topic Programming in general in Suggestion Box

Programming in general

bonnielu — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 03:09:02 GMT

Very far back and over the years I use to watch what seems like hourly and stop daily. Not so anymore. 1. High prices 2. Shipping costs 3. Available like items from other retailers and from Amazon at better price points 4.Lot of repetition of product types 5. Hosts who chat and socialize rather than describe products.

Need to go back QVC and see what worked from long ago. And need to listen to what many are saying to make improvements. It was once the top place to shop.

Re: Programming in general

Kachina624 — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 03:25:02 GMT

Times have changed; the economy has changed, the process of doing business has changed. Even morality has changed. Changes will continue. There will be no going back.

Re: Programming in general

They CallMe MRWILKES — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 04:16:00 GMT

QVC will never, ever, ever be what it was 30 years ago.

In terms of business and commerce those were prehistoric times. What broadcasting remains are like fossil vestiges of eras goneby.

It's over. Embrace the change or shop elsewhere.

Re: Programming in general

Tori3569 — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 04:18:24 GMT

I find it hard to believe / sad that so many long term shoppers here think the answer to issues QVC has is to go back to what they were 30-40 years ago. That's the worst possible advice.

They were a novelty back then and sold so many things no one would buy now. Dolls, bears, Tiffany type lamps, etc. I understand it's a fond memory for many of us, but the internet leveled the playing field.

Prices are the same as other retails of the same ilk. There is no comparison to Walmart or Amazon, but if that's your main concern, by all means shop there and continue to comparison shop the whole web. It's really fine. QVC understands.

Re: Programming in general

Desert Lily — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 04:36:13 GMT

The OP is likely saying that it was a formula that worked during those years and brought customer satisfaction and great success to QVC.

Currently, QVC's future is sketchy at best. Yes the world & retail have changed, but Project Athens was a mistake by bringing significantly higher prices that couldn't be rationalized with any new matched real increased costs, and by bringing a major focus on entertainment in presentations. Tech was just a part of their problems. Project Athens caused a segment of loyal QVC customers to turn away and shop elsewhere.

The OP has valid points, and really shouldn't be scolded to shop elsewhere. QVC needs customers. It appears many Q customers already shop at other retailers.

I think the OP is also saying that QVC's products are no longer as competitive in price or in uniqueness as they used to be. If that's true, I hope the Q can find a way to keep the customers they have in their market niche & attract new ones, and expand their niche.

If they read some of the news articles, outside vendors & suppliers may be hesitant to rely on the current QVC as their main selling & distributing platform.

QVC's situation is sad. Perhaps the WIN strategy will bring the Q up by its boot straps. I'm hoping they can turn things around.

Re: Programming in general

They CallMe MRWILKES — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 05:02:44 GMT

I don't view the suggestion and advice to move on to other retailers as a "scolding."

Just a sound, thoughtful tip, rather than sit and hope that QVC puts itself into reverse, which just won't ever happen.

Going back to 1985 would be the absolute worst thing a company in QVC's precarious position could do!!

BE KIND.....PLEASE REWIND

Re: Programming in general

Tori3569 — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 06:09:58 GMT

@Desert Lily wrote:
The OP is likely saying that it was a formula that worked during those years and brought customer satisfaction and great success to QVC.

Currently, QVC's future is sketchy at best. Yes the world & retail have changed, but Project Athens was a mistake by bringing significantly higher prices that couldn't be rationalized with any new matched real increased costs, and by bringing a major focus on entertainment in presentations. Tech was just a part of their problems. Project Athens caused a segment of loyal QVC customers to turn away and shop elsewhere.

The OP has valid points, and really shouldn't be scolded to shop elsewhere. QVC needs customers. It appears many Q customers already shop at other retailers.

I think the OP is also saying that QVC's products are no longer as competitive in price or in uniqueness as they used to be. If that's true, I hope the Q can find a way to keep the customers they have in their market niche & attract new ones, and expand their niche.

If they read some of the news articles, outside vendors & suppliers may be hesitant to rely on the current QVC as their main selling & distributing platform.

QVC's situation is sad. Perhaps the WIN strategy will bring the Q up by its boot straps. I'm hoping they can turn things around.

