QVC Launches Fifth Global Market

WEST CHESTER, Pa., Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- At midnight local time today, QVC Italy began broadcasting live from its new studios in Milan, Italy to an audience in more than 18 million Italian homes. The launch brings QVC Inc.'s reach to approximately 200 million homes worldwide.

"QVC's track record of success in the U.S., United Kingdom, Germany and Japan proves that our business model can cross borders, and gives us confidence that Italy is the ideal choice as our next market," says Mike George, QVC's president and CEO.  "We're excited to introduce Italian consumers to a whole new way to shop."  

QVC Italy will feature informative presentations of the latest products from some of the world's most respected brands in fashion, beauty, jewelry, electronics and home. Beauty brands include: Bare Escentuals, Mally Beauty, L'Occitane, Perricone MD, Ojon and Decleor; Jewelry brands include: Honora, Veronese, Skagen, Paola Valentini, Unoaerre, Morini, Murano and Falcinelli Italy; Fashion and Accessories brands include: Kathy Van Zeeland, Tignanello, Kipling, Nina Leonard, Bric's, Bills and Sesto Marino; Electronics and Home brands include: Dell, Panasonic, Krups, Pioneer, Moulinex, Dyson, KitchenAid, Bialetti, Severin, Jura, Lavazza, Saeco and Moneta.

The first product QVC Italy offered at midnight was the Bare Escentuals Intro to Bare Beauty Six-Piece Makeup Kit as the Today's Special Value® (TSV) -- an item offered at an exceptionally low price -- good for that given day, until 11:59 PM, unless it sells out sooner. The kit includes the bareMinerals All Over Face Color in Warmth, the bareMinerals Mineral Veil in Original, the bareMinerals Original Foundation in two shades, the Full Flawless Application Face Brush and the Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush. Available in four shades: light, medium, tan or dark, the TSV Price is 38.00 EUR (approximately US $51).

The new Milan headquarters was designed from the ground up, combining administrative offices, a full HD broadcast studio, and a call center, all under one roof.  Customer orders will be fulfilled out of QVC's state-of-the-art distribution facility in Huckelhoven, Germany.  At launch QVC Italy reaches more than 18 million Italian households 24 hours a day with 17 hours of live programming. The channel is available on all primary distribution platforms: digital terrestrial television (DTT) and on satellite via Sky Italia SpA and TiVu Sat.

QVC Italy's management team blends seasoned veterans from some of QVC's other markets, along with local talent.  As with QVC's other international operations, all on-air and customer service operations are conducted in the local language. "Italian may be a new language for QVC," added George, "but shopping is the international language."

About QVC

QVC, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Interactive Group (Nasdaq: LINTA), is one of the largest multimedia retailers in the world. QVC is committed to providing its customers with thousands of the most innovative and contemporary beauty, fashion, jewelry and home products. Its programming is distributed to approximately 200 million homes worldwide. The company's website, QVC.com, is ranked among the top general merchant Internet sites. With operations in the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and Italy, West Chester, Pa.-based QVC has shipped more than a billion packages in its 24-year history. QVC, Q, and the Q Ribbon Logo are registered service marks of ER Marks, Inc.

SOURCE QVC, Inc.