QVC having Black Friday starting Thursday Night

[Robinrs]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...-71580662.html

TV retailer QVC joins `Black Friday' frenzy
By DAVID BAUDER (AP) – 1 day ago

NEW YORK — Television retailer QVC has made aggressive plans to keep shoppers watching — instead of mall-hopping — on Black Friday, an event it has traditionally ignored.

The leading network for TV shoppers promises special deals and a healthy dose of new items for sale starting on Thanksgiving night. Program host Dave James plans to stay awake for 28 hours of telethon-like coverage.

The day after Thanksgiving is traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year, called "Black Friday" because it's key for many businesses to go in the black, or turn a profit. QVC, which competes with ShopNBC and the HSN home shopping network, has not wanted to get caught up in the frenzy and has always treated it as just another day for its sales pitches, said Doug Rose, the network's vice president of programming and marketing.

"This year, and we've been planning on this for many months, we really expect to join the fray with the other retailers," Rose said.

QVC is hoping for a "Black Friday" of its own. Hurt by the same recession that affected other retailers last year, QVC's fourth quarter revenue in 2008 was down 8 percent from the previous year. So far this year revenue has been essentially flat, although the value of the items that QVC is selling is down slightly.

The network generally offers one "special value" item to customers each day. For "Black Friday" coverage, which starts at 8 p.m. EST on Thanksgiving, there will be three.

Every hour, there will be a specially priced offer, and there will be five hours of gifts that have never been available before on the network, QVC said.

"There are a lot of people who think of going to the mall on `Black Friday' as dental surgery — painful and awful," Rose said. "We'll be a good alternative."

Rival HSN, which has also been flat in sales this year, mailed one million gift guides for the first time to people who have bought things through the network in the past. It is also offering specially-priced items over the Thanksgiving weekend, although that's not a shift from what it has done in the past.

HSN also had a "Get Ready for the Holidays" programming theme for the first week of November, for people who wanted advice on cooking and decorating. HSN has a little more than half QVC's sales domestically.

James, a former radio disc jockey, said the closest thing he's come to his upcoming 28-hour marathon is hosting radiothons for about half the time. He said he's working with a nutritionist to prepare him for the ordeal.

He's convinced his family to have an early Thanksgiving dinner and hopes the turkey will let him have a long nap before he goes to QVC's Pennsylvania studio.

"There's going to be coffee — a lot of coffee," he said.

[mamo-4-wdw]

WOW! I can hardly wait. I don't need much this year but I love watching the hosts. Plus I want a keriug coffee maker. This should be fun!!!
Thanks OP

[Robinrs]

Originally Posted by mamo-4-wdw

WOW! I can hardly wait. I don't need much this year but I love watching the hosts. Plus I want a keriug coffee maker. This should be fun!!!
Thanks OP

You're welcome. My co worker's relative works for QVC and gets a 35% discount. I need her on speed dial!!

[Robinrs]

Bump for the night crowd!

[chabs]

Originally Posted by mamo-4-wdw

WOW! I can hardly wait. I don't need much this year but I love watching the hosts. Plus I want a keriug coffee maker. This should be fun!!!
Thanks OP

I read somewhere (maybe even on the Dis) that the Keurig will be today's special value on QVC on the 29th.

[QVCshopper]

Originally Posted by chabs

I read somewhere (maybe even on the Dis) that the Keurig will be today's special value on QVC on the 29th.

That's right... it's the bigger version at a good price.

[Halbleib1]

Originally Posted by Robinrs

You're welcome. My co worker's relative works for QVC and gets a 35% discount. I need her on speed dial!!

Actually they do not get 35% off. My MIL works for them and she gets as high as 30% depending on the item. They have a tiered system depending on what you are buying. Electronics that have been on air she gets 15% and 10% for games for gaming systems and those electronics not on air previously. 30% for kitchen items except for electrical appliances she only gets 15% off as well as for those items not on air. She also receives that discount on the cost of shipping. Sometimes around the holidays they give them a gift of an extra 10% off of everything which might be where the 35% is coming into play. The 35% might also come into play at their work store that only employees can go into. It also varies at the outlet stores. Sometimes she might not get a discount if it is a special price their or a very small one if it is already marked down a lot. Just depends. She does not normally know what her total will be until she calls the order in or checks out in store.

[java]

Just saw the ad - Saturday TSV will be a Dell Laptop and Sunday will be the Keurig- (It's a cute one too they have it in red, black or silver)

I'm thinking laptop now for DH. He wants one to do Photos on the bus. I'm hoping they bundle it with photoshop and easy pay it and then they just might win me over!

[kaytieeldr]

Any indication what the Dell price will be?