QVC and HSN's The Big Find Goes Virtual for 2020
Product Search Returns for Second Year with Virtual Pitch Panel Experience, Four Additional Categories and International Reach
WEST CHESTER, Pennsylvania, July 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- QVC US and HSN, the world leaders in building brands through multiplatform storytelling, today announce the return of The Big Find®, an international search to discover entrepreneurs with the next big brand or unique product for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share their stories with an audience of millions.
The Big Find pitch panel experience has been reimagined as an entirely virtual event to allow for safe and convenient engagement between vendors and QVC and HSN judges. The first step in the process of discovery is for entrepreneurs and inventors to complete an application that includes a video submission on their product or product lines from July 8 through August 19.
Selected candidates will then be invited to pitch their products virtually in September via videoconference to a panel of QVC and HSN judges, including merchandising executives, program hosts, and brand founders from established QVC and HSN brands. The panel of QVC and HSN judges will interview candidates to learn more about their brand story, background on the product or invention and what makes the product interesting or relevant. If an entrepreneur or vendor is identified as a 'Big Ticket' recipient, she or he will be invited to continue the product discovery process with QVC or HSN which includes meetings with merchandising teams and a robust quality assurance process before the brand is chosen to launch on-air and on-line across all platforms.
This year's search has been expanded to include nine categories. Last year, entrepreneurs representing apparel, jewelry, accessories, footwear and beauty applied for The Big Find. In 2020, QVC and HSN are adding home décor, home innovation, electronics and culinary including food to the eligible category list. Expansion into the four new categories is due, in part, to extraordinary growth in these categories. Shoppers' buying habits shifted during the last several months of restricted activities and products in the category of 'home essentials' including home office, food & storage, tech resources and beautification of home have become shoppers' primary interest.
Through The Big Find and similar initiatives, QVC and HSN have built a track record of launching and fostering the growth of up-and-coming brands and small businesses by harnessing the power of storytelling and discovery-driven shopping experiences. Over the years, the two retailers have helped multiple entrepreneurial brands become national and international success stories, including IT Cosmetics, TATCHA, SPANX®, Junior's Cheesecake, Korres, and others.
"Our business has always been rooted in discovering and nurturing authentic, emerging brands, and our customers have really enjoyed getting to know the many inspiring entrepreneurs and products we discovered through last year's Big Find," said Mary Campbell, Chief Merchandising Officer, Qurate Retail Group, and Chief Commerce Officer, QVC US. "We're excited about building on that success with this year's search. By adding new categories, we look forward to creating even more opportunities for entrepreneurs with unique products and compelling stories to work with us in curating differentiated product experiences for our customers."
Last year's inaugural Big Find nationwide search brought in more than 650 entries from 43 US states, the District of Columbia, and 12 countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, India, South Africa, Switzerland and United Kingdom, among others. More than 65 rising brands in beauty and fashion were selected to introduce their products across QVC and HSN platforms throughout 2020, including Act & Acre, Alkaglam, Mented Cosmetics, Follain, Have Some Fun Today, Valencia Key and many more. This year, QVC and HSN expect to exceed the number of brands identified through The Big Find 2020.
"Participating in The Big Find and becoming a part of the QVC and HSN vendor community has been an incredible journey," said KJ Miller, Co-Founder, Mented Cosmetics. "The platforms have allowed us to share our story with a new set of customers and bring our brand to life in a way we would not be able to achieve through traditional retail channels. The teams at QVC and HSN have guided our way throughout this entire experience, providing us with invaluable feedback and support. We have already seen strong growth to our business, and we are looking forward to continued success together."
QVC and HSN have further deepened their support of small businesses this year through Qurate Retail's Small Business Spotlight initiative, in collaboration with the NRF Foundation. Through this initiative, QVC and HSN have provided a visibility platform and a mentorship program to approximately 20 small businesses across the country. In addition, the companies are launching a new phase of the Small Business Spotlight to highlight Black-owned small businesses across their on-air and digital platforms as well as Black-owned brands that are current QVC and HSN vendors.
To learn more about The Big Find, search "The Big Find" on QVC.com and HSN.com.
About QVC® and HSN®
QVC delivers the joy of discovery through the power of relationships. Every day, QVC engages millions of shoppers in a journey of discovery through an ever-changing collection of familiar brands and fresh new products, from home and fashion to beauty, electronics, and jewelry. Along the way, QVC connects shoppers to interesting personalities, engaging stories, and award-winning customer service. Based in West Chester, PA and founded in 1986, QVC has retail operations in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Japan, Italy, and through a joint venture in China. Worldwide, QVC engages shoppers on 13 broadcast networks reaching approximately 380 million homes and on multiple websites, mobile apps, and social pages. To learn more, visit corporate.qvc.com, follow @QVC on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, or follow QVC on Pinterest, YouTube, or LinkedIn.
HSN delivers the thrill of discovery through inspiring her passions. HSN is a leading interactive and lifestyle retailer, offering a curated assortment of exclusive products and top brand names to its customers. HSN incorporates entertainment, personalities, and industry experts to provide an entirely unique shopping experience. At HSN, customers find exceptional selections in health and beauty, jewelry, home/lifestyle, fashion/accessories, and electronics. HSN engages customers on two broadcast networks reaching approximately 92 million homes, and on a website, mobile apps, and social pages. HSN was founded over 40 years ago as the first shopping network and is based in St. Petersburg, Fla. To learn more, visit corporate.hsn.com, follow @HSN on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, or follow HSN on Pinterest, YouTube, or LinkedIn.
Qurate Retail, Inc. (NASDAQ: QRTEA, QRTEB) includes QVC®, HSN, Zulily® and the Cornerstone brands (collectively, "Qurate Retail GroupSM"), as well as other minority interests and green energy investments. Qurate Retail Group believes in a Third Way to Shop® – beyond transactional ecommerce or traditional brick-and-mortar stores. In addition to being #1 in video commerce, Qurate Retail Group is among the top 10 ecommerce retailers in North America (according to Digital Commerce 360) and is a leader in mobile commerce and social commerce. For more information, visit www.qurateretailgroup.com, follow @QurateRetailGrp on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or follow Qurate Retail Group on YouTube or LinkedIn.
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