Q Talk

[J Town Girl]

I believe I started watching it around 1991 or so.  I think I just discovered it on our cable line-up by accident.  It was such a unique way of shopping that I just became hooked.

I remember taking a trip to Juneau, Alaska with my in-laws and my MIL and I spent a lot of time watching QVC from our hotel room. We both were QVC shoppers.  I remember it was the week-end that Pat James was getting married and all of the hosts were talking about her wedding.  I believe we both ordered several things that week-end.  

I can't remember the very first thing I ordered but I'm pretty sure it was either a kitchen item or a jewelry piece.  

I spent years watching QVC but I no longer have much interest in it.  Mostly because I just have no need for any more items and because all of my favorite hosts have been gone for some time.   I think much of my enjoyment came from watching the hosts. Every once in a while I'll purchased something from the website but those purchases are few and far between.  

I am happy for the years that I did enjoy QVC and I'm grateful for the ease of shopping from my phone and just having the items delivered to my home.  

[Regal Bee]

I discovered the Q in 1991 through my sister.

Not the same shopping channel, now. Sadly.   

[Pezzie]

Early 90's, DH had a job transfer to West Chester, PA, and the rest is history. 

[Kallena]

Back in 1986, my mom was already hooked and i started watching with her.  They sold a lot of 14 k herringbone chains, and i loved them all!!

[Still Raining]

Somehow around 1991 I stumbled onto it.  The shows were so nice.  Could plan around your favs.  Miss it.

[taquito]

My Mom told me she was buying some pretty jewelry from television.  I was shocked!  I thought she was getting ripped off.  Then I visited her a few months later and saw her blossoming collection.  Her jewelry had the markings of real gold and silver.  It wasn't rubbing off, stones weren't falling out. 

It didn't take me long to see a ring I liked.  QVC was still smaller then, so without having an item number I was able to describe it to the phone operator.  That was the first of many jewelry pieces I have from QVC.  Too many!  And I still adore that first ring. 

[Diamonds22]

---

@San Antonio Gal wrote:

How did you first discover QVC and become a customer?  

I discovered the Q in 1996 when I was in the hospital for a week.  I started watching  and ended up getting hooked.

What's your story?

---

I discovered QVC the very first day of the QVC 50/50 Tour in 1995. It was so exciting. It was great to see small businesses get their chance to show their products. I always remembered when Paul Kelley who was in charge would always look into the camera & say "Dad buy this" if it was a product he knew his dad would like. Also when you ordered an item you would receive a pin similar to a tie tac that would have the name of the state you purchased from. Since I was hooked I ordered 1 item from each state & I have a 50/50 T-shirt that I put all 50 state pins on the shirt. Also I have Paul Kelley's autograph on the T-shirt.

It was so much fun & all the hosts were down to earth & calm, not like it is today. Up until about 3 years ago I have not purchased near as much as I did in the early years. I wish they would do the Tour again as it would give small businesses another chance since the pandemic has destroyed a lot of businesses in the last 3 years.

Also when they had the final 10 vendors from the Tour live in Washington, D.C. we got to attend & meet Mary Beth & she autographed her cookbook. Those were the good ole days.

[Wobin]

In the early 1990s I was the manager of a small public library.  One day one fo the staff brought a square flat box to my office. It was a clear glass serving plate with a pig design than my husband surprised me with as a gift.  I had never heard of QVC but he had been channel surfing one day and spotted the pig plate.  Still use that serving plate and have bought tons from QVC in the past 30 years.  I don't think Mr. Wonderful expected that!

[panda1234]

@San Antonio Gal This is a great question. As several people stated it started by being introduced by their mom, same here. My mom had cancer and was confind to home and TV. When she was in remission she came to visit me and wanted to do the stuido tour. At one point on the tour the guide asked if anyone has not ordered from QVC, my hand was the only one that went up. When I got home I had to see what I was missing and have been ordering ever since. 

[haddon9]

The first few times I happened to see the Q on TV (back in the mid 1990s) I didn't think much of it.  To me it was one of those things that I made fun of....who in their right mind would watch a long drawn out sales pitch and listen to the callers?  I quickly would go past the channel.

However a very close friend of mine told me she shopped occasionally here and both her mother & sister were obsessed!  I had to take another look and I became hooked by the early 2000s.  I realized that the Q had some nice products and the hosts were talented in the gift of sales gab! 

I discovered the forum a few years later in 2005.  It was certainly a different place back then!