We’re late on this one folks, but it’s pretty juicy — and important to a blogger like The Homeshoppingista. QVC has lost the first round in its suit to bar HSN vitamin purveyor Andrew Lessman from blasting QVC’s vitamins and dietary supplements in his blog.
We got a tip on this Thursday from our ex-colleague Linda H. on the Left Coast, and than saw that MediaPost wrote about it earlier this week, as did Georgetown University law school professor Rebecca Tushnet on her blog.
U.S. District Court Judge Sue Robinson refused to issue a preliminary injunction and restraining order against Lessman. He may be a very charming, easy-going fellow on-air but his blogs on QVC make our snarky commens about the No. 1 home shopping network look like press releases.
For example, in January he blogged that QVC’s Nature Code brand hair, skin and nail supplement “isn’t healthy…it is just sleazy and deceptive.”
For good measure, he added, that QVC’s “lack of integrity is totally in keeping with the lack of quality of their vitamins.”
Part of Lessman's HSN line
And there’s a hell of a lot more mud-slinging along those lines. Read the good professor’s blog for more details on that. Needless to say, QVC was not happy, and filed suit in February in federal court in Delaware.
Lessman does have an ax to grind. He started his TV career selling his products on QVC in 1992, but defected to rival HSN in 1997. Here’s some dish: Lessman was in talks to return to QVC earlier this year, but they fell through. Not coincidentally, that’s when Lessman started dissing QVC in his blog.
We haven’t read the judge’s ruling, so what we know about it is from the professor and MediaPost. But Judge Robinson found that even though Lessman’s nasty blogs about QVC could be misleading, QVC never proved to the court that the comments actually confused consumers. No proof of confusion, no injunction.
But QVC can still continue with its suit against Lessman, it just can’t have an injunction at this point.
We think the court’s ruling is a good one for bloggers like us and the First Amendment, but let’s see what happens if the case makes it to trial.
Tags: Andrew Lessman, blog, HSN, Nature's Code, QVC suing Lessman, The Homeshoppingista, vitamins
Homeshoppingista's Blog By Linda Moss 
November 3, 2010 at 9:55 am |
What is all this mumbo-jumbo about which company will carry Andrew Lesserman’s vitamins and products! Do your fueding on your own time and just make up your mind who is going to carry his vitamins. I shop at both companies and don’t care who I purchase my products from. Just stop being so childish about your products. You are worse than two little kids. Just let me make my purchase without feeling guilty about it. Shhhheeesh! And I thought my kids were bad. (grin) By the way, where are all the special prices Andy used to have. Now I pay through the nose. I want to stay healthy but don’t have the money he has, so give me a break on the products. PLEASE!
December 26, 2010 at 3:30 am |
Yes Lessman is the perfect name for the way he has been cutting deals and prices!!!! You are getting so tight with prices. Ive’ been in the vitamin know scince i was 12 . My brother jumped the holistic wagen back in early 80’s. My father is the #1 P.R. man in the U.Sof A. I was thinking about having a story about how Lessman is becomin g loaded on selling vitamins cfor every damn ailment in the body whileover loading our systems w/ the same vitamins in many of the other ones that we buy. Andrew, bring down your prices. I live in the wealthiest county in America and still “know” you are trippling your prices. lookout for a short strory in The Times.
April 16, 2011 at 2:18 am |
I am so glad that someone is finally standing up for the consumers. I don’t mind paying for a good product. But I do not like being lied to by any company out of their greed. Integrity and honesty in should be the backbone of any business. Thank you Andrew Lessman… you have a new customer in me!!!
And where in the world did they come up with QVC being number 1? HSN is number 1! If QVC has to lie to sell products, then I am not buying!
April 16, 2011 at 9:09 pm |
I’ve been buying Andrew’s vitamins since the early 90’s. I agree, don’t care who the pipeline is but I want to buy his inventory. However, I must agree that Andrew has become a multi, multi, multi millionaire. He is a good businessman and knows that he can price it anywhere he wants, if the market can bear it. We keep buying. I would hope that he would offer LOWER prices on HSN 4x per year and he wouldn’t even feel it. Come on, Andy, your healthy heart is turning cold with greed.
