Reply
Honored Contributor
Posts: 41,253
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

QVC’s Plan to Survive Amazon Might Actually Be Working

QVC’s Plan to Survive Amazon Might Actually Be Working

An audience of mostly middle-aged women has put the shopping channel behind only Amazon and Walmart in online sales.
 
via bloomberg online
 

QVC hasn’t been immune to the ongoing struggles in retail and television. It had four straight quarters of sales declines before posting an increase last quarter. Sales in some categories, such as hair care and jewelry, have continued to struggle. Like many other pay-TV networks, QVC’s main channel has lost subscribers as more consumers drop their cable subscriptions.

 
 

But QVC isn’t just another channel trying to adapt to the rise of cord-cutting or a retail brand looking for a toehold online. About half of QVC sales already happen online, and two-thirds of those purchases come from mobile devices. In January, after completing a $2.1 billion purchase of its rival, the Home Shopping Network, QVC Group became the third largest e-commerce retailer in North America, according to Internet Retailer. That means the combined cable channels trail only Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc. among companies selling products in multiple categories.

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-02-06/qvc-s-plan-to-survive-amazon-and-escape-the-cable...

********************************************
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,592
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: QVC’s Plan to Survive Amazon Might Actually Be Working

I do my part!  But Amazon is still where I do most of my online shopping.  Nothing is more attractive to me than free shipping, fast shipping, and overall...the best prices.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,967
Registered: ‎05-23-2015

Re: QVC’s Plan to Survive Amazon Might Actually Be Working

To me, they are different animals. Amazon is my go to place to order, but I still order some from QVC. I hate waiting a long time for my orders, and I hate paying for shipping.

" You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts."
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Honored Contributor
Posts: 41,253
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: QVC’s Plan to Survive Amazon Might Actually Be Working

QVC’s digital strategy has started to pay off. The channel added about 417,000 new customers last quarter, the second-biggest increase for that period in 15 years. Amazon is perpetually lurking, of course. It has started to broaden Twitch Interactive, a video-game streaming site it acquired in 2014, to allow artists, chefs and musicians to sell products to their viewers. And about three-quarters of QVC shoppers are also users of the almost inescapable e-commerce site.

 

But analysts increasingly see QVC’s future as “the anti-Amazon,” in the words of Barton Crockett at B. Riley FBR Inc. Amazon is about inexhaustible selection, he said, while a 24-hour shopping show is a matter of constant salesmanship.

 

“QVC is a retail format that appeals to a woman who loves to shop,” Crockett said. “It would appear this woman is born every year.”

********************************************
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,012
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: QVC’s Plan to Survive Amazon Might Actually Be Working


wrote:

To me, they are different animals. Amazon is my go to place to order, but I still order some from QVC. I hate waiting a long time for my orders, and I hate paying for shipping.


Overall I place more orders to Amazon than QVC now.  I love that you can find anything there and also it arrives so quickly and FOR FREE SHIPPING.  Returns are easy too, if needed.

 





 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: QVC’s Plan to Survive Amazon Might Actually Be Working

I'm not a fan of Amazon. I have bought from them, but unless I know the product, I don't trust them to be accurate in descriptions, the photos are usually few and poor and I've had issues with getting refunds and even getting merchandise that they shipped elsewhere. 

 

I don't like QVC's shipping charges and that has curtailed my ordering considerably in the last three months, and will continue to in the future. But let's face it, Amazon's shipping (and anyone else's) is really never free. It is built into the prices of the products.

 

I've never been a Walmart hater as I find shopping their stores to afford me getting a lot of what I need at a good price (not groceries so much though), in one place. I've ordered onlilne several times for large stocking up of household essentials, and enjoy the two day 'free' shipping. I'd choose them over Amazon if they carry the same items, even if Walmart prices were just a little higher, as I know I can simply go to the store for returns if there are any issues. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 65,680
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: QVC’s Plan to Survive Amazon Might Actually Be Working

Sounds like a numbers game to me. If you add HSN's customers to those who were already QVC customers and then consider them all QVC customers, then of course their numbers increased.


In my pantry with my cupcakes...
Regular Contributor
Posts: 176
Registered: ‎10-22-2015

Re: QVC’s Plan to Survive Amazon Might Actually Be Working

People work hard for their money, we have been telling QVC this for some time. Not to mention that many people will NOT buy from some hosts, regardless. And there have been many blogs about that. QVC just ignores and removes the comments. Well listen up, it will get worse.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,321
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: QVC’s Plan to Survive Amazon Might Actually Be Working

I think one thing that does not work in Q's favor is the shipping and returns.  I love that Amazon does not charge for shipping if you are a prime member and returns are a "free" breeze.

 

I can't even begin to imagine QVC is worried about a handful of people who will NOT buy from some hosts.  I think some people think if they do not purchasing a product because of a host and then maybe twenty people agree with them, it worries QVC.  Please think again.  That small amount means nothing to QVC.

 

Should they fire the host because a handful of people aren't happy?  What about the thousands who like the host?  You can't please everybody all the time.

 

And telling them to ". . . listen up, it will get worse".   I honestly don't think they care.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,463
Registered: ‎12-26-2011

Re: QVC’s Plan to Survive Amazon Might Actually Be Working

I have cut down my spending at QVC by 95%.  First of all the shipping is outrageous.  If you order a Tee-shirt in 3 colors , you pay shipping prices 3 times,  if you order 6 different items from say Isaac you pay shipping on every one of them.  We now pay for returns and they have raised prices on everything.   I do my apparel shopping at Nordstroms, Kate Spade, Neiman Marcus and Talbots (all regular stores not outlets).  Once in a while I will order a top or a pair of Isaacs 24/7 capries  from QVC but most of my purchases are It Cosmetics or Josie Maran.  I  get excellent quality apparel from B&M stores and when they have sales prices are better than QVC with the added benefit of free shipping and returns.  Also QVC takes forever to ship.