QVC, HSN Tout Digital Initiatives — and Baby, Outdoor and Tabletop

Well Qurate Retail Inc., parent of QVC and HSN, apparently had a lollapalooza of an Investor’s Day last week in the Big Apple.

The webcast of the dog-and-pony show for Wall Street runs more than six hours. You can hop on Qurate’s website if you want to listen.

http://ir.qurateretail.com/events.cfm.

We’re dedicated, but not that dedicated. But Qurate put out a press release Monday summarizing some of the takeaways that honcho Mike George shared.

http://ir.qurateretail.com/news-releases/news-release-details/qurate-retail-announces-new-digital-investments-and-cost

It’s digital, digital and more digital, according to George. The home shopping channels are venturing onto new turf — baby, outdoor and tabletop. And George has five biggies on his “To-Do” list.

• Be the destination for product discovery.
• Inspire shopping journeys spanning all media platforms customers use.
• Make digital marketing a powerhouse demand driver.
• Extend the conversation through the power of social media.
• Enhance the service experience.

“The soul of the shopper, over time and across generations, hasn’t really changed,” George said in the press release. “Shopping is still about discovering great products, at great values, with great stories. It’s joyful, inspiring and built on trust. It lifts people up, helps them solve old problems in new ways, makes their lives easier, and connects them to the wider world. This is what we do, and this is why we have so many opportunities to evolve and grow in today’s rapidly changing retail and media landscape.”

We’re going to post the press release directly, from the horse’s mouth, so to speak, on the  priorities:

Be the destination for product discovery

“Our business model starts with being great product curators,” George said. “We’re committed to bringing our customers more discoveries, increasing product differentiation, driving strong values, and engaging customers of all generations.”

Qurate Retail is investing in an expanded digital store, adding 180 new digital-only brands across HSN and QVC over the past few months and entering new categories, such as baby, outdoor and tabletop. Year-to-date, the company has hired over 25 people to help drive this effort. In addition, more brands with strong cross-generational appeal are launching first on digital.

Qurate Retail also is launching Qurate D3 (for Discovery, Design, and Development), an expanded function to find or develop exclusive product lines around the world.
Inspire shopping journeys spanning all media platforms customers use.

“The explosion of digital media creates enormous opportunities for us to access, engage, and inspire consumers of all generations, over her video platforms of choice, with the right content, at the right time,” George said. “We have a strong advantage over other retailers or content programmers: We own all of our content, our incremental cost to create content is low, and we already have significant experience distributing content across emerging and other digital platforms.”

Qurate Retail continues to expand viewership across media platforms. In the U.S., TV viewership for QVC and QVC2 rose 5% year-to-date. HSN and QVC continue to increase their presence on traditional TV platforms. In addition, the brands are assessing how to optimize the positioning, programming, and scheduling of the five U.S. networks (QVC, QVC2, HSN, HSN2 and Beauty iQ) to appeal to the broadest range of consumers and provide maximum choice.

Viewership on new media platforms is also growing. From Q3 2017 to Q3 2018, minutes viewed via QVC US OTT platforms (Amazon, Apple, Roku), Facebook Live5 pages and digital platforms rose by more than 75%, while minutes viewed via the QVC US YouTube page doubled.

Early next year, Qurate Retail will build on its mobile leadership by launching a new Watch App, designed to be the daily discovery destination for today’s mobile consumer, with easy access to live shows, product videos and episodic content. By liking videos, users will be able to create their own playlists, and a click on a video will bring up product details and the ability to purchase.

In addition:

• The next generation of HSN’s proprietary Shop by Remote app is rolling out, and QVC began deploying the app earlier this month as well.
• QVC is expanding its OTT apps, including the October 2018 launch on Amazon Fire and the June 2018 launch of a new OTT service in Germany.

Make digital marketing a powerhouse demand driver

“We are rapidly scaling our digital marketing to generate demand, showcasing our best items, complementing the power of our TV distribution, and driving new generations of customers to our new media platforms,” George said.

Qurate Retail is building an in-house marketing agency to support QVC and HSN, drawing top talent from digital marketing leaders. The team is leveraging machine learning tools from zulily to create and deploy advertising intraday to maximum effect.

Digitally-driven sales are growing, driven in part by digital marketing. Year-to-date, sales for items that are promoted only via QVC’s digital platforms rose 11%, and sales for items that had not been featured on-air in the prior 24 hours rose 7%.

Extend the conversation through the power of social media

“Social platforms enable us to reach and engage new consumers, while also deepening the engagement of our best customers by fostering powerful viral communities,” George said.

Qurate Retail has built a network of influencers who can amplify HSN or QVC products and platforms with their followers. In addition, Qurate Retail has launched three social marketplaces – Ellie Sugar and Fuss Beauty in the U.S. and TILI (Try It Love It) in the U.K. – designed to reach beauty shoppers who may not be aware of the curated products and engaging experiences offered by HSN and QVC. The company also has launched its first skill on the Alexa platform, enabling users to watch or listen to HSN live and obtain information about HSN’s broadcast and products. By early 2019, users will be able to order products and check shipping updates and other account details, all via voice.

Enhance the service experience

<em>”We recently announced a multiyear plan to reduce delivery times by two days and increase package consolidation by integrating our HSN and QVC US fulfillment networks,” George said. “This is just one example of how we are investing to ensure that our service promise stays among the best.”

The plan to integrate the fulfillment networks was announced in October. The first phase includes opening a new fulfillment center in Bethlehem, PA in 2019, as well as anticipated closures of fulfillment centers in Lancaster, PA, Roanoke, VA, and Greeneville, TN in 2020.

Additionally, Qurate Retail will evolve toward a leased vs. owned model for many of its fulfillment facilities to increase flexibility and reduce longer term capital requirements.
Qurate Retail’s multiplatform approach is helping the company expand its customer base.

Over the past 12 months3, new customer counts for QVC US rose 4%, with 83% of new customers coming through digital platforms. QVC US also saw a meaningful shift among new customers to customers who are 18-44 years old. Overall, the QVC US customer base is up 2% year-to-date, with strong and stable customer retention.

QVC Plus Is Now QVC2

We got an email a few days, and just heard loud-mouth host Shawn Killinger announce it, that QVC has renamed its spinoff network QVC2. It used to be called QVC Plus.

The email said to tune in for live shows, favorite brands and hosts, and the QVC2 Big Deal, apparently its Today’s Special, which debuts at 9 p.m. every night.

http://www.qvc.com/content/shop-qvc2.html?cm_ite=MAIN_QVC2_72V:QVCPlusViewerEd&cm_ven=POSTCARD&cm_cat=2QVC2BigDealLaunch_Week1417EM_20170401_ALLPLAY_CAMP2928&cm_pla=C10to49MBS_QVCActive_EngagedSaturday_2104044633&p1=1D6F8B15-61A9-4941-AFE1-99B63DB5D5B7&p2=8A833093-F1FE-42C6-AE40-1B35FFA8F0C0&cvosrc=email.cheetahmail.2104044633

HSN Host Colleen Lopez Fractures Elbow, Trips On Sophie

We broke our ankle a year ago, and HSN host Colleen Lopez has had a similar mishap.

On Facebook Lopez posted on Thursday that she had suffered a fractured elbow. She tripped over her pooch.

“Yep, this happened,” she wrote. “I spent the past couple days making new friends in the emergency room and at the Orthopedic Surgeon’s office. It’s always something.”

HSN host Colleen Lopez is on the mend.

She then posted a photo of her arm in a stylish sling with a graphic black and white print.

Lopez also posted a photo of “the culprit,” her Yorkie Sophie.

“I tripped and fell over Sophie the other day when I arrived home from work (no kidding),” Lopez wrote.

“She loves to run under our feet and I was trying not to step on her and just fell right on my elbow! I read that 250 people each day in the US end up in the ER from an injury tripping/falling over their pets! Sophie has made up for it with lots of extra kisses. If you have pets that play underfoot – be careful!!!”

We wish Colleen a quick recovery.

Joy Mangano To Debut At Macy’s, She Will Appear At Herald Square

On Christmas Eve we blogged about HSN queen Joy Mangano bringing her products to Macy’s. We didn’t have to be a genius to figure it out, since the brick-and-mortar retailer was running ads in The New York Times about it.

It seems to us to be a unique move on the part of a home shopping network, to have one of its key vendors also featured at Macy’s. But remember that HSN owns Mangano’s company, Ingenious Designs, so sales from Macy’s should trickle back to Mindy Grossman and her crew.

And we guess HSN wanted to strike while the iron, or Little Steamer, is hot, with Mangano getting a lot of press since the release of the film “Joy,” which is loosely based on her life story.

Joy Mangano and her Little Steamers are coming to Macy’s.

In any event, Macy’s Tuesday finally got around to doing a press release about its pact with Mangano. And the entrepreneur will be appearing at Macy’s Herald Square in the Big Apple this Saturday, Jan. 9, for the big launch.

Here’s the announcement from Macy’s:

Macy’s Introduces Award-Winning Home Helpers from Inventor and Entrepreneur Joy Mangano

Known for innovative products that make people’s lives easier, Joy will be carried in Macy’s stores and on macys.com starting January 2016

Joy to appear at Macy’s Herald Square on January 9

January 05, 2016 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Launching on Jan. 9, the award-winning Joy brand will join the roster of Macy’s Home Store, offering innovative products that make a difference and simplify everyday challenges. Fueled by the breakout success of her first product, the Miracle Mop®, Mangano has spent the last 30 years creating solutions that make people’s lives easier, which inspired the star-studded film, “Joy,” by 20th Century Fox that released on Christmas Day.

The product line at Macy’s will include Miracle Mop®, Huggable Hangers®, My Little Steamer®, Better Beauty Case, MemoryCloud Pillow, and Forever Fragrant® Vase and Sticks. Joy will make an appearance at Macy’s Herald Square store in New York City on Jan. 9 – the day the brand launches nationwide.

“The Joy brand embodies everything we look for when considering the best home assortment for our customers,” said Martine Reardon, Macy’s chief marketing officer. “Joy’s innovative products have helped make home tasks easier for three decades, making her a true leader in the industry. We are thrilled to embark on this new partnership and to bring this product to our customers in Macy’s stores and on macys.com.”

An expert in designing, inventing and marketing innovative products for live content retailer HSN for more than 15 years, Joy holds more than 100 patents and trademarks.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring my products to Macy’s,” said Joy Mangano, “There is something magical about shopping at Macy’s and I know customers are going to experience that same magic when they discover my products in their stores nationwide.”

The collection starts at $29.99 and will be available in Macy’s stores nationwide and on macys.com. For Joy’s videos and tips, please visit macys.com/joymangano.

About Ingenious Designs LLC

Ingenious Designs LLC (IDL) is a subsidiary of HSN, Inc. and was founded in 1991 by its president, Joy Mangano. Joy is one of the most recognized inventors, entrepreneurs and product designers in the industry today and she is the creator behind innovative products such as the Miracle Mop®, My Little Steamer®, Huggable Hanger®, Comfort & Joy Memory Cloud™ Pillow, Forever Fragrant® and the Better Beauty Case. IDL also manages product lines for icon and celebrated supermodel IMAN, celebrity chefs Ming Tsai and Lorena Garcia, GRAMMY Award®-winning producer Randy Jackson, and Four-time GRAMMY Award®-winner and American Idol judge Keith Urban.

Tough Thanksgiving For QVC’s Wheeler, Us And Our’s

We can sympathize with QVC host Dan Wheeler, who just returned to the home shopping network after losing his beloved wife Beth to cancer.

It is going to be a tough Thanksgiving for him, as he eloquently wrote in a blog, as it is for us and our family.

Dan Wheeler returns to QVC.

http://community.qvc.com/t5/Blogs/Thankful-for-Beth/ba-p/2329275?cm_ven=FB&cm_cat=DANWHEELER&cm_pla=7B_20151125_id:HOSTBLOG&cm_ite=NA_COMMUNITY_2329275_ai:THANKSGIVING&cvosrc=social%2Bnetwork.facebook-DANWHEELER.20151125-COMMUNITY-2329275

This is our first Thanksgiving without our father. Our uncle passed away a few weeks ago, and my aunt and cousins won’t have him at the table today. Our childhood friend lost her 67-year-old husband to a heart attack, leaving her alone to raise their 11-year-old son.

Dan took an upbeat approach to writing about Beth, expressing thanks that he enjoyed 37 years with her. We had our dad a lot longer than other people. We give thanks for that.

Our dad wasn’t a religious man, but every Thanksgiving he would lead us in an off-the-cuff prayer before we ate. Every year, it was almost the same.

He’d give thanks for our food, for everyone around the table, for our troops overseas, for our country, adding that we also remembered those who were no longer with us.

This year, we wonder who will say the prayer.

Evine Live’s Third-Quarter Sales Up 3 Percent, To $162.3 Million

Evive Live’s net sales were up 3 percent, to $162.3 million, a 3 percent increase in the third quarter versus last year, the home shopping network reported Tuesday.

That compared to QVC’s 4 percent revenue increase, to $1.4 billion, and HSN’s net sales rising 2 percent, to $590.6 million.

But it wasn’t a good quarter for the No. 3 home shopping network. Evine Live saw a $5.2 million net loss in the quarter, which sent its shares into a sell-off. The company also said that it had launched a spin-off channel, Evine Live Too, that offers a three-hour-delayed feed of its core network.

http://www.startribune.com/evine-live-shares-tumble-18-after-loss-widens/353168741/

Evine Live’s online net sales as a percentage of total net sales increased 250 basis points to 46 percent.

Mobile remains the fastest-growing platform with net sales of $31.2 million, a 34 percent increase year-over-year.

The active customer count during the quarter increased 3 percent year-over-year, while reactivated customer count increased 4 percent.

Average purchase frequency increased to 4.1 units per customer, a 4 percent increase, while adjusted EBITDA was $200,000.

“We are pleased with our third-quarter results as the sales trends we experienced last quarter have continued,” Evine Live CEO Mark Bozek said in a canned statement. “We enter the holiday season with optimism in our merchandise assortment and growth strategies.”

Never one for brevity, here’s the rest of what Bozek had to say.

“Through a deliberate merchandising strategy launched just over a year ago, we’ve developed a more diversified product assortment of proprietary offerings with margins that are more in line with industry averages.”

“We believe improvements in our customer counts and average-purchase frequency are proof that our customers are responding positively to ‘more in our store.’ In addition, we believe our efforts to increase brand awareness and broaden our distribution footprint are important to driving incremental business in the fourth quarter and beyond.”

“With the changes we initiated a year ago to position the company for sustainable growth, we are seeing real continued momentum and, despite operating in a highly competitive retail environment, we remain confident that we’ve laid a solid foundation for top line growth and profitability in the fourth quarter.”