July 6, 2011 at 3:30 am |
I like Andrews products. I don’t take all of them, of course! But, I’ve singled out what works for me. Prices are high, for sure. It all depends on how well you want to be. Truthfully, some stuff did nothing for me at all, while others did great! I love the Secure Meal Replacements, Pineapple is my favorite. Oh yeah! I almost forgot the most important part! I don’t buy from HSN OR QVC, I buy direct from Andrew Lessman at ProCaps Laboratories. No price difference, but at least I get it right away.
August 4, 2011 at 2:17 am |
I buy directly from his website, too. Sometimes that’s the best way. When I run out of his vitamins and go without taking them for a while, I can tell because I start experiencing problems that the vtamins helped me with. Some of my favorite products are circulation and vein support, healthy hair, nails, and skin, and energy and fat metabolism.
August 8, 2011 at 8:37 pm |
UK leading flag maker, buy flags, flag maker…
Judge Rules HSN Vitamin Hawker Andrew Lessman Can Be Even Nastier Than Us In His Blogs About QVC « Homeshoppingista's Blog By Linda Moss…
August 14, 2011 at 4:10 pm |
I began Andrew’s vitamin while he was still with QVC, followed him to HSN, didn’t care for Dr. Taub or his replacement. I just watched an Infomercial for OmegaXL, sounds like just what I’m looking for, but hesitant to buy. Would Mr. Lessman, comment on this supplement?
August 14, 2011 at 4:26 pm |
You’d have to contact him on his own website, or via HSN, Joyce.
November 22, 2011 at 10:14 pm |
good for vitamins…
[…]Judge Rules HSN Vitamin Hawker Andrew Lessman Can Be Even Nastier Than Us In His Blogs About QVC « Homeshoppingista's Blog By Linda Moss[…]…
December 10, 2011 at 11:46 pm |
Four times a year, Andrew Lessman offers us the best of his products at a substantial savings on HSN. I only buy when he’s on TV and I purchase only his todays special value, which you can get on flex pay and most of the time ” free shipping” which is something QVC should practice more of …I would not purchase from anyone else.
January 4, 2016 at 10:07 pm |
Deb, I wait on those Today’s Specials and get the largest they offer. And I love that they are always free shipping and on flex pay. All his products are free shipping when he is in for his visits. I’ve taken Andrew’s vitamins for years and years. In my opinion, they are the best there is, hands down. I will not even ‘try’ another product from anyone else on the market. If you have never taken them, and are a person in per suit of the best, you should give them a try. They will speak for themselves.
December 27, 2011 at 4:35 am |
I don’t mind the price of the vitamins, in fact they are very affordable, until that shipping and handling goes on. Then that changes everything! Then suddenly it goes from affordable to expensive! So this always makes me hesitate when I buy, and I even try to double up on stuff, but then things get even more expensive, and I don’t like to try to buy so much at one time!
Most people just need hormone replacement theropy, and a good mult-mineral vitamin, diet and exercise, typically, you shouldn’t have to take all this stuff! Research it!
January 13, 2012 at 3:56 pm |
you are paying for quality, so why would he bring down the costs ? you can go to walmart and get the vitamins there cheap for a reason, they are garbage… it doesn’t matter if hes a multitrillionaire, thats his money for his work and investment and being smart.. its up to you whether you want to buy his product or not. He could drop the quality , and sell them cheaper, would that make you happier?
January 4, 2016 at 10:12 pm |
I like your comment, Gayle Bowlby.
August 24, 2017 at 5:54 pm |
Great common sense Gayle!
January 16, 2012 at 4:12 am |
wife and i, purchased the 200 meals of powder coffee and chocolate. i do two a day m-f having more energy feel good. i did not used to eat from 6am to 4pm and my mood would show that. now way more level on the moods. now iam even losing weight. i do agree with andrew lessman their is alot of no quality vitamins out their. i really would like to see that change. cheap quality needs to stop.
