How to get your product into QVC
- Understand you client: Before you spend a lot of time and money creating a product, you should know if anyone will want to buy it. Learn more about Market Research
- Learn if it’s protectable: Know if you can defend your product against cheap copies if it gets knocked off. Learn more about Copyright and Patent your product
- Test your product: Make sure that there’s a demand for your product and the customer understands what you are selling when it’s on the shelf and nobody is there to explain it. Learn more about Product Testing
- Perfect your pitch: Before you speak to decision makers, know your numbers, know your retailer and know your logistics in and out. Learn more about Pitching Your Product
- Don’t do it alone: If you haven’t been successful in retail before, a secret of success is that you can’t do it alone. Having great sales staff, customer support and marketing partners can take you from zero to success faster than if you tried on your own. Learn more about Retail Partnerships
How to get into QVC
Qurate Retail, Inc., formerly Liberty Interactive Corporation, owns interests in subsidiaries and other companies, which are primarily engaged in the video and online commerce industries. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, the Company operates in North America, Europe, and Asia. The Company’s principal businesses and assets include its subsidiaries QVC, Inc. (QVC), zulily, llc (zulily) and and Home Shopping Network (HSN).
Founded in 1986, QVC (an acronym for “Quality Value Convenience”) is an American free-to-air television network, and flagship shopping channel specializing in televised home shopping that is owned by Qurate Retail Group. QVC broadcasts to more than 350 million households in seven countries, including channels in the UK, Germany, Japan, and Italy, along with a joint venture in China with China National Radio called CNR Mall.
This company basically deals in the retail world. Its television network is also reflective of its retail origins. It shows discount sales, massive clearance sales, and a lot of steep sales on its network. The network has been a major show in several countries of the world.
QVC broadcasts live in the United States 24/7, 364 days a year to more than 100 million households, and ranks as the number two television network in terms of revenue (#1 in home shopping networks), with sales in 2015 giving a net revenue of $8.7 billion. The only day on which QVC does not broadcast its usual format is Christmas, when the station runs a taped telecast of the West Chester Christmas Parade and other pre-recorded programming.
Every year the “QVC Presents ‘FFANY Shoes on Sale'” event is broadcast in which donated designer shoes are sold at half the suggested retail price and 80% of the proceeds go to breast cancer research and education. It is organized with the Fashion Footwear Association of New York, which runs coinciding Shoes on Sale initiative along with an awards gala.
As a supplier, you can get to work with this company on showcasing your business. You may have to get into contact with the company via its website or the physical office. The shows of this company are widely viewed. It records viewing in more than 350 million households.
QVC’s U.S. operations are based in the Studio Park complex, which houses its corporate headquarters, studio and broadcasting facilities. Studio Park is the former corporate offices of Commodore Business Machines. Call center facilities are located in Chesapeake, Virginia, and San Antonio, Texas. QVC’s distribution centers are located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Suffolk, Virginia; Florence, South Carolina; Rocky Mount, North Carolina and Ontario, California. Its 2013 sales were worth $5.84 billion.
QVC U.S. also operates a retail store at their Studio Park complex, and two outlet stores in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Frazer, Pennsylvania.
Submit Your Product to QVC Foods
Skip the cold outreach. Mr. Checkout presents products to corporate chain buyers and also works a network of thousands of independent retailers that build real reorder proof. Tell us about your product below and a real person will read it.
Becoming A QVC Supplier
Becoming a QVC supplier begins with going to the QVC website and traveling down to the footer of the website under their ‘Work with us’ section and clicking the ‘vendor resources’ link.
Through the home page you can click on the Vendors tab to be brought to a screen where you will be able to submit your product.
QVC will take you through its prompts until you get to a ‘submit here’ button which will bring you to the submission form. You will have to also submit your contact information and product information in order to complete the submission process
The cool thing about QVC’s product submission portal is that if you have multiple products, you can submit another submission for another product you may be interested in putting on the market through QVC.
Truly becoming a vendor for QVC begins at the work station before you submit your product to the submission portal. You have to evaluate whether or not you’re working with a product that may be within an oversaturated market or even if QVC finds value in a product of your category.
You must make sure you have a concise and well put together brand that fully represents your business and your product. Also important, your product packaging must be within compliance with regulatory standards and consumer friendly.
