Home Shopping Network

Home Shopping Network was the first televised home shopping network in the country, and it remains one of the most popular. A pioneer in electronic retailing, the company also sells products through its website and mail-order catalogs.

A History of Home Shopping Network

Home Shopping Network had its beginnings in 1977, when an advertiser at a Clearwater, Florida, AM radio station could not pay his bill. In lieu of payment the advertiser gave the station 112 electric can openers, which the station auctioned off on the air.

This was the beginning of the regular radio show "Suncoast Bargaineers," which moved to Tampa Bay public access television in 1981 and "Home Shopping Channel." In 1982, the show was promoted to a full-fledged cable channel in Tampa, and in 1985 the concept was taken nationwide under the name "Home Shopping Club." About 75,000 regular customers shopped with the club that year.

In 1986 the Home Shopping Network became a publicly traded company on the American Stock Exchange. In 1995, Barry Diller, former chairman of the board and CEO of Paramount Pictures and FOX, bought the company and began serving as chairman of the board.

HSN, Inc., the parent company of the Home Shopping Network, purchased a controlling interest in Ticketmaster in 1997 and acquired most of Universal Studio's television assets, including the USA network and Sci-Fi. The next year the company changed its name to USA Networks, Inc., and bought the rest of Ticketmaster.

The company also launched a division that produces direct-selling advertisement (also known as infomercials) for other networks and has expanded its relationship with other television networks and publications.

The Home Shopping Network's website was launched in 1999, and in 2000 the company officially changed its name to HSN. The company's single-day sales record was made in 2003, when more than $30 million in sales were made in one day.

Today, the Home Shopping Network reaches 89 million homes and is the fourth largest cable network (QVC ranks second). Worldwide sales in 2005 were more than $3 billion, representing more than 60 million products and 66 million phone calls received.

Shopping with Home Shopping Network

HSN offers more than 25,000 different items in a range of categories including home entertainment, health and beauty, electronics, fashion and jewelry. Distribution centers in Virginia, Tennessee and California ensure timely delivery of products throughout the nation. International distribution centers are located in Japan, Germany and China.

The company is proud to feature many well-known and respected brands, such as:

  • Canon
  • Kodak
  • Samsung
  • JVC
  • Gateway
  • Epson
  • Fuji
  • Cuisinart
  • Hunter
  • Reebok
  • Samsonite
  • Hoover
  • Omaha Steaks
  • NFL licensed apparel and other items

HSN also has partnerships with famous personalities who market their product lines on the network. Some of the big names of HSN include:

  • Wolfgang Puck
  • Roy Yamiguchi
  • Suzanne Somers
  • Susan Lucci
  • Patti Labelle
  • Lauren Hutton

Like other home shopping networks, HSN is based on the idea that people can watch personalities and hosts talk about different products and call in to buy what they see on the screen. Even in the Internet age, this method of shopping is incredibly popular.

Home Shopping Network Online

It's a little bit easier and less time consuming to shop with HSN if you use the website to help you out. A program guide will let you know when products you are interested in are being shown on the network, so you can always get more information that way.

The site includes a link to "today's special," an item that is discounted for 24 hours, as well as information about what product is currently on the air. You can even watch HSN live on your computer and chat with other customers about the products.

You can also browse online to discover new products in their jewelry, fashion, beauty, health and fitness, home, kitchen and dining, electronics, crafts, toys and NFL departments. Some items can only be found online, so using the website exclusively or in connecting with watching HSN is a great way to discover new products and save some money.

HSN also offers bulletin boards where customers can chat, a wish list mechanism and daily e-mail alerts that will let you know what the special product of the day is.