Dive Brief:

• QVC debuted on YouTube TV, making it the only livestream shopping channel on the space, according to a company announcement emailed to Retail Dive on Tuesday.

• Counting the recent launch, QVC is now accessible on live TV subscription streaming services with a combined total of 8 million subscribers. This includes the shopping network's release on Hulu + Live TV and AT&T TV.

• The release is part of an extensive collaboration on YouTube platforms as the multiplatform retailer attempts to expand its reach across different media and e-commerce channels like mobile apps, social media and digital over-the-air networks, according to the release.

Dive Insight:

QVC and other companies have been experimenting with ways to make shoppable content possible on different platforms as the pandemic continues to alter where consumers spend their free time. 

Live shopping channels have been a space that QVC and HSN have taken hold of since their inception in 1986 and 1982, respectively. As with most retailers, the health crisis pressured QVC and video shopping networks to reevaluate their operations and strategy.

Though home shopping channels have not gone away, the industry gained momentum during the pandemic as retailers and brands looked for ways to connect with their customers who stayed home. Roku and Amazon Fire TV, two places QVC and HSN have expanded into relatively recently, have seen more consumers streaming during the pandemic, Mike George, president and CEO of Qurate Retail Group, told Retail Dive over the summer.

Unlike other digital platforms, telecommerce already has the infrastructure that can create an engaging shopping experience, Greg Portell, lead partner in the global consumer practice of Kearney, told Retail Dive around the same time.

"As a consumer base, we're starved for interaction. We're starved for engagement. HSN and QVC are built to deliver on that promise," Portell said.

QVC has been looking for ways to expand its reach even before the economic downturn. In 2019, the company launched Q Anytime — a mobile app that features an "ever-changing" shoppable video content feed.   

Companies like TikTok, Verishop and Instagram have been experimenting with ways to incorporate shoppable content through their social platforms.

Through this launch, QVC joins YouTube TV's list of more than 85 channels, which include TV shows on-demand, movies and news, according to the release.