January 23, 2012 at 4:32 am |
I just bought the Resveratrol & pomegrante. I am Italian and in my family all the women live to be in their 90’s. Probably because of the wine they drank all their lives. The 400 count bottle of this stuff is only 23 cents a capsule with over a year supply. I don’t know why anyone would complain at this price. Especially if you research the benefits of this amazing product to prevent so many diseases.
I also would like to know what Andrew thinks about the Indian topical & internal cure for cancer called Black Salve. I took this internally, to hopefully get rid of a cancer on the side of my nose, since the doctor said he got it all and it came back 4 years later and he had to take it out again. So I started taking the black salve internally. I am hoping it won’t come back again. While I was taking it, a bump appeared on my chin and also one on the upper thigh. I applied the salve in a very small amount on both areas and after about a month, the scabs fell off and regrowth of new skin with no scaring occurred. And the pain I was having going down my leg before I started using this, is now gone. I know their are products of black salve out there on the internet and health food stores may not be selling the real stuff, like black ointment. So it’s very hard to know what is the real stuff. I got this from two people that are 95 years old and have been using this for years. I think Andrew should look into this and sell it.
March 8, 2012 at 10:49 pm |
@foxeycat1 Andrew Lessman would never sell that stuff as it is dangerous! Yes, it may remove cancerous growths, but there will still be cancer cells lingering beneath the skin. Also, it eats away healthy tissue as well. People have needed reconstructive surgery after using it! The FDA has sued people and taken away medical licenses from people selling this fake cancer treatment.
March 25, 2012 at 1:19 pm |
Andrew Lessman is the ONLY person/company that sells high quality, no additive vitamins in this country. His facility in Nevada is totally run on alternative energy (solar), and he is an attorney. I feel fairly certain the guy knows what he’s doing after all these years, and the high grade products he produces. HSN & QVC are simply there to hawk their wares & they do not mind if they screw their customers day in and day out. I’m happy to hear Mr. Lessman has stood up against these on-air and online vultures. I mean…reallly…a tshirt costs $30.????? pulleeeeeze.
Lessman rocks.
May 6, 2012 at 5:25 am |
Andrew, I understand that you or your vitamins do not cure diseases but do you have a recommendation that may be bennifical for Tinnitus sufferers ? I understand that your recommendation may or may not help. I understand that legally you have to watch what you say so may I ask you what you would take if you had Tinnitus? Please, please help. Also do you have a multi vitamin with iron ?
November 17, 2012 at 11:45 pm |
Sue, I’m in the same boat as you, and would love to know if Andrew
replys. His Eye Support is great, if only we could get some relief from this tinnitus.
December 3, 2017 at 4:03 pm |
Sue, I also am in the same boat with Tinnitus. Did you happen to get a reply from Andrew.
September 20, 2022 at 8:06 pm
Me, too!! I desperately need something that works!
September 20, 2022 at 8:05 pm |
I am so with you, Sue!
July 3, 2012 at 3:14 pm |
I admire and respect him, and truly believe what he says about his products. I think he’s very honest and driven to promote good healt. He takes pride in what he sells, and I am a very satisfied customer. I have purchased from HSN and also directly from his site, where the price is usually less.
July 15, 2012 at 2:10 am |
I love the products and that is all I order from HSN. Dealing with HSN is an absolute nightmare. I have moved 5 times in 4 years and have used several credit cards. HSN cannot get it right. I inform them whenever anything changes, they cannot get it right. They have an address I haven’t lived at, and told them more than once. They are absolute imbiciles. I didn’t know Andrew had his own sight until I read this…Goodbye HSN forever.
July 15, 2012 at 5:23 am |
When Andrew is on HSN his 4x a year, he almost always includes free shipping and handling on his products, that helps save a lot of money as many people buy multiple products of his during his week-end visit and at about $6 shipping per product, you could see how that would add up, so, thanks Andrew and HSN for the free shipping! QVC almost NEVER does free shipping. Plus, if you buy one of the larger sizes of his vitamins, usually they include a 20% savings for any of his other products effective about 30 or so days later. Which is also nice.
