Buzz
Created by Joe Segel, the founder of Franklin Mint, in 1986 as a competitor to the Home Shopping Network, QVC (which stands for Quality, Value, and Convenience) has transformed ‘theatrical retailing’ into a thriving business, generating $14.1 billion in revenue in 2018 alone. To solidify their industry leadership, they acquired HSN for $2.1 billion in 2017. The hosts work tirelessly, providing live product demos, greeting callers, and finding fresh ways to promote everything from leaf blowers to jewelry.
Yet beneath the polished smiles lies an unyielding engine designed to make everything appear effortlessly laid-back. Let’s dive into some of the channel’s most compelling selling points.
1. QVC revolutionized the home shopping experience.
The home shopping concept was brought into the spotlight by Bud Paxson, an AM radio station owner who settled a debt with an advertiser by accepting 118 can openers, which he then sold over the airwaves. Paxson eventually brought the idea to television with HSN; however, Segel, who founded the competing QVC, considered HSN’s presentations to be rather tacky. To elevate the experience, Segel hired more polished hosts and, crucially, offered cable providers a cut of sales, allowing QVC to secure higher channel positions and gain more viewership.
2. QVC debuted with a shower radio.
QVC made its television debut on November 24, 1986, with host John Eastman presenting the Windsor Shower Companion for $11.49. Realizing Eastman might struggle to demonstrate the product without a bathtub, the network also introduced a live sweepstakes resembling a Power Ball drawing: customers whose credit card numbers matched a four-digit code were entered into a $25,000 giveaway. The channel took in $7,400 in orders that day. Just 15 years later, on December 2, 2001, sales had skyrocketed to $80 million.
3. On QVC, every movement has significance.
If you think a QVC host casually nibbling on a brownie or spinning a ring is spontaneous, think again. The network’s control room tracks sales in real time and can link host and guest actions with surges in purchases, prompting them (via earpiece) to repeat the action, phrase, or even wardrobe. For instance, Joe Sugarman discovered that wearing a bold tie boosted BluBlocker sunglasses sales; Ron Popeil would leap in the air to trigger higher sales. Today, QVC's star host David Venable increases his numbers by doing his signature 'happy dance.'
4. Mike Rowe was hired on QVC after selling a pencil.
Mike Rowe, known for his rugged persona from Ford commercials, *Dirty Jobs*, and his tough-guy image, had a memorable stint as a late-night QVC host in the early 1990s. To land the job, he was asked to pitch the merits of a number-two pencil to a QVC executive. For eight minutes, Rowe discussed the pencil’s ‘vibrant yellow’ color, its ‘genuine wood’ feel, and how iconic figures like Einstein and Picasso had made history with it. When his time ended, the interviewer wrote ‘You’re Hired’ on a piece of paper. (Rowe was later fired, then rehired, with the channel seemingly undecided on whether his dry humor suited their format.)
5. QVC hosts have a tough job.
The role of a home-shopping host is vastly underappreciated. In addition to continually coming up with new ways to sell jewelry, hosts must engage with callers, be well-versed in product details (some even tour manufacturing plants), and follow production cues through earpieces—all without the aid of teleprompters or cue cards. It sounds challenging because it is: hosts are given roughly six months of training. But the real challenge? Getting hired. Of the 3,000 people who auditioned in 2007—including actors, journalists, and former guests—only three made it on air.
6. However, being a QVC host can also be incredibly rewarding.
Hosts who master the delicate balance of managing home-shopping traffic while charming viewers can reap significant rewards. Although QVC does not offer commissions, top hosts can earn over $500,000 annually, particularly if they’re experts in cookware.
7. Marlon Brando once sought a job on QVC.
In 2001, actor Marlon Brando was facing severe financial difficulties and began seeking ways to recover. He proposed appearing on QVC, though his ideas, such as selling an earthquake-proof house, were too impractical for the network. His secretary, Alice Marchak, suggested he sell a DVD series on acting instead. Brando embraced the idea, investing $50,000 to film his increasingly eccentric acting seminars. However, the footage was so unmanageable that he never appeared on QVC. Brando passed away in 2004.
8. The QVC sales pitch is more like a casual ‘backyard fence’ chat.
Unlike the high-energy approach of HSN, Segel envisioned QVC as taking a more relaxed, conversational tone. Hosts and guests are trained to engage in 'backyard fence' chats, where the viewer feels like they’re overhearing a casual conversation between friends rather than enduring a hard sell. If callers stray too far from the product discussion, they’re gently steered back to the topic at hand.
9. QVC operates outlet stores.
What happens to the products that don’t sell? They must go somewhere! QVC runs a few retail outlet stores, including two outside of Philadelphia, where customers can shop in person. There’s also the option to take a tour of their studio facilities in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
10. QVC was once the victim of a scam.
In 2005, QVC’s online system was exploited in a scam that resulted in over 1,800 stolen items. Quantina Moore-Perry, a woman from Greensboro, North Carolina, discovered she could order products, request a refund, and still receive the items. She pled guilty to wire fraud and surrendered the ill-gotten gains, which amounted to more than $400,000.
11. One QVC host is also the actor from *Evil Dead II*.
Rick Domeier landed his QVC hosting role by pretending to be his own agent, telling executives that 'this Domeier guy' was the real deal. He’s still with the channel after 21 years. While QVC’s viewers have grown accustomed to him, horror fans may do a double-take. Domeier, an experienced actor, portrayed Ed Gotley, a doomed victim of the Deadite curse in *Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn* in 1987. Groovy.
12. QVC guests must take a class.
Although hosts carry most of the weight, QVC’s guests—whether they’re product inventors, owners, or experts—aren’t always seasoned broadcasters. To help them appear more natural, the channel sends them through a 'broadcast boot camp,' where they learn to speak about their products, chat casually with the camera, and keep their cool on live TV. If a guest struggles, some services provide professional on-air talent to step in.
13. QVC hosts made a Christmas album.
In a testament to the familial bond QVC hosts share with their audience, the company released a holiday album featuring performances by several on-air personalities. *Holiday Favorites from the QVC Family* included popular hosts like David Venable and Lisa Robertson singing classics like 'Silent Night.' It was likely QVC’s way of conceding to taking at least one day off from live programming each year, as Christmas is the *only day* when nothing airs live.
14. Fainting won’t stop QVC hosts from selling.
In October 2012, host Cassie Slane was demonstrating the FunTab Pro tablet when she suddenly began feeling faint. As she collapsed, co-host Dan Hughes continued presenting the product, seemingly unaware of Slane’s sudden inability to stand. (Slane, who later attributed her fainting spell to low blood sugar, assured everyone the next day that she was fine.)
15. QVC has its own talk show.
After years of live sales, QVC ventured into traditional cable programming. In August 2019, they launched an unscripted talk show, *Kim Gravel Now*, hosted by former Miss Georgia Kim Gravel. The Saturday-night series blends Gravel’s commentary on social and style topics with sales plugs—though not for her own beauty products.
Additional Sources: *But Wait…There’s More!*
