NEW YORK – QVC Group said it intends to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as soon as April 15 as the television shopping network grapples with viewer declines and a heavy debt burden.
The company owns the television channels QVC and HSN, formerly known as Home Shopping Network, which were famous for hawking everything from kitchen appliances to luggage. HSN, which pioneered the format in 1982, ended independent operations in 2025 and was consolidated with its former rival QVC.
QVC was founded by Joseph Segel in June 1986 in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The company officially launched its first television broadcast on Nov 24, 1986. The name QVC is an acronym for quality, value, and convenience. At its height, it reached 380 million homes worldwide through 15 television networks.
But online shopping dramatically changed retail, and TV shopping channels were no exception. Instead of watching QVC or HSN and calling in to buy items, consumers are watching live videos on platforms like TikTok and Shopee which offer one-click shopping.
In a regulatory filing on April 15, QVC Group said it plans to file in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. QVC also said it expects to enter a restructuring support agreement with certain creditors.
The company is targeting emerging from Chapter 11 within about 90 days, it said. But it added: “We cannot assure that cash on hand, cash flow from operations will be sufficient to continue to fund our operations and allow us to satisfy our obligations related to the Chapter 11 cases.”
QVC raised doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern when it reported its third-quarter results in November. At that time, the firm said it was exploring financial and strategic options to tackle its burdensome balance sheet, including a credit facility that matures in October.
Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration also impacted its supply chain, and the network worked to reduce its penetration of goods from China. BLOOMBERG