No one outside the C Suite knows the specifics of project Athens or the results. Anything publically available is not going to have all the details. No corporation does that.

Having said that, there was so much more to it than raising prices. They have strengthened their P&L by reducing debt which is a huge win.

They have also combined operations with HSN moving to PA that will undoubtedly save a lot of money in the coming years. Plus it will be easier to liquidate HSN from PA if that becomes necessary.

They have also laid a solid foundation for social media platform business which should have realized sales and profit in the coming years as well.

There is so much more to running a profitable mega corporation than just the current sales and customer counts. Prices are up comparatively everywhere, so that's a moot point.

Personally I think they have positioned themselves well for 2026 and beyond.

Re: Programming in general

Roscoe the Rascal — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 12:44:41 GMT

Use to be the place to be and I miss those days as well. I fact I miss how we use to shop where I live. Times have changed but it is nice to remember the good old days.

The world has sure changed and I won't miss it when I'm gone. (Just my loved ones)

Re: Programming in general

CalminHeart — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:11:47 GMT

I'd like to see Q get out of the 1990s.

They are near rock bottom in finances but keep doing the same thing week after week, month after month, year after year. Living in Groundhog Day isn't going to save them.

They can't afford to make big changes but there are countless smaller ones they could take to get them out of the hole. They just choose to stick with repeat, rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat.

Then add....

non-competitive pricing

repetition of same old, same old products

shipping and return hassles, delays

host antics

personal stories

difficulty resolving problems

merging stock to make it look better even though it isn't

outdated IT systems

Re: Programming in general

CalminHeart — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:21:48 GMT

@They CallMe MRWILKES wrote:
QVC will never, ever, ever be what it was 30 years ago.

In terms of business and commerce those were prehistoric times. What broadcasting remains are like fossil vestiges of eras goneby.

It's over. Embrace the change or shop elsewhere.

I think it's just common sense. I can find everything I want elsewhere for lower prices and free faster shipping. Why would I pay more to get it from Q?

What is going on tells me Q thinks it's still the 1990s. They keep doing the same things over and over and over and expect different results. That won't happen.

Re: Programming in general

CalminHeart — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:32:59 GMT

@Tori3569 wrote:
@Desert Lily wrote:
The OP is likely saying that it was a formula that worked during those years and brought customer satisfaction and great success to QVC.

Currently, QVC's future is sketchy at best. Yes the world & retail have changed, but Project Athens was a mistake by bringing significantly higher prices that couldn't be rationalized with any new matched real increased costs, and by bringing a major focus on entertainment in presentations. Tech was just a part of their problems. Project Athens caused a segment of loyal QVC customers to turn away and shop elsewhere.

The OP has valid points, and really shouldn't be scolded to shop elsewhere. QVC needs customers. It appears many Q customers already shop at other retailers.

I think the OP is also saying that QVC's products are no longer as competitive in price or in uniqueness as they used to be. If that's true, I hope the Q can find a way to keep the customers they have in their market niche & attract new ones, and expand their niche.

If they read some of the news articles, outside vendors & suppliers may be hesitant to rely on the current QVC as their main selling & distributing platform.

QVC's situation is sad. Perhaps the WIN strategy will bring the Q up by its boot straps. I'm hoping they can turn things around.

No one outside the C Suite knows the specifics of project Athens or the results. Anything publically available is not going to have all the details. No corporation does that.
Having said that, there was so much more to it than raising prices. They have strengthened their P&L by reducing debt which is a huge win.

They have also combined operations with HSN moving to PA that will undoubtedly save a lot of money in the coming years. Plus it will be easier to liquidate HSN from PA if that becomes necessary.

They have also laid a solid foundation for social media platform business which should have realized sales and profit in the coming years as well.

There is so much more to running a profitable mega corporation than just the current sales and customer counts. Prices are up comparatively everywhere, so that's a moot point.
Personally I think they have positioned themselves well for 2026 and beyond.

Their finances have been in the toilet for years and stay there. That's not good and each year makes it more difficult to become profitable.

As a former executive at a huge corporation, I can see so many things they could do to improve their bottom line without spending a ton of money or laying off hundreds/thousands of people. But they don't. If they fail, it's on them.

