QVC facts for kids
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Worldwide |
| Headquarters | 1200 Wilson Drive, West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380 |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Picture format | 2160p UHDTV 1080i HDTV (downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | QVC Group |
| Sister channels | (see below) |
| History | |
| Launched | November 24, 1986 |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| ABC Owned Television Stations | -DT4 channel position; list of stations |
| Over-the-air as a subchannel | Consult local listings |
| Streaming media | |
| QVC | Live Stream |
| Apple TV & Amazon Fire TV | QVC app (all QVC networks) |
| Roku | QVC/HSN app (all QVC & HSN networks) |
| Frndly TV | Internet Protocol television |
QVC stands for "Quality Value Convenience." It is an American TV channel where you can shop from home. It's like a store on TV! QVC is owned by QVC Group.
The channel was started in 1986 by Joseph Segel in West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA. QVC now reaches over 350 million homes in seven countries. These include the UK, Germany, Japan, and Italy. It also has a partnership in China called CNR Mall. In 2024, QVC made $10 billion in sales. In December 2013, QVC set a record. It sold 380,000 phone chargers in one day. This brought in $19 million in sales.
Contents
How QVC Started and Grew
The Early Years (1986–1992)
Starting QVC and First Broadcasts
QVC began on June 13, 1986. Joseph Segel and other investors, like Ralph J. Roberts from Comcast, helped create it. Cable companies invested in QVC. In return, they agreed to carry the channel. Sears was one of the first big brands to sell products on QVC. They had a special agreement for two years.
QVC made $112 million in its first full year. This was a new record for a new public company. The channel officially launched on November 24, 1986. It had hosts like Kathy Levine and John Eastman. QVC celebrated its birthday every November 24 until 2008.
At first, QVC broadcast live in the evenings on weekdays. It was live 24 hours a day on weekends. By January 1987, it started broadcasting live 24 hours a day, 364 days a year.
Buying Other Shopping Channels
In July 1989, QVC bought Cable Value Network. This deal cost $380 million. It caused QVC to lose money for a short time.
QVC also tried to buy Shop Television Network in 1991. After some back-and-forth, QVC bought the channel. This added 4 million new viewers. In 1992, QVC tried to buy its rival, Home Shopping Network. But this deal didn't happen right away.
New Leadership and Changes (1993–1995)
Barry Diller Takes Over
Barry Diller, who helped start Fox, became interested in TV shopping. He bought a part of QVC in December 1992. On January 18, 1993, Diller became the chairman and CEO of QVC. He wanted to make QVC's shows more entertaining.
Diller tried to create a second QVC channel called Q2. It launched in 1994 and was for younger shoppers. Q2 broadcast from New York City. However, Q2 was shut down in 1996. This cost QVC $55 million.
Expanding Around the World
In 1994, Diller changed the company's name to QVC, Inc. He also created new parts of the company. These included Q Direct for infomercials and QVC Interactive for online shopping. QVC launched its internet shopping site, iQVC, on September 15, 1996.
QVC also launched a channel in Mexico in 1993. It was called CVC. But this operation closed in 1995. This was due to economic problems in Mexico.
QVC's Growth and Challenges (1995–2005)
Reaching Across America
On September 29, 1994, QVC launched the "QVC Local." This was a special TV studio built inside a bus. In January 1995, QVC started the "Quest for America's Best: 50 in 50 Tour." The bus traveled to all 50 states. It promoted local products with live broadcasts. The QVC Local traveled over 88,000 miles during this tour.
In February 1995, Liberty Media took over QVC. Barry Diller then left the company. Douglas S. Briggs became the new CEO in March 1995. He worked to grow QVC's new ventures, like QVC UK.
On September 24, 1997, QVC moved to a new broadcast center. It was called Studio Park. This large property in West Chester, Pennsylvania, had over 58,000 square feet of studios.
QVC also tried a retail store idea in 2000. It opened a small store at The Mall of America in Minnesota. In 2001, a larger QVC store opened there. This store closed in March 2011.
