October 2010)
On 5 October 2010, Bid TV celebrated its 10th birthday. As part of the celebrations and further expansion of the Sit-Up Shopping channels, a £5 Million Warehouse Clearance event took place from 16 August 2010 for six weeks, following the announcement that the company is relocating its warehouse in TamworthTamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
to a new larger one. The studios of all three channels will receive new looks from 6 October 2010.
On 3 October 2010 at 12:40am, host Peter Simon stated that the studio was to be demolished in a few hours time, and that live broadcast would be filmed from the Speed Auction TV
Speed auction tv
Speed Auction is a British television shopping channel, based in the UK that runs daily live reversed auctions. The channel is owned by Bid Shopping....
studio (complete with yellow/black striped construction tape and brown dust-sheets as a backdrop this was to fit in with the theme of Bid TV's studio being under construction) until the newstudio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
was ready to broadcast in, on October 6 at 6pm.
10th Birthday
On 6 October 2010, Bid TV celebrated its 10th Birthday. From 7.45am to 6pm, the broadcast carried on as usual in the temporary studio (that was normally used for Speed Auction TV), with filming commencing in the new look studio from 6pm onwards, also at this time the old on-screen graphics were replaced with brand new graphics which were used until the 1st August 2011.Bid (2011-present)
On 1 August 2011 'Bid TV' changed its name to 'Bid' dropping the 'TV' part of their name. Along with the new name, new buying graphics were introduced on all three Bid Shopping channels and new idents compromising of different 3D products flying around the new logo designs were shown. The new design was created to make buying easier for the viewer. At the same time as the new channel design, multi-buy was introduced on certain products where the viewer can select to buy more than one product at the same time (p&p is still applied to each item).Criticisms
Bid uses a premium phone rate charge of £1.53 per call for bidding on an item by phone. Additionally, shipping and handling costs at least £5.99 for all items, which is not included in the price displayed on screen, (although it is mentioned in smaller text). Thus, each items costs at least £7.52 more than the most prominently displayed price. Customers are however able to place bids for items on the website (providing they are registered) so as to avoid the initial £1.53 charge, but not postage and packaging.The ASA have upheld complaints against Bid on two separate occasions.http://www.asa.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/ECE03B9D-119D-4150-8F22-48ADADD9AC09/0/ASA_Broadcast_Rulings_2Feb05.pdf In the most serious case they ruled that Bid TV had overestimated the guide price of £1700 for "Black Agate Globes"; "Bid-Up could only provide proof of one supplier that may have sold the globe for £1700." In fact, one supplier whom Bid TV claimed sold the item for £1700 actually offered to sell the item for £265 with most companies offering the globe for considerably less than £1700: "between £250 and £500." Bid was therefore found in breach of ASA broadcasting codes for providing inaccurate pricing.
In 2009, Bid TV attracted attention in the press and on internet forums following an incident where the same host, Paul Evers, appeared on both Bid TV and Price-Drop TV at the same time, fronting two different auctions, both apparently 'live'. Sit-Up's chief executive Ian Percival explained the situation by saying "We are experimenting by using recorded video of a sale but playing it out with a live auction. The price and the quantity are live - as shown on the graphics - but the video is pre-recorded. We've only done it a couple of times before." A subsequent press report stated that these recorded auctions would be scrapped following complaints and a possible ASA investigation. Sit-Up's head of presentation Andy Hodgson said "We have done it a couple of times and have no firm plans to do it again." However, Sit-Up's channels have in fact routinely featured these so-called "graphic led" pre-recorded auctions since launch. A mix-up in one of these auctions in 2002 led to a complaint being upheld by the ITC.
Current permanent presenters
- Paul Becque
- Simon Davies
- Adam Heppenstall
- Sally Jaxx
- Guy Kean
- Caroline Lyndsay
- Charlie McArdle
- Mark Ryes
- Mark Stewart
- Peter Simon
Freelancers
- Mike Mason
- Lisa Brash
- Natalie Cleverley
- Chloe EvertonChloe EvertonChloe Everton is a British presenter on the channel Sky Sports News.Everton began her career as a physical education teacher, before finding fame on C4's desert island reality television show Shipwrecked in 2002. She went on to be a presenter on shopping channels Bid tv and Price-drop tv before...
(now at Sky SportsSky SportsSky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
) - Danielle Fearnon
- Nicola George
- Lindsey Gunderson
- Gemma Hadley
- Elaine Harris
- Andy HodgsonAndy HodgsonAndrew Patrick Hodgson is primarily known as an auctioneer/presenter on the British television shopping channel bid tv.- bid tv :Andy Hodgson can be seen presenting bid tv on Sunday between 3.00pm and 6.30pm. He has presented on the channel since its inception in the year 2000...
- David Johnson
- Michelle Livings
- Alex LovellAlex LovellAlexandra "Alex" Lovell is an English television presenter.-History:Lovell was born in Gravesend, Kent, grew up in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, and attended Rose Bruford College drama school in London....
- Steve MacDonald
- Sean Macintosh
- Far Mani
- Patricia Mitchell
- Elisa Potelli
- Paul RossPaul RossPaul Ross is an English television and radio presenter, journalist, and media personality. He is the son of Martha Ross and the elder brother of Jonathan Ross.-Early life:...
- Mark Ryes
- Gemma Scott
- Peter Sherlock
- Lynn Taylor
- Carmel Thomas (now at QVC UK)
- Cris St Valery
Assistants
- Gemma Smallpage
- Kiri Bloore
- Lucia Coward
- Marina Berry
- Rhiannon Duffin
- Tori Campbell
- Janine Jones
- Lisa Celisse
- Lucinda Grossmith
- Jules Sowa
- Claire Reid
- Lisa Leyland
- Yolisa Segone