When I compare just prices of his products to similar products at one of the health food outlets, sure, his product is a bit more pricey, but I feel I KNOW what I am getting in his products, and am never sure what is in others vitamins. Plus, I just like having powder vitamins in gel caps much more than hard pills. Love his Healthy hair/skin/nails, his Friendly Flora, and his Circulation and Vein support for legs.
December 23, 2012 at 3:52 pm |
I am interested in hair/nail /skin vitamins. I take Coumadin is there anything in this that would affect my blood level also do you have a multi vitamin that doesn’t affect Coumadin level. I have your secure shakes , I was adding fix seed oil to it. My Dr said the flax seed oil affects Coumadin. I also was taking Co Q 10. Now I am afraid to take anything. Is it ok? Dr’s don’t know much about vitamins and health food stores know nothing about or just won’t comment on people that have to take Coumadin. I have afib with pacemaker and fibromyalgia. My eating habits are poor. My skin is so dry it flakes off on everything, my hair is very thin. Please respond I don’t know who else to turn to. Thank you
February 5, 2013 at 9:30 pm |
Jean, I would recommend you see a nutritionist if you can, who will consult with the doctor who is prescribing Coumadin. As for Andrew Lessman’s vitamins, I believe they are good and I do take his Essential One multivitamin as well as calcium intensive care, and his Omega 3 fish oil. I believe he has integrity and I am glad to see that he stood up to say that raspberry ketones are a sham.
April 6, 2014 at 2:23 am |
Why did he want to leave hsn for qvc?
September 17, 2014 at 4:48 pm |
Does he have an iron supplement
March 13, 2015 at 12:35 pm |
I bought 3 large containers 63.5 oz. 4 lb. 100 servings each container. Plus 300 pro caps capsules of energy and fat metabolism factors. Instead of trying to get rich from your customers on one order give us a lower price so we can afford to buy more and keep a healthy plan going. But my God you are rich and wanting so much money that it isn’t a good man trying to help people to stay healthy instead it is a rich man trying to make his wallet healthy off your loyal customers and customers that want to buy more but can’t because the price is so expensive that you are not trying to build a healthy lifestyle and keep a healthy lifestyle possible for your customers but instead a healthy and active unsurpassed integrity and effectiveness lifestyle for your wallet and your bank account.( I got some of that phrasing off your label). Let more people have this great wonderful product that I love and others would certainly love if they got to try it but can’t because the cost is so expensive and on a fixed income for people that are 65 and older and on social security, ( $1200.00 ) a month. We can either buy one container and get to buy some ( if on sale and can afford fresh fruit & produce ) plus pay our bills and not have any money left to enjoy our healthy lifestyle because of medical issues and medical bills from an unexpected illness that cause us to almost lose everything because we couldn’t pay for the cost of medical procedures that needed done. After a heart attack and a battle with cancer now congested heart failure. We still have a chance to be able to stay here longer IF we can eat a healthy lifestyle and be able to have the money to buy this wonderful Secure Complete Meal Peplacement and the pro caps vitamin and minerals. I must make this clear I ordered and I love your products and I want to take them and reorder get more and never run out of them but it really breaks my heart that here this amazing and great supplements I ordered but can’t afford any more cause it just is out of my league in the price. It made a difference within the first week with my husband and I both and it was delicious and was like a luxury desert. But I wish you could see that a lower more reasonable price would get you more customers and continued business with them if we could afford to buy your products. I would order 3 containers of the vanilla Secure Complete Meal Replacement and the 300 ProCaps vitamins & minerals I ordered. I want to buy your products the rest of my life because I felt the difference after one week and so did my husband. I know you would get rich and yes you should because it is amazing stuff you made, and you deserve to be enjoying the fruits of your labor and live a great and wonderful life and have the best of everything because you will and are making your customers a better and healthier lifestyle because you cared and put your heart into a great idea. But instead of making a healthier and better profit off a few customers please think of people like my husband and I that want that great tasting and healthier lifestyle and a chance to enjoy the benefits of your products and continue to buy these 3 large 4 lb containers and the energy and ProCap vitamins & minerals. I am supposed to go once a week or at least every other week to get vitamin B6 & B12 shot at the doctors office but can’t afford that either and those ProCap have B6 5 mg B12 50 mg. that is still under what I need but it is in there at least I’m getting some. I’m hoping you can see my point of view and help more people to afford your fantastic products and feel the hope and pleasure knowing that we can use them too and enjoy the healthier lifestyle and blessings of your products. Thank you and please do reply to my post.