Legal Issues and Ownership Changes
In 2003, Comcast sold its part of QVC to Liberty Media. Liberty Media then owned most of QVC. Comcast continued to carry QVC for its cable customers.
In 2004, the FTC sued QVC. They said QVC made misleading claims about some health products. In 2009, QVC paid $6 million to customers and a $1.5 million fine. They also stopped selling those products.
In 2006, QVC and HSN had a dispute. It was over who could use the phrase "Christmas in July." A court decided on the matter.
Focus on Online Shopping (2006–2021)
New CEO and Rebranding
Douglas Briggs retired in April 2005. Michael A. George became the new CEO in April 2006. On September 23, 2007, QVC U.S. changed its logo and look. It also launched an advertising campaign with the slogan "iQdoU?"
Global Expansion and Partnerships
On September 30, 2010, QVC started broadcasting in Italy. In 2012, QVC partnered with China National Radio for its home shopping network in China. By 2014, this partnership reached 89 million homes.
In 2013, QVC teamed up with Ion Media Networks. This allowed QVC to be shown on regular broadcast TV. It became a subchannel on most Ion Television stations. This service is called "QVC Over the Air."
QVC also explored social shopping. It integrated with Facebook in 2008 and Instagram in 2012. In 2013, QVC launched toGather, a social shopping platform. It was similar to Pinterest. But this site was shut down in January 2015. On October 21, 2014, QVC returned to the NASDAQ stock exchange.
Joining Forces with Zulily and HSN
In August 2015, QVC bought the online store Zulily for $2.4 billion. On July 6, 2017, QVC's parent company, Liberty Interactive, announced it would buy HSN. This brought the two rival shopping channels together. In 2018, Liberty Interactive changed its name to Qurate Retail Group. Mike George remained the CEO.
In 2018, Leslie Ferraro became President of QVC and HSN. On February 6, 2019, QVC changed its logo again. The new logo looked like a computer or phone screen. This showed its focus on digital shopping. On October 7, 2019, QVC stopped broadcasting live 24/7. It started airing 19 hours live and 5 hours of repeated shows daily.
Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Starting in March 2020, QVC changed how it worked due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Product representatives appeared on TV using Skype. Hosts and models kept a safe distance. QVC continued live broadcasts for 20 hours a day. Many employees started working from home. Fulfillment centers stayed open with new safety rules. In July 2020, Qurate laid off 450 employees to simplify its operations.
On December 18, 2021, a fire damaged QVC's distribution center in North Carolina. An employee died in the fire. QVC decided not to reopen that center.
QVC2
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| Ownership | |
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| Sister channels | (see above) |
| History | |
| Launched | August 22, 2013 |
| Former names | QVC Plus (2013–2017) |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Live Stream | |
On August 22, 2013, QVC launched a channel called QVC Plus. It showed QVC's programming a few hours later. On April 1, 2017, QVC Plus became QVC2. It started broadcasting more live shows. Due to the pandemic, QVC2 temporarily stopped live programming on July 14, 2020. It then only showed repeated QVC shows. Live programming returned to QVC2 on December 9, 2020. By July 1, 2021, it had 13 hours of live shows daily.
QVC3
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| History | |
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| Launched | April 1, 2019 |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Live Stream | |
On April 1, 2019, another channel called Beauty iQ became QVC3. It shows replays of QVC and QVC2 programs 24 hours a day. On June 1, 2022, QVC3 took over the cable spot of ShopHQ's second channel.
QVC NOW
| History | |
|---|---|
| Launched | April 23, 2019 |
| Former names | Beauty iQ (2019-2021) |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Live Stream | |
On October 25, 2016, QVC launched Beauty iQ. This channel focused only on beauty products. It aired live shows Monday through Friday evenings. Beauty iQ stopped live programming on March 13, 2019. On April 23, 2019, it became QVC's first digital-only channel. This was to reach younger viewers. On March 1, 2021, BeautyiQ changed to QVC NOW. It now shows a mix of repeated QVC programs.