Traditionally marketing your product is important as well, try to get in contact or in the same space as a buyer for QVC. You can even attend trade shows were product purchasers frequent to aid in your journey onto retail shelves.
Contact QVC Buyer
Do not trust any “list” of buyers.
Typically retail buyers change either companies or positions every few years. This strategy helps retailers know that their buyers are not taking “kick-backs” and are selecting the very best product for the very best position each time.
Buyers are typically held to a very rigorous standard of sell-through volume that they must hit and because of this they are risk averse. Your job as a supplier or vendor is to convince them that the buyers going into the stores not only know about what you’re selling but are actively seeking the product in the store currently.
How to Submit a Product to QVC
There are several ways to get a product placed in QVC. However, most entrepreneurs only dream about getting their product distributed to major retailers, few actually do it. We have experienced a significant rise in interest since the show Shark Tank started airing on NBC. Mr. Checkout has had the pleasure of working with a few Shark Tank success stories such as KISStixx and 180 Party Cups which are now currently being distributed around the country to stores like Walmart, Target, Kroger, 7-Eleven and more.
If you envision your product would be a good fit for QVC, we have a few steps to help you get your product on their shelves.
Here are the 6 steps you need to take to have your product placed in QVC.
1. Start with the right questions.) Before you try distributing your product to QVC, you need to ask yourself a few basic questions. Do you need to build demand for your product, or is there already a demand for it Do you know that QVC would be interested in selling your product If you can strike a deal with QVC, can you handle the production volume Do you want to sell directly to QVC, or do you want to license your product to a manufacturer that will handle distribution
2. Be prepared to profit.) Does your product offer enough of a profit margin for QVC Can you sell your product at a reasonable enough profit to cover the packaging, shipping, commissions, marketing and wholesale distribution Check QVC’s guidelines for other fees that you will have to build into the cost of your product in order for you to be able to turn enough of a profit to make the effort worth your while. If you work with a discount retailer, they will try to strip your profits down to zero in order to keep their prices as low as possible.
The typical breakdown of margins are: If a products costs $1 to produce, that product will retail for $4. That product that retails for $4 will wholesale for $2 to distributors and stores that purchase direct. Big box retailers like QVC may offer to pay $1.25 to the manufacturer if the product costs $1 to produce. That is the typical profit margin.
3. Determine if QVC is the right store for your product.) The relationship between you and QVC starts with you browsing their store for competing products. If QVC already has a similar product, it is going to be very difficult to get your product picked up. Spend some time at your local QVC to see what kind of products they are selling, speak to the manager and see if he thinks your product will sell well in their store. Picture in which zone your product would best fit on the shelf and keep in mind that the most precious asset that these big box stores value are their shelf space. Keep this information in mind when you are preparing your presentation to QVC.
If your company is minority or women owned, check QVC’s website and see if they offer specific opportunities for those designations.
4. Pitch your product to QVC.) Decide whether it will be you or a representative to present your product to QVC. Your presentation depends heavily on your strengths as a businessperson as they will most likely ask financial questions and logistics questions.
It’s common for companies to hire a broker to pitch their product to QVC, as it will be more likely that your product will make it to the next stage if the individual pitching your product has industry knowledge or a personal relationship with QVC. The percentage of commission verses, however generally a broker will take around 5% to represent your product to QVC.
We at Mr. Checkout have experience dealing with brokers and know that there are several retail brokers that have poor business practices that can potentially damage your brand. If you are seeking a legitimate QVC broker, please give us a call for a recommendation. It could save you a huge headache and a lot of money.
5. Complete the required QVC paperwork.) Often QVC will have you go through an application process. However, before submitting the paperwork required by QVC, you should contact a buyer at QVC and let them know your intentions. Having a contact inside of the company will potentially move your application more smoothly through the process.
6. Anticipate the need for increased volume.) Having QVC agree to stock your product will most likely mean a significant increase in volume. You should be prepared to ramp up your production and informing your manufacturer of this opportunity.
Having production, logistics and distribution to sync is not only difficult, it requires a significant amount of time invested in customer relations. Also, QVC may have stipulations in the contract that may penalize you for delays in shipping and production. Have an attorney explain all contracts to you if you don’t understand the terms.
If you’re looking to sell your product to QVC, be sure to thoroughly assess the marketplace, carefully prepare for production growth, and take full advantage of resources available to help you grow your business.
Submit Your Product Now
(est. time 3 minutes)