Suggestion Box

[radc]

I have been a customer since the beginning. I was a young bride when QVC first came into my home and I grew up with QVC. I have seen many hosts come and go.  I have never reached out in this way about the decision to let hosts go. But, I am so troubled about the "layoff" of Carolyn and Dan that I am compelled to share my thoughts.

You should recognize the power of the personal connection customers have with Carolyn and Dan (I do not believe that their sales have slipped). They are part of the core group of veterans who made QVC successful and they have adapted well to changing times. They have the talent required to sell w/o the "hard sell". Customers know them, care about them, and miss them. As a mental health professional, I can say that this decision can devastate people and it is considered a trauma (especially for older people who have had long-term commitments to a company). In hurting Carolyn and Dan in this way, you have hurt thousands of loyal customers, who also had a hand in QVC's success. I will not speculate here as to why you chose to lay off these two particular individuals, but this decision has thousands of people talking. I will not say that it has moved me to never shop again. But, it has caused me to see QVC through an entirely different lens. After all these years, I will now buy only if I can't find it elsewhere and/or if I can't find it cheaper (this was never my philosophy before as I used to enjoy tuning in whenever possible to learn about products in real time). It seems QVC is not the company I thought it was (this would have been understandable with hosts who are not selling/not working out) and this really bothers me (it's always disappointing to learn that someone/something you supported was not what you thought it was).  While I know that my new buying patterns are insignificant, I am hoping that the feelings of thousands of people will mean something to you.      

Carolyn is QVC. She is a rare talent and is unique in her (successful) efforts to build lasting/meaningful relationships with coworkers, vendors, and us (through her gardening shows, D&C, and pet shows - all of which have her unique/personal imprint). Dan is a trusted friend and captures the male customer very well. He is steady, knowledgeable, relatable, and kind. There is no one like him. They both make the holidays fun on QVC. They make shopping fun. They make aging fun for those of us who have been with them all along - they speak well to that customer (remember us?). They are our friends...which is exactly what you wanted them to be.

As this has been described as a "lay-off" situation, please consider bringing them back. QVC is not the same without them, and for many of us, this action represents a callousness and a lack of regard for their dedication and hard work, and most importantly, for them as individuals.

Thank you for allowing me to express my thoughts. As they have been respectfully stated, I hope you will not delete this message and will be open to hearing the thoughts of others who share these same thoughts (those who do not should feel free to post elsewhere).     

[cjm61]

@radc It looks like you are addressing QVC upper management? Sorry, your post is a little too long so I didn't really read the entire thing but it appears you are writing directly to management.

I suggest you go to the FEEDBACK tab and contact them there. I've also seen addresses you can send the letter to, I believe you could find it in other posts. 

I'm sure whatever you said is important to you to spend the time to write it but there has never been a response from anybody at QVC on these posts, at least that I have ever seen. Hopefully, to get your message to the appropriate people, I recommend the options I stated. I have received responses to comments I posted on the FEEDBACK. Good luck, hope you hear back.

[Krimpette]

I think Carolyn and Dan have both moved on.  Doubt they'd even be interested in returning.

[Spurt]

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@radc wrote:

I have been a customer since the beginning. I was a young bride when QVC first came into my home and I grew up with QVC. I have seen many hosts come and go.  I have never reached out in this way about the decision to let hosts go. But, I am so troubled about the "layoff" of Carolyn and Dan that I am compelled to share my thoughts.

You should recognize the power of the personal connection customers have with Carolyn and Dan (I do not believe that their sales have slipped). They are part of the core group of veterans who made QVC successful and they have adapted well to changing times. They have the talent required to sell w/o the "hard sell". Customers know them, care about them, and miss them. As a mental health professional, I can say that this decision can devastate people and it is considered a trauma (especially for older people who have had long-term commitments to a company). In hurting Carolyn and Dan in this way, you have hurt thousands of loyal customers, who also had a hand in QVC's success. I will not speculate here as to why you chose to lay off these two particular individuals, but this decision has thousands of people talking. I will not say that it has moved me to never shop again. But, it has caused me to see QVC through an entirely different lens. After all these years, I will now buy only if I can't find it elsewhere and/or if I can't find it cheaper (this was never my philosophy before as I used to enjoy tuning in whenever possible to learn about products in real time). It seems QVC is not the company I thought it was (this would have been understandable with hosts who are not selling/not working out) and this really bothers me (it's always disappointing to learn that someone/something you supported was not what you thought it was).  While I know that my new buying patterns are insignificant, I am hoping that the feelings of thousands of people will mean something to you.      