Home and consumer electronics was the fastest-growing category at 18 percent while all other categories, with the exception of jewelry, delivered growth of 3 percent to four percent.

The return rate  for the quarter was 18.9 percent, down 230 basis points year-over-year, a five-year low.

Gross profit decreased 5.3 percent to 5.3 percent to $55.9 million. gross profit as a percentage of sales decreased 310 basis points to 34.5 percent, due in part to reduced margins in jewelry and margins.

 

 

Quacker Factory Queen Ties The Knot

Congrats to Angel Smedley, the face of Quacker Factory on QVC, on her nuptials Friday to her beau Glen.

Smedley, a former QVC model until she took over Jeanne Bice’s role after her tragic demise, looked stunning in a flouncy, layered gown by Dennis Basso, a QVC vendor.

The female members of the wedding party wore black, which we thought was an unusual choice, but what the heck.

Smedley, who recently said she had lost weight and went down from a 1X to a large, looked lovely. There are loads of great photos of the nuptials and festivities on her Facebook page. Congrats to her and her new hubby.

https://www.facebook.com/AngelQuackerFactory/?fref=nf

HSN To Premiere Diamonds Unleashed By Kara Ross

Whenever anyone mentions diamonds, they get our attention. And HSN has. And we’re talking ethical diamonds here.

HSN is teaming up with jewelry designer Kara Ross to debut the Diamonds Unleashed collection, which supports women’s empowerment, on Dec. 13, the home shopping network said Thursday.

http://www.hsn.com/shop/diamonds-unleashed-by-kara-ross/13913?rid=4433&query=Kara%20Ross&isSuggested=False&#038;

Diamonds Unleashed has partnered with She’s the First and Girls Who Code, and will donate all net profits from the sales of jewelry and products after expenses and has committed to make a minimum donation of $20,000 to each organization.

HSN said in its press release:

The brand will be brought to life through a collection of jewelry and other products, a powerful network of influential ambassadors, and a platform of compelling content that is educational and engaging.

“I was so excited when Mindy approached me and wanted to be the first retailer to launch Diamonds Unleashed,” Ross said in a canned statement.

“The network of women that HSN provides access to is so exciting for a brand like ours as we are trying to create a shift in mindset,” Ross said. “I want to do for diamonds what Victoria’s Secret did for lingerie. When people think about diamonds they think about love and marriage. We’re redefining the act of engagement: that of engaging with your community and with the world at large.”

The jewelry will debut on HSN exclusively Dec. 13.

Ross designed the Diamonds Unleashed logo as a symbol of female empowerment.

It’s the “the shape of two diamonds, one elevating outside the other; those two shapes together form a heart,” the press release said. “The heart symbolizes the unifying philanthropic power of women helping women, to help create the next generation of strong female leaders.”

“Kara Ross is an amazingly talented designer and visionary woman who inspires everyone she meets,” HSN CEO Mindy Grossman said.

“We are thrilled to welcome the Diamonds Unleashed By Kara RossS collection to HSN’s fine jewelry portfolio. This transformational brand not only features beautiful product, but it represents a movement that empowers, educates and entertains women. Diamonds Unleashed aligns perfectly with HSN’s core values and I am honored to be one of its ambassadors.”

The collection for HSN features 28 pieces necklaces, rings, earrings and bracelets ranging in price from $129 to $1,399.

Each piece in the collection features genuine diamonds – diamonds that are ethically sourced from mines in Australia and Canada and manufactured to exceed minimum standards in: health, safety, the environment, human rights, quality management and financial capacity, as well as ethical and anti-corruption practices.

Cool.

For more information about Diamonds Unleashed and the support of these organizations, visit http://www.diamondsunleashed.org/charity-partners.

Evine Live Jewelry Vendor Samuel Behnam And Our AZ Vacation

In the grand scheme of things, and what is happening in the world now, we guess this blog will sound trite. But we wanted to report back on what we found on the jewelry scene when we went to Arizona on vacation last month.

We have not been in AZ — or its areas such as Scottsdale, Sedona and Carefree — in about two years. So our eyes almost popped out of our head when we saw the way prices for jewelry and such have skyrocketed.

Even some of our favorite haunts, jewelry shops a bit off the beaten and tourist-ridden path, didn’t seem to have any deals.

Lucky ladybug

We have a pretty sizable collection of blue turquoise now, and quite frankly don’t want any more. If anything, we keep our eye out for green turquoise, Carico Lake in particular. But Arizona has a lot more than Native-American made Southwestern-style jewelry. Its shops have a wide variety of sterling silver, artisan-crafted pieces from all over. That’s why we can browse at this stuff for hour upon hour.

We did make some purchases, but probably not what you would expect. In Sedona there is a New Agey-crystal store that we’ve been going to for years, which has not only jewelry but a huge selection of rocks.

We were keeping our eye out for Herkimer Diamonds, and thought maybe they would be a new trend in AZ. A couple of years ago, druzy was red hot.

In this Sedona shop we found a small bowl filled with some very large Herkimer Diamonds, 2 to 2 1/1 inches long. Some of them had black carbon spots, which we actually like in this particular stone.

Each Herkimer Diamond was wrapped in a sterling-steel girdle so you could wear it as a pendant. We bought two, one for us and one as a belated birthday present for our friend and traveling companion Deb.

As it turned out, it was a good purchase, because we only ran across one other store that was selling Herkimer Diamonds, and they we weren’t jumbo-sized like the ones we bought.

Samuel Behnam pendant

In Old Scottsdale, a real tourist trap that we still love because of all its jewelry stores, we came across a few finds. One shop had a little corner dedicated to jewelry by Evine Live vendor Samuel Behnam. The store owner began explaining that Behnam was a jewelry maker based in New Jersey, which was news to us Garden State gals.

We said we were familiar with his work, but didn’t mention his home shopping collection. They were selling several Behnam men’s bracelets with dragon heads, which were remarkably similar in style to those made by John Hardy but a hell of a lot cheaper.

But ultimately, we brought a large dog tag-style silver pendant on a leather cord that is probably a piece of men’s jewelry, but we liked it for us. It has several skulls on it, which like the Mexicans we think of as a good symbol, and a background of real stingray skin.

On the other side of the pendant, which we consider reversible, was a pattern of small stingrays.

We were also on the lookout for ladybug jewelry, since we think that critter is good luck. At another Old Town shop, we found a round inlay pendant that looked like a ladybug. We picked that up and have already worn it several times.

Reverse side

The ridiculous prices we were in Arizona made us realize some of the really great deals that the home shopping networks offer us for jewelry and gemstones.

By the way, the Old Town jewelers didn’t seem to know their stuff. In the only shop outside of Sedona where we found Herkimer Diamonds, the sales woman insisted that Herkimer was in Pennsylvania, not New York. You HSN girls know that’s not correct.

In another store, we asked to see a huge gem pendant that was marked as onyx. We held it up to the light, and saw that you could see through it and that it was brown — in other words, smoky quartz, not opaque onyx.

When we told the salesman in that store that the pendant was incorrectly marked, that it was not onyx, he insisted we were wrong.

JTV Launches ‘Let It Glow’ Holiday Campaign

We gave you QVC’s Christmas plans, so we’re giving you those of Jewelry Television, which came out when we were on vaca.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Jewelry Television® (JTV), the only shopping network focused exclusively on the sale of fine jewelry and gemstones, announced the launch of its national Let It Glow holiday campaign. The promotion features JTV’s 2015 holiday collection, gift giving ideas and the chance to win a romantic Alaskan cruise getaway for two.

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here:

http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7372631-jewelry-television/

JTV’s Let It Glow campaign runs now through Dec. 25, with special event pricing on some of the season’s hottest jewelry trends including negative space rings, gemstone brooches, statement necklaces and more. Check out more details in the gift guide.

“The holidays are the perfect time to treat yourself and a loved one to a sparkling new piece of jewelry to be treasured for years to come,” said Jill Johnson, vice president of marketing at JTV. “We want to share the JTV holiday spirit by offering special holiday pricing and the chance to win the trip of a lifetime.”

The centerpiece of the campaign is the Season To Glow Sweepstakes. The grand prize includes seven nights on an Alaskan cruise, two nights in Seattle, Wash., and $1,000 cash. JTV will also award $250 JTV shopping sprees to 10 weekly winners. Enter the sweepstakes by visiting JTV.com/glow. Entrants may register to win once daily through Dec. 31, 2015.

“There’s no need to leave the comfort of your own home to shop this holiday season,” said Johnson. “With more than 30,000 items to choose from on our broadcast and website, we bring the joy of holiday shopping directly to you.”

QVC Sees 4 Percent Gain, To $1.4 Billion, In Third-Quarter Sales

Following on the heels of HSN’s report, QVC announced Wednesday that its revenue increased 4 percent to $1.4 billion in the third quarter versus last year.

Earlier in the day, HSN said that its net sales in the quarter rose 2 percent, to $590.6 million, which was below Wall Street’s projections.

At the No. 1 domestic home shopping network, part of Liberty Interactive Corp., units sold rose 5 percent; average selling price per unit increased 1 percent to $58.70; and returns as a percentage of gross product revenue increased 21 basis points.

QVC U.S. experienced growth in the apparel, accessories, home and beauty categories, which was partially offset by a decline primarily in jewelry.

Ecommerce revenue increased 15 percent to $678 million and was up 48 percent from 43 percent of total QVC revenue.

Adjusted OIBDA increased 1 percent to $333 million and adjusted OIBDA margin decreased 55 basis points to 23.5 percent. These results were primarily due to higher freight and inventory obsolescence expense, which were partially offset by higher product margins and lower bad debt expenses.

“QVC generated strong results across the board with local currency growth in all consolidated markets for the second quarter in a row,” Liberty Interactive President and CEO Greg Maffei.

“The expansion in mobile orders continues at a rapid pace, comprising 53 percent of consolidated ecommerce orders,” he said. “We completed the acquisition of Zulily and have already begun introducing its customers to QVC.”

The entire QVC group, which includes Liberty Interactive’s many international home shopping networks, saw its consolidated revenue drop 1 percent, to $2 billion.

“U.S. dollar denominated results were negatively impacted by exchange rate fluctuations in the third quarter,” QVC said in its press release.

The Dollar strengthened against the Euro, Japanese yen and British pound sterling 16 percent, 15 percent and 7 percent, respectively.

On a constant currency basis, consolidated revenue increased 4 percent and adjusted OIBDA increased 1 percent compared to a 1 percent and 2 percent decline in dollars, respectively.

Excluding the costs related to launch QVC France, consolidated adjusted OIBDA increased 3 percent on a constant-currency basis in the quarter.

“We delivered strong constant currency revenue gains across markets as we continued to execute our strategies to extend our leading global video and eCommerce position,” QVC President and CEO Mike George said.

“We expanded our commerce platform reach with additional TV carriage and increased digital penetration, and mobile orders now represent over 50% of all eCommerce orders,” he said.

“We enhanced our merchandise differentiation with key brand launches and leverage of our global vendor network. Our joint venture in China generated outstanding results, and on October 1st we welcomed Zulily to the QVC Group, extending our reach to millennial customers.”

Ex-QVC Host Kathy Levine Bows ‘Loud’ Line On Evine Live

FB friend Charlene tipped us off to some news today: Former QVC queen host Kathy Levine is debuting a clothing line on Evine Live tomorrow.

Levine has been acting as a kind of sometimes host or commentator on Evine Live, but we weren’t aware that she had a collection cooking for the No. 3 home shopping network.

Lisa Robertson posted this photo of her and Kathy Levine on Facebook.

Another QVC refugee, List Robertson, did a post on Facebook about Levine’s new collection.

“GUESS WHAT?!!!! My friend Kathy Levine is debuting her new clothing line on EVINE Live!,” Robertson wrote. “It’s tomorrow night at 6p ET and she is really excited about it!!! Good luck, Kathy!!!!!”

Here’s what Levine had to say on Facebook:

For years, you have been saying how much you wish I would return to TV. I have always wanted to come back with something to call my own.

Last summer I met with EVINE Live’s VP of Apparel in NY and he introduced me to a super manufacturer. She got my vision right away. Easy, casual tops with a young hip edge, designed longer, to hide the bad and accentuate the good, for all sizes and all shapes.

Most of these ideas were straight from my own closet, just needing a few tweaks here and there. The clothing line was born with fabulous genuine gemstone jewelry created to complement it. (Heart lovers rejoice)! Sneak a peek – http://bit.ly/1OxF8v9

Kathy Levine Out Loud!!! KLOL is here!

Shop, share, smile and laugh out loud with me on Thursday, October 22nd at 6pm ET.

When Levine left QVC, and never got that talk show she had mentioned, she became a vendor on either QVC or HSN, we can’t remember which. Levine did costume jewelry and apparel, and quite frankly, it was not impressive.

Let’s hope she does better on Evine Live.

We do dig the gemstone sterling silver heart necklace that she’s hawking as part of her line.

HSN Unveils Holiday Debuts With Sofia Vergara, Broadway Shows

It’s our day off and we’re swamped with chores.

No time to process this press release, so here it is. What’s interesting is the collaboration with Disney Theatricals on merchandise from the Broadway shows and Sofia Vergara’s debut.

HSN Dazzles This Holiday Season With Exciting Deals, New Launches, Broadway Shows and More

— Melissa McCarthy, Sofia Vergara, Serena Williams, Geoffrey Zakarian, Giuliana Rancic, Christie Brinkley and Wolfgang Puck are part of HSN’s Star-Studded Lineup this Holiday Season

— HSN will Deliver Joy throughout the Holidays with Innovative New Products from Joy Mangano

— Good Tidings HSN Brings to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® and their Kin with the 2015 Designer Ornament Collection and HSN Cares Giving Tuesday Initiatives for the Holidays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 16, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — It’s the most wonderful time of the year as leading live content retailer HSN kicks off its “Merry, Happy, Everything” holiday shopping season today with more incentives, launches and special events than ever before! Customers will be able to shop an expanded assortment of terrific giftable items for everyone on their shopping list; all presented by today’s hottest brands, designers, celebrities and trusted experts.

Who doesn’t love a great deal during the holidays? HSN’s exclusive FlexPay program will allow shoppers to stretch their holiday budget and buy gifts now, ship immediately and then pay them off over time with no additional fees from HSN.

Special Events!

As a part of its lineup of holiday programming, HSN’s Holiday Host Pick will take center stage as HSN partners with Disney Theatrical October 16-18. For the first time ever, some of HSN’s most popular hosts will take viewers behind the scenes of some of Disney’s biggest Broadway productions including Lion King, Aladdin, Mary Poppins and Newsies. Exclusive, limited merchandise from the shows will be selected by HSN hosts and presented throughout the weekend.

