| QVC | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Launched | 1 October 1993 |
| Owned by | QVC |
| Audience share | 0.2% (February 2008, [1]) |
| Website | www.qvcuk.com |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Freeview | Channel 16 |
| Satellite | |
| Sky Digital | Channel 640 |
| Freesat | Channel 800 |
| Cable | |
| Virgin Media | Channel 740 |
| UPC Ireland | Channel 505 |
QVC is a digital television shopping channel broadcast in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1993 when QVC, Inc. formed a deal with BSkyB to create a UK version of the channel. "QVC — The Shopping Channel" first broadcast in the UK on 1 October 1993. QVC was formerly famous for the sung jingle played in the opening sequence of all its shows, though this is no longer a feature of its programming.
Contents |
History
The United States channel was formed in West Chester, Pennsylvania. It is a multinational corporation, specialising in televised home shopping. It was founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel. QVC broadcasts in four major countries to 141 million consumers. The name is an initialism—standing for "Quality, Value, Convenience"—ostensibly, the three pillars of Segel's vision for the company. However, unlike in the USA, this initialism is no longer used on air in the UK.
Operation in the UK
The UK operation is a wholly owned subsidiary of QVC US and operates from two venues in the United Kingdom. QVC UK's corporate headquarters and broadcasting facilities are located at Marco Polo House, Battersea in London. Extensive call centre and distribution facilities are situated in Kirkby, Knowsley, in Merseyside. Prior to 1998, these facilities were based at Harrington Dock in Liverpool.
QVC UK runs two small outlet stores; one in Warrington, the other in Shrewsbury.
The channel broadcasts live 17 hours a day (the remainder being pre-recorded, highlight material) year round. Currently QVC UK has a market penetration of 15.4 million homes across the cable, satellite, and digital terrestrial platforms. By the platforms nature, satellite also relays the channel across much of mainland Europe. Retail sales for the year 2008 reached £360+ million.
QVC Active
QVC Active is an interactive television service made accessible using the red button on QVC UK's cable, Sky Digital and digital terrestrial services. Across each enhanced television platform, QVC provides information including a 24 hour TV Guide, best selling products of that day and an ability for the viewer to interact with QVC UK's inventory. QVC UK also offers customers on the Sky Digital and some cable television platforms the ability to purchase products using their set-top box.
In 2008 QVC UK launch a multiscreen video service accessible via the interactive television layer. This service (available on Sky Digital) via the red button offers a the viewer to choose from four videos streams, currently:
- QVC Live
- QVC +1 (a time delayed service)
- Todays Special Value (TSV) presentation
- A channel entirely dedicated to QVC UK's beauty product range - QVC Beauty
Q Mobile
Q-Mobile allows customers to place orders and view products through their mobile phones.
Products
QVC organise their product range in to eight distinct categories:
- beauty
- fashion and accessories
- jewellery
- craft and leisure
- for the home
- home electronics
- garden and DIY
- clearance
QVC offer a 30 day moneyback guarantee offer, which entitles the customer to return any item within 30 days, for an exchange or refund.[1]
Presenters
- Julian Ballantyne
- Simon Biagi
- Charlie Brook
- Steven Booth
- Glen Campbell
- Anne Dawson
- Dale Franklin
- Jill Franks
- Pipa Vanderburg
- Debbie Greenwood
- Sara G
- Jilly Halliday
- Anthony Heywood
- Catherine Huntley
- Richard Jackson
- Orlando Khota
- Julia Roberts
- Claire Sutton
- Claudia Sylvester
- Kathy Tayler
- Alison Keenan
- Alison Young
- Craig Rowe
- Debbie Flint
References
External links
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