New Initiative Shines Light on Small Businesses During Critical Time
May 12, 2020: Qurate Retail Group has a long tradition of helping small business owners and entrepreneurs launch and grow their brands. Today, as small businesses across our country face unprecedented challenges, we are reaching out to help additional small businesses come through this crisis.
As part of our COVID-19 global relief efforts, we’re proud to launch our Small Business Spotlight initiative, in partnership with the National Retail Federation (NRF) Foundation.
Together with the NRF Foundation, we chose 20 small businesses from across the country to receive increased visibility and other support, leveraging the incredible power of our storytelling and shopping discovery experiences. None of these businesses are current Qurate Retail vendors.
From May 11 through June 6, QVC and HSN are sharing the stories behind these businesses on our main QVC and HSN broadcasts, including brief videos our team is producing about these businesses, and live hits, during which the owners will Skype into our programming. In addition, every Saturday throughout the campaign, the QVC3 broadcast will air a show dedicated to the small businesses and their stories. QVC and HSN are also sharing these stories on a special Small Business Spotlight page on QVC.com and HSN.com, and via mobile and social. Zulily is promoting the campaign on its website, email, and social pages. Overall, this campaign will connect these small businesses with millions of consumers in their homes.
“These are successful companies that anchor their local communities and have won the patronage of their neighbors,” said Mike George, President and CEO, Qurate Retail, Inc. “But the virus and social distancing have changed everything. We believe that, with a higher profile, these businesses can rally the public to support them through this crisis. Our storytelling capabilities and platforms, across QVC, HSN, and Zulily, are unmatched. We aim to use our resources and the power of relationships to help these businesses recover and thrive again.”
The small businesses can also access a virtual mentorship program, which will connect highly skilled Qurate Retail team members with these companies to help solve a business problem created or exacerbated by COVID-19.
“The strength and growth of the American economy rests squarely on the shoulders of small businesses that serve communities across the country,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “NRF, through its foundation, is proud to partner with Qurate Retail to champion small businesses impacted by the pandemic crisis. With Qurate Retail’s long-standing history of launching and fostering brands, it is uniquely positioned to use its powerful platform to highlight small retailers from across the country and encourage consumers to support them in this time of need.”
QVC, HSN, and Zulily also continue to feature the many small businesses within their current assortments. At QVC and HSN, a selection of these vendors are featuring in a special section of the Small Business Spotlight page on qvc.com and hsn.com. Learn more about the companies that are participating in the Small Business Spotlight by visiting the Small Business Spotlight page on qvc.com and hsn.com.