How QVC Works Around the World
All of QVC's operations in the U.S., UK, Germany, Japan, Italy, and China run 24 hours a day. However, the live programming hours are different in each country.
QVC Headquarters
QVC's main office is in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The QVC Studio Park complex cost $100 million. It opened in 1997 and sits on 80 acres of land. This complex used to be the main office for the computer company Commodore.
QVC in the United States
QVC's U.S. operations are based at Studio Park. This is where its main office, studios, and broadcasting facilities are. QVC has distribution centers in Pennsylvania, Virginia, South Carolina, and California. In 2013, its sales in the U.S. were $5.84 billion.
QVC used to have call centers in Texas and Virginia. But these closed after employees started working from home during the pandemic in 2020. QVC U.S. also has two outlet stores in Pennsylvania.
QVC broadcasts live in the United States for 20 hours a day. The remaining four hours show replays. QVC broadcasts 364 days a year to over 100 million homes. It is the second-largest TV network by sales. In 2015, its sales were $8.7 billion. QVC does not broadcast its usual shows on Christmas. Instead, it shows a taped Christmas parade and other pre-recorded programs.
Every year, QVC hosts the "QVC Presents 'FFANY Shoes on Sale'" event. Designer shoes are sold at half price. 80% of the money goes to breast cancer research and education.
QVC in the UK and Ireland
QVC UK started on October 1, 1993. Its main office and studios are in West London. The call center and warehouse are in Knowsley. QVC UK also has an outlet store in Warrington. In 2013, QVC UK's sales were $660 million. It reaches 27 million homes in Britain and Ireland.
QVC UK's main channel broadcasts live for 16 hours a day. For the other 8 hours and on Christmas Day, it shows replays. QVC UK also has three other channels: QVC Beauty, QVC Extra, and QVC Style.
QVC in Germany
QVC Germany's main office is in Düsseldorf. Its call centers are in Bochum and Kassel. The warehouse is in Hückelhoven. In 2013, the company's sales were $970 million.
QVC Germany first broadcast on December 1, 1996. It reaches 41 million homes in Germany and Austria. QVC Germany broadcasts live for 17 hours a day. It is off-air on Christmas Eve afternoon and Christmas Day. QVC also has two other channels in Germany: QVC 2 and QVC Style.
QVC in Japan
QVC Japan is a partnership with Mitsui & Co.. Its studios, main office, and call center are in Makuhari. The warehouses are in Sakura City. In 2013, QVC Japan's sales were $1.02 billion.
QVC Japan first broadcast on April 1, 2001. It reaches 27 million homes. The channel used to broadcast live 24 hours a day. Now, it airs 19 live programming hours daily.
QVC in Italy
QVC Italy first broadcast on October 1, 2010. Its main office and studios are near Milan. The distribution center is in Castel San Giovanni. In 2013, the company's sales were $130 million.
QVC Italy broadcasts live for 17 hours a day. It runs 24 hours a day, 364 days a year. It reaches 25 million homes. You can watch QVC Italy on digital terrestrial TV and satellite.
QVC in France
On August 1, 2015, QVC launched in France. The company expected to create about 200 jobs there. QVC France broadcast live on weekdays and weekends. Its corporate website said QVC stood for Qualité, Valeur, Confiance, which means "Quality, Value, Trust."
Qurate Retail Group stopped QVC France operations on March 13, 2019. They said the channel did not perform as well as expected.
QVC/CNR in China
QVC/CNR (China) is based in Beijing. It has a TV channel and an online shopping website, cnrmall.com. This is a partnership between China National Radio (a state-owned company) and QVC. Chinese law does not allow private control of TV stations. So, QVC has a 49% share in this partnership. The channel reaches 35 million homes. QVC/CNR broadcasts live for 17 hours a day. In 2013, its sales were $110 million.
Other Related Channels
- Diamonique
- Home Shopping Network – This was a main competitor of QVC. Qurate Retail Group bought HSN in 2017.
- Jewelry Television
- ShopHQ
