Shopping channels (also known in British English as teleshopping) are a type of television program or
specialty channel
A specialty channel (also known in the United States as a cable channel or cable network) can be a commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel which consists of television programming focused on a single genre, subject or targeted ...
devoted to
home shopping Home shopping is the electronic retailing and home shopping channels industry, which includes such billion dollar television-based and e-commerce companies as Shop LC, HSN, Gemporia, TJC, QVC, eBay, ShopHQ, Buy.com and Amazon.com, as well as ...
. Their formats typically feature live presentations and demonstrations of products, hosted by on-air presenters and other spokespeople who provide a
sales pitch
As a selling technique, a sales presentation or sales pitch is a line of talk that attempts to persuade someone or something, with a planned sales presentation strategy of a product or service designed to initiate and close a sale of the produ ...
for the product. Viewers are also instructed on how they can order the product. Shopping channels may focus primarily on mainstream merchandise, or more specialized categories such as high-end fashion and jewelry. The term can also apply to channels whose programming consists exclusively of
direct-response advertising and
infomercial
An infomercial is a form of television commercial that resembles regular TV programming yet is intended to promote or sell a product, service or idea. It generally includes a toll-free telephone number or website. Most often used as a form of dire ...
s.
The concept was first popularized in the United States in the 1980s, when
Lowell "Bud" Paxson and
Roy Speer
Roy Merrill Speer Jr. (June 23, 1932 – August 21, 2012) was an American attorney, and entrepreneur. He was also the former CEO, co-founder and chairman of the Home Shopping Network.
Early life and education
Speer was born in Key West, Florida an ...
launched a local cable channel known as the Home Shopping Club—which later launched nationally as the
Home Shopping Network
HSN, an initialism of its former name Home Shopping Network, is an American free-to-air television network owned by the Qurate Retail Group, which also owns catalog company Cornerstone Brands. Based in the Gateway area of St. Petersburg, Flo ...
(HSN). It later gained competition from
QVC, who would eventually acquire HSN in 2017. Home shopping channels originally relied on telephone ordering, but have since been required to emphasize
online shopping
Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser or a mobile app. Consumers find a product of interest by visiting the website of t ...
as part of their business models in order to compete with online-only competitors (while distinguishing themselves with their use of on-air pitches and offers to entice potential customers). In 2015, QVC acquired the retailer
Zulily
Zulily, LLC is an American e-commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington and owned by Qurate Retail Group. Its target audience is young mothers interested in brand-name goods for their children. It holds no inventory, instead consolida ...
in an effort to expand its presence in online retail.
is another US-based shopping channel.
Outside of the US, few of the notable shopping channels are
TV Shop
TV Shop is a teleshopping channel broadcasting 24 hours a day. It became famous in Europe by being one of the earliest free-to-air (FTA) channels on the Astra satellite. The service was initially set up by Modern Times Group but in 2007 was sol ...
,
QVC UK
QVC UK is a television shopping channel broadcast from the United Kingdom to the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was formed in 1993 when QVC, Inc. agreed to a deal with Sky TV to create a UK version of the US channel. "QVC – The Shopping Chan ...
in Europe,
The Shopping Channel
TSC (formerly The Shopping Channel) is a Canadian discretionary service channel owned by the Rogers Sports & Media subsidiary of Rogers Communications. The channel showcases various products which viewers can purchase either by telephone or inter ...
in New Zealand,
Shop TV
Shop TV is a 24-hour shopping related TV channel owned by Solar Entertainment Corporation.History of Shop TV
retrieved via w ...
in Philippines and
TSC in Canada.
References
Non-store retailing
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