By Jennifer Leonard

Each year, QVC searches the country for new products perfect to go on air. Entrepreneurs are discovered at trade shows, via professional vendor representatives, on social media and from thousands of online applications.

But what does it take for a product to impress QVC buyers? Here are four must-have qualities:

Highly demonstrable

Part of QVC’s huge appeal is that shoppers have the opportunity to see a product in action.

When Keurig debuted its brewers on QVC in 2005, consumers were able to see in a matter of minutes how the coffee brewed from the individual pods or K-Cups. The simplicity and convenience were readily apparent from the live demonstration, and Keurig has sold more than 3.5 million units since it went on air.

Says T.O. Epps, a vendor representative who has worked with QVC since 1987: “The demonstration engages the consumer. It hooks people and convinces them that it’s the right product for them.”

Solve a problem/Make life easier

Another reason QVC attracts millions of shoppers is it consistently shows new products that fill a need—sometimes even one shoppers haven’t thought of yet.

Take Bethlehem Lights flameless candles. They completely remove the safety risk of an open flame, while still providing the soft lighting of a regular candle.

Epps says: “QVC made flameless candle business. They propelled the market for it. They showed how it goes on and off, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

Broad audience appeal

A QVC product needs to have mass appeal. While the customer base is about 90% female, a new item must work for many ages and sizes.

An example is the new subscription pillow company, One Fresh Pillow, which recently debuted on QVC after being discovered by a vendor representative on Instagram.

Before her deal with the retailer, co-founder Adrianne Kautz explains that she tested her new pillow with a variety of people to rate their satisfaction. “Every single person, from the smallest to the largest, preferred our pillow. Now we knew it was going to work for a majority of people,” she says.

Unique features and benefits

A product also needs to offer something that a consumer can’t find elsewhere. “The key is innovation,” says Epps.

Consider: Inventor Connie Inukai landed on QVC with her idea for the Tip ‘n Split, a handheld LED magnifier with a calculator to tally the tip and help split the check. She filled a need for her Baby-Boomer generation with a unique product to help them better see the check in dimly-lit restaurants.

“I thought QVC would be a perfect place for my idea,” she says. And she was right. After seeing QVC representatives at a trade show, Inukai was recruited as a potential vendor on the spot.

Whether a company is a one-person show or larger, the above qualities are what QVC buyers want in a new product. And while there are no guarantees for success, a vendor that meets these requirements is a step ahead in making it onto QVC’s vast and profitable platforms.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Leonard is a writer at VISTA Today, specializing in retail and consumer marketing. A West Goshen resident, Jennifer has 20 years of experience as a full-time editor and writer for magazines including Woman’s World, Cosmopolitan and Seventeen. Jennifer is available at jleonard@vista.today.

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