This post is part of our Battle of the Brands feature. Let us know which brand you prefer, and check out other Battle of the Brands posts.
The battle between QVC and HSN is really about celebrity entrepreneurs.
QVC counts the likes of Joan Rivers and Marie Osmond in its stable of shills. Suzanne Somers and Susan Lucci hock their wares on HSN, which is owned by Barry Diller's IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI) conglomerate.
Somewhere around the 1980s or 1990s, Rivers lost her sense of shame and began opening up about everything, including her numerous plastic surgeries. Rivers still is hysterical. Typical is a recent blog post about Passover in which she joked that people eat Matzo (unleavened bread) "Because, you pig, you inherited your mother's big, fat thighs and you should lay off the carbs for at least one day every year."
Anyway, you just gotta love Rivers. She's survived her husband's suicide, the scorn of Johnny Carson and the ridicule of celebrities on the red carpet. Granted that I won't be buying products such as the Joan Rivers Lilly of the Valley Bee Pin, which according to the QVC website "shines with orange and green epoxy enamel and cream simulated pearls as the buds."
Sounds lovely, no?
Yes, I know that Marie Osmond's dolls, some of which cost cost a pretty penny, have their fans. I am sure that people also dig Somers's clothing and jewelry line, which QVC says "capture her beloved, upbeat personality and star quality." Soap queen Lucci offers "romantic fashions, glamorous and skin-toning beauty systems make you feel like a starlet."
If I were a woman instead of a 40-year-old guy whose idea of fashion is a bowling shirt and sandals, I guess that would impress me. I guess women -- the smart ones -- want to be Lucci rather than Britney Spears. Nonetheless, I am awarding the brand title winner based on the strength of Rivers' celebrity alone.
She's taking selling out to an art. Bravo. Spears, who will no doubt be selling stuff to pay her legal bills, should take note.
Vote in our poll for QVC or HSN as your preferred brand, and let us know in the comments why you love it.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-30-2008 @ 11:12AM
DQTX said...
I prefer HSN. QVC charges shipping plus tax. HSN only charges shipping. If you order an item you think is a great price at QVC, by the time they are done, you're paying at least $30 for $22 dollar item.
4-30-2008 @ 8:41PM
Missy41 said...
I prefer Qvc they have a wider vareity of clothing that appeal to real people , not just "fashhionistas" HSN deals with alot of couture lines and really has alot of very age specific things. QVC also keeps in mind that regular poeple have regular things to buy, gardening, beauty, bathroom house cleaning etc. and you can save on shipping if you buy more than one. they also have Buy more save more where they take $3-5 off things that are really popular
5-01-2008 @ 8:07AM
GUMBIE1960 said...
I PERFFER QVC, THEY HAVE A BETTER LINE OF ITEMS NOT THAT HSN DOSEN'T BECAUSE I DO ORDER FROM THEM AS WELL, I DEAL MOSTLY WITH QVC AND THEY HAVE BEEN SO GOOD ABOUT DIFFERENT MATTERS AND HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THINGS THAT I KNOW HSN PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE. THEY STAY ON TOP OF WHAT PEOPLE WANT AND NEED AND DO TRY AND KEEP IN IN RANGE OF PRICE, PLUS THEY HAVE VERY GOOD QUALITY ITEMS. I SAY GOOD LUCK TO BOTH OF THEM THEY NEED THESE TYPE STORES SO PEOPLE CAN SHOP FROM THE COMFORT OF THEIR HOMES. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO . IT SHOULDN'T MATTER WHICH STAR IS ON WHAT SHOW IT IS AND SHOULD BE ABOUT THE PRODUCTS THAT ARE PUT OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO EXAMINE AND BE ABLE TO PURCHASE BUT FOR THE COMPANY TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS. AND TO TREAT THE CUSTOMERS WITH RESEPCT.
5-01-2008 @ 8:08AM
QVC & HSN Shopper said...
Correction to DQTX, both QVC and HSN charge both Tax and Shipping. Shop NBC does not charge tax. Anyway, QVC is the company I trust for unbeatable customer service and integrity. HSN has good prices but if something goes wrong don't count on HSN to make it right. In my experience, QVC is the only shopping channel of the three listed that will alway make it right for the customer.
Happy shopping.