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.

Got To Read The Bottom Of ShopNBC Announcements: Touts Its Award As Overall Best-in-Class In Mobile Commerce, But QVC Topped It (See End Of SNBC Press Release)

The Acquity Group, a multichannel commerce and digital marketing company, has chosen ShopNBC’s mobile ecommerce platform for overall “Best-in-Class” in its mobile efforts as well as “Best-in-Class” for the mass merchant industry, the home shopping network said Thursday.

But if you manage to read all the way to the bottom of ShopNBC’s press release, you’ll learn that QVC also made the overall Best-in-Class list. Not ony did QVC make the list, it came in at No. 8, ahead of No. 10 ShopNBC.

Anyway, ShopNBC and QVC’s were reported in Acquity Group’s second annual Mobile Commerce Audit 2010, which identified companies and industries that are pioneering mobile initiatives. The Audit considered all companies listed on the Internet Retailer 500 and evaluated metrics across 18 different categories, including device detection across five browsers (iPhone OS, Android, BlackBerry OS, Palm webOS and Windows CE) and mobile applications for catalog and checkout functionality.

“Ranked 87th in the 2009 Internet Retailer 500 list, ShopNBC has proven themselves adept at leveraging the mobile channel and is ranked in the Top 10 [ No. 10] of retailers for mobile commerce according to Acquity Group’s Mobile Audit,” Tom Nawara, Acquity Group Managing Director of Digital Strategy & Design, said in a canned statement.

True, but again, rival QVC was ahead of ShopNBC by two spots,

“ShopNBC’s implementation of optimized sites and m-commerce checkout across multiple mobile OS platforms and browsers as well as a related iPhone application gives them a Top 10 ranking in this year’s assessment,” he said.

ShopNBC partnered with Usablenet to develop a mobile-enabled version of its website, which was launched last December.

ShopNBC’s mobile site was designed with a similar look-and-feel of its website, and caters to the mobile shopper. The most sought-after locations by ShopNBC mobile shoppers include the multi-media retailer’s top promotions Today’s Top Value, On Air Now, and Last 12 Items On Air.

New and existing mobile shoppers can make purchases in a few easy steps and also access their account and order status as well as review a 24-hour online program guide and search for any product available on the site. In addition, ShopNBC has an iPhone application, which accounts for over 40 percent of its mobile traffic.

“Mobile commerce is a game-changer in the e-commerce arena,” Carol Steinberg, ShopNBC’s senior vice president of E-commerce, marketing and business development, said in her canned statement. “Not only is consistency in the brand and user experience critical when adding on another e-commerce dimension to one’s multi-media retailing business, but it also important to ensure consumers are able to connect emotionally with the brand and maintain familiarity with its content, products and services when mobile shopping.”

Added Steinberg, “We are appreciative of the recognition from Acquity. We believe it’s important to provide our customers access to our product offerings in ways that are most convenient to them. Because today’s customer is also seeking faster and easier ways to shop, our mobile site provides them with another interactive alternative. To date, our mobile initiatives have resonated strongly with them with strong customer behavior in orders per day, conversion rates, and average order values.”

This was toward the end of ShopNBC’s release: “The other companies named to Acquity Group’s 2010 overall Best-in-Class list include: Amazon, Best Buy, 1-800-Flowers.com, Barnes and Noble, Indigo Books & Music, Sears Holdings, Overstock.com, QVC and Target.”

Acquity Group is a multichannel commerce and digital marketing company that helps global brands create award-winning digital experiences, aiming to create brand-unique experiences that build unbreakable customer relationships.

The purpose of the Acquity Group Internet Retailer 500 Mobile Audit is to identify companies and industries on the leading edge of mobile-commerce initiatives. Leaders were honored with the Acquity Group Mobile Commerce Overall Best-in-Class designation. All Best-in-Class companies are leaders in recognizing this trend and initiating mobile development.

QVC Debuts Desktop Alert For Microsoft Windows

QVC has launched the QVC Desktop Alert, giving customers another opportunity to stay connected to its daily product offerings and special values, the company said Monday.

Available as a free download off of QVC.com, the QVC Desktop Alert provides Microsoft Windows users the opportunity to subscribe to real-time information, updated every few seconds.

This information includes the home shopping networks’ Today’s Special Value and One Time Only Value. Additionally, users can shop QVC’s live show through the “Item On-Air” feature.

“We’re always looking for ways to help our customers stay connected to QVC no matter where they are or what they are doing,” said Angie Simmons, QVC’s executive vice president of multichannel platforms. “The QVC Desktop Alert is the perfect solution for our customers who want to stay in the know, but need to maintain their busy schedules. We’re thrilled to provide our customers with another way to experience QVC.”