To help shoppers check things off their shopping lists, HSN will be hosting additional special holiday-themed events including:

24-Hour HSN Cooks (November 1) – HSN celebrity chefs will reunite for the bi-annual 24-Hour Cooks event on November 1, featuring a “Holiday Kick-Off: May the Best Team Win” cook off! Chefs Ming Tsai, Lorena Garcia, Robert Irvine, Eduardo Garcia and Kelsey Nixon will pair with HSN hosts during the day-long event for a fun and friendly competition to see which host will be awarded the “Golden Whisk.” Customers can shop each of the chef collections during the event, all of which are available at special pricing for the day. For more information, search ‘HSN Cooks’ on HSN.com.

24-Hour Holiday Prep Events (October 28; November 4, 11, 18) – HSN customers will have insider access to holiday experts who will offer their personal tips for managing the bustle of the holidays during each event!

October 28 – Food, Fun & Entertaining!
November 4 – Deck the Halls
November 11 – Holiday Style
November 18 – Company is Coming

24-Hour Jewelry Gift Event (November 24) – With enough baubles and bling to brighten up anyone’s Christmas tree, this 24-hour jewelry event will feature fantastic new designs from top jewelry brands and designers such as Nicky Butler, Jay King, Emma Skye and more!

New Launches!

International superstar, Sofia Vergara will be on-air on HSN on October 22 with her new fragrance, Love by Sofia Vergara Eau de Parfum. Vergara’s latest fragrance features mandarin, magnolia and Columbian coffee flower notes, and is the perfect gift for those who are longing to embrace their passionate side.

Melissa McCarthy will return to HSN on October 24 with a new assortment from her Seven7 clothing line. McCarthy will appear on-air during two-hour segments at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. (EDT) respectively. Serving as her first-ever collection, Seven7 was designed with fashionable styles for every size in mind.

HSN inventor and entrepreneur Joy Mangano brings fresh new innovations to her fans with the launch of her new Wax Warmer® infused with Forever Fragrant® on October 24. Joy will be back twice in November – November 14 and 21 – to present her exclusive Jewel Kit and Huggable Hangers, great gifts for anyone on your shopping list.

Some of HSN’s most noteworthy personalities will be returning to HSN with new offerings just in time for the holidays. Top personalities like Wolfgang Puck, Giuliana Rancic, Christie Brinkley, Iman and Jennifer Flavin Stallone will share an unparalleled assortment of unique and compelling products.

Unwrap Gift Fridays & Black Friday Specials!

This year, HSN will make Fridays extra special with Gift Fridays™ on October 23 & 30 and Black Friday Previews™ November 6, 13 and 20. Shoppers can beat the holiday rush, long lines and packed parking lots by crossing off gifts on their lists from the comfort of their own home. HSN will also be offering FlexPay pricing on all items for each event.

During the Thanksgiving weekend, HSN will make everyone’s Black Friday happier and stress-free with its annual ThanksGifting Weekend event. Shoppers can enjoy an entire weekend of FlexPay pricing on-air, with thousands of more products available on HSN.com as well.

Shoppers will also have access to 48 hours of Doorbusters beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Thanksgiving through Black Friday. HSN will offer an impressive array of fantastic “Doorbuster” bargains ranging from name brand electronics to chic handbags, exquisite jewelry, national cosmetic brands and so much more. Savvy shoppers will need to tune-in to HSN or be ready to click their mouse at HSN.com as limited quantities of new “Doorbuster” items are revealed at the top of each hour and expected to sell out fast!

Digital and Mobile-Only Offers!

November 30 will mark the final day of HSN’s ThanksGifting Weekend event with a special Cyber Monday celebration. Starting on Cyber Monday and extending through Cyber Week (November 30 – December 4), HSN.com will be offering one-time only, special promotions on national brands and exclusive products throughout the week!

Giving Back!

During the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s important to remember that some of the best gifts don’t always come in packages. HSN Cares is dedicated to empowering women and helping families in times of need, and is proud to participate in Giving Tuesday on December 1, a day defined by generosity. Continuing the giving tradition for the 11th year in a row, HSN has partnered with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® again this year to raise awareness and funds for this worthwhile organization. HSN customers who make a $10 or more donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through HSN or HSN.com on December 1, 2015 will receive $10 in HSN Spendable Ka$h to be used from December 27-31, 2015.

In addition, for the sixth year in a row, HSN will launch the HSN Cares 2015 Designer Ornament Collection in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. The collection features over 40 exclusive, limited-edition ornaments designed by key HSN partners including Melissa McCarthy, Giuliana Rancic, Wendy Williams, Univision, Margaritaville and more. 100% of the profits and no less than 30% of the purchase price of each ornament will be donated from October 1 through January 31, 2016. For additional information or to donate, search ‘HSN Cares’ on HSN.com.

HSN To Post Third-Quarter Results Nov. 4

HSN will report its third-quarter earnings Nov. 45 at 8 a.m. before the market opens, the home shopping network said Wednesday.

CEO Mindy Grossman and Judy Schmeling, chief operating officer and chief financial officer, will hold a conference call at 9 a.m. to review the results.

There will be a simultaneous audio webcast available via the company’s website at http://www.hsni.com.

A replay of the conference call can be accessed until Nov. 18 by dialing 855-859-2056 or 404-537-3406, plus the pass code 57891125 and will also be hosted on the company’s website for a limited time.

HSN Debuts Jewelry Inspired By ‘Crimson Peak’ Film

HSN kicked off another one of its movie extravaganza co-promotions on Tuesday, with this one a partnership for the new gothic romance “Crimson Peak.”

This time the home shopping network has hooked up with Legendary and Universal Pictures to offer jewelry inspired by the new flock from HSN’s stable of vendors.

There will also be presentations of “Crimson Peak” baubles today, Wednesday. The film is directed by Guillermo del Toro and the cast includes “Sons of Anarchy” hunk Charlie Hunnam, Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain.

“Storytelling is the foundation of all that we do at HSN and we are excited to share the story of Crimson Peak with our millions of customers through engaging product experiences,” our buddy, HSN President Bill Brand, said in a canned statement.

“Our designers have created an assortment of jewelry that is absolutely stunning. These beautiful, dramatic pieces reflect each designer’s individual style while capturing the essence of the film.”

Heidi Daus, Carol Brodie, Roberto Faraone, Akkad and Amedeo Scognamiglio are doing the pieces for HSN.

Here is info from HSN’s press release:

Exquisite pearls, black onyx, fine gemstones, diamonds and beautifully-crafted cameos are just a part of the expansive movie-based collection that can be found exclusively at HSN.

With pieces ranging in price from $49.95 for a stunning Roberto by RFM Flower Pin to $1,900 for elegant White Diamond and Ruby Tassel Drop Earrings from Rarities: Fine Jewelry with Carol Brodie, there is something for every woman to enjoy.

HSN viewers will get a glimpse of the movie during the network’s two-day primetime event.

Margo Manhattan’s Jewelry Bows On Evine Live Nov. 4

We were not able to attend last week’s launch party for jewelry designer Margo Manhattan’s new line for Evine Live. But we got a press release on the festivities.

Damn, we missed the free tequila!

Manhattan’s collection will debut on the home shopping network on Nov. 4, and we can’t wait. She’s into chunky crosses and so are we.

Here is the press release:

Celebrity Jewelry Designer, Margo Manhattan, unveiled her latest collection of bold, edgy, elegant, rock ‘n’ roll chic designs, created exclusively for EVINE Live (evine.com), at Manhattan’s Studio 450 on Tuesday, September 29th, 2015.

Guests were welcomed with embossed leather bracelets with Margo’s signature cross as an entrance pass to the exclusive loft party. The designer’s latest video streamed on the wall and showcases of Barbie Dolls on Harley’s with custom leather outfits Margo Designed especially for the occasion set the ROCKER tone and mirrored Margo’s style and Gold Coast Motor Sports supplied Margo’s favorite bikes, a Triumph and Ducati for her guests to pose on.

Views of the Manhattan skyline were apropos for the native New Yorker who made a Grand Entrance in her custom designed leather and Silk Organza Rockstar gown designed by Carla Dawn Behrle. Complete with her very own custom armor in Margo’s iconic style belt and matching collar and harness for Mika, her German shepherd mascot.

Evine Live’s CMO Penny Burnett, left, and Margo Manhattan. Photo credit Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.comj

Models dressed in rhinestone studded Team GOGO Tee’s and Margo’s latest collection served a selection of hors d’oeuvres generously provided by New York restaurant The Marshal and cocktails from Avion Tequila, Nuvo, Elite Vodka and Birthday Cake Wines lined the bars. Throughout the night, DJ Johnny ‘Danger’ Stuart who rocked the party with an eclectic mix of rock ‘n’ roll classics and today’s hits.

Notable guests included: Margo Manhattan (Celebrity Jewelry Designer); Penny Burnett (CMO, EVINE Live); Nicole Miller (Fashion Designer); Jason Binn (Publisher, Dujour Media); Satia Ricketts (Owner, The Beauty Loft); Event Planner Sande Finkel (President, Sande Finkel Marketing Solutions); Laurie Wolfe (Creative Director & Principal, Wolfe Design Consulting); and famed photographer Luciana Pampalone.

The event featured a surprise performance by singer Josh Shapiro, who performed three songs including a cover of ‘You Raise Me Up.’ Following his performance, CMO of EVINE Live Penny Burnett addressed the crowd, and formally welcomed Margo Manhattan to the EVINE Live family.

Margo Manhattan then thanked her creative TEAM GOGO Sande Finkle, Laurie Wolfe, and Luciana Pampalone for helping her execute her vision for her brand. Margo formally welcomed all attendees to be her extended ‘Team Gogo’ family. Then Margo dedicated Serenade, her favorite Ballet, to her Mother, Prima Ballerina for NYCB’s for the inspiration of the theater as it was a little girls ‘DreamLand.’

A spectacular event that concluded with Margo Manhattan branded canvas bags in her signature blue and embroidered logo in metallic thread, Margo water, a facial courtesy of Sisley Paris New York, and a copy of the September/October 2015 issue of Art Bodega Magazine featuring Margo on the cover.

Margo Manhattan is set to Launch on EVINE Live on Wednesday November 4th, 2015 at 1:00 PM EST and 5:00 PM EST. Margo’s cutting edge jewelry, previously available only at her exclusive Madison Avenue boutique, will now be available to 88 million viewers on cable and satellite, both on TV and online at EVINE Live debuting on the channels.

Margo joins EVINE Live’s elite roster of celebrity and designer lines which include: Marc Bower Unlimited, NV by Nick Verreos, Countess Luann de Lesseps’s clothing line and celebrity chef Todd English.

In addition, the new MARGOMANHATTAN.COM website launched the night of the event with her latest Collections. Visit the Margo Manhattan Boutique Madison Avenue on 88th Street’ her beautiful jewel box shop on the Upper East Side, to experience the full breadth of her unique collections.

While you’re there, do not miss The Vault, a stunning collection of unique one-of-a-kind pieces, featuring diamonds, emeralds and sapphires, all set in white and yellow gold.

Model-Author Cindy Crawford Pops Onto Evine Live

We were too busy working our butts off at our real job last week to notice that model Cindy Crawford, who went to our alma mater Northwestern, did a drive-by at Evine Live to hawk her new book.

Did anyone see her?

Here is Evine Live’s press release in advance of her appearance.

American Icon and Supermodel Cindy Crawford Discusses Her Life, Career and New Book on EVINE Live

Cindy Sits Down for an Interview With EVINE Live on Her “Becoming” Book Tour, Giving Fans a Glimpse Into Her Life And New Book on October 1st

MINNEAPOLIS, MN–(Marketwired – Sep 30, 2015) – EVINE Live Inc. (NASDAQ: EVLV), a digital commerce company (evine.com), today announced that American icon and supermodel Cindy Crawford will appear on EVINE Live October 1st at 9pm ET to discuss “Becoming,” her new book just released yesterday. In addition to offering the book for sale, Cindy will give fans a unique look into the pivotal points of her life and career in an EVINE Live-exclusive interview.

Cindy Crawford promoted her new book on Evine Live last week.

“Cindy Crawford is one of the most recognized supermodels in the world,” said Mark Bozek, EVINE Live’s Chief Executive Officer. “I’m thrilled to have Cindy on EVINE Live and offer our viewers her stories first-hand. That’s an experience only EVINE Live can offer and something that sets us apart from any other retailer in the world.”

“I’m excited that one of the first stops on my book tour is at EVINE Live,” said Cindy Crawford. “My new book ‘Becoming’ is a way for me to look back at my career and to honor and acknowledge the girl I once was while embracing the woman I am today. Being able to connect directly with fans on EVINE Live and get even deeper into the story is absolutely thrilling.”

The interview will appear on EVINE Live Thursday, October 1st at 9pm ET. During the segment, Cindy will be joined by EVINE Live host Heather Hall and Sonia Kashuk, her life-long friend and internationally known makeup artist. Filmed at Sonia’s New York City studio, the three will talk about Cindy’s new book, her life, career and feelings about turning 50 next year.

Cindy Crawford is one of the original supermodels who defined that pivotal moment when fashion models became cultural stars in their own right. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, Cindy could be seen in virtually every major magazine and fashion runway, working with the world’s biggest brands. In addition to modeling, Cindy is a philanthropist and accomplished businesswoman.

“Becoming” is an engaging series of stories that sheds light into the life and work of an extraordinary woman who is as beautiful inside, as out. “Becoming” is a must for anyone who has followed Cindy’s legendary career, is fascinated by the worlds of fashion and photography, and will be a meaningful mother-to-daughter gift for all young women who can benefit from reading this modern-day American success story with universal coming-of-age lessons. The book is illustrated by 150 stunning and iconic images, as well as never-before-published photographs from her personal archive.

New Host Natasha Chugtal Arrives At Evine Live

Evine Live has a new host that jewelry designer Chuck Clemency seems to think is a real pistol: Natasha Chugtal. She made her debut last week.

Apparently a woman of color, and the only home shopping network that could use some color more than Evine Live is Jewelry Television, Chugtal is a former newscaster.

She left a job at CBS-affiliate WTVY in Dothan, Ala., to come north to Minnesota. Hope she’s ready to freeze her keister off. But we guess it won’t be too much of a shock since she’ apparently a native of the northern state.

http://www.wtvy.com/

When Clemency was on-air on Thursday a caller said she was a fan of Chugtal, having watched her on the local TV station.

As far as we could see, Evine Line hasn’t added Chugtal to its host listing on its website. Are they waiting to see how she works out.

HSN, Ford Help You Avoid Car Shopping Haggling

We blogged about HSN and Ford coming up with some kind of deal for car buyers. Turns out you will be able to buy several of the car maker’s top brands at a preset price — in other words, without having to go through that unpleasant process of haggling with a car dealer.

The initiative kicked off Saturday, with a final show at 5 p.m.

Our readers reminded us that QVC once had an offer where it worked to sell Saturns, so this is not totally new to home shopping.

Here’s what HSN had to say about their partnership with the automaker in a press release.

With more women influencing vehicle purchases than ever, HSN and Ford Motor Company are teaming up to offer a new approach to car buying. Now through the end of the month, the ease and convenience of HSN’s shopping experience will be extended to consumers looking to buy a new Ford vehicle.

In a study conducted by HSN, while women consumers enjoy the hunt for a new vehicle, they indicated they don’t enjoy the car buying process – specifically, price negotiations. In this exclusive marketing program with HSN, Ford will offer shoppers the opportunity to purchase, with a preset price, some of its most popular models including Fusion, Escape and Edge.

“We know our female car buyers appreciate our quality, safe and efficient vehicles, but the car buying process can be intimidating,” said Chantel Lenard, U.S. marketing director, Ford Motor Company. “HSN offers us a unique opportunity to reach a close-knit community of women and provide them with a simple, meaningful car buying experience.”

The Ford Preferred Price Event, including a two-year complimentary Ford Protect Premium Maintenance Plan, will be available exclusively to HSN consumers through Oct. 31.

“We want to take the stress out of car buying. At HSN, we believe shopping should be fun!” said Bill Brand, president of HSN. “We are excited to work with Ford to share their story through engaging content across all of our shopping platforms. We’re proud that HSN is a go-to brand for companies looking to reach a highly-engaged female consumer.”

The HSN customer survey found:

Top three on her list – The vehicle attributes most important to her are reliability, reputation of quality, and safety rating.

She has a say – Nearly all (96 percent) respondents are involved in the vehicle purchase decisions in their households; 44 percent are the primary decision makers.

She is a shopper at heart – She enjoys the hunt for a new vehicle; however, the process can be overwhelming at times. She specifically dislikes the price negotiation process.

She knows what she wants – When shopping for a vehicle, she tends to know exactly what type of car she is looking for.

The campaign kicks off Oct. 3 with three hours of dedicated programming on HSN at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. EDT.

Margo Manhattan Brings Her Divine Jewelry To Evine Live

Last month Evine Live announced a bunch of vendors who were coming to the network this fall, including jewelry designer Margo Manhattan. We didn’t know who she was, but we do now.

We looked her up because lo and behold, Evine Live invited us to a launch party this Tuesday for her jewelry line. That shindig will be held at Studio 450 Penthouse in Manhattan, of course.

So what’s the deal with Ms. Manhattan?

She makes jewelry for celebs such as Selena Gomez, and Beyonce wore one of her necklaces for her “Blow” video.

The pieces are chunky sterling silver and gold, and remind us of the late Scott Kay’s work. In fact, we have a large Scott Kay silver cross that looks very much like the one Beyonce had on.

Super star Bey is wearing Manhattan’s necklace in a scene where she’s decked out in a colorful bustier.

http://www.jckonline.com/BLOGS/RETAIL-DETAILS/2013/12/18/BEYONCE-DRAPED-IN-MARGO-MANHATTAN-JEWELRY-HER-VISUAL-ALBUM

We can’t wait to see what her Evine Live pieces look like. We hope that they are not so scaled down that they lose the appeal of Manhattan’s more upscale jewelry.

Manhattan made headlines in New York City a few years back when her shop on tony Madison Avenue was robbed. In fact, the necklace that Beyonce wore was reportedly one of the items taken.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/13/margo-manhattan-jewelry-store_n_5138636.html

We liked the fact that Manhattan said she wasn’t worried the lose of $54,000 in merchandise, she was just happy that her saleswoman was unharmed by the thief.

Is HSN Selling Fords At A Discount On Oct. 3?

Do you want to buy your Ford on HSN? It looks like you might be getting the opportunity on Oct. 3.

The auto maker is having a “Preferred Price Event” on the home shopping network with “a very special offer.”

http://www.hsn.com/content/Ford/300?rid=4300&query=Ford&isSuggested=False&#038;

HSN.com then links to the auto maker’s dealer locator.

That’s all we know, and thanks for the tip, Michael!

Oops, She Did It Again: Jessica Simpson’s A Train Wreck On HSN

We hate to say we told you so, but we told you so. We warned you about Jessica Simpson in a recent blog.

Jessica Simpson, A Disaster On QVC, Comes To HSN

We missed the Texas blonde’s appearance Thursday night on HSN, but apparently it went about as well as her brief stint on QVC a few years ago. In other words, she was a train wreck.

These boots are made for walking, and Jessica Simpson should keep walking away from home shopping.

TMZ already skewered Simpson, describing her as “dazed” and “confused” during her HSN debut.

“Jessica seemed out of it during her 2-hour sell-a-thon, giggling and slurring,” TMZ wrote. Poor Colleen Lopez!

http://www.tmz.com/2015/09/17/jessica-simpson-drunk-weird-home-shopping-network/#ixzz3m3whe1f2

She apparently had a lot of sellouts, but as QVC vet Steve Bryant posted on Facebook, “Don’t let the sell outs fool you. It’s common practice to bring in very small quantities to get as many sell out stories as possible. The real test of any product line starts in the 2nd and 3rd show.”

http://www.hsn.com/products/jessica-simpson-andrea-faux-fur-vest/7902751

Steve is the most astute expert on the home shopping world that we know, and he also wrote, “Jessica Simpson on HSN is as big a cluster fuck as she was on QVC. It’s like the host is talking to a crayon. In my opinion, she is acting very impaired. Hey TV Shopping Channels, celebrities aren’t the answer anymore!”

Here were some of the comments from Steve’s Facebook page:

“Was flipping channels and saw the train wreck of Jessica Simpson. She appeared to me to be stoned or inebriated. Very, very sad. I give the host credit for having to deal with her and her inferior line of apparel.”

“Jessica is drunk or something and that swaying and slurring her words is painful to watch. I just messaged them saying get her off the air. Her stuff is selling but this is really bad.”

“She is on drugs to get skinny there was talk about her going to rehab.”

“Slurred Speech Simpson Special?”

“Steve…after I read your post I had to tune in. Your assessment was spot on. It was actually uncomfortable to watch. She’s obviously hammered or high. If she’s not, I would be completely surprised. Also, I think I lost several IQ points just by watching for a few minutes.”

Cheryl Burke To Do PSAs For QVC’s FFANY Shoes On Sale

It’s 2 a.m. and we have work tomorrow — or should we say later this morning. So we are just posting this as is.

CHERYL BURKE PROVES THERE’S NO DANCING AROUND THE FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER
Motivated athlete and designer of the cee bee CHERYL BURKE collection appears in public service announcements for QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale”

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (September 16, 2015) – As all women know, there is a pair of shoes for any and every occasion. This October, Cheryl Burke is lacing up to support a cause that affects so many–breast cancer. Through her involvement with QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale,” Burke is striving to prove that great shoes have the potential to make a true difference one step at a time.

The annual QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale” broadcast, which is scheduled to air Thursday, October 22 from 6 to 9 PM (ET), will feature over 150 donated styles of shoes from more than 80 brands. To sweeten the deal, each pair comes with a charitable perk. Shoes will be offered at HALF the manufacturer’s suggested retail price* with a minimum of 80 percent of the purchase price** benefiting various breast cancer research and education institutions, giving shoppers a feel-good reason to make a purchase.

“I am very grateful to be championing an initiative supporting the fight against a disease that has impacted so many lives, including those in my own family,” commented Burke. “As a woman, this cause is especially important to me because it empowers women to shop for something that will make themselves and others feel good.”

As part of QVC’s ongoing commitment to support charitable causes that promote the success and wellness of women through the power of relationships, this event has generated more than $47 million, to date, for breast cancer research and education institutions.

“Each October, QVC and the Fashion Footwear Association of New York come together to stand in solidarity for an important mission,” says Mike George, President and CEO, QVC. “We are honored to have Cheryl Burke’s support this year to help promote and spread awareness for such an important cause. Her effervescent personality combined with a sheer gusto for life will leave shoppers feeling excited and inspired to participate.”

“We are delighted to have Cheryl Burke on our team, lending her passion, style and commitment to our vital cause,” says Ron Fromm, FFANY’s President and CEO. “Cheryl’s vivacious leadership as our 2015 PSA spokesperson will help make this year’s campaign and event successful, putting more dollars into discovery from coast to coast.”

Beneficiaries for the 2015 QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale” event include: The Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, The Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, The Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Breast Oncology Program, The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, The Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, and The Margie and Robert E. Petersen Breast Cancer Research Program at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. Those wishing to support cutting-edge research at these organizations can go to ffany.org to make contributions and find out ways to join in and be part of this important effort.

*The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is based on supplier’s representation of value. No sales may have been made at this price.
**Purchase price excludes shipping, handling and tax.

QVC Vendor Ellen DeGeneres Also Selling Line At Bergdorf’s, N.Y. Post Says

Ellen DeGeneres, she of the hit daytime talk show, has been slumming at QVC.
But now she has also done a deal with tony Bergdorf Goodman, the New York Post reported Sunday.

http://nypost.com/2015/09/12/ellen-degeneres-lifestyle-brand-makes-a-bergdorfs-stop/

The blonde New Orleans native already hawks her lifestyle collection, ED, on QVC, along with her dog food line.

But there was a party last week at the pricey Manhattan Bergdorf’s to kick off the products that DeGeneres will be selling at the store and on its website. According to the Post, Bergdorf will be selling ED goods such as $525 thrown pillows, a considerably higher price point than her home shopping wares.

The expensive items will be exclusive to Bergdorf’s brick-and-mortar stores through Sept. 22, and at Bergdorf’s website until the end of the month, the Post said.

HSN Will Live Stream Serena Williams’ Fashion Week Show

This is intriguing news from HSN: The home shopping network will be live streaming tennis legend Serena Williams runway show during New York’s KIA Style360 Fashion Week.

The “Front Row” stream event will take place on Sept. 15, and HSN will be selling items from Serena’s collection online immediately following the show.

“Throughout my life, I’ve always believed in pushing boundaries…whether it’s in tennis, business or fashion!” Williams said in a canned statement.

“By offering my Signature Statement collection exclusively through an innovative retailer like HSN, I’m able to communicate directly with my fans. This year my runway show will be broadcast live, and you can shop the collection immediately afterwards. That is exciting to me and not common in fashion today.”

With the ultimate Calendar Grand Slam within her grasp in New York this summer, Williams will partner with HSN and manufacturer Tiger J to present one for her runway show.

Before the show, Williams will host a live Q&A via Periscope at 2:30 p.m. where fans can get a peek behind the scenes at the show.

“Serena is a force both on the court and on the runway,” HSN President Bill Brand said. “We love that at HSN we are able to showcase a different side of Serena. This ‘Front Row’ live stream special of her fashion show is a great way to connect Serena directly with her fans and give them the immediate opportunity to shop.”

The Serena Williams Signature Statement Collection runway show will feature 26 looks “designed for women of all shapes and sizes,” according to HSN’s press release.

After the final model walks the runway, Williams will sit down for a brief chat via Periscope to answer questions from fans and announce a special social contest in which fans can win a one-of-a-kind couture piece from the collection.

Available exclusively on HSN.com both during and immediately following the show, the collection will include 14 styles, such as faux shearing jackets, color-block knit sweaters, tunics and printed jogger pants. Prices range from $29.90 to $129.90.

The Serena Williams Signature Statement Collection Fashion Show will take place at KIA STYLE360, 639 West 46th St., at 3 p.m. Sept. 15.

The tennis queen will be on HSN on Sept. 23 to present her Serena Williams Signature Statement Collection live starting at 12:01 a.m. as part of the network’s Fall “Fashion Edit” series.

JTV Does Fund Drive For Beads Of Courage Program

Jewelry Television is partnering with Beads of Courage Inc., a non-profit organization that has a program we’ve never heard of but sounds very intriguing.

Children coping with serious illnesses receive special beads from their nurses and caregivers, with each bead representing a step in that child’s treatment. The idea is to honor their courage as they hit milestones.

During September, JTV is inviting its national audience to help seriously ill children be able to tell their story of courage.

“We are inviting our customers to support the mission of Beads of Courage by calling in or going online to donate, regardless of a purchase,” Jill Johnson, JTV’s vice president of marketing, said in a canned statement.

“To the children and families coping with serious illness, these beads represent the hope and courage needed throughout each stage of their treatment process. Every donation we receive will help provide the Beads of Courage Program at no charge for more than 30,000 participating children.”

A year ago, with donations from its audience, JTV raised $59,000 to benefit Beads of Courage. Through its efforts, the network was able to help establish three Beads of Courage programs at the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

Since 2005 Beads of Courage has been working to transform the treatment experience for children coping with chronic, life-threatening illness through Arts-in-Medicine programs. There are Beads of Courage programs in more than 250 hospitals worldwide.

According to research, the program offers a coping strategy that helps children move through their treatment and helps them communicate with others. On average, most children have more than 500 beads in their collection. The Program helps clinicians at the bedside feel better equipped to support the emotional needs of children.

JTV is inviting artists and the public to contribute to Beads of Courage through National Bead Challenge Day on Sept. 19. National Bead Challenge Day will honor the brave children suffering from serious illnesses by helping to fulfill their Dream Bead wishes.

The mission of Beads of Courage is to provide innovative arts-in-medicine programs for children coping with serious illness, their families, and the healthcare providers who care for them. Beads of Courage programs are evidence-based interventions designed to strengthen resilience, alleviate suffering, and improve the psychological adjustment process.

Evine Live’s Samuel Benham Likes His Tequila

Evine Live jewelry vendor Samuel Benham, fellow tequila lover, you’re a man after our heart.

Last night on the home shopping network host Heather Hall was talking about Benham, a courtly man who designs lovely artisan-crafted jewelry. Heather Hall mentioned to turquoise king Paul Deasy that she had gone out to dinner with Benham at the Vegas jewelry show, and he ordered a bottle of expensive tequila. And he apparently enjoyed it.

We wouldn’t have guessed that Benham liked snaffing down pricey tequila, so he rose a notch in our eyes. It’s our liquor of choice.

And speaking of Evine Live, on the network’s second-quarter call yesterday with analysts CEO Mark Bozek said that the new cookware lines by Paula Deen and chef Todd English are selling extremely well.

As you might remember, Deen and English are cast-offs from other home shopping networks. QVC dropped Deen like a hot potato during the controversy over racist remarks she made years ago. And HSN and English parted ways after he showed up in the tabloids inebriated and pawing willing women in public places.

Deen, by the way, is rumored to be one of the contestants on the new season of “Dancing With The Stars.”

Evine Live Posts 3 Percent Sales Gain, To $161 Million, In Second Quarter

Evine Live Inc. saw its net sales rise 3 percent year over year, to $161.1 million in the second quarter, the company reported Wednesday.

Those results compared to the 4 percent jump, to $1.4 billion, in the second quarter that QVC posted; and HSN’s net sales increased 3 percent, to $572.3 million.

Beauty was the fastest-growing product category at 23 percent, fashion and accessories delivered strong growth of 17 percent and jewelry and watches grew by 1 percent; gains were partially offset by declines of 12 percent in home and consumer electronics.

Online net sales as a percentage of total net sales increased 240 basis points to 46 percent.

Mobile remains the fastest-growing platform with net sales of $31.3 million, a 41 percent increase year-over-year.

Average-purchase frequency rose to 4.5 units per customer, a 10 percent increase.

Adjusted EBITDA was $2.5 million.

“We are pleased with our second-quarter financial results during this transition year, which were driven by better-than-expected sales. Over the quarter, we executed a more balanced approach to our airtime mix with continued investment in our new emerging brands, coupled with an ongoing commitment to our established anchor brands. Our top-line growth was driven by strong performance in the categories of beauty and fashion and accessories,” CEO Mark Bozek said in a canned statement.

“As we addressed a number of the challenges we faced in the first quarter, we are seeing momentum in our continued efforts to reposition Evine Live by introducing more merchandising variety with new emerging brands that are generating revenue across our multiple platforms, especially mobile,” Bozek said. “With key members of our senior leadership team now in place, we are confident that we have the ability to execute our strategic plan and initiatives to create long-term value for our shareholders.”

http://evine.mwnewsroom.com/getattachment/1309dbc7-5457-4880-b0b4-bf7ad4aaf661/Second-Quarter-2015-Investor-Presentation

Gross profit decreased 2.6 percent to $58.9 million. Gross profit as a percentage of sales decreased 210 basis points to 36.5 percent, primarily related to the following decreases:

* 190 basis points of gross margin percentage decrease was attributable to reduced margins in Jewelry & Watches and Home (excluding textiles) due to merchandising mix changes and a lower than optimal average selling price (ASP).

* 30 basis points of gross margin percentage decrease was attributable to continued discounting of excess textile inventory.

* 25 basis points of gross margin percentage decrease was attributable to reduced shipping and handling margin.

Adjusted EBITDA decreased 54 percent to $2.5 million primarily due to continued gross margin pressure from merchandising mix changes and increased variable costs from lower than optimal blended ASP in jewelry and watches, home, and the continued discounting in textiles.

Operating loss was $2.2 million versus $3.7 million in the second quarter of last year.

“We are committed to delivering measurable transparency to the market as we execute our plan to drive sustainable shareholder value,” added Tim Peterman, Chief Financial Officer.

“We are focused on strengthening our balance sheet. We are upgrading our technology and customer care systems at our distribution center in Bowling Green and are currently on track to phase in our new warehouse management system through the first quarter of 2016. Most importantly, we are focused on improving our alignment between merchandising, average selling price, margin and inventory, while carefully evaluating our operating costs.”

HSN Picks ‘American Dreams’ Entrepreneur Seekers

As part of its “American Dreams” initiative, HSN announced Tuesday that it was partnering with five entrepreneurs “who will fan out across the country … to find compelling new products to launch while raising awareness for the entrepreneurs behind them.”

Wow, that’s a mouthful!

These team mates their methods for discovering new product ideas include:

– Daymond John through investing in entrepreneurs on ABC’s hit show “Shark Tank”

– Marc Portney through investing in entrepreneurs on Science Channel’s popular series “All-American Makers”

– Bob Circosta through HSN’s revamped “American Dreams Ideas Portal,” convention searches and seminars

– Akos Jankura through “My Cool Inventions” radio talent search

– Gregg Smith through Edison Nation, which operates the largest open innovation community and marketplaces in the world for independent inventors

“American Dreams” kicked off on HSN with the launch of its mini-series event on Sunday, which featured stories of some of HSN’s vendors including Serious Skincare, Benefit Cosmetics, R.J. Graziano, Jay King, GIII, DeLonghi, Violife, Donatella Arpaia and Wakaya Perfection.

The mini-series event will run every evening at 9 p.m. through Wednesday.

“There’s nothing more exciting than meeting entrepreneurs, hearing their ideas, feeling their passion and helping them make their dreams come true,” HSN President Bill Brand said. “As the original electronic retailer we have always championed entrepreneurs and this new initiative will further solidify our position as a destination to discover remarkable products and brands.”

HSN’s “The Monday Night Show with Adam Freeman” will devote its first hour from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. to showcasing three or more entrepreneurs for the first time ever with their new product, alongside one of HSN’s existing partners who discovered them.

Bob Circosta, one of television’s first shopping hosts, kicked off the monthly series during last night’s show with three of the entrepreneurs he discovered.

Host of “My Cool Inventions,” Akos Jankura, will appear on the next installment of the series on Sept. 7, during “The Monday Night Show with Adam Freeman,” introducing his selection of entrepreneurs to HSN.

HSN has also created a landing page and portal for the “American Dreams” initiative where the public can submit and share ideas for products. HSN’s team of merchants alongside the “American Dreams” team will vet these submissions to identify passionate inventors with compelling products to launch.

JTV Seeks Tax Break To Acquire Knoxville Properties

Like a lot of companies in New Jersey, Jewelry Television is looking for a tax break — or so-called PILOT program — from its home state of Tennessee.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported that JTV is asking the Knox County, Commission to give it a tax deal for a property purchase.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/politiknox/jewelry-tv-wants-tax-deal-with-knox-county_72273593

JTV wants a payment in lieu of taxes, in this case a 10-year deal, to save $1.4 million in tax payments stemming from buying its site and making improvements to its building, namely adding 20,000 square feet of space, according to the newspaper.

The 24-hour jewelry and gem network is talking about adding 30 high-paying jobs, at $80,000 or so. Where do we sign up?

Under the proposed deal, JTV would not pay taxes on the total $42 million to buy the properties it currently leases.

According to the News Sentinel, JTV employs almost 1,200 people and has a $59 million payroll.

BaubleBar To Hawk Its Baubles On QVC Thursday

Fun fashion jewelry line BaubleBar — which we’ve seen at Nordstrom — will be debuting a collection on QVC this Thursday at 7 p.m., the home shopping network said Monday.

http://www.qvc.com/PressRelease.content.html?press=cp_press_081015_baubelbar.endpress

The trendy brand, with its chunky colorful pieces, “is slated to present more than 10 looks that range from stud earrings to over-sized statement necklaces, bracelets and everything in between,” according to QVC’s press release.

BaubleBar

BaubleBar’s QVC collection will be priced from $32 to $68.

“QVC shoppers love to discover the hottest new trends — from fashion-forward clothing to versatile accessories that make their looks unique,” Rachel Ungaro, QVC Vice President of Fashion and Beauty Merchandising, said in a canned statement. “We look forward to expanding their options with the launch of BaubleBar on QVC, giving them even more to discover and love.”

The company was founded in 2011 by friends and entrepreneurs Amy Jain and Daniella Yacobovsky.

“We are so excited to take center stage at QVC and bring a taste of our products to a new audience,” Yacobovsky said. “BaubleBar is all about experimenting with style and the power accessories have to update your wardrobe. In line with that, our QVC collection includes something for every shopper’s personal taste, plus some new styles and silhouettes for the season.”

Here’s the boilerplate on BaubleBar:

BaubleBar is the first fast fashion brand in jewelry, keeping women on trend at a market-leading pace. Founded by longtime friends Amy Jain and Daniella Yacobovsky, the duo are redefining how women across the globe shop for accessories.

Since launching in 2011, BaubleBar has become the first one-stop brand for top-quality, trend-leading fashion jewelry and is defined by unparalleled product selection, a high-touch customer experience and shoppable style guidance.

At its core, the company firmly believes aspirational style and accessibility shouldn’t be mutually exclusive. BaubleBar has emerged as the leader in fashion jewelry by pioneering an original sourcing model in the category and creating a brand that celebrates the fun of experimenting with fashion.

Looking for an accessories fix? Check out the latest, and largest, selection on BaubleBar.com or look for us at Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and Anthropologie.

New Host Meg Watters Prewitt Joins Jewelry Television

We got to eyeball Jewelry Television’s new host, Meg Watters Prewitt, on Sunday night.

Prewitt, a pretty young blonde, was teamed with JTV veteran Sharon Scott, who repeatedly introduced the newbie.

We couldn’t find Prewitt on JTV’s website as a host, but we located her Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/meg.w.prewitt

One of her past gigs was as a spokesmodel for Toyota of Bristol and for Ben Finch Photography.

We wish her luck, but and hope she survives the revolving door that this home shopping network has become.

HGTV’s Stud Finder Nicole Curtis Premieres On Evine Live Aug. 28

Evine Live has started promoted the fact that HGTV and DIY star Nicole Curtis is coming to the home shopping network, announcing that her debut will be on Aug. 28.

http://www.evine.com/l/nicole-curtis?stop_mobi=yes&ecid=fb_Home_20150809

Straight outa Detroit Nicole Curtis

Here is the dope from Evine Live’s website:

Born and raised in Detroit, Nicole hails from a long line of do-it-yourselfers. With a remodeling style all her own, she is passionate about reusing salvaged and custom-made materials to ensure each remodel maintains the integrity of the home’s unique architecture.

Her exclusive new line of home improvement essentials includes everything from stud finders and hand-held tools to paint sprayers and easy-to-install decorative wallpaper. Turn every “to-do” into “TAH-DAH” with Nicole Curtis Home.

We recently reported on Evine Live’s fall lineup, which included the news that Curtis was on the roster.

Evine Live Fall Premieres Include Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild

We’ve never seen Curtis’s show “Rehab Addict,” probably because we can barely change a light bulb in our place, let alone try anything more complicated.

But we would be interested in buying a stud finder.

JCK Reports On Why QVC, HSN Jewelry Revenue Is Down

A key trade magazine for the jewelry industry, JCK, did a story last week about the declining sales of jewelry on home shopping channels.

The article, with the headline “Home Shopping Networks No Longer That Interested in Jewelry,” talks about how baubles and gems — which once made up a huge portion of HSN and QVC sales — are not just a small fraction of revenue.

http://www.jckonline.com/blogs/cutting-remarks/2015/08/07/home-shopping-networks-no-longer-that-interested-in-jewelry?utm_source=JCK+eNewsletters&utm_campaign=2da3b386af-2015_08_07_Fashion_Friday&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_56301e74d4-2da3b386af-334047749

The story points out that when the two home shopping networks debuted, jewelry made up about 50 percent of their sales. Now, jewelry accounts for only 9.5 percent of HSN sales and 12 percent of QVC sales, according to JCK.

Why the decline? Well, we know jewelry sales were hit hard overall during the Great Recession. Next, when jewelry revenue started to decline home shopping nets gave the category lousy time slots, JCK claims, which also hurt sales and continued the downward spiral.

We don’t know if we agree with the “bad-time-slots” argument, by the way.

JCK also notes that there was new competition from all-jewelry-all-the-time networks such as Jewelry Television and Rocks TV (which we have never heard of).

The trade magazine also claims that more of QVC and HSN sales are being generated online, not a very good forum to promote jewelry.

JCK says that millennials are more interested in buying tech items, like smartphones and Apple watches, than jewelry, which is hurting sales.

And finally, the magazine claims that home shopping networks have been hard-pressed to replace jewelry lines that were once very lucrative, such as QVC’s Diamonique collection.

Someone posted a comment on the JCK story that we also thought made sense: That the once-skyrocketing price of precious metals such as gold really socked jewelry sales.

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JTV Debuts Own ‘Rock Star’ Reality TV Show Friday

Bragging that it will be the first home shopping network to air a reality show, Jewelry Television said it will be bringing “JTV Rock Star Designer” to its viewers.

The program is part of the network’s national search for talented jewelry designers, one of whom will win a $5,000 cash prize and the opportunity to design and sell a jewelry collection on the national jewelry and gemstone shopping network.

The reality series will debut on today, Friday, at 7:30 p.m., leading into the network’s most-watched segment, “Girlfriend Friday.” There will also be an encore presentation every Wednesday at 2 a.m. beginning Aug. 12.

In March JTV issued a call for entries and received applications from designers around the country.

Each aspiring designer was required to submit examples of their jewelry designs and a biographical video describing why he/she should be JTV’s first “Rock Star Designer.”

The public voted on its favorite entries, narrowing the field to 10 semi-finalists.

A team of JTV executives, jewelry buyers and marketing professionals reviewed the work of the Top 10 and narrowed the field to five finalists who traveled to JTV’s corporate headquarters in Knoxville, Tenn., and competed head-to-head in jewelry design competitions.

There’s information on the five finalists on the Rock Star site.

They are:
* Tamara Cimalore – Wilmington, Del.
* Alicia Herzbrun – Maryville, Tenn.
* Ashley Hoffman – Myrtle Beach, S.C.
* Kelly Miller – Saint Louis, Mo.
* Deborah Wilson Taylor – Austin, Texas

“JTV Rock Star Designer” emcee Kristie Carson will present contestants with a series of challenges devised to test creativity, jewelry and gemstone knowledge, design skills, business acumen and ability to work under pressure. One contestant will be eliminated after each challenge until a winner is announced Sept. 25.

‘We are dipping our toe into the branded-entertainment arena to entertain our current viewers as well as attract new audiences,” said Jill Johnson, vice president of marketing at JTV. “This is a full-scale television production with original sets, wardrobe, crew and nationally recognized celebrity judges. We hope to make this an annual competition.”

With the surging popularity in crowd-sourced design, JTV is getting a first-hand look at what emerging jewelry designers are creating and how that merchandise may drive trends and consumer purchasing decisions.

“As one of the country’s largest retailers of fine jewelry and gemstones, this is a new way for us to be at the forefront of identifying refreshing new design talent and jewelry trends,” said Johnson.

For more information on “JTV Rock Star Designer,” and the contestants, visit JTV.com/rockstar.

HSN Net Sales Increase 3 Percent, To $572.3 Million, In 2Q

HSN’s net sales increased 3 percent, to $572.3 million in the second quarter, with strong growth in apparel, accessories and electronics offset by decreases in jewelry (Oh no!) and home, the shopping network reported Thursday.

The No. 2 home shopping channel hit Wall Street’s projections for earning per share, but not the forecasts for net revenue, according to the Associated Press.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2015/08/06/hsn-meets-2q-earnings-expectations-misses-revenue-forecasts/

That compares to the 4 percent jump, to $1.4 billion, in the second quarter that QVC posted on Wednesday.

HSN’s digital sales were up 11 percent with penetration increasing 310 basis points to 40.3 percent. The return rate improved 70 basis points to 18 percent primarily due to changes in product mix. Units shipped increased 2 percent and average price point increased 1 percent.

Gross profit increased 7 percent to $209.3 million. Gross margin increased 130 basis points to 36.6 percent primarily due to favorable vendor settlements and lower inventory-related costs including inbound freight and duties.

HSN recorded $3 million for certain costs associated with the planned closure of one of its distribution centers as part of its supply-chain optimization initiative.

Excluding non-cash charges and the costs associated with the planned closure of the distribution center, operating expenses as a percentage of net sales increased 70 basis points to 24.7 percent primarily due to increases in bad debt expense and employee-related costs.

Adjusted EBITDA increased 9 percent to $68.2 million. Operating income increased 3 percent to $53.5 million.

The consolidated results for HSN Inc., which includes the HSN network and the Cornerstone unit, were that net sales rose 4 percent over the prior year to $885.6 million.

“Our ongoing focus on content-driven commerce continues to position us well for long-term growth,” HSN Inc. CEO Mindy Grossman said in a canned statement. “HSNi’s results in the quarter reflected strong top and bottom line performance, particularly on our digital and mobile platforms. We continue to advance our strategies to remain a leader in boundaryless retail.”

Famed Fashion Designer And Ex-HSN Vendor Arnold Scaasi Dies At 85

One-time HSN vendor Arnold Scaasi, a storied fashion designer whose dresses were worn by actresses and First Ladies, died at age 85 On Tuesday.

Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs, but he reversed the letters of his last name early in his career. He did a line of costume jewelry for HSN several years ago that was truly gorgeous, and was so inexpensive it was unbelievable.

But we blogged about him because whenever he appeared on the home shopping network he was incredibly rude to the hosts, very haughty.

We guess that’s because he had made such a name for himself designing clothes for folks such Barbra Streisand, Barbara Bush, Joan Rivers, Joan Crawford and Elizabeth Taylor.

The New York Times obit on Scaasi had an anecdote about how the designer lost Jacqueline Kennedy as a customer when he wanted her to pay wholesale for his designs for her, rather than comping her the items for the publicity he would get. Jackie turned to Oleg Casini instead.

New York Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams had a great story about Scaasi.

http://pagesix.com/2015/08/04/barry-crimmins-documentary-tackles-troubled-past/?_ga=1.185106665.1387340377.1408419542

“To judge the Miss Universe pageant, I once brought him to Puerto Rico,” Adams wrote. “Tragedy struck. Fellow judge Lynn Redgrave’s luggage went lost. Scaasi grabbed the hotel housekeeper’s yellow bedsheet. Draped, wrapped, tucked, and it became a Grecian goddess gown. I added my own coral brooch, earrings, necklace and out to the cameras and half a million viewers paraded Lynn. Like a queen.”

Melissa McCarthy To Premiere Fashion Collection On HSN Aug. 13

We thought we had reported this, but couldn’t find the blog. In any event, comic actress Melissa McCarthy is the latest celeb to come to the home shopping world.

The pieces are already online, and we kind of liked them, especially the choice of jeans and pants. The line offers Missy to Plus sizes.

http://www.hsn.com/shop/melissa-mccarthy/13424

Melissa McCarthy’s HSN line is the cat’s meow

One of our reader’s tipped us off the Vogue’s interview with McCarthy about her collection, where she waxes on about how she grew to love jeans and describes her new clothing line.

http://www.vogue.com/13289469/melissa-mccarthy-debut-fashion-line/

Here’s HSN’s press release:

HSN to Premiere Melissa McCarthy’s First Fashion Collection “Melissa McCarthy Seven7” on August 13

McCarthy to Make Her HSN Debut as Part of The Fashion Edit, HSN’s Fall Fashion Series

HSN is the Exclusive National Retailer Carrying Missy Sizes

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 5, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Innovative live content retailer HSN announced today that Melissa McCarthy will debut her first-ever fashion line “Melissa McCarthy Seven7” during a special live appearance on August 13th from 1-3 pm and 9-11 pm, during HSN’s popular fashion program, ‘The List with Colleen Lopez’.

The collection is available for purchase today during a special sneak preview on HSN.com. As part of the retailer’s democratic sizing initiative, HSN will carry both plus and missy sizes of the line and will be the only national retailer carrying missy sizes, aside from McCarthy’s own website that launches in late August.

Melissa’s first fashion line combines her enthusiasm for fashion with her understanding of fit and style at every size, to create a comprehensive collection that balances style with thoughtful fit features. Melissa, who went to school for design before getting into acting, is fulfilling her dream with the launch of Seven7.

The line, which was carefully supervised by Melissa, from the original sketches to the design of each print, consists of 26 styles in the August Collection. With an assortment of denim, sweaters, tees, woven blouses and ponte bottoms, the line is brought together with vibrant colors, unique prints and modern silhouettes. All denim in the collection features special technology that provides four key fit features: a slimming panel; back lifting darts; forward seam details; and a contoured waistband.

“HSN is thrilled to be the launch partner for Melissa’s debut into the world of fashion,” said Bill Brand, President of HSN. “When we first met Melissa, we were immediately impressed with her passion for design and the clear point of view she had for her line. She will create a unique and engaging shopping experience that our customers are going to love.”

QVC’s Second-Quarter Revenue Increases 4 Percent, To $1.4 billion

QVC’s second-quarter revenue was up 4 percent, to $1.4 billion, from the year-ago period with operating income rising 11 percent, the home shopping network’s parent, Liberty Interactive Corp., reported Wednesday.

Units sold increased 4 percent, average selling price per unit increased 3 percent to $58.51 and returns as a percentage of gross product revenue were virtually flat.

http://ir.libertyinteractive.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=925878

The U.S. home shopping network experienced growth in all categories except electronics, according to Liberty.

E-commerce revenue increased 11 percent to $655 million and grew to 47 percent from 43 percent of total U.S. revenue.

The revenue from QVC’s international networks took a hit in the quarter, down 11 percent to $592 million.

QVC’s consolidated revenue, which includes its domestic network and its global channels, dipped 1 percent to $2 billion.

“We delivered a terrific quarter with strong and balanced results across markets, platforms, product categories and customer segments,” QVC President and CEO Mike George said in a canned statement.

“We generated local currency revenue growth and adjusted OIBDA improvement in every one of our consolidated markets,” he said.

“Our e-commerce growth accelerated significantly and we continued to extend our mobile penetration. We produced strong margin expansion despite investing in new shipping and handling policies in the U.S. and start-up expenses associated with the launch of QVC France,” George said.

“Our overall customer base and our new customer additions increased at some of the strongest rates in years,” he said. “Our strong quarter reflects our disciplined execution of strategies aimed at extending our leading global video and e-commerce position.”

Despite the business’ investment in new shipping and handling policies, adjusted OIBDA increased 7 percent to $349 million and adjusted OIBDA margin increased 78 basis points to 24.8 percent. These gains were primarily due to improved product margins, higher credit card income and lower bad debt and marketing expenses, which were partially offset by lower shipping and handling revenue.

How HSN Vendor Liz Lange Spends Sundays

Want to know how HSN vendors spend their time when they’re not hawking their wares on the home shopping network? Well, fashion designer Liz Lange spilled the beans on her weekends in The New York Times’ “Sunday Routine” weekly column.

The 48-year-old has rented a “famed” East Hampton estate Grey Gardens this summer, and is spending long weekends there away from steamy Manhattan with her lawyer fiance, her kids and their Goldendoodle, according to The Times.

Perhaps surprisingly, Lange didn’t plug her HSN collection, but did mention her maternity line for Target.

http://www.hsn.com/shop/liz-lange/7263?query=Liz%20Lange&isSuggested=False&#038;

“Maybe Target customers, who we call ‘guests,’ maybe they have questions,” Lange told The Times. “I love to answer them all personally.”

http://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=Liz+Lange&category=0|All|matchallpartial|all+categories&lnk=snav_sbox_Liz+Lange

The story says that Lange sold her own maternity-wear business in 2007. Guess that’s how she can afford that Hampton rental!

She says her favorite eatery is Sette Mezzo, and that on Sunday eves at 10 p.m. she binge-watches TV movies on Lifetime and Hallmark Channel. Now that’s a damning confession.

More Details Revealed On QVC’s Planned Left Coast Hub

We’re already written about QVC’s plans to create a huge distribution center in Cali, a West Coast hub.

Here is the press release about the home shopping network’s landlord, SARES. The developer has purchased 150 acres in Ontario, Calif., where it will build seven industrial buildings with 3 million square feet.

QVC will be leasing the largest one of these buildings, for 1.1 million square feet.

SARES•REGIS Group Acquires Prime Industrial Land In Ontario, Calif.,

And Lands Video, E-Commerce Retailer QVC At Planned Project

Irvine, CA – In a pair of major transactions, SARES•REGIS Group acquired 150 acres of prime industrial land on Interstate 10 in Ontario, Calif., to develop state-of-the-art LEED certified industrial distribution buildings totaling approximately 3 million square feet. In concert with the land purchase, SRG pre-leased the largest of the seven buildings planned for the site to QVC for the giant video and e-commerce retailer’s first West Coast distribution hub.

“This is the largest and last tract of developable land in the western end of the Inland Empire and located on the I-10 Freeway. QVC looked at several properties on the market, and we’re pleased that our location was able to satisfy their logistic requirements,” said Larry Lukanish, senior vice president of SRG Commercial Development.

The property is part of the undeveloped 243-acre Meredith International Centre, which extends nearly a mile along the north side of I-10, opposite LA/Ontario International Airport between Archibald and Vineyard avenues.

SRG completed the land purchase with the Meredith family on July 1. As the land purchase was being completed, SRG and QVC executed a lease agreement for QVC’s 1,050,000-square-foot building to be completed July 1, 2016. The building will include 30,000 square feet of office and employee cafeteria space. In its statement, a QVC spokesperson said the company “anticipates hiring approximately 1,000 team members in total by 2020 as the distribution center expands fulfillment to all product categories.”

“At QVC, distribution plays a significant role in enriching the customer service experience. For each and every product we ship, we look at it as an opportunity to build trust, loyalty and engagement with our customers,” said James Reid, vice president of distribution operations at QVC. “This new distribution center will enable us to efficiently and swiftly serve our customers throughout the Western United States.”

SRG’s land purchase followed the Ontario City Council’s unanimous approval in April of a new Specific Plan and Development Agreement. In addition to SRG’s industrial project, there are entitlements for 1.1 million square feet of office and retail space and 800 apartment units on the 80 acres retained by the Meredith family. A family representative said that five acres have been sold for a planned Audi auto dealership and talks are under way with other interested buyers.

SRG’s six remaining industrial buildings planned for its 150-acre site are for lease. They range from 130,000 square feet to 575,000 square feet with 32-foot and 36-foot clear heights. SRG’s entire project will be completed by late next year. SRG has developed more than 21 million square feet of industrial space in the Inland Empire since 1994.

Chuck Noble, a principal broker of Lee & Associates who represented the Meredith family, said the Meredith property is the largest new entitlement in Ontario in 20 years. The Meredith interests were also represented by John Hatzis and Dave Hunsaker of Lee & Associates.

“This tract of land has been an important part of the city of Ontario’s long-range plans and a family’s legacy. For this reason, it required vision, a collaborative effort among the city, the landowner and the buyer and thousands of staff and consultant hours to produce these agreements,” Noble said.

SRG was represented in the land acquisition and the QVC lease by Joe McKay also of Lee & Associates. QVC was represented by CBRE brokers Erik Wanland in Ontario and Mike Barker in Wayne, Penn.

As a leading western United States real estate developer and property manager, SARES•REGIS Group has developed or acquired approximately 45 million square feet of industrial properties with an approximate value of $3.5 billion since 1994 primarily in Southern California. SARES•REGIS Group manages approximately 20 million square feet of industrial properties for its partners and clients. SARES•REGIS Group is California’s leading developer of LEED-certified buildings.

HSN To Debut Rita Hayworth Jewelry Line To Support Alzheimer’s Research

Legendary actress Rita Hayworth suffered from one of the most devastating diseases of our time, Alzheimer’s, and HSN is debuting a jewelry line based on her baubles on Friday to raise money and awareness for this life destroyer.

HSN Inc.’s philanthropic arm is partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association for this initiative. In addition to the home shopping channel, other HSN Inc. brands will be participating in this initiative, namely Ballard Designs and TravelSmith.

Rita Hayworth

In collaboration with Hayworth’s daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, HSNi Cares teamed up with the Alzheimer’s group for a 10-day campaign from that is running through May 10 to generate awareness of this disease.

The campaign’s centerpiece is a two-hour HSN Cares special Friday at 7 p.m. featuring the launch of the HSN Cares Rita Hayworth Jewelry Collection, inspired by the actress’s classic favorite pieces. And 10 percent of the purchase price from all items in the collection going to the Alzheimer’s Association.

“HSN Cares is proud to partner with the Alzheimer’s Association and Princess Yasmin to honor the legacy of Rita Hayworth,” HSN President Bill Brand said in a canned statement. “We hope to generate widespread awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association, while creating meaningful connections through the impactful story of Rita Hayworth’s battle with the disease.”

The Rita Hayworth collection features 25 pieces designed with influence from items in Rita’s personal jewelry collection including: a 20.7 carat CZ three-stone engagement ring ($49.95); CZ and cultured freshwater pearl necklace ($199.95); a simulated emerald necklace & earrings set ($159.95); and a 23.75 carat CZ marquis and pave bracelet ($69.95).

Princess Yasmin will phone in during the show and to talk about the collection.

The charity also chimed in about the collaboration.

“The Alzheimer’s Association is proud to partner with HSNi Cares to both raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and raise critically needed funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research programs,” said Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“With more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease, and more than 15 million people providing care, it is important that we all work together to change the trajectory of this disease and the commitment by HSNi Cares is greatly appreciated,” she said.

HSNi brands Ballard Designs and TravelSmith are also supporting the cause by providing their customers the opportunity to make a donation over the phones and online through May 16.

Ex-QVC Host Lisa Robertson’s Squeeze Is Tattooed Trainer

We don’t know why a British tabloid, the Daily Mail, is so obsessed with ex-QVC host Lisa Robertson’s love life. But it is, and apparently so are a lot of other folks.

The London rag’s story on Robertson and her younger 38-year-old boyfriend, her tattooed personal trainer, spread like wildfire among QVC customers.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3061586/Ex-QVC-queen-Lisa-Robertson-49-love-tatted-38-year-old-TRAINER.html

There’s been speculation about Robertson’s romantic life, sexual orientation and her pursuit by a horde of nut job stalkers for years.

Once she left QVC last December, Robertson started posting photos of her on vacation canoodling with her new beau, Eric McGee. The posts were a shock because Robertson had kept her personal life close to the vest.

According to the Daily Mail, McGee is divorced with two kids, and he and Robertson have met each other’s families. He even appeared on the home shopping network several times with her.

The Daily Mail dug up some dirt on McGee’s past financial woes.

His new life of luxury travel is a far cry from just four years ago when he and his wife Amy filed for bankruptcy with debts of almost $200,000.

In court documents seen by Daily Mail Online, Eric claimed he had personal assets worth just $11,000 and owed $189,243.

He said he had just $36.67 in two bank accounts, owned clothes worth $200 and household furniture valued at $1000.

His biggest asset was a 2007 Dodge Charger with 77,500 miles on the clock he valued at $9,475.

There have been plenty of snarky comments about Robertson’s new beau, that he’s too young; below her station, etc.

Here’s what we think: She and he look happy and very much in love in their photos.

No. 2 — This is not England with its royalty or India with its castes. We are all equals here. McGee has a job, seems to be treating Robertson well, and is hot as far as we are concerned. He’s not “beneath” anyone.

Good for both of them!

QVC Honcho Mike George Landed $2 Million Last Year

QVC Inc. President and CEO Mike George received $2 million in executive compensation last year, up from his $1.2 million in 2013, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission Tuesday.

QVC’s parent company Liberty Interactive Corp. disclosed the information in its proxy statement. George’s comp in 2014 included a $1.1 million base salary and $841,400 in incentives.

http://ir.libertyinteractive.com/secfiling.cfm?filingid=1047469-15-4049&CIK=1355096

While 2 million greenbacks is nothing to sniff at, it is way below George’s executive comp in 2012, when it was $18.2 million, but that apparently included stock options that kick in over the years.

‘America’s Top Model’ Jay Manuel On His HSN Makeup Line

The New York Post did a story last week on Jay Manuel premiering his makeup line on HSN last month, headlined “Makeup Tips From A Man Who Wears It.”

http://nypost.com/2015/04/24/hey-ladies-this-man-is-here-to-tell-you-how-to-wear-makeup/

Manuel, a longtime panelist on “America’s Next Top Model,” offered his tips on makeup application, and talked about how he uses his own products when he’s on the air: Skin Perfector Foundation and Luxe Powder (which is sold out online).

http://www.hsn.com/shop/jay-manuel-beauty/13231

He also talks about his Soft Focus Powder Blush, Beauty Bronzer, lipstick in “Carnal” and lip and eye liner in “Naked.”

Forget Ecclissi, Go For QVC On The Apple Watch

No social-media opportunity gets past QVC: The home shopping network has hopped on the Apple Watch bandwagon.

Customers can now “engage with QVC content via real-time updates and notifications within the Apple Watch app. Initially available in the U.S., U.K. and Germany, QVC for Apple Watch will sync with and extend the functionality of the QVC app for iPhone,” the network said in a press release last week.

With a tap of the QVC icon (the Q logo) on the home screen, customers can see QVC’s most popular content – the Item on Air, the product currently being shown live on air; and the Today’s Special Value, QVC’s best find of the day. Another tap brings up a close-up product shot with pricing and product details.

Customers can then complete their transaction on their iPhone. Additionally, users who opt in to receive push notifications will see real-time alerts of what’s currently on air on the Apple Watch home screen, and will be able to see additional information by clicking directly on the QVC icon.

“As wearables continue to serve as an extension of the mobile and tablet experience, the Apple Watch app demonstrates QVC’s commitment to investing in new technologies that deliver a fun, seamless and intuitive customer experience,” QVC Vice President of Digital Content Alex Miller said in a canned statement.

“Our customers tend to be early adopters of technology and we believe they will enjoy this new way of discovering the latest from the brands and products they have come to love, now with a simple glance at their wrist.”

QVC for Apple Watch will continue to evolve, offering new features and capabilities over time.

“The functionality of the app will only continue to get more robust. With customer feedback over time, we plan to provide users with a more interactive and engaging on-body experience,” continued Miller. “The developer team here had a lot of fun with this, and we know our customers will enjoy it too.”

Last year, QVC introduced Apple’s Touch IDTM sensor technology for its iPhone app, giving customers the option to log in to their QVC accounts using just their fingertip to authenticate their identity.

QVC also introduced enhanced second screen capabilities on the QVC app for iPad, synchronizing products on air to a consolidated product view on the iPad and further establishing its necessity as a companion tool during QVC on-air programming.

“The launch of the Apple Watch app is the most recent milestone of our multi-year strategy to build a robust and scalable global technology platform,” said Venkatesh Natarajan, QVC’s vice president of IT commerce platforms.

“The strategy’s underlying technology architecture has been instrumental in delivering new capabilities efficiently to our customers across the globe. It also enables us to be more agile and capable of incorporating new features, like TouchID, with ease.”

The QVC app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch is available for free in the App Store. The Apple Watch app, also available on a user’s iPhone, works with the iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Evine Live To Host ‘Invitation-Only’ Investor Day

Evine Live Inc. sent out a press release Tuesday extending an invitation to the investment community to its first Investor Day. However, if you read down in the announcement you learned that attendance was “by invitation only.”

Say what? So does that mean the whole “investment community” can come, or just a select few? BTW, so far we have not been invited.

The dog-and-pony show will be held at the company’s studios in Eden Prairie, Minn., May 28.

The release says:

CEO Mark Bozek will introduce his new leadership team, each of whom will discuss their backgrounds and value creation strategies which the Company believes will drive long-term growth and sustainable profitability. During the presentations, observations may be made regarding the Company’s financial performance and recent developments.

Attendance at the Investor Day in person is limited and by invitation only.

For further inquiries, please contact Beth McCartan at bmccartan@evine.com.

The presentations will be webcast simultaneously and available at http://evine.mwnewsroom.com beginning at roughly 11:30 am EST.

Designer Sigrid Olsen Makes Comeback On HSN

Back in the day, we sported clothes by designer Sigrid Olsen. Then her wares disappeared from brick-and-mortar stores. We’re happy to report she’s back on the scene.

Beauty

Olsen has done a collection for HSN. InStyle magazine just did a story on the designer’s HSN line, pointing out her original retail business shut down seven years ago.

http://news.instyle.com/2015/04/17/eric-wilson-sigrid-olsen-hsn/

Two of Sigrid Olsen’s beachy HSN offerings

InStyle writer Eric Wilson, like us, is fan of Olsen. He wrote that when Olsen’s line shut down, she got back rights to use her name and was running galleries where she sold her prints as paintings, as well as organizing yoga retreats.

Wilson wrote that her HSN frocks are similar to her original clothes, where she stamped designs on fabric using a cut-out potato.

Now living in Florida, Olsen also said that she is doing ageless, comfortable merchandise for HSN. The top price for her clothing appears to be $100.

http://www.hsn.com/shop/sigrid-olsen-studio/13186?rid=3858&query=sigrid%20olsen&isSuggested=False&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hsn.com%2Fshop%2Fsigrid-olsen-studio%2F13186%3Frid%3D3858%26query%3Dsigrid%2520olsen%26isSuggested%3DFalse%26&cm_mmc=cj-_-HSN+RSS+Feed-_-5661516-10699362-_-skim58287X1516329Xdb36f9529ddf4c1de24b4fbb54159b2f-NA

HSN, QVC Set First-Quarter Earnings Releases

It’s that time of the year, first-quarter earnings.

Last week HSN said that it would report first-quarter results May 6 at 8 a.m. Eastern Time before the market opens.

CEO Mindy Grossman and COO and CFO Judy Schmeling will hold a conference call at 9 a.m. Eastern Time to review these results.

There will be a simultaneous audio webcast available via the company’s website at http://www.hsni.com.

A replay of the conference call can be accessed until May 20 by dialing 855-859-2056 or 404-537-3406, plus the pass code 16764611 and will also be hosted on the company’s website for a limited time.

QVC’s parent, Liberty Interactive Corp., will do its first-quarter earnings call May 8 at 12:15 p.m.

The first-quarter earnings conference call will be broadcast live via the Internet. All interested participants should visit the Liberty Interactive website at http://www.libertyinteractive.com/events to register for the webcast.

Links to the press release and replays of the call will also be available on the Liberty Interactive website. The conference call and related materials will be archived for one year.

QVC Looks To Cater to Chicas 50 And Over Like The Homeshoppingista

Well, butter our buns and call us a biscuit!

QVC has assembled a pretty, pretty impressive list of women 50 and older for a new initiative, targeted at our demo. The “Q50” includes Christina Applegate, Patti LaBelle, Rita Wilson, Naomi Watts, Martha Stewart and Queen Latifah. Stewart and Latifah are from New Jersey, like us, BTW.

The “Age of Possibility” campaign kicks off at an April 24 summit in Las Vegas.

Here’s the press release from corprate in West Chester.

April 16, 2024 – QVC, a world leader in live shopping, today announced the brand’s next chapter which will embolden women over the age of 50 to seize what’s next from a life stage that is too often ignored and under-supported by mainstream brands. Declaring this chapter of life after 50 as the Age of Possibility, QVC’s new campaign platform aims to reflect age 50+ for what it really is: a vibrant stage of life, full of new questions, changes, opportunities and hopes.

As part of the Age of Possibility, QVC is introducing the Quintessential 50 (Q50), comprised of QVC hosts, celebrities, activists, entrepreneurs and more, whose experiences and achievements prove the possibilities that this time of life offers for women. With their fresh input, unique perspective and modern taste, the Q50 will help guide QVC’s efforts to support women in their Age of Possibility by influencing QVC’s programming and product offerings.

The Q50 features a dynamic group of women including celebrity entertainers such as Christina Applegate, Queen Latifah, Naomi Watts, Patti LaBelle, Rita Wilson, Sherri Shepherd, Sandra Lee and Kathie Lee Gifford; public figures including Billie Jean King, Donna Kelce and Tamsen Fadal; influential leaders including Dr. Mary Claire Haver, Karen Knudsen and Joy Bauer; friends and vendors of QVC such as Martha Stewart, Mally Roncal, Carla Hall and Kim Gravel; and many more. See here for the full list http://www.qvc.com/50.

“QVC has a longstanding relationship serving the 50+ customer, and we’re uniquely positioned to launch this dedicated effort that we hope will spur a cultural shift in attitude and behavior towards women over 50,” said Annette Dunleavy, Vice President Brand Marketing, QVC, and a member of the Q50. “The Age of Possibility platform represents an underestimated period of freedom, exploration and transformation to look forward to as women age, a prime time of a woman’s life where anything is possible and living in authenticity is unapologetic.”

According to QVC, there is an “alarming gap between how much women expect from life after 50 versus how little the world actually supports those expectations.”

In a third-party research survey, 3,713 respondents found that 62% of women ages 50 to 70 feel that entering age 50 and beyond is viewed by society as a time of decline – and the No. 1 misconception these women are most excited to prove wrong is that they are resistant to change and new experiences.

The survey also found that only 31% of women ages 50-70 feel supported by brands – as compared to 58% of women ages 18-29 and 41% of women ages 30-49 – reaffirming the importance of the Age of Possibility as an ongoing, authentic commitment for QVC.

Shawn Killinger, a polarizing QVC host, weighed in and is part of the club.

“We are breaking boundaries and dismantling old stereotypes,” she said in a statement. “Aging with passion and purpose is something that should be sought, not fought. Everything I have always wanted has come to me later in life when I was truly ready to experience it. Being a part of the Q50 is no exception, and I’m honored to be involved with this new platform and engage with women in all stages of their Age of Possibility.”

QVC managed to toot its own horn by noing that it has programming — “Over 50 & Fabulous” and “Over 50 & Fabulous – The Aftershow” — aimd at this age group.

The Age of Possibility will kick off with a first-of-its-kind summit in Las Vegas on April 24, bringing together the Q50.

“The summit will usher in a series of localized Age of Possibility activations, with the brand making stops across the country to engage with QVC fans and women right in their communities,” the network said.”

It is also introducing a new Facebook Group, Over 50 & Fabulous!

JTV Pearl Maven Mark Brown Is Recovering From A Stroke

We’re not tying to be flip, but this news was almost as shocking as Princess Kate revealing she has cancer: JTV pearl guy Mark Brown had a stroke and is recovering.

Brown, the home shopping network’s pearl jewelry vendor, has not been on the air for awhile, which had us wondering what was up. We enjoy him. We always enjoy vendors who are so obviously passionate about their jewelry.

Then today on Facebook we saw that Brown posted a video explaining what had happened. You should watch it, but in a nutshell he said he suffered a stroke about a month again, and had to re-learn basic tasks like speaking and walking.

Brown says he’ll be back on-air.

“I’m not going to quit what I’m doing,” he said. “I love bringing our pearls to you. It’s not just a job. It’s a huge portion of my life that I refuse to give up.”

This hits close to home for us. Our brother-in-law recently suffered a mild stroke. He went to the ER twice complaining of numbness in his left arm. His blood pressure was soaring. Doctors finally determined it was a mild stroke and put him on blood thinners and blood-pressure medication.

But we had a much more horrific experience years ago with our mom. Just a few months after our dad passed away, our mom was hospitalized for dehydration. It was right before Easter, like this time of year.

We gave our mom an Easter card to fill our for our niece, and it was taking her forever. We said, “Come on Mama,” and she didn’t respond at all. We stood right in front of her face, and she looked right through us. It was as if she didn’t see us or hear us.

We looked at the card, and in the middle of a sentence her writing had become gibberish.

We felt like two cents. The reason she was taking so long with the card was that she was having a stroke right in front of us.

We can’t recall how many hours it took for her to finally respond and acknowledge us that day. But she could not speak correctly. It was aphasia, just like Bruce Willis has, where the person is trying to talk but the wrong words come out, they can’t formulate language.

Our mom went to a rehab center, where she would answer with nonsense — like saying “chicken” or “lettuce” — when you asked how she was. You’d ask her to pile blocks on top of the other, and she couldn’t do it.

What a horrible time for our family. We had just lost our dad and now didn’t know if our mother would ever be OK.

We can’t remember how long it took — which seems very strange now, that we can’t recalled — but Mama regained her faculties, was able to talk and function. Thank God!

Brown called JTV viewers his extended family. We feel the same about him. He has obviously made a lot of progress, as we can see from his video. Here’s praying and wishing him the best for the rest of his journey.

MacKenzie-Childs Lands on QVC From ShopHQ

We guess we were all wondering where upscale home goods provider MacKenzie-Childs would end up after leaving its long-time home, ShopHQ, the end of last year.

One our readers posted the news: QVC is running promos saying that MacKenzie-Child is joining its roster.

Here’s what’s on QVC.com right now.

https://www.qvc.com/catalog/search.html?keyword=McKenzie%20childs&qq=mh

Their stuff is gorgeous, bu we can’t afford $1,000 for an Easter rabbit statue or $150 for a pillow.

Qurate Replaces HSN’s President, Snippets From The 4Q Earnings Call

Dang, we buried the lede on Qurate Retail’s fourth-quarter results: HSN has a new president, Stacy Bowe, replacing Rob Muller.

The CEO of Qurate, the parent of both HSN and QV, announced the news last week that Bowe, who has been serving as the chief merchant at QVC U.S. since joining the company in 2022, is hopping over to lead HSN.

David Rawlinson described Bowe as “one of the driving forces behind the improvement at QVC, including rapidly recalibrating our buying program, improving our inventory levels and bringing freshness and newness to the assortment.”

He said that prior to QVC, Bowe was at G-III Apparel Group and Macy’s.

“I would like to thank Rob Muller who has distinguished 23 years of extraordinary contributions to the company including serving for the last two years as president of HSN,” Rawlinson said.

Thanks for nothin’, we’re sure Muller was thinking.

“In summary, our business reached an inflection point in the third quarter of 2023,” Rawlinson said. “We have made substantial progress in stabilizing revenue and growing cash flow and profitability. We look forward to continuing to drive improved results in 2024 while preparing the business for its future of multi-platform growth.”

Welcome to the hot seat, Stacy!

For the die-hard fans, or masochists, among you, here are snippers from the earnings call. Want to know how much Barefoot Dreams sold on Cyber Monday? It’s here.

And BTW, here is the entire transcript for the call.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/qurate-retail-inc-nasdaq-qrtea-154203339.html

Snippets:

In March, self-taught cake artist and social media influencer, Yolanda Gampp who has 4.5 million YouTube subscribers and 2.8 million Instagram followers will introduce a new bakeware line. Many other celebrities will join us this year and we look forward to sharing more on future calls. And finally, we continue to provide value to customers through compelling product values, exposure to their favorite host and celebrities, and importantly our engaging programming. Our programming is enhanced by destination and mass events, especially around the holiday season. We hosted a 49-hour nonstop holiday party across channels and platforms with fun holiday shopping and special pop-in personalities. 680,000 customers shop the weekend, including more than 40,000 new customers.

The event generated 81 million views across social platforms. It features several live streams, including holiday guides to get together with Jimmy Garth, holiday head-to-toe style with experts, high chocolate cocktails and holiday recipes in 30 minutes with Fabio Pavani. We have also appeared on other powerful platforms to fuel engagement. QVC host presented gift ideas on popular talk shows including The Drew Barrymore Show and the Tamron Hall Show to promote our Holiday Giftathon. We remain excited about the value proposition that makes QVC and HSN unique and we’ll continue leveraging this model as we expand across platforms.

We are pleased that QxH grew market share as top line performance largely outpaced discretionary retail for the second consecutive quarter. Throughout the year, we have maintained focus on obtaining new higher-quality inventory that would excite our customers and provide them with value. We reinvigorated our programming and honed the special relationship our customers have with Host, which led to continued high engagement, growing total linear minutes viewed 15% compared to the prior year.

Consistent with historical averages, QxH existing customers made up half of total customer count that generated 90% of 2023 sales. They purchased 31 items in 2023 and spent $1,600 on average. The strength of engagement is even more evident, and our best customers in QVC US, who are defined as purchasing at least 20 times a year. They were 17% of the count which generated 76% of the sales in 2023. They purchased, on average, 76 items in the year and increased their average spend 9% year-on-year to $3,900.

Rather than growing the file with expensive-to-obtain and hard-to-retain transient customers for now we are concentrating on stabilizing our customer file, retaining our best customers and returning to new customer growth year-over-year that will contribute to customer file growth over time. We believe this is the prudent and profitable path and gives us the stability we need to continue to deliver on Project Athens in 2024. We also believe it sets us up nicely for customer file growth in 2025. Now I would like to touch again while Qurate’s business model is differentiated across retail and the value we bring to customers, vendors and celebrities. Starting with vendors. Our platform continues to be very attractive to both new and existing vendors.

We move meaningful volume and provide a scaled platform to connect with customers on a personal level and share product stories. We had impressive sell-through rates in Q4 across a range of price points and in particular on higher end products where we were able to demonstrate compelling value for unique products. For example at QVC, we offered Fire Light lab-grown diamonds from two carats to nine carats ranging in price from $1,300 to $5,000. The entire collection was well received selling out across sizes and products including a sold-out non-carat tennis bracelet. We also sold $5.7 million of Ninja Woodfire of electric smoker and outdoor grill moving 19,000 units priced at $300 a piece. At HSN, we sold out of a day [indiscernible] with a price point in excess of $1,000 over Black Friday weekend.

In Home Décor, we sold $6 million of Barefoot Dreams luxury throw on Cyber Monday. In Beauty, we sold 40,000 units of an Elemis cream in one day and 114,000 units of [indiscernible] velocity gift set in two days. The scale of this platform is very difficult to replicate and attractive to existing and new vendors. We debut a new brand in tights, Sheertex selling $2.4 million in just a couple of hours. We introduced a new leather handbag and luggage brand Hawkins that sold $340,000 in 11 minutes.

QVC and HSN have always been a home for celebrities engaging personalities and entrepreneurs. We welcome many familiar and new faces in the fourth quarter with a great pipeline planned for 2024. At QVC Lawrence Zarian launched BEAUTIFUL, an exclusive fashion collection of dresses, outwear and accessories.

In connection with the launch we conducted a satellite media tour with a nationally syndicated segment on Extra. At HSN, we teamed up with legendary singer Dolly Parton for the presale of our debut rock album Rockstar. Iconic Singer Chaka Khan launched her own perfume. Singer Katherine McPhee debut her jewelry line Radiance by Absolute. Erin Andrews launched her Sportswear line. Wolfgang Puck celebrated his 25th year with HSN with a new cook wear line. During his time with HSN, he has generated $600 million in sales.

Numerous other celebrities have teamed up with us recently and our 2024 celebrities lineup is fantastic. In January, Scarlett Johansson debuted a new beauty line called the Outset. Actress Christina Ricci came on air as the new brand ambassador for Lancer Skincare.

QVC, HSN See Sales Slide 4% In the Fourth Quarter

Last week Qurate Retail Group, the parent of both QVC and HSN, reported that revenue for the two channels dropped 4% in the fourth quarter and 5% last year.

The two dominant home shopping networks are part of Qurate’s QxH division. Revenue in the fourth quarter was $2.16 billion.

Here’s what Qurate said in its press release about QVC and HSN:

QxH revenue declined in the fourth quarter and full year. Revenue declined in both periods primarily due to lower units shipped, which decreased 5% in the fourth quarter and 6% in the full year, as well as lower shipping and handling revenue and higher returns.

Units shipped in the fourth quarter were impacted by less inventory liquidation sales compared to the prior year. These factors were partially offset by a 3% increase in average selling price in both the fourth quarter and full year. QxH grew apparel and jewelry with declines in electronics and home in the fourth quarter. QxH reported declines in all categories for the full year.

Operating loss in the fourth quarter was primarily driven by a $326 million non-cash impairment charge related to goodwill. For the full year, operating income increased due to the $2.7 billion non-cash impairment charge related to goodwill and the HSN tradename recorded in the prior year.

For the fourth quarter and full year 2023, Adjusted OIBDA margin(4) increased mainly due to higher product margins, lower fulfillment (warehouse and freight) costs and favorable inventory obsolescence expense.

Product margins increased primarily due to mix shift to higher-margin products, fewer clearance items as a result of improved inventory health and initiatives to increase initial margin. Fulfillment favorability was driven by efficiencies from Project Athens initiatives, significantly lower detention and demurrage costs and improved freight rates from the new parcel carrier contract that took effect in July 2023. Inventory obsolescence declined due to an improved inventory assortment. These gains were partially offset by unfavorable administrative expenses in both periods, with expenses for the full year primarily related to outside services for Project Athens.

And here is what the top honcho had to say:

“2023 was a transformational year for Qurate Retail,” David Rawlinson, President and CEO of Qurate, said in a statement. “We executed better on multiple fronts including merchandising, pricing strategy and inventory management, and these efforts yielded significant, positive results in the operational health and financial performance of the business. We increased free cash flow generation, reduced substantial debt and optimized our portfolio with the divesture of Zulily, and in the fourth quarter, we grew Adjusted OIBDA by over 70% as reported. As we enter 2024, we expect to continue our momentum and drive improved results.”

Here is the slide presentation that Qurate had for its investors:

https://d1io3yog0oux5.cloudfront.net/_efda8a953d44e23d2aaf22d86081bbd7/qurateretail/db/880/8068/earnings_presentation/QRTE+Q4-23+Earnings+Slides_v2.pdf

ShopHQ Offering Free Shipping: A Game Changer?

When we heard someone say that ShopHQ was no longer charging for shipping and handling, we couldnt believe it. We had to go to the home shopping network’s website to see for ourselves.

We don’t know if this is permanent, but we hope so. ShopHQ has had some of the most exorbitant fees for shipping on all the shopping channels.

It is soon to help ShopHQ’s top line — its sales, as they say — but we don’t know what impact it will have on its bottom line, its profits.

QVC and HSN are very stingy with any free shipping it offers, with JTV more generous.

While we’re on the topic of jewelry, a couple of disappointments regarding ShopHQ. We have purchased several of its “close-out” diamond and gold pieces, with mixed results. One was a lovey gold cross with nice clear diamond in the center.

The other was a tiny “Viking knot” diamond pendant with baguettes and a larger center stone. We loved the design, but the center diamond was so cloudy we ran to the post office to send it back.

Also, on two occasions we’ve bought diamond items only to see that a few days later ShopHQ was offering a 20% coupon. We called customer service, and there is no price adjustment at ShopHQ.

In two cases, we had to send back items for a refund and then reorder them with the coupon. Ridiculous. On that cross we told your about, the price difference was like $120. So even with the $12 or so shipping we paid to get it, and the maybe $30 we paid to send it back with insurance, it made sense for us to return it.

But our advice is to be very wary of those close-out jewelry pieces.

What Goes Around Comes Around: Charla Rines Back On ShopHQ

 Here the latest chapter in the musical-chair world of home shopping.

Charla Rines, who was a host on ShopHQ (or whatver it was called back then) for 16 years from 1994 to 2010 as a host, has rejoined the home shopping network.

We saw her pop up Sunday to surprise jewelry designer Sonia Biton on-air, and she is supposed to be on today working.

We always liked Charla. She was very edgy, in her looks and presentations, not the typical home shopping host.

One of our readers kindly told us that Charla had worked for other vendors after she left ShopHQ, and even managed a Cheesecake Factory eatery.

Has Jewelry Designer Dallas Prince Exited ShopHQ After 19 Years, And Gone To QVC?

We missed this during the busy holiday season: jewelry designer Dallas Prince has kicked off the new year with a collection on QVC. We’re not quite sure if that means she has totally exited ShopHQ.

Prince, who we seem to recall was on HSN for many years, in November last year on FB posted that she was about to celebrate her 19th anniversary on ShopHQ.

But we just noticed that a large number of her pieces are being sold on QVC.com, many of them featuring marcasite.

https://www.qvc.com/catalog/search.html?keyword=dallas+prince

But her collection is still being sold on ShopHQ.com.

https://www.shophq.com/search/?q=dallas%20prince%20jewelry

And about a week ago Prince said this year she will be selling her jewelry on TVSN in Australia and New Zealand.

Can you guys tell us what we missed?

QVC ‘Jewelry Love’ Day Was Pretty, Pretty Good

We admit it: We did some damage to our credit card on Friday during QVC’s jewelry love day. It didn’t help that we were off, taking a comp day after covering the National Retail Federation conference last weekend in Manhattan, and could watch much of the day.

We thought QVC did a good job of presenting baubles across categories — gold, silver, gemstones, diamonds, high price and low price.

Veteran QVC gold buyer David Markstein debuted his new line for the home shopping network, and we thought it was inventive and appealing. We ordered two of his items, one a 14K gold bracelet and a silver cross that is on waitlist.

Gold has gotten so expensive that frankly we really can’t afford it anymore. But we’ve been looking for two items in solid gold anyway: a link-type bracelet to layer and a small cross. We’re hoping that the bracelet we ordered from Markstein is substantial enough for us for the price.

We also ordered a small cross from Eterna Gold that was dimensional and had diamond-cutting, another item we plan to layer. We’ll see how that goes.

Finally, we ordered a half-a-carat Infinity diamond ring in silver, with round stones and baquettes (our favorite cut). BTW we really enjoy Michele Lau. We weren’t looking for a diamond ring, but this one looked really good for the price — a big look for the money. We hope we like it.

Jeff Moseley debuted his new jewelry line, Pure Tarzanite. They were gorgeous pieces, but well out of our price range. But we love seeing his passion for the stone, and wish him well with this venture.

So, it’s time to lock up our credit. And there goes that New Year’s resolution about taming our spending.

BTW, someone who reads this blog stopped by the NRF press room to say hello. He knew we were at the conference because of some posts we did on LinkedIn. He said he works for some vendors for both QVC and HSN.

We actually got in trouble for talking too loudly and had to cut our chat short!

New York Times Puff Profiles QVC ‘Storyteller’ Shawn Killinger

Oh boy.

We know that QVC host Shawn Killinger has a lot of detractors, but we feel rather neutral about her. That’s probably because we don’t watch her that often — we avoid QVC segments on clothing and beauty products like the plague. And she often does them.

Jewelry is our addiction.

But that said, it was quite a puff piece that The Sunday New York Times did yesterday on Killinger.

Here is the link, but we can’t give you access because we don’thave a digitial sub to the Times.

The headline is here for you to see.

Her analysis of her appeal on QVC doesn’t mesh with that we know, but what do we know?

“The big secret is that I don’t sell. I’m not a salesperson. I’m a storyteller.”

That’s what Killinger told the Times. Again, we don’t feel strongly about her either way. But all home shopping hosts are sales people. Duh.

The author loves her, BTW.

“She doesn’t go for the hard pitch … Her style is mac-and-cheese comforting,” he wrote.

There are a number of gems in the story from Killinger.

“When you’re watching, I want you to love that story about my husband manscaping because I want you to be my friend.”

Does “manscaping” mean what we think it does?

How about this?

“I think I just tinkled when I laughed.”