Re: Programming in general

We rescue cats — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:43:47 GMT

For many years we had a television going in the waiting area of the travel agencies tuned to QVC/HSN, and we kept a phone, tablet and pen/paper available. Our very best customers could even have the packages delivered to our offce so the spouse did not know! Now I seldom watch, I look online a couple of times a day, most of the programming I watch does not carry the shopping stations.

Re: Programming in general

They CallMe MRWILKES — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:57:49 GMT

We'll know by mid-February how well (or not) QVC Group is doing when the all important 4th Quarter and full year results are released.

We'll also see if the company is still in compliance with its credit facility debt ratios; violation could trigger the lender banks to call in the loan earlier than October 2026.

Re: Programming in general

Estellee — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 14:09:53 GMT

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for QVC.

Re: Programming in general

ShopperL — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 05:22:11 GMT

The article in the Philly paper said that the company issued a statement in their financial filing that normally is issued when the company doesn't think it can be an ongoing entity for the next year. That really shocked me that they are in that much trouble. I see that they are hiring new hosts and the HSN people relocated to PA but who knows if we'll be shopping at QVC/HSN next Christmas.

Re: Programming in general

Regal Bee — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 20:56:05 GMT

@bonnielu wrote:
Very far back and over the years I use to watch what seems like hourly and stop daily. Not so anymore. 1. High prices 2. Shipping costs 3. Available like items from other retailers and from Amazon at better price points 4.Lot of repetition of product types 5. Hosts who chat and socialize rather than describe products.

Need to go back QVC and see what worked from long ago. And need to listen to what many are saying to make improvements. It was once the top place to shop.

@bonnielu I can so relate to what you are saying. The Q used to be great but I gave up on it several years ago. I haven't watched any of the shows in over three years. I do order online, but seldom, even with that.

There isn't any returning to past years...it isn't going to happen. Sad.

Re: Programming in general

ellaphant — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 02:32:02 GMT

@bonnielu wrote:
Very far back and over the years I use to watch what seems like hourly and stop daily. Not so anymore. 1. High prices 2. Shipping costs 3. Available like items from other retailers and from Amazon at better price points 4.Lot of repetition of product types 5. Hosts who chat and socialize rather than describe products.

Need to go back QVC and see what worked from long ago. And need to listen to what many are saying to make improvements. It was once the top place to shop.

Nothing ever remains the same. Price always go up. I only watch a full hour of Q when its jewelry as its fun. I rarely buy. Used to buy a lot of clothes from Q, not now. Q is a dying company.

Re: Programming in general

deeva — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 13:12:07 GMT

Thirty years ago there was very little shopping online and QVC had a captive audience. Those days are gone and so is QVC's old marketing strategy.

The customers QVC had back then are now old and most aren't buying as much.

Re: Programming in general

Steph QVC123 — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:44:04 GMT

@bonnielu Unfortunately, with Amazon and social media shopping and the severe decline in cable, there is no going back. I wish they had more variety on screen, but companies do not want to pay for television time when they can easily sell on Amazon or social media for little cost. TV has a HUGE overhead. I like and support the model bc I'm a cable person, and I like to have QVC on, but I understand why it's not sustainable. They can't get new customers via cable because there are millions less cable viewers per year. The customers are just not there anymore. Therefore brands won't invest.

Re: Programming in general

Gabidog — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 12:25:46 GMT

Uniqueness has left the building. When what you show on air is candles or Belle I don't know where you go other than Belle candles. So repetitive. So boring. Nothing inspiring me to buy. Even when I check daily for new items it is one big nothing burger. Poly, rayon, stretchy, ruffle here, lace there....mostly ugly. VPH has devolved into lit mercury glass and a wreath. Food is mostly snacks or candy. We desire the old QVC because it was interesting! Remember Nick Chavez and Robert Lee Morris? Yes, entertaining and inspiring. Now we get Jai on steroids and $300 hair dryers. Most of the today's special value is neither special or much of a value. Free shipping and easy fast returns have to be policy, not here today gone next hour. And I don't know what the chiefs are doing to the Indians to make them seem so crazy as they demonstrate and chew and model....enough! And why are Ballard designs and grandin road and front gate not part of any on air or online offerings? Are they not part of corporate? There is so much they could do but seem stuck in doing what got them in trouble. Who knows where it goes.