I have never quite understood why people faithfully watch the shop at home shows like HSN and QVC. And I found a Home Jewelry Channel yesterday. I've never purchased an item from one of these outfits for a lot of reasons.

I was shaking my head in amazement as I watched the Home Jewelry Channel. They had door-knob sized rings containing interesting things like 'emeraldines', 'opalettes' and 'topazites'. What are they? And these rings were being sold for $2000 plus. And lots of them.

The other channels sold a lot of clothing. If women's clothes are anything like men's clothes, sizes can be a problem. What is a medium by one manufacturer is a small in another. Why would you order clothes without trying them on? And these clothes weren't cheap. Isn't sending the ill-fitting garments back a pain in the QVC?

Same thing with jewelry. If I was going to speand $6000 for a diamond ring, it wouldn't be over the phone. I want to see it and hold it and examine it myself before purchase. Yet these items are sold quickly and some sell out in minutes.

I did watch QVC a few nights ago and they had poultry and beef for sale. I never saw anything like it. When I saw the lemon chicken my tongue swelled to three times it's normal size and I began licking the TV screen. It looked delicious.By the time I got my credit card, it had sold out. Other items were equally well presented and very appealing. But I wonder if I would want a filet mignon put in an envelope and mailed to me.

I must say that things are beautifully presented and, to my surprise, the prices aren't cheap. Sure, they save you a trip to the mall....but what is the attraction?

OK, this is the Queen of QVC talking so you have the expert.

I have bought clothes, electrical and computer equipment, jewellery, toiletries, cleaning products - but not food.

Until recently, it cost nothing to return goods (now I have to pay postage), all you could lose was the post and packing charge they made. I stick to one brand of clothing, they tell you the measurements on air and once the first set proved to fit me I just ordered the same size with confidence.

As for jewellery, I normally only spend up to a certain amount, they rarely have items costing huge sums. The quality is excellent and many people have the goods valued and the valuations from independent jewellers is always much higher than the cost.

Now onto the jewellery channels, we have several. Yes, they have all sorts of weird and wonderful stones, most the average person will never have heard of and yes, many end in 'ite'. Over here the channels mostly seem to start with a very high 'price' but no one pays that price, they typically play some creaky sound and a counter drops to a price which is about 10-20% of the original price.

Normally I just watch these in fascination, never purchasing, but one day I checked out their website as you can 'snatch' before it is due for 'auction'. A while ago I bought myself an ametrine and diamond ring from a very good jeweller here, it cost more than £1,200. An ametrine is part amethyst, part citrine, where the two stones meet in nature. I thought it might be nice to have a matching pendant but I certainly did not want to spend a similar sum again. Anyway, I checked the website and found a pendant (without chain) and the stone was virtually the identical size to the one in the ring (large!). I could 'snatch' it for a little more than I might have had to pay had it got to auction, it start price was more than £1,000, I paid about £100. I hasten to add that if I was intending to spend a lot of money then I want a reputable jeweller, regardless of all the 'middle men' the tv sites are cutting out.

As for the food, QVC UK sells gorgeous food. The brand name for the cuts of meat is the same as that used in five star hotels, the very best - and it isn't cheap. I don't buy the food as they only sell it on the mainland because of the delivery method, they don't post it, it is packed in dry ice I think. As for the desserts they show, drool time!

The biggest danger with shopping channels, and it is a real danger, is that you impulse buy - well I do. I have so much jewellery, it is ridiculous. As it now looks increasinly unlikely that I will return to work I am going to be strict with myself, I even sent back some things that I ordered, but didn't need. Having to pay the return postage was a valuable lesson to me and I will stop and think three times before ordering, with the hope that they sell out before I am tempted to dial that number!

Edited to add that I didn't actually answer your question. It is the ability to 'window shop' without the crowds, trying to park, without aching feet. There is no pressure from sales staff "Can I help you?", you can look as much as you want and feel no guilt at not purchasing. With clothing you can try it on in the privacy of your bedroom, no changing rooms. With cosmetics, you can try them and if you don't like them they can be returned part used - find me a shop which will permit that then give you a complete refund when you change your mind. Such items are destroyed when returned, not resold. You can try a very expensive face cream which is supposed to work wonders in three weeks, if it doesn't just send it back, no hassle. It is also being able to return an item without having to cringe with embarrassment under the scornful eye of sales staff when you say that the skyblue pink trousers made your bum look big!

I'm glad you have had such positive experiences, Sue. QVC must be quite an organization (that's the one I was watching with the food).

The impulse buying I hadn't thought of but can see that it would be a real danger without self control. If that food presentation comes back, I know I could max out my credit card. I don't care for pork, but they had a pork roast with truffles and capers in the center that I've been dreaming about.

For a list of some weirdly named gemstones, this list is pretty impressive.

What I forgot to mention, usually, even with the cost of post and packing, the prices can be very competative. This is particularly so if you go for the bargain of the day.

There is one particular 'todays special value' which people in the UK wait for with bated breath, it is either at the end of November or very early Decemember - a Christmas bumper box of bath goodies by a very famous brand. About £80 worth of goods for about £30, giftboxed. I hit the phone dead on midnight then kept re-dialling, the automated telephone ordering system crashed, the website ordering system crashed, the press your remote control ordering system crashed and the queues to speak to an operator was too busy to even get into. It took me threequarters of an hour to get my order placed for two boxes, one for my daughter and one for me. It was worth it, bathtime is bliss. I think they sold about 50,000 packs in 24 hours.