QVC (British TV channel)
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QVC UK is a digital television shopping channel broadcast in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1993 when QVC, Inc. formed a deal with Sky TV to create a UK version of the US channel. "QVC — The Shopping Channel" first broadcast in the UK on 1 October 1993. QVC UK - 20% owned by Sky - moved into profit after five years of broadcasting. In 1998, it turned its first net profit (£12.5 million), against a loss of £228,000 in 1997.[1]
History
The United States channel was formed in West Chester, Pennsylvania. It is a multinational corporation, specialising in televised home shopping. It was founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel. QVC broadcasts in five countries to 141 million consumers. The name is an initialism—standing for "Quality, Value, Convenience. However, unlike in the USA, this initialism is no longer used on air in the UK.
Operation in the UK
The UK operation is a wholly owned subsidiary of QVC US and operates from two venues in the United Kingdom. Until April 2011, QVC UK's corporate headquarters and studio centre are at Marco Polo House, Battersea in London. It will then be moving to Chiswick Park, a campus-style development on the site of a derelict London Transport bus depot in West London.[2] Its centre and distribution warehouse are in Kirkby, Knowsley, in Merseyside, where they moved in 1998 from Liverpool's Harrington Dock. The company has outlet stores in Warrington and Shrewsbury.
The channel broadcasts live 17 hours a day (the remainder being pre-recorded, highlight material) year round. QVC UK claims a market penetration of 15.4 million homes on the cable, satellite, and digital terrestrial TV. The satellite 'footprint' also takes in much of western Europe. Retail sales for the year 2008 reached £360+ million.
QVC presentations are now broadcast to viewers of the ITV1 network in England and Wales in the early hours of the morning as part of ITV's overnight transactional programming block The Zone, launched in 2010.
On 26 October 2010 a second channel was launched in the UK QVC Beauty. It is available to viewers of Sky and Freesat.
QVC Active
QVC Active is an interactive television service made accessible using the red button on QVC UK's cable, Sky and digital terrestrial services. Across each enhanced television platform, QVC provides information including a 24 hour TV Guide, best selling products of that day and an ability for the viewer to interact with QVC UK's inventory. Customers viewing the Sky and cable TV platforms can buy products using their set-top box.
In 2008 QVC UK launched a multiscreen video service accessible via the interactive television layer, making four video streams available to Sky) viewers via the red button:
- QVC Live
- QVC +1 (a time delayed service)
- Today's Special Value presentation
- QVC Beauty, also a separate channel on Sky and Freesat.
Products
QVC organises its product range in to eight distinct categories:
- beauty
- fashion and accessories
- jewellery
- craft and leisure
- for the home
- home electronics
- garden and DIY
- clearance
QVC offer a 30 day moneyback guarantee offer, which entitles the customer to return any item within 30 days, for an exchange or refund.[3]
Presenters
- Alison Keenan
- Alison Young
- Anne Dawson
- Catherine Huntley
- Charlie Brook
- Claire Sutton
- Claudia Sylvester
- Craig Rowe
- Dale Franklin
- Debbie Flint
- Debbie Greenwood
- Glen Campbell
- Jill Franks
- Jilly Halliday
- Julia Roberts
- Julian Ballantyne
- Kathy Tayler
- Orlando Khota
- Pipa Vanderburg
- Richard Jackson
- Sara G
- Simon Biagi
- Sophia Barnes (Face of Diamonique 2009-2010)
- Steven Booth
Past presenters
References
- ^ QVC UK Moves into Profit, Broadcast, London, 21 May 1999.Accessed 7 January 2011.
- ^ QVC to move to Chiswick Park, Robin Parker, Broadcast, 27 July 2010.Accessed 7 January 2011.
- ^ 30 day moneyback guarantee
External links