The QVC Desktop Alert can be individually customized – customers can choose which product alerts they receive or they can simply browse through the application’s features at their leisure. The application also links users to QVC.com, to Speed Buy items, to view items on-air or to view a Web stream of the live broadcast.

As part of the company’s “QVC Everywhere” initiative, customers can now shop QVC through the live broadcast, Web site (QVC.com) and desktop application, as well as through their mobile devices.

In January 2009, QVC made its mobile debut, rolling out a suite of services, including features to receive mobile alerts and to buy items sold on QVC via text ordering.

Additionally, it simultaneously unveiled its mobile Web site, m.QVC.com, where customers can browse QVC product, program information and make purchases.

Most recently, in December 2009, QVC launched an application for iPhone and iPod touch on the App Store, enabling the more than 50 million users of these devices to shop QVC anywhere.

ShopNBC Customers Can Now Place Orders Directly From Their Mobile Devices

If we had had a BlackBerry or iPhone, we would love this: ShopNBC customers will now be able to order goodies from the home shopping channel directly from their mobile devices.

Tuesday ShopNBC said it is launching new mobile e-commerce capabilities as well as a second version two of its ShopNBC iPhone application, which will enable customers to shop and place orders directly from smart mobile phones and devices, including iPhone, iPod Touch, BlackBerry, Palm Pre and Droid.

The all-new ShopNBC mobile platform was developed in partnership with Usablenet, a mobile Web platform for leading brands, offers on-the-go access to ShopNBC.com.

ShopNBC customers can shop and order from the multichannel electronic retailer’s entire selection of more than 10,000 items, discover daily specials, search for products by keyword or item number, and check order and shipping status.

In concert with the new mobile e-commerce enhancements, ShopNBC is also rolling out its second version of its iPhone application. Last April ShopNBC became the first TV shopping retailer to release a shopping application for the iPhone and iPod touch.

The new ShopNBC version, available as a free download from iTunes.com, builds on the success of the initial ShopNBC iPhone app by offering a more comprehensive, user-friendly interface, which includes key features of ShopNBC.com and the ability to order directly from the iPhone and iPod Touch.

“We are excited about advancing the cause of our mobile e-commerce strategy for the benefit of the customer,” Carol Steinberg, ShopNBC’s senior vice president of e-commerce and marketing, said in a prepared statement.

“With fast, easy access to our entire product selection coupled with the ability to accept merchandise orders directly from mobile devices, ShopNBC has further enhanced its shopping experience. Now, in step with an on-the-go lifestyle, customers have the ease of knowing that ShopNBC’s unique items and top values are always at their fingertips.”

Home-Shopaholics Rejoice: QVC Has Launched New Free iPHone App

Now QVC addicts can buy items on the home shopping network no matter where they are, via their iPhone and iPod Touch.

The No. 1 home shopping network is now offering a QVC iPhone App so you can “stay in the know when you’re on the go with fashion, beauty, jewelry, electronics, and more. Plus, never miss another Today’s Special Value — our best offer of the day, good for one day only,” QVC says on its Web site.

QVC says you can search for products, “Speed Buy” items, and stay connected with QVC with “this easy-to-use application that anyone can download for free.”

Existing customers can Speed Buy an item by entering their account information. New customers can use a “Call to Order feature” to order over the phone or create an account.

The QVC App’s features include:

An easy-to-navigate home page that features QVC’s top promotions and products. Users can find the Today’s Special Value offer, One Time Only Values, items on the air, and items recently on the air all in one place.

Full search capability to make it easy to find items, by searching by item number, product description, brand, phrase or word.

With just one tap users can view product images, information, sizing and color swatches.

You can e-mail an item to a friend or to yourself as a reminder to view a product later.

You can Speed Buy to purchase items quickly. Current customers can use their existing QVC account information (Customer Number or e-mail address and PIN) to Speed Buy items.

If you aren’t a QVC customer or don’t have your account information handy, you can just use the Call to Order feature to complete your order over the phone. Our app can also save your Customer Number for faster purchases in the future.

“QVC has evolved into a destination of community – it’s a place where shoppers gather to be entertained and informed,” Angie Simmons, QVC’s executive vice president of multichannel platforms, said in a canned statement. “This app for iPhone and iPod touch is an intelligent extension of our mobile presence. Developed with the customer in mind, it allows them to stay connected to our dynamic programming anytime, no matter where they are.”

The QVC App is compatible with the iPhone and iPod Touch, and requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.

In January QVC made its mobile debut, rolling out a suite of services, including features to receive mobile alerts and to buy items sold on QVC via text ordering. Additionally, it simultaneously unveiled its mobile Web site, m.QVC.com, where customers can browse QVC product, show information and make purchases.