Comments on: Quirks, Viewers, Commerce are the Real QVC http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2010/03/04/quirks-viewers-commerce-are-the-real-qvc/ Responses to Media and Culture Fri, 12 Feb 2016 19:35:04 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.5 By: Minneapolis Homes blogger http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2010/03/04/quirks-viewers-commerce-are-the-real-qvc/comment-page-1/#comment-1682 Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:22:20 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=2160#comment-1682 It’s true that QVC always gives me a warm and interactive feel, and my parents LOVE those home shopping channels and can watch them all day on weekend.

]]> By: Erin Copple Smith http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2010/03/04/quirks-viewers-commerce-are-the-real-qvc/comment-page-1/#comment-1060 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:26:31 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=2160#comment-1060 Thanks for sharing these examples, Myles. I don’t watch Shark Tank and I’m behind on Big Love (no HBO), so I hadn’t come across them. Your analysis of them is very interesting! It is rather astonishing to realize just how profitable these enterprises are–$80 million in orders in a single day (even if that is the record) is nothing to sneeze at, certainly.

Actually, the issue of the profitability and viability of selling products on television brings to mind the series Pitchmen, which followed =Anthony “Sully” Sullivan and the late Billy Mays, highly regarded (and very successful) infomercial hosts. Truly, if there’s any TV format more denigrated than home shopping, it’s got to be the infomercial, and yet that series demonstrated how incredibly successful and lucrative the field actually is!

]]> By: Myles McNutt http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2010/03/04/quirks-viewers-commerce-are-the-real-qvc/comment-page-1/#comment-1056 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:18:07 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=2160#comment-1056 I admittedly don’t watch much home shopping (and no QVC, being located north of the border), but I think it’s interesting to see two examples of these types of channels gaining some foothold in other series.

On the reality side, ABC’s Shark Tank has Kevin Harrington, who runs the Home Shopping Network, as one of its “Sharks” who offers business opportunities to entrepreneurs. I was admittedly a bit thrown when he started talking about how big certain products would be on television, as I hadn’t really thought of that as a true 21st-century way to sell products.

And on the drama side, Margene on Big Love has transitioned into a new career as a personality on a QVC-like channel, and the negotiation of her on-screen persona has become a plot point as she deals with the rest of her family drama.

In both examples, these channels are held to a fairly high standard: Margene rakes in the dough, viewership is high, and Kevin is a huge success story. Sure, it’s in the best interest (or the sole interest) of both shows to establish that sort of image of home shopping, but it’s interesting that despite my initial skepticism I sort of bought it at the end of the day.

]]> By: Erin Copple Smith http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2010/03/04/quirks-viewers-commerce-are-the-real-qvc/comment-page-1/#comment-1052 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:03:08 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=2160#comment-1052 Great point, Brad, and I think you’re absolutely right. The prime real estate is still prime, but perhaps losing value a bit. Though I would argue that, even if we’re not channel surfing like we used to (moving through each channel in such a way that we actually see the content for a split second), we are surfing through our digital guides. So when you see “Bare Escentuals” or “Home Cooking with Paula Deen” listed in the guide, you might be more likely to then visit the channel. And I know I end up scrolling through the offerings from channels 2-70 much more than anything higher.

Nonetheless, you’re right that the model is changing. QVC seems to be attempting to develop other methods to get our attention, including placing ads on other channels–something I don’t ever recall seeing prior to a couple of years ago. So now you could be watching Project Runway (or whatever) and see an ad for QVC. That’s definitely new and marks an attempt to move away from the channel surfing model you describe so nicely above.

]]> By: More Kiva questions « Communication 509 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2010/03/04/quirks-viewers-commerce-are-the-real-qvc/comment-page-1/#comment-1050 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:11:43 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=2160#comment-1050 […] (For a useful example of the type of analysis I’m suggesting, see this blog entry about QVC.) […]

]]> By: Brad Schauer http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2010/03/04/quirks-viewers-commerce-are-the-real-qvc/comment-page-1/#comment-1049 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:47:00 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=2160#comment-1049 Great post, Erin. (Although I think the only time I watched QVC for more than a couple of minutes was when I was 12 and Mark Hamill was selling lightsabers or something.)

The USA TODAY link raises an interesting question. QVC pays a fortune for its “prime real estate”, as you put it — its low channel number. The idea is that you flip past it while on the way to watch something else, some awesome item (or celebrity) on QVC catches your eye, and suddenly you’re on the phone with your credit card in hand.

In that USA TODAY article, a former QVC marketing exec wonders if this strategy still works in today’s “on-demand” TV landscape. Beyond that, I wonder if people are still channel-surfing like they used to. With digital cable and satellite TV, you browse using the on-screen guide, so you’re not really getting a look at what they’re selling on QVC.

I’m sure it’s still preferable for QVC to be channel 4 (like in Madison) than snuggled amongst the digital music channels in the 200s, but I wonder if QVC will have additional trouble attracting new customers as more people switch to digital cable and satellite.

]]> By: Sharon Fisher http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2010/03/04/quirks-viewers-commerce-are-the-real-qvc/comment-page-1/#comment-1046 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:23:46 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=2160#comment-1046 You’ve hit the nail on the head regarding QVC. I have enjoyed watching for years, and sometimes feel like the hosts are old friends. Great read, thanks!

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