Home shopping cable networks QVC and HSN have launched an interactive streaming service on Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Flex services, becoming the first shopping app on either Comcast Corp. platform.
It is also the first time that a pay TV and internet provider has launched what Englewood, Colorado-based parent company Qurate Retail Group (NASDAQ: QRTEA) is simply calling QVC and HSN Streaming Service.
While the move doesn’t expand the household reach for QVC or HSN, the streaming app does provide a new entry point to reach Comcast subscribers. While viewers are currently able to learn about products and watch original content on the app, they complete their purchases via computer or phone. Now, QVC and HSN plan to make their streaming service shoppable by early 2022 across all platforms, which in addition to Comcast’s Xfinity devices also include Roku, Amazon Fire TV, LG’s Shop Time app and Apple TV. That will enable viewers to sign into their accounts and complete purchases.
Philadelphia-based Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) already carries the West Chester-based QVC and St. Petersburg, Florida-based HSN cable television channels, both owned by Qurate.
Now with the rollout of what is being simply called the QVC and HSN Streaming Service, Comcast’s X1 (traditional cable) and Flex (broadband-only video) customers can access six cable channels (QVC, QVC2, QVC3, QVC Now, HSN and HSN2) in one place.
In addition, the streaming service provides access to a catalog of video-on-demand and original programming geared for streaming. such as “Travel, Cook, Repeat with Curtis Stone,” “One on Wine” with QVC foodie and host Mary DeAngelis and “Mally Makes It Better” featuring makeup maven Mally Roncal.
“Our goal is that this becomes our flagship experience, because it’s so much richer than the [linear-only] experience,” said Qurate CEO Mike George in an interview with Variety. George, a West Chester-based executive, was not made available by the company Wednesday. George plans to retire from Qurate at the end of this year.
X1 and Flex customers can access the streaming service by saying "QVC HSN Streaming Service app" into their Xfinity voice remote or find it within the app section of either platform. To raise awareness of the streaming app more broadly among Comcast users, QVC and HSN's linear channels are promoting the app, and QVC and HSN videos may have editorial opportunities to appear in Comcast video on-demand collections.
Qurate said the launch marks another step in QVC and HSN's strategic initiative to continue expanding its reach on new media and digital commerce platforms. QVC and HSN reach a combined total of 218 million homes worldwide via television and reach millions more through streaming, digital, mobile and social platforms.
With so many people homebound due to the pandemic, Qurate’s 2020 revenue increased by 5% to $14.2 billion, after it declined from 2018 to 2019 from $14.1 billion to $13.5 billion.
Adjusted net income increased by 54% in 2020 to $1.26 billion. And compared to the same period of 2020, first quarter 2021 revenue increased by 13% to $3.3 billion. Adjusted net income increased by 78% to $201 million. The company’s stock was trading midday Wednesday at $13.12, up by nearly 1% from its previous close.
George had said in a May 2020 interview with the Philadelphia Business Journal that he expected Qurate to be “among the winners” as consumers shopped more online and on television while stuck at home.
Rebecca Heap, senior vice president of video and entertainment for Xfinity consumer services, said in a statement that the launch of Qurate’s app on Xfinity X1 and Flex “gives our customers another way to enjoy QVC and HSN content beyond the traditional linear channels already available.”