Carolyn is QVC. She is a rare talent and is unique in her (successful) efforts to build lasting/meaningful relationships with coworkers, vendors, and us (through her gardening shows, D&C, and pet shows - all of which have her unique/personal imprint). Dan is a trusted friend and captures the male customer very well. He is steady, knowledgeable, relatable, and kind. There is no one like him. They both make the holidays fun on QVC. They make shopping fun. They make aging fun for those of us who have been with them all along - they speak well to that customer (remember us?). They are our friends...which is exactly what you wanted them to be.

As this has been described as a "lay-off" situation, please consider bringing them back. QVC is not the same without them, and for many of us, this action represents a callousness and a lack of regard for their dedication and hard work, and most importantly, for them as individuals.

Thank you for allowing me to express my thoughts. As they have been respectfully stated, I hope you will not delete this message and will be open to hearing the thoughts of others who share these same thoughts (those who do not should feel free to post elsewhere).     

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@radc 

Well said! 

The firing of Carolyn and Dan looks suspcious and more or less looks like a change in order to attract a younger demographic....Dan-"the old guy"....'nuff said, and Carolyn "the most curvy" and "matronly" in the EXECS eyes.....So what if viewers think Carolyn and Dan provided the most detailed information on the products and seldom interrupted the vendors while the vendors were making an important point.....I know Carolyn had the infamous squirrels, but they in no way took up as much time as these narcisstic hosts and their personal stories, or "family stories"....many of the hosts QVC chose to retain make the shows all about them, and the main purpose of QVC---to sell products seems to have taken a back seat, THE PRODUCTS SHOULD BE THE STARS NOT THE HOSTS!!!  And their financial reports say that this current model of "host first" doesnt seem to be working.....SMH!!!  

I do turn the channel, and am buying less and less from QVC because the majority of the hosts now give little product info, online is sales "fluff", Im not paying and taking a chance on a product with QVC with their costly return policy ($6.95 for shipping return label, plus loss of my original shipping cost)....

I could care less about the host's personal lives which seems to be QVC's current focus...Dont care to watch the post show after live streams either!!!! .So lets see ---With me along with countless others watching/buying less can they drum up enough business to stop the downward trend in sales and keep the channel afloat???..it sure cant continue on the downward trend that they are going on....the young demographic AINT coming QVC----so its better to have professsional hosts that provide detailed product info rather than highlighting the semi-celebrity hosts!---

Im in no way advocating Dan and Carolyn's return, just giving my opinion on roles host play, and looking at the financial results and suggesting QVC look at this also, as well as customer feedback on who is making customers watch/buy less....

[Commoner Exec Mr Wilkes]

I feel free to say that I never cared for either of the hosts under discussion. 

[ValuSkr]

I liked Carolyn but have to agree with management about Dan - it was long past his time to go.

[kaydee50]

If the PTB want to attract a "younger" demographic, there are several other hosts that need to go.

[Puppy Lips]

I sent a comment to the QVC social team and they said they would forward it to the right department.  I am sure QVC did not expect the huge reaction they got.  Now they might be a bit tentative to let anyone else go.  If that is the case, that is a shame because there are a few hosts that really do need to go because they are getting worse, not better.

[Commoner Exec Mr Wilkes]

Hosts should not (in my opinion) be immune from any future large scale layoffs necessitated by poor financial conditions. 

They are no different than the average Qurate office or warehouse worker vulnerable to a layoff.

[Caaareful Shopper]

@radc 

I had to laugh when you suggested those that don't agree should post elsewhere.  

But I do understand how some are still upset about Carolyn and Dan, respectfully.  However, I think the better route for your post is Qurate's management email, or phone messaging.

I'm one that liked Carolyn in her early hosting days, but not so much at all in her most recent years.  I never warmed to Dan.  Looking at thier social media post QVC, they both seem quite happy and have moved on.  I wish them well elsewhere.