July 13, 2015 at 6:58 pm |
I can recall a few years ago when a certain show host on QVC, made mention of Andrew Lessman not by name of course, but I knew exactly who he was talking about. It was a negative reference and being a loyal customer of Andrew Lessman, I was not pleased! I am sure many viewers had no idea who this show host was referencing, but in any case it showed a real lack of maturity on his part. He isn’t a QVC host any longer, and for that comment alone he should have been fired. I would never be inclined to buy a supplement from QVC, hard cap vitamins make me sick. If they make you sick take a couple hard cap vitamins and stick them in the oven at 350 for a few minutes, all of the black stuff that comes bubbling out of them, is basically coal tar a popular binding agent. Imagine taking that type of vitamin every day for 20 plus years….does the human body need coal tar?
Andrew Lessman may have a lot of different types of supplements, but he himself doesn’t suggest that you take every one that he offers.
Every vitamin probably doesn’t apply to every single person, you have to use common sense and take what you feel could be of benefit to you. People don’t reorder, because they have to, they reorder because they are seeing and feeling a benefit.
In reference to Andrew Lessman being a millionaire, after a thirty plus year career that shouldn’t come as any big surprise. Its interesting to me, that people take issue with his wealth. This is a man who has devoted his life to helping other people, to suggest that he is in it just for the money, is absurd. If that were the case I think he could have walked away long before now. Companies who are out to make a fast buck, show up with a product like (Sensa a magical food dust that makes you eat less!) and then all of a sudden you don’t even hear about it any more. Certainly that is the polar opposite of Andrew Lessman. He donates hundreds of thousands of bottles of pre-natal vitamins to woman around the world. Many babies are born in under developed countries with cleft palates, and other ailments due to lack of nutrition. There is no doubt in my mind that Andrew Lessman is very much responsible for hundreds of thousands of babies around this globe, being born healthier. Babies who may otherwise have been born with god only knows what type of life altering ailment, don’t have to be, thanks to Andrew Lessman. In many of these countries, these people already have poverty issues so the benefit of giving birth to a healthier baby is such a blessing.
Who knows the number of lives this man has touched, directly and indirectly, that’s quite a legacy to be building, and certainly one to be proud of. Thank-you Andrew for your integrity and compassion for those less fortunate, you are very much appreciated.
January 4, 2016 at 10:17 pm |
Thank you, Cindy Baker for your comment. I totally agree!
March 13, 2016 at 3:59 pm |
Lessman should stop the bad mouthing of QVC vitamins in such a crude way. Don’t use the word sleazy. He’s ticked because he couldn’t close the deal to return with them Move on. Use a comparison chart and say to your customers, this is our supplement and this is theirs. Be specific why QVC is sleazy and misrepresents in their advertising. Let people research themselves who has the better supplement. I do applaud Lessman’s for critisizing the Drug companies and his efforts to try to keep people away from unnecessary drugs, but here’s my beef with him. Most of his vitamins C and most B vitamins are synthetic. Synthetics are not as good a100% natural Vitamins. I’m not talking about his curcumin or tumeric or garlic oil. They are supplements, but not vitamins. Organic whole food natural vitamins are different as they contain all the cofactors and bioflavinoids. If the body sees a synthetic, it starts to search for the cofactors somewhere else in the body.
Yes I know that he donates money to good causes, but he’s got do much money it’s like me donating 5 cents a day. The donations that he makes come from your pockets. He should do a little research and come clean about his synthetic vitamins. He’s a showman and boy can he sell. He has hooked so many people with his hundreds of products that some people spend a fortune in supplements. They purchase redundant products that they don’t need. So please, research what is synthetic and what is natural.
There are only a few companies out there that sell natural and 100% organic vitamins and he is not one. I will not blog which companies they are because I will be accused of trying to tout these other companies .
April 17, 2016 at 5:28 am |
Go Andrew! I’ve taken Nature Code but for my health I have dumped it & all other vitamins & supplements from grocery stores, drug stores, Walmart, Dollar Store, etc. I know I’m not getting GMO, corn starch, all the other additives they have to put in to the pills.
July 20, 2016 at 5:32 pm |
How does a educated man say for the last 30 years his products are made in his facility?I see no garden for herbs to grow.So what the lawyer should say I get my products from china,and other countries the I lie and say I made them in my facility. Wow,and God for bud another company that is better like purity products u take one product and it has all of what he charges each product that is how he makes money.Know if your so honest why after 30 years on a station and he reads reviews on ad from years ago.Aging it’s OK for him to lie but don’t we the public domain it for helping will scream how his product is the one and only in the world.So if I sale cannabis in California and say my cannabis is the best in all the world wouldn’t that be boasting and wouldn’t I be a liar and wouldn’t people after while see that my intention is only to knock everyone out of the park by my ugly remarks.Also please stop being so arrogant God hates ones who boast about themselves. Soone his empire will crumble along with the Web of lies he tends to make up for his good.So when the public gets smart and say dang Andrew has me know 12 pills yet purity has the same products all in one capsule,or liquid. Stop supporting a man who says his product is the best in the world.That his products only work and other vendors are liars. Can someone give him a mirror he says his Colgan is the reason he looks young ,no its called botox. Hello again liar.I use to love his product until I found out he lies on air is very rude demanding and continue to lie.2016 there are products that are made in .u.s.that do all and more then his product. 2016 reviews is that Andrew needs to go back to his theory of lies in school.Hmmmm mm what is it called.Wrong to mislead the public for one’s gain.Thanks for letting me share jn 2016 not years ago and he still says look my ratings are so hi yeah 2009.hello we are not stupid ok.We can read reviews of lies.And if u have followers who pay those hi prices well think again they won’t. Sit back watch how the public will react how he will have to change or go belly up Let’s see him all of a sudden ad more products and soon we will see the snake come out of his True skin.
October 22, 2016 at 2:08 pm |
(Comments above) A rambling mess! Non of your sentences are coherent. Take a spelling class.
February 26, 2017 at 7:08 pm |
You’re right, I can’t make any sense of this person’s comments.
March 2, 2017 at 10:52 pm |
There is room at the top for everyone 😄😀😊
September 18, 2017 at 6:36 am |
Didn’t understand one word of this comment!! Couldn’t tell if this tperson is just a Lessman hater or one card short of a full deck!
December 1, 2017 at 9:25 pm |
Andrew, you are too far above this kind of thing. It is one thing to point out the poor quality of their products their own label as evidence, no need for digs. I have been using your products for many years, I would like to continue to do so at HSN with convenient flex pay. Please tread wisely. You have a wonderful product, it speaks volumes for itself.
October 16, 2019 at 11:51 pm |
meplayers.cambridge-experts.Co.Uk
Judge Rules HSN Vitamin Hawker Andrew Lessman Can Be Even Nastier Than Us In His Blogs About QVC | Homeshoppingista's Blog By Linda Moss
July 16, 2021 at 4:52 pm |
Put away the claws! Just because Lessman reached the financial American dream AND HAS EDUCATED thousands of consumers regarding the possibililties of taking good supplements for our health, his success at both should not inspire such nastiness, but should inspire gratitude.
March 6, 2022 at 3:53 pm |
Wow, is all I can say, and many years late, I may add. I came here to look up something on Andrews products and lets say I got more than I asked for. Lyn sounds like a woman scorned for sure. She was the epitome of the arrogance, to which she claimed Andrew was. If you are going to try and call someone out on their wrongs, please do as Ron and the rest asked and educate yourself. You are one pathetic, dare I say ,lady? Does Andrew make chill pills, as you should be first in line.. I did get my answer I was looking for. ~Bless Your Heart~, Lyn.
July 10, 2022 at 7:18 pm |
I bought alit of supplements and after going through a very ruff couple of years I failed to take them. I’m ready to use them again. My problem is they are expired now. Are they